Just because the charcoal has turned white, your grill may not be ready to cook on.
If you put hamburgers and steak on the grill as soon as the charcoal turns white, the heat will sear the outside of the meat. But you will need to leave the meat on the grill longer to ensure the inside is cooked thoroughly.
If you want a jerky burger or jerky steak, this method of grilling is ideal. Otherwise, wait until the charcoal has burned down to an even temperature before you place any meat on the grill grates.
When the charcoal firsts turns white, it is hot on the outside but still cool in the middle. You want to wait until at least 2/3rds of the charcoal lump has turned white and the charcoal has stopped smoking.
You can use a charcoal grill tool to move the charcoal around so that it is evenly dispersed throughout the basin for even heating.
While grilling, use a grill thermometer to measure the temperature inside the grill firebox. Also, use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature in the middle of the meat so you know when it’s ready.
