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That having been said, the basic procedures for using a grill aren’t particularly complicated. For a gas grill, you’ll want to make sure, first, that all burner control knobs are turned off.  Make sure the cover of the grill is off. Turn on the gas source, then light the fire as instructed in your user’s manual.  You’ll likely use a long match or one of those long barbecue lighters (some of the nicer models might have a built-in sparker button, in which case you can just use that).  Once the grill is lit, place the cover on the grill, and let the grill pre-heat for 10-15 minutes or so.

For a charcoal grill, you’ll need to stack a nice cone of charcoal briquettes or wood chips inside your grill.  Pour lighter fluid over your coals, and let the coals absorb the liquid for a minute or so. (Alternatively, you can buy instant-lighting charcoal that’s already pre-soaked in fuel, thus allowing you to skip that lighter fluid step). Toss a lit match onto the charcoal (be very careful – keep hair tied back and jump away as soon you’ve dropped the match), or if your grill allows it, light the coals from the bottom using a long match. Once the coals are glowing grayish-white, spread them out along the bottom, using a long-handled tool. Don’t cover the entire bottom uniformly – you’ll want some areas of low heat, some areas of high heat. Cover the grill and pre-heat for 5-10 minutes.

Grilling tips
Once your fire’s started and your grill has reached a hot enough temperature, you’re ready to start cooking. You probably won’t want the fire to get too hot, as that will result in burnt food that isn’t quite cooked through in the center. If you do find that you want less heat, you can either push the coals around to spread them out, or place the cover over the grill for a few minutes. 

Finishing up
Turn off the gas (if you’re using gas), then cover the grill.  No fuel, no burning – eventually, the fire goes out. Simple as that.  Once the fire has gone out and the grill has cooled off, of course, you’ll want to clean up a bit.  You can soak the grates in warm soapy water, then, once the gunk has softened up a bit, clean vigorously using a wire brush. If you've used charcoal, you’ll also want to clean out the ash from the inside of the grill.  Gently scrub the insides clean with a wire brush dipped in soapy water.  Let air dry.

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check out these great barbecue recipes
teriyaki-style barbecued meats + veggies
lemon-honey-garlic salad dressing

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