When the cooking grate is very hot and clean, food is less likely to stick. Put the grate in place over the coals early on and let it heat up (and burn off all those bits left over from the last cookout). Use a wire brush to clean the surface. Most grilling tool kits include a brush, or you can order one from www.webergrills.com (18-inch grill brush, $9). You can also lightly oil the grill for extra protection (use a basting brush), but do this just before you put the food on — too early and the oil will burn off.

For those professional grill marks, use a cast-iron grate. (Weber makes one for its kettle grills; $70, 888-469-3237.) Cast iron gets much hotter than standard-issue aluminum. After the first two or three minutes over the fire, lift the food with a spatula, turn it 45 degrees (don't flip it), and place it back down to finish cooking. Never flip and flop randomly. And turn food only once.