This Guide to Grill Temperature is for all grillers—beginners and experts alike. BBQ temperature is key to perfect grilling steaks, chicken, seafood, and any other grilled food. Most of what I will cover also applies to pellet and charcoal grills.
To master your grill, you must learn to control, maintain, and check the temperature on your gas or propane grill. But judging from comments on grilling posts over the years, measuring and controlling grill temperature seems to be a significant problem for many readers.
I will call this a beginner's guide. I'm aiming for gas grills, but many of the tips will apply to pellet and charcoal grills. If you are an experienced griller, you have figured out much of this, but you may pick up some valuable tips.
Why is grill temperature important?
Many people have a propane grill from the big box store and are trying to learn to grill more than hot dogs. They want to cook a burger or chicken until done safely without making hockey pucks.
Unfortunately, the manuals are not very helpful for this. They are made for grill operation and safety. You should read and understand it, but grilling a meal correctly is not their purpose.
Here, I'm just going to discuss what to measure and how. Let's get to it.
🌡️Hood Thermometers are Evil
First and most importantly, that great-looking thermometer in your grill hood is useless except in a binary way: "Is the grill hot, yes or no?" The numbers are meaningless.
That thermometer is a cheap thermometer with a tube probe. It will give an average reading along that probe, but it can't measure that accurately.
So, the hood thermometer measures (inaccurately) the air temperature near the top of the hood (remember heat rises). Not where the food is cooking. Never rely on it.
🌡️What is grill surface temperature
You need to know the temperature at the grill surface where the food is cooking, not 12 inches away. And you need to know it reasonably accurately.
Adjust the grill temperature with the settings and number of your grill's burners. If you are using charcoal, adjustment is much more difficult, involving the amount and distribution of the coals and the amount of opening the bottom vent.
Some grill experts say you can tell the temperature by putting your hand 3 inches over the grill and counting until you have to remove your hand—not accurate enough for me. If you want more information, Google it since I consider it inaccurate.
🌡️Measuring grill surface temperature
Grills vary greatly, so the dial setting doesn't work well, either. A grill surface thermometer is required. You can get one for about $10 from Amazon, Home Depot, Lowes, or most hardware stores (link at the end of the post).
They will get grimy, and after 2-3 months of use, they usually need to be replaced so you can read them. I have gone through about 20 of these, and only one didn't work well.
I now use a Thermoworks ThermoQ (link at the end of the post), which uses a remote probe for both the surface and meat temperatures—very slick but professional-level quality. For home, check out the Thermoworks Smoke™.
IR thermometers are fine, but you will get the grill metal temp, not the air temperature; you need to hit the metal with the beam, and you may need to leave the hood up longer. I have one, but I gave up using it.
Products I Recommend
Note: All links below are affiliate links, meaning I make a small profit from your purchases. Your price is not affected by this commission. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
These are examples of what I use or recommend. There are many other great options.
Smoke™ by Thermoworks™
Thermapen™ One from Thermoworks™
CDN Grill Surface Thermometer
Thermopop™ by Thermoworks™
🔥What grill surface temperature to use?
I give a range in most grill recipes, and many other sites will also. But this is not a kitchen oven, so you can't be exact. Just opening the top of a grill releases lots of heat. All this means is it is a little more an art than a science.
I like to think of three levels of heat I usually use. These are my arbitrary divisions, and I'm sure others may disagree.
And there are many times you should deviate from this, admittedly. An example would be my Grilled Whole Chicken, where I used indirect heat in the 350° range.
If I'm grilling a 1 ½-inch thick steak, I won't use high heat. I might use reverse searing or sear on high and then move to a lower indirect heat to finish. Or I might use medium heat.
ALWAYS REMEMBER TO NEVER COOK (OR GRILL) BY TIME ALONE. Cook to a final internal temperature using the suggested heat level. Measure the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer.
High heat
High heat is over 500° but as hot as the grill goes. Some grills will be 700°, and lesser grills may only get 550°, but this is where I cook things like burgers and most steaks. It will make chicken a hockey puck.
Examples of meat to cook on high heat on a gas grill are Grilled New York Strip Steak, Grilled Hamburger, and Grilled Porterhouse Steak.
Medium heat
This is 450°-500° to me and where I usually cook poultry like chicken, pork, and veggies.
Examples of recipes using medium grill heat are Grilled Chicken Breasts, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill, and Grilled Mixed Vegetables.
Low heat
Low heat is 225° up to 300° usually used for indirect grilling for pork ribs, pulled pork from pork shoulder or butt, brisket, etc. Some experts will describe this type of cooking as BBQ and higher temperature direct grilling as grilling.
Some examples of low-heat cooking are BBQ Brisket, Grilled Pork Butt Roast, and BBQ Baby Back Ribs.
Do you Want to Do Low and Slow Smoking?
How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking
Grill Hood - Open or Closed?
The grill lid is usually closed unless stated otherwise. Things less than ½ inch thick can usually be grilled open. Between ½ to 1 inch thick, open is possible but harder to control. Over 1 inch, definitely closed. Low and slow is always closed.
So those generic grills you see in the parks can cook hot dogs, burgers, and, if you are careful, a skinless chicken breast. But not thick stuff.
Final Words
This is a beginning guide. It is not comprehensive or even close. But I want to get you away from thinking that a hood thermometer is helpful and start looking at what is essential for your final results.
It takes some practice to improve your grilling skills, but it also requires knowledge of the surface temperature and an instant-read meat thermometer. Those two things will instantly improve your grilling skills by 1000%.
Otherwise, it is like driving a car with your eyes closed and hoping to get where you want to go. Let's open our eyes.
Thanks for reading
DrDan
Editor's Note: This is a republishing of a handy and timely post originally published on August 21, 2017. Update with expanded details and a table of contents for easier navigation.
Kevin says
Are the temperatures in Celsius or Fahrenheit?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Keven,
Welcome to the blog. All temperatures are Fahrenheit. I have a chart for cooking temps on the FAQ page https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/abbreviations-salts-and-oven-temperature/#ovens-and-oven-temperatures.
If you are into math, Celsius temp = ((Fahrenheit temp-32)÷9)X5
Dan
Wendy Hampton says
THANK YOU for this article! I had been relying on the hood temperature and now I understand why my gas grilling has resulted in overcooked food no wonder what I did. I have ordered the surface temp thermometer and look forward to more successful grilling! Cheers!
Leslie says
Hi Dr Dan,
I have been using your sight for years, love recipes & doggie pics. I am interested in buying the Thermoworks Blue Q dual grill thermometer kit from your shop. Directions on how to use thermometer not very clear on their web sight, also some customer reviews complain of pen probe melting. Because it’s expensive would like your input- Is it easy to use if you have 0 tech skills & does it melt easily?
Thank you,
Leslie
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Leslie,
I have never had a problem with it or the probes. It is well built and the company is good. I have had it for 3 years (maybe 2???). The utility is great if you are doing bigger grilling—brisket, pork butt, whole chicken. Things that need to be monitored and if you keep opening the grill, it will just prolong things greatly.
For smaller grilling (Burgers, streaks, chicken parts, pork tenderloin, etc) that require flipping and moving things, you would need to keep moving the meat probe. It becomes a pain.
I have used it just to watch surface temperature alone and to check other thermometers. It is great there also but just tossing a $10 surface thermometer is easier then playing with the wires, probes and phone. And I rarely do l large chunks of meat anymore so 75% of the time I use just the surface thermometer and an instant read thermometer.
So on the the tech. I set it up without reading the instructions and then read them to double check. It is easy to use. I have had cheaper remote thermometers and they all died in 2 months except the iGrill that was reasonable (and is a lot cheaper).
So my question to you is what do you see yourself using it for? If you do lots pork butt and briskets, it is so worth it. If not, it may be an expensive toy. Get the $10 surface thermometer and a very good instant read like a thermopen that you will love in the kitchen.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Melissa Hall says
Hi, I'm a life long charcoal griller and smoker (Aren't Weber's friggin' AWESOME!!) but someone gave me a gas grill, so I figured what the heck, it's super convenient, fast and unfussy for nights when I'm just not up for the ritual of charcoal grilling... and I found your blog and articles really helpful at getting me up to speed in record time!! First time out I used brined boneless / skinless chicken breasts (which I pretty much only use for soup, I'm a thigh gal myself) marinated in a mojo criollo, and they came out moist and delish!! Thanks so much for the no nonsense advice!!
Deborah paul says
Omg Thanks for a great article I am determined to learn to grill and you gave us some great advice Thank you for all your info
Susan says
Will a standard oven thermometer work on a gas grill for grill temperature reading?
Thanks for the time and effort you place into your great website. I've learned so much!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Susan,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep, an oven thermometer is fine but doesn't last as long. They are not made for the frequent use and not as thick walled. They will cost about the same.
Dan
Michel joseph Cardin says
I would like to say that one could install an oven thermometer with a stem that when the lid is closed; the stem touches the grill of the BBQ.
Amanda says
This was the most comprehensive article on grilling I have ever read. I feel about 5 times as knowledgeable on the subject than I did before I read this! I look forward to implementing a good bit of this knowledge and get better at the “art” of grilling (because, indeed, to do it well is a cultivated craft).
Kevin Quinn says
Just a suggestion for the grill surface thermometers. When they become grimy you can take a razor blade, (the kind you use in a utility knife), and in a circular motion run the blade around the glass surface and the grime will come off. I used a couple of those from amazon until I switched to a maverick thermometer that has food and surface probes.
Donegan Kelly says
Hey Dr. Dan great chicken drummies recipe. On to the Thermometer from Therma Q , at $269 this is not a toy but a very expensive piece of equipment. Also, did you know that this is made in the UK and there are better models at a fraction of the price. I know no one wants to support China , but many can't afford to support England either. Thank-you for your great site and love those dogs. DK
DrDan says
Hi Donegan,
I did include the el-cheapo hockey puck surface thermometer. But as for "better/cheaper", I have had a number of those but they never made it through a season. I would see wonderful reviews and spend my hundred dollars plus. Before the season was over, they were not connecting wirelessly, the probes would not work. Plus warranty were a joke. Somehow it was always me damaging their product. No real support.
The Thermoworks product do work well and are well made. I have used it for over one year and no issues of any type. Always accurate and connects. But it is a "toy" because you really don't need it. With a ten dollar surface thermometer and a ten dollar el-cheapo instant read thermometer, you are good to go.
Julie Johnstone says
Hi Dr. Dan,
Thanks for posting this. My question is about your grill picture where you seem to have a metal/aluminum tray under the grill itself. I wondered what was going on with that?
Thanks,
Julie from Ottawa, Ontario
DrDan says
Hi Julie,
That is to catch fat from low and slow cooking of the ribs. I have another guide to Smoking and Low and Slow cooking that covers it in detail. I probably should republish that also.
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/set-gas-grill-smoking-low-slow-cooking/
Thanks for the note and let me know if you have other questions.
Dan
John Lansdown says
Doc
I have made your Memphis BBQ Sauce (my favorite, because it's not too sweet) twice.
I like it and it is very fresh tasting. It is granular
I think because of the garlic powder and the garlic
powder. Is that what we are to expect ? If so, ok
just want your take on this. With a 1/4 cup of ACV
it is definitely tart. Day or two in the frig calms it
down a little. Have you had any other feedback on
this sauce ?
DrDan says
Hi John,
No, it should be smooth. I find that if my celery salt is older or I use older granular garlic powder, it can get a little of it. My garlic powder I go through quickly but the celery salt, not so much and if it is older, I skip it sometimes. The ACV is a major part of this but as I get older, I'm more vinegar sensitive. I find that a lot with Chinese food now and only a few restaurants are to my liking any more. I have been known to cut it back a bit.
Susie says
Thank you! Thank you! I have learned so much from you and my family, even my husband, Mr. Picky, love your recipes! I've been wanting a grill thermometer and didn't know what to get. Just ordered one. You made my day!
DrDan says
Hi Susie,
Thanks for the note. It somewhat made my day. I was answering comments and seem to see the same basic issue over and over the last few days. I started typing and ended up at 700 words before I knew it. So I decided to post it... and add some dog pictures of course.
The cheap hockey puck thermometers from CDN never failed me. The one that didn't work well cost twice as much.
Dan