Grilling is cooking something on a grill or open fire, with a direct heat source, with the lid open. Little to no smoke is involved in the process and it's used for things that cook well over medium to high heats.
Barbecuing is done with the lid closed, over a low, usually indirect heat, often involving smoking as part of the cooking method. It is used for larger cuts and joints that benefit from long cooking times and can handle the flavor of smoke.
Grilling Tips
A. When cooking steaks, use high, direct heat. This means cook times between 9 and 12 minutes for a medium steak.
B. For burgers, use medium-to-high, direct heat. This means 8 to 10 minutes for a medium burger.
C. For pork, use, direct heat. This means a thick-cut pork chop will be done in about 12 minutes.
D. For chicken, use indirect heat. Sure, it's a longer cook time, but it ensures the chicken is cooked through, and keeps it from drying out. This means chicken breasts will be done in about 20-25 minutes.
E. If applying sauce, use medium heat and wait until the last 5 minutes of cooking. Sauce can have a lot of sugar, and sugar burns.
F. For sausage, use indirect heat. Because sausage has a higher fat content, this is important to ensure it does not burn/char while it cooks completely. This means sausage will be done in about 25 minutes.
G. For fish, use high, direct heat. This means a fillet of salmon will be done in about 10 minutes.
H. Don't puncture your meat. Trust the temperature and cooking times.
I. Don't push your meat down against the grates. This promotes flare-ups. Flare-ups are dangerous. They also lead to burning your food.
J. For veggies, coat in oil, turn frequently, and avoid too much charring.
