When preparing your charcoal grill for cooking, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The first is the type of charcoal you're using - some charcoal takes longer to reach the ideal cooking temperature than others. Some require some form of lighter fluid, while others don't. Once your coals have been lit you need to let them burn off until they reach a grey color and begin to ash over. These are your ideal cooking coals, as they're hot enough to cook on but not too hot that you'll burn the food. If you place food onto the grates while there are still active embers in the fire (i.e., very red) then chances are you'll get flare-ups and your food will burn.