How to maintain 250-275 with Weber Kettle?


 
A

Andrew Gahagan

TVWBB Member
Gonna attempt some ABT's today on my new Performer Platinum. What is the preferred method to get the kettle (22.5) to 250-275 and keep it there?

I've seen a few options...full charcoal baskets with a few lit coals dumped on them, one full basket on either side, or 2 half full baskets on either side? Looks to me that the best method could maybe be a psudo-minion? Minion light two baskets like that?

Sorry for the "newb" question!
 
Andy;
I have NO problem holding my OTG at 300 (grate temperature with a Maverick 732) but holding it much lower is MUCH harder. I can do 275 using a two stage fire.

Here is a picture of how I set up my grill using two fire bricks (pick up at a masonry supply for just a couple of dollars apiece):


You can see the pan below the pork - if you fill that with hot water and set another pan over top of the coals filled with hot water, that will help to maintain the lower temperatures that you desire. Use of the Maverick 732 to get actual grate temperature (where the food actually is) can be a big help. However, you don't have to have the Maverick but it is VERY nice to be able to monitor a long cook from the house - just a thought.

Good luck, but I am sure you'll catch on very quickly. Use "Meatheads" method to set the bottom vents on your grill and soon, you'll be able to control the temperature like you need:

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/controlling_temperature_with_vents.html

Dale53
 
I'm not too sure about the best way to light the charcoal for that. I'm new to the minion method. But, I guess that or the snake method should work. But, here's a trick that I came up with so that I could make adjustments to the vents without opening the lid and peeking. I noticed that there was a lot of travel on the vent lever after the vents were 100% open. I just eyeballed this. Everything is approximation anyway. So, getting my marks exactly correct wasn't important to me.

The marks are a little worn. But, you can see that the relationship of distance from fully closed to 100% open is not exactly linear. When I marked it, I noticed that linkage between the lever and the vents was pretty sloppy. Each time you move the lever, you might not land in exactly the same spot. I got the best accuracy if I moved the lever far to the right, way past 100% open and then back to the mark I wanted each time. So, for example, instead of going from 90% open to 50% open, I would move the lever way far to the right and then back into the scale and try to land on 50%.

Hope that makes sense.
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full res version
 
Andrew I've been using my performer for two years now and last year I even smoke a large turkey breast on the performer for thanksgiving. This is what I would do is fill both baskets up with charcoal and run the propane starter for 5 minutes. Then I would push each basket to opposite sides of the pit and load the ATBs in the middle. All depending on the wind and outside temp I would run the vents at 30% open on the bottom and the top vent at 50% open. I can usually hold temp at 240 - 250 with this method and the bacon will be crispy in an two hours. I forgot to mention I also usually use a small chunk of hickory in each basket to get a nice smokey flavor. Good luck have fun and just keep an eye on the temp.....you're not going to burn these things as long as the are indirect. Keep us posted buddy.
 
James Lake said:
Andrew I've been using my performer for two years now and last year I even smoke a large turkey breast on the performer for thanksgiving. This is what I would do is fill both baskets up with charcoal and run the propane starter for 5 minutes. Then I would push each basket to opposite sides of the pit and load the ATBs in the middle. All depending on the wind and outside temp I would run the vents at 30% open on the bottom and the top vent at 50% open. I can usually hold temp at 240 - 250 with this method and the bacon will be crispy in an two hours. I forgot to mention I also usually use a small chunk of hickory in each basket to get a nice smokey flavor. Good luck have fun and just keep an eye on the temp.....you're not going to burn these things as long as the are indirect. Keep us posted buddy.
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Thats pretty much how I ran it last night, but I was getting 400 degrees with the dome temp at the indirect part of the grill.

Im thinking of doing each basket via minion and see if I cant get anything going that way....
 
Andrew Gahagan said:
Thats pretty much how I ran it last night, but I was getting 400 degrees with the dome temp at the indirect part of the grill.

Im thinking of doing each basket via minion and see if I cant get anything going that way....
Click to expand...

Sounds good....if the temp gets too high start closing those vents. Looking forward to seeing your ABTs latter today.
 
I would give the snake method some serious consideration here....if you look around this site you will find several folks using it...I just made some peppers Friday and maintained a 250 for a good two hours and sure I could go longer!

Line up your unlite coals around the inside of your kettle, start a few briquettes and once they are under way move them to one side of the snake and let them go...if its not hot enuf you might start both ends of the snake!!

Give it a shot!
 
Snake method for sure, much slower at igniting coals so the temp will not rise really fast. I would use a heat sink such as water to help maintain the temperatures more. I notice my new kettle leaks a lot around the lid and bowl, so in the future if you have issues controlling the temp, you could put a gasket on the bowl, but I would wait until you try holding the temps once or twice.
 
Robert McGee said:
Andy;
I have NO problem holding my OTG at 300 (grate temperature with a Maverick 732) but holding it much lower is MUCH harder. I can do 275 using a two stage fire.

Here is a picture of how I set up my grill using two fire bricks (pick up at a masonry supply for just a couple of dollars apiece):


You can see the pan below the pork - if you fill that with hot water and set another pan over top of the coals filled with hot water, that will help to maintain the lower temperatures that you desire. Use of the Maverick 732 to get actual grate temperature (where the food actually is) can be a big help. However, you don't have to have the Maverick but it is VERY nice to be able to monitor a long cook from the house - just a thought.

Good luck, but I am sure you'll catch on very quickly. Use "Meatheads" method to set the bottom vents on your grill and soon, you'll be able to control the temperature like you need:

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/controlling_temperature_with_vents.html

Dale53
Click to expand...

Robert,
Here is a question for your set up. When you place your lid over the bowl, do you line the vents up over the meat to force the flow of the heat over the meat, or do you place the vents over the coals? Or do you just drop the lid over the bowl and forget it. Just my engineering mind set thinking. haha
 
Doing exactly this right now. Doing two rotisserie chickens on the ots. Started out with both charcoal baskets full of lit. Way too much. Had to take one basket out and now holding 325 steady. I'm a WSM guy so this is kinda new to me. I have an aluminum pan with water in the bottom for a heat sink. I only need a couple of hours for the chickens so we'll see how the heat lasts. Last chickens I did on the rotisserie was on the WSM and entirely different time and temp.
 
Andy;
I ALWAYS place the vent over the meat (so the smoke will be directed that way). Some run aluminum foil from the bricks to the other side (under the pan). This forces all air to come up through the coals and out through the vent (over the meat).

Either way, the Weber works exceedingly well. You DO have to attend to the grill more to maintain a steady temperature than the WSM but it is undeniable, that you can seriously smoke with the grills as well as do all that grills do.

I am a fan of grilling fresh salmon on a plank using the OTG. For that I use direct, medium heat under the plank. Perfectly smoked and finished salmon in 15-20 minutes. That is hard to beat (if/when you have a choice, always go for WILD salmon, or cod, or...).

FWIW
Dale53
 
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Update - went with the snake method. 2 briquettes on the bottom, 1 on top. Snake is about a foot and a half long, I think it will work, if it looks too short I can add more later I think. Got 7 briquettes heating up for the starter, with two fist size chunks of applewood on the line. Looking forward to it. The ABT recipe is..

5 Anaheim Chilies (halved and de-seeded)
5 Jalapeno Chilies (halved and de-seeded)

Stuffed them with cream cheese, sprinkled some McCormicks "Sweet and Smoky" rub on the cream cheese. Stuck a Hillshire Farm "Lil Smokey" in the cheese, wrapped with half a strip o' bacon.
 
I've used the snake method twice on my 26er lately and can hold smoking temps for about 6 hours without much fuss. I dont stack them in rows or anything, I just pour a bit less than halfway around and put a few lit coals on one end and give it some time to come up. Adjust the vents until it seems to be settling in and start cooking. I'm sure it would work fine on the 22" as well.
 
Try lighting a few on the other end..get both ends lit and see what happens...I'm sure you made it work though!
 
Morgan C. said:
Try lighting a few on the other end..get both ends lit and see what happens...I'm sure you made it work though!
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Ended up dropping a few at the mid point, seemed to work. Might need another chunk of apple soon.

Ongoing saga, a huge storm just hit, so I had to park it under our canopy for a bit. Also, this has made me realize that when I invest in a WSM...its 22.5 or bust.
 
Andrew,

Are you monitoring temps by the Weber factory thermometer? If so, then based on your feedback your temps are likely lower than what's on the thermometer (if you haven't water tested your therm).
 
W Tyler said:
Andrew,

Are you monitoring temps by the Weber factory thermometer? If so, then based on your feedback your temps are likely lower than what's on the thermometer (if you haven't water tested your therm).
Click to expand...

Thats all I had to go with. I popped a cheap oven thermometer on the grate, and it read round 250ish. I took the ABT's off about 10 minutes ago. Bacon was crispy on the outside...

The things...ARE AMAZING. So many flavors going on at once!! Next purchase is a Maverick though. I hate not knowing the grate temp.
 
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