Three-Day Weekend Green Grilling Tips

If Dad prefers cooking over coals, Cowboy Charcoals boasts a quicker and hotter fire and uses no fillers, coal or chemicals. The hardwood charcoals are made out of untreated maple and oak hardwood scraps from furniture and flooring factories (ah, recycling at its best.) Make a point of giving these quick fire starters to Dad for Father's Day and with any luck your next burger off the grill won't taste like lighter fluid.

The Grate Debate Most of us have seen the information on how to Green Your Grill with the advent of summertime outdoor entertaining.

If Dad doesn't want to go the charcoal or electric route and natural gas is his cooking venue of choice, Vermont Castings makes a brawny gas grill (recommended model VCS 3006) that's known for being long lasting, energy efficient and emits less contaminants into the air.

What's up for next Father's Day? A solar-powered grill? Why wait until next year when you can try your hand at barbecuing with the energy of the sun. And you can always try a hybrid grill that has a gas smoker. It uses gas heat along with a small amount of wood to impart that smoky beloved flavor. So many grills, so little time.

Grilling Rules! Who knew that there were actual rules for grilling your favorite fish and vegetables? With some well-intended guidance and understanding, your favorite fish fillets won''t fall through the grill rack and become a charred mess.

Direct Grilling: Temperatures are high for this method of grilling and food is cooked directly over the fire. This produces a slightly charred exterior but keeps your food moist inside. Use this method for smaller cuts of meat and for fish fillets, vegetables, and bread.

Food Editor's Tip: For fish fillets, once you place them on the grill, pretend they have a Greta Garbo complex and leave them alone (at least until their outsides take on a bit of color and caramelize). The reason they fall apart and through the cracks of the grate is because you've tried to flip them too soon.

Indirect Grilling: Think of indirect grilling as if you've moved your kitchen oven outside. With the grill lid on to hold in the heat and your food placed next to the fire, not directly over it, it acts like more of a roaster. And because you're slow cooking with this method, you'll be introducing all the smoky goodness to your food that your grill has to offer. Indirect grilling works best for larger and tougher cuts of meat (think ribs, briskets, whole chickens). If you barbecued them directly over the fire, the outside of your food would burn and you'd be left with something pretty inedible — not a great way to impress your Dad on his special day.