Chef Michael Tuohy of Woodfire Grill-Atlanta, GA
Adapted by StarChefs.com

1. Use compressed charcoal made from Mesquite to establish a coal bed. I use Oak and Hickory to feed the grill after the bed is established. Hickory has a sweeter smelling aroma and flavor, oak burns hotter and is really good for quick results.

2. Be sure and use cuts of meat that are "grill friendly."
Shoulders are not particularly good for grilling, for example.

3. Lean meats such as venison, pork and beef tenderloin, and squab should never be cooked more than medium rare. They get dried out and have a grainy texture.

4. Do not over oil your meats, vegetables or fish when grilling. This can cause unpleasant flair ups and a petroleum-like flavor.

5. If you are not adept at telling temperatures, i.e. rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well by feel, you need to get an instant read thermometer or an infrared one.

6. Grilling fruits such as figs, peaches, pineapples, nectarines, etc. produces great results that can be used in many ways, from appetizers to desserts.

7. For thick cuts of meat or large fish, you may want to put grill marks on both sides and finish in the oven to prevent excess charring.
This will result in a better texture when finished, crisp on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside!

8. When grilling foods with high fat content, such as duck or sausage, grill over the coolest part of the grill, ideally over coals, not big flames! The fat will render and drip and cause flare ups.