The best cuts for grill-roasting, or cooking over indirect heat, are beef, pork or lamb roasts, whole chickens or turkeys, and smoked hams. You should also use indirect heat when cooking steaks or pork chops that are more than 1 1/2 inches thick. When cooked over direct heat, they can burn on the outside before being fully cooked on the inside.

The method for grill-roasting is similar to roasting in a moderate oven of 325˚F. to 375˚F. You’ll need a covered grill, coals for a charcoal grill and a drip pan.

Using Charcoal Grills

• Remove the grate from the grill. Fill a chimney starter with the briquettes or pile them in the center and light them. Leave all the vents open on the grill. When the coals are covered with gray ash, divide them in half and push them to either side of the grill. Place the drip pan between the coals.
   
• Replace the grate so that the access openings are above the coals, to make it easy to add more coals as needed. For a small roast, such as a tri-tip, sear it directly over the coals for 2 to 3 minutes per side to brown it; then place it over the drip pan and cover the grill. 
   
• Check the temperature of the grill. Use an oven thermometer if the grill’s not equipped with a thermometer. Depending on the recipe, the temperature should be between 300˚F. and 375˚F. It it’s too high, partially close one of the upper vents. If it's still too hot, partially close the lower vents (the vents control the amount of oxygen, which then regulates the heat). If the temperature is too low, open the vents and add more coals.

Using Gas Grills

Remove the grates. For a three-burner grill, light the two outside sections, leaving the middle section unlit. For a two-burner grill, light one side and leave the other side unlit. Place a drip pan on the unlit side. Heat the grill on high until it’s hot. Reduce the heat to the temperature stated in the recipe. Place the roast over the drip pan. Close the grill and maintain an internal temperature of 300˚F. to 375˚F., depending on the recipe.

Checking for Doneness

Use an instant-read thermometer to test the meat for doneness, as directed in the recipe. If you are applying a glaze, do so during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking to prevent it from burning. Remove the roast from the grill and let it rest before carving.

Adding Smoke

To add a smoky taste to grill-roasted meat, use small chunks of hardwoods, such as hickory, alder, oak, apple or other fruitwoods. If you can’t find chunks, use wood chips, but they will burn up quickly and will need to be replaced more often. Both wood chunks and wood chips should be soaked in water for at least 30 minutes or longer before use; you also can soak the wood overnight. Wrap 2 to 3 soaked wood chunks or a handful of chips in heavy-duty foil; pierce holes in the packet to allow smoke to escape, and place the packet directly on the burners or coals. If your gas grill has a smoke box, you can use it instead.

Replenish the wood chips as needed during cooking. For 2 hours of grill-roasting, you’ll need 4 to 6 chunks of wood or 3 to 4 cups of wood chips.