A charcoal grill may seem a bit dated in these days of natural gas and propane fueled barbeques. But a charcoal grill can be great for anything from preparing a simple meal to smoking your favorite meats. There's nothing quite like food that has been cooked on grills to really offer a wonderful, natural taste.

There are a variety of grills available, the selection is really endless and there are grills that meets just about anyone's needs. A portable charcoal grill can be great for tailgating or other picnic like events, and then of course you have your larger grills that are stationary and used mainly for backyards and poolside barbecue.

When you pick out your charcoal grill, you really should know exactly what you expect of it. A charcoal grill can grill, roast, and/or smoke your meat and fish, depending on the type you choose and how you set it up.

One of the most important features of any grill is how easy is it to douse any flare-ups during cooking? It's inevitable that you can have small flash fires inside of the grill component. A model with water in the base below where the charcoal sits can allow for easier dousing of hot coals. It is a good safety feature that you may want to consider.

When extinguishing the overthrow, first close the lid of the charcoal grill so that you smother the fire by depriving it of oxygen. Once the charcoal has cooled a bit, use long handled tongs to safely transfer the charcoal into a metal container, you may even want to oust them in water first, or simultaneously immerse them in water to kill off burning embers.

A really important thing for your charcoal grill to have is good, strong sturdy legs – you don't want your dinner toppling over into the dirt! And you certainly don't want it falling over and burning people or property. You also want a cooking surface that's big enough for your needs – are you cooking for one or two? Or do you need enough space to cook for a veritable picnic full of people?

You must also, of course, pick up some charcoal. You can get charcoal briquettes, which will give your charcoal grill a more even and consistent heat if spread properly, or non-briquettes, which are just rough charcoal that tends to produce a lot of flavor and smoke which many prefer.

Safety is always a factor whenever you're grilling. Never, ever use gasoline to ignite your charcoal grill – lighter fluid is always the safer choice.

As far as temperatures are concerned it's a good practice to cook fish over medium heat, chicken and pork over medium to high heat, and steaks on a hot barbeque. It basically all depends on the thickness. Use a meat thermometer to be sure meat is cooked through. You can also use a knife to cut into them so you can physically see how well they've been cooked. Cook vegetables over medium heat, perhaps wrapped in aluminum foil.

Outdoor grills are the epitome of summer cooking. Grab some your favorite cold drinks, add a bag of crunchy snacks, and fire up the grill for a wonderful summer treat.