An underused and little understood feature of a modern grill is the vent. Of course, this is where the smoke escapes from the grill, but did you know that you can also use it to regulate the temperature? We recently had the chance to speak with Silvio Correa, private chef and Brazilian grill master, and he had some great insight into when the vent should be open and when it should be closed.
Open vents generally allow for more airflow, which means a hotter grill, while closed vents restrict airflow. This is especially helpful when you first light your grill. For example, with a charcoal grill, it’s a good idea to “open the vents when lighting the charcoal to allow for maximum airflow and quickly reach the desired temperature,” Correa told Tasting Table.
Once you reach the desired temperature, you can “adjust the vents to control airflow and temperature,” Correa continued. “More vents increase heat and oxygen flow.” If you don’t have an internal thermometer on your grill, you can safely tell how hot the grill is by looking at the color of the charcoal briquettes. However you choose to keep an eye on the temperature, the vents are a great tool to keep control of it.
Grill vents are used to control air flow and temperature
You may wonder why you would close the vents if they keep the grill hot so well, but it’s not the best idea to cook food at higher temperatures than necessary. There’s a good chance you’ll burn what you’re cooking, or at least have your dinner come out dry and stiff. Steakhouses often use very high heat to achieve a typical crust on the steak, but it’s a different technique than simply cooking the steak at full power.
One reason you might want to close the vents would be if you’re slow cooking a larger piece of meat. “Partially close the vents for slow-cooked dishes like ribs or brisket to maintain a lower, more even temperature,” Correa says. Brisket in particular is very sensitive to the temperature of the grill or smoker and can easily dry out before you know it. You might also want to close the vents “to preserve the smoke and flavor of the food,” Correa adds.
While Correa has some great tips for using vents properly, unfortunately it takes more than a simple tip to get good temperature control on your grill. Every grill has its own personality, and you may have your own preferences. As Correa puts it, “Experiment with vent settings to find the perfect balance for your grill and your cooking style.”
