Two Zone BBQ Setup — Direct and Indirect Zones | The Rub Kitchen
The two-zone setup is the most essential BBQ technique that most people don't know — and the technique that will immediately improve your BBQ results. The principle is simple: you divide your BBQ into a hot zone (direct heat) and a cool zone (indirect heat). This gives you control you never have with a single hot grate.
What is a two-zone setup?
In a standard BBQ setup, the coals are spread across the entire bottom — the entire grate is hot. In a two-zone setup, you place all the coals on one side. You now have:
- Hot zone (directly above the coals) — 200–300°C. For searing, grill marks, and crispy skin.
- Cool zone (above the empty side) — 120–160°C. For indirect cooking without the risk of burning.
You can move meat between the zones — cook in the cool zone, finish in the hot zone. That's the essence of the technique.
Two-zone setup per BBQ type
Kettle BBQ (kettle grill)
- Place all briquettes or charcoal on one side of the firebox
- Add a water pan to the empty side for extra moisture during longer sessions
- Lid always closed for indirect cooking — hot air then circulates around the meat
- Place the vent above the cool zone — draws smoke over the meat
Kamado
On a kamado, you don't create a classic two-zone setup — the round shape makes a left/right division difficult. Instead, you use the deflector plate for indirect heat and remove it for direct heat. For a true two-zone: place the deflector plate on one side (half-moon deflector) — some brands (Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg) sell specific accessories for this.
Gas BBQ
- Set one half of the burners to high, the other half off
- Simplest two-zone setup — precisely adjustable
- Lid always closed for indirect cooking
When to use the two-zone setup?
- Thick steaks — cook indirectly until 5°C below the desired internal temperature, then sear directly over high heat. This is the basis of the reverse sear method.
- Bone-in chicken — bone-in chicken burns on the outside before it's cooked through on the inside with direct heat. Cook indirectly, then finish directly for crispy skin.
- Sausages — start indirectly, finish directly. Prevents the casing from bursting due to too rapid heat.
- Meat that threatens to burn — move to the cool zone if it browns too quickly.
- Fish — cook completely indirectly, no searing needed.
Two-zone vs. indirect cooking — what's the difference?
Indirect cooking (deflector plate on the kamado, or coals on the edge of the kettle) is a form of two-zone — but with pure indirect cooking, you don't have a hot zone next to the meat. In the two-zone setup, you have the hot zone next to the meat, ready to use for a quick sear. The distinction lies in the active use of both zones in one session.