Direct cooking on a premium gas barbecue

What is Direct Heat?

The direct cooking method is ideal for grilling or searing food on your barbecue. In this technique, food is placed directly above the heat source, usually on the cooking grill. Direct grilling is recommended for foods that cook in 20 minutes or less and require turning at least once during the cooking time. This method is perfect for steaks, burgers, fish fillets, boneless chicken pieces, sliced vegetables, and shellfish. 

How to set up your premium gas barbecue for direct cooking

We have tried and tested every barbecue model to ensure you have the correct settings and instructions to achieve the best results. For the specific settings suitable for your barbecue, please refer to your user and recipe guide or quick start guide.

For the best results, cook everything you can on the cooking grills rather than on a hotplate. Save the hotplate for foods that may fall through the bars of the cooking grill, like sliced onion, pancakes, or foods with a high fat content, such as sausages. When your food is cooked directly on the cooking grills, it will have more flavour as the fats and juices can fall down and catch on your barbecue’s Flavorizer bars, creating that beautiful barbecue smoke.  

Open your barbecue lid, ensure your cooking grills are in position, turn the gas on, then light all burners as per your owner’s manual. Leave your burners on high, close the lid, and leave the barbecue to preheat for the directed time, generally 10-15 minutes.

Recommended preheat and cook settings

Depending on what you are cooking, there is a range of direct heat preheat and cook settings to use for the best results. Refer to your handbook or quick start guide for the preheat and cook settings for your barbecue. The direct heat temperatures below can help you determine the best cook setting for the food you are cooking.

Direct Very High: (290°C +) 

Direct very high heat is the ultimate temperature for intense searing. It is ideal for high-heat caramelisation, helping to form that perfect crust on a steak. This temperature can be achieved if your barbecue has a Sear Zone.

Direct High Heat: (260°C to 290°C) 

Direct high heat is great for foods like steaks or thin cuts of seafood that can be seared and have a short cook time.

Direct Medium-High Heat: (230°C to 260°C) 

Direct medium-high heat is fantastic for foods like burgers, lamb chops, or salmon fillets, where the food may need to cook slightly longer or has a higher fat content (such as sausages or lamb chops).

Direct Medium Heat: (190°C to 230°C) 

Direct medium heat is best for foods that need to cook all the way through or may take longer to cook, like chicken breast or thick-cut pork chops.

Hot tips

• Preheating is essential: Preheating your barbecue is crucial for several reasons: it helps prevent food from sticking to the grills, ensures you're cooking on a sanitised surface, and allows the food to sear and caramelise quickly for optimal flavour. When the grill is properly preheated, food cooks more evenly and develops that perfect, mouthwatering crust.   
• Clean grills are non-negotiable: There's a common myth that a "dirty" grill adds flavour, but in reality, clean grills produce the best results. Caramelisation and searing happen most effectively on a clean surface. Once your barbecue has preheated and any leftover debris has turned to ash, use a Weber grill brush to clean the grills before cooking.   
• Oil the food, not the grills:  Avoid applying oil directly to the cooking grills, as this can lead to flare-ups. Instead, oil your food before seasoning it. This not only helps the seasonings adhere better but also ensures nicer grill marks and minimises the risk of flare-ups. 

Our favourite direct grilling recipes to get you started

Porterhouse Steaks with Mustard Whip >

Barbecue Chicken and Bacon Skewers >

Chargrilled Mezze Capsicum with Garlic Oil >