To measure the temperature of your grill, simply hold your hand—a cook’s tool employed universally since antiquity—about 3 inches above the grate, then time how long you can keep your hand there before you’re forced to withdraw it:

• 1 to 2 seconds—the fire is hot and perfect for searing a steak or grilling shrimp.
• 3 seconds—indicates medium-high heat, great for most fish.
• 4 to 5 seconds—signifies a medium range, ideal for most chicken and vegetables.
• 7 to 8 seconds—indicates the temperature is low and perfect for grilling delicate vegetables and fruit.

Thermometers that come with most grills measure only oven temperatures inside the grill when the cover is closed. If you cook with direct heat with the cover down, you get a measurement of the reflected heat that contributes to the cooking process but not the actual grilling temperature on the grate where the food sits. The top side of the food is cooked at the oven temperature indicated, while the bottom side directly above the fire is grilled at a higher temperature.