You skip adding more coals

THE RESULT: The fire fizzles out.

THE FIX: With larger cuts of meat that require hours over indirect heat, maintaining the coals is crucial. To keep the fire at a steady temperature over a long period of time, you’ll need to add new coals while cooking. It depends on the grill and the type of charcoal, but in general, you’ll need to add about 10 to 15 briquettes every 45 minutes to an hour. Standard briquettes take about 20 minutes to heat up, so plan ahead and add them 20 minutes before you need them. Or try using lump charcoal instead of more common briquettes. Lump charcoal burns hotter and faster, and as a bonus, you’ll avoid the fillers and binders used in briquettes. Of course, with gas grills, none of this is an issue.