10 Common Barbecue Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Tonight’s topic came from a great article by Bree Via of the Smoke n’ Magic competition BBQ team, published in The Smoke Sheet. She laid out ten big-time mistakes you might be making at the grill, and they’re worth going through one by one — because avoiding these can make a huge difference in your barbecue. These apply whether you’re cooking on a kettle, a pellet grill, an offset, or a gas grill.

Mistake #1: Not Preheating the Grill

Tossing food onto a cold grill leads to sticking and an uneven sear. You’ll never get those picture-perfect grill marks or that crusty bark starting from a cold grate.

The fix: Let your grill preheat for at least 10 to 15 minutes — treat it like a warm-up stretch. On charcoal, wait until the coals have ashed over gray. On a pellet or gas grill, close the lid and let the temperature stabilize first.

Mistake #2: Cooking at the Wrong Temperature

I was definitely guilty of this when I first started fancying myself a backyard pitmaster: going full blast for everything. What you end up with is food that’s burned on the outside and undercooked on the inside — and once it’s burned, there’s no going back.

The fix: Learn two-zone cooking. Set up a direct (hot) side and an indirect (cool) side — on a charcoal grill, just bank your coals to one side. Use the hot side for searing and the cool side for roasting and finishing. Think of your grill like an oven with a broiler side. Kettles, the PK360, and the Summit Kamado are all great for this, and an accessory like the Slow ‘N Sear makes the setup even easier (with a handy water reservoir for humidity). Master two-zone cooking and your outcomes will improve dramatically.

Mistake #3: Overcooking or Undercooking the Meat

Guessing doneness by cutting the meat open? Please don’t. You get dry or unsafe food either way — a wasted effort.

The fix: A meat thermometer is a must-have, starting with a simple instant-read (around $20). Thermometers don’t lie; your gut does. For food-safe temps: chicken to 165°F (pull around 160 and let carryover finish it), ground meats to 160°F, fish to 145°F. And for the low-and-slow cuts, target roughly 195–203°F for brisket, 200–205°F for pulled pork, 195–203°F for ribs, and 175–185°F for chicken thighs.

Mistake #4: Pressing Down on Burgers

That sizzle you hear when you press with the spatula? That’s flavor leaving the building — you’re pushing the juices out.