One Mississippi: In “The Barbecue! Bible,” Steven Raichlen recommends the “Mississippi test” for those who don’t have grill thermometers.
Hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals and start counting “one Mississippi, two Mississippi,” etc., until the force of the heat causes you to pull away.
The number of seconds (Mississippis) you can hold your hand above the coals or gas-fired heat roughly corresponds to these temperatures:
High heat (650 degrees) = 1 to 2 seconds
Medium-high heat (400 to 450 degrees) = 4 to 5 seconds
Medium heat (350 degrees) = 6 to 7 seconds
Medium-low heat (300 degrees) = 8 to 10 seconds
Low heat (250 to 275 degrees) = 12 to 15 seconds
Special to The Washington Post
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