Why I Grill ambassador Greg Mrvich started grilling at a young age with his dad and grandfather. Over the years, he’s honed his craft and now teaches millions of people how to cook delicious grilled recipes on his popular YouTube channel Ballistic BBQ.

Sharpen your grilling skills with these five tips from the barbecue expert:

1. When setting up your grill, always have a cooler zone. This way, if the hot zone is too hot, you can simply move the food over to the cooler zone. This prevents serving up meat that is burned on the outside and raw in the center.
2. Use the lid. Closing the lid on your grill helps you achieve evenly cooked meat and decreases the cook time.
3. Have a good instant-read meat thermometer. Being able to check the meat’s temperature not only helps you serve perfectly cooked food, but also food that’s safe to eat.
4. Cooking things like chicken over indirect heat eliminates a lot of frustration by bringing the temperature up to where you want without burning the food over the hot flames. You can do this with steak, then finish it off (for the sear) over the direct heat.
5. Keep your grill grates clean. After you have eaten and the grill is still warm, scrub off the hardened food crumbs and grease from your grill. This will not only make your next cook taste much better, but it will increase the lifespan of your grill. Salts from seasonings can cause rust.

Ready to apply what you’ve learned? Try Greg’s recipe for BBQ Chicken With Alabama White Sauce!