Grilling a piece of meat or fish to the point where it's edible is easy enough. Grilling that same meat or fish to tender, mouth-watering perfection is extremely difficult to master. Too far towards one end of the spectrum, and you'll end up with a bloody mess, and you'll look like Gollum as you chew on meat that's practically raw and wriggling. On the other end of the spectrum, you'll be left with a charred hockey puck that resembles the coal it was cooked over more than the animal it came from. Both extremes are less than optimal, especially when you're out at a remote campsite.

In order to hit the sweet spot with your meat, fish, or even veggies, there are three factors to consider:

• Heat level – How big and how close is the fire to your food?
• Direct or indirect heat – Are you cooking the food over the flame, off to the side, over a tray, or wrapped in foil?
• Cook time – How long are you cooking the food, given its size?

If any of these factors are out of balance, your food will end up overcooked and unappetizing, or undercooked and potentially dangerous. Either way, the following infographic from Visual News can help you learn the appropriate grilling formula for a variety of types of beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and vegetables. Check it out:

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For more tips on meal prep and cooking off the grid, check out our previous article, Grid-Down Chef.

Written by Patrick McCarthy