Hinged Diffuser for Summit E6?

[NickMV]

Does anyone know if it's possible to purchase the OG hinged diffuser plate from the "1st gen" Weber Summit? I'm looking to get an E6 Summit soon and have read that one of the advantages of the OG 2016 model was the plate was hinged whereas now it's no longer hinged. That allowed you to easily flip up a side flap and add smoking wood if necessary.

Any ideas if there's a specific part number for the hinged version that differs, and whether or not it can still be acquired?

Thanks!

EDIT: Holy crap I found that part (#65814), but it's 190 bucks. As others have suggested, I'm gonna try the E6 Summit as-is with the unhinged version before I consider buying a hinged version.

 

[GrantT]

Bit of a red herring IMO (i.e. it is not really an advantage). Having smoked for over 12+ hours at below freezing temps, have not ever had to add additional fuel/wood. Just spread out numerous smaller pieces when you set up your charcoal and call it a day (or night)!

This is not just my opinion...a common topic on different Facebook groups.

Try before you buy I would say...

 

[TimA]

I’ve got the hinges diffuser and can’t think of a single time I’ve opened to add more fuel or wood. This includes several 16+ hour cooks

 

[NickMV]

I’ve got the hinges diffuser and can’t think of a single time I’ve opened to add more fuel or wood. This includes several 16+ hour cooks

Interesting, good to hear. Also, this would never happen on a WSM haha, it definitely ends up requiring extra chunks be added. The first poster responded that I should try before I buy, and that's what I plan on doing. If only that were true of the Summit itself lol.

Anyway, thanks for the info.

 

[TimA]

Oh are you not using it on a Kamado? Planning to use with a WSM?

I was hell bent on buying a Smokey Mountain but between the Summit and Smokefire I’ve decided I don’t have any need.

 

[NickMV]

Oh are you not using it on a Kamado? Planning to use with a WSM?

I was hell bent on buying a Smokey Mountain but between the Summit and Smokefire I’ve decided I don’t have any need.

Sorry, I was totally confusing there. I have a WSM22 and a 22" kettle that I'm getting rid of and replacing with a single Summit. My smoker collection is getting a bit out of hand:

• SSOM Red Box Smoker
• Mini WSM (home built with a smokey joe)
• WSM-22
• Woods Custom Cookers large reverse flow insulated cabinet (4 racks, can hold about 16 butts)

The WSM was the start of my collection, but with the large cabinet available, there isn't much sense in having a medium size smoker with multiple racks on it. Might as well combine grilling and smoking duties on a single cooker then add some accessories like an expansion rack, cast iron center, etc.

So no, I wont be using it on a WSM. I was just noting that the idea of not having to add smoking chunks is a foreign concept for us WSM owners that do long smokes lol. I've always found that generally speaking, I gotta add more chunks to my cooks, but I also have never cooked on something as efficient as the Summit or a ceramic. Even the insulated cabinet can only last about 10 hours.

 

[TimA]

Gotcha makes sense now! I read and reread your original looking for something I missed haha.

You’ll love it. Seriously. It’s just an amazing cooker and makes a mean sear on steaks!

 

[NickMV]

Gotcha makes sense now! I read and reread your original looking for something I missed haha.

You’ll love it. Seriously. It’s just an amazing cooker and makes a mean sear on steaks!

Yeah man I knew I would go with a kamado but I wasn't wild about ceramic, so being a big Weber person with 4 of their cookers (kettle, WSM, smokey joe, Traveler) I figured I'd give the Summit a look. It doesn't:

• weigh 400+ lbs
• crack if the temp changes too quick
• crack or break entirely if somebody knocks it over for some crazy reason
• look like a nightmare to travel with

I got my decision down to a KJ Big Joe 3 vs the Summit. It seems like a no-brainer when you consider that the BJ3 is ****ing 2800 bucks before tax -- just unreal. For that price, I could buy TWO Summits + plenty of accessories and I might reach 2800 if I'm lucky, haha. And some of the stuff that thing comes with are total gimmicks -- the SloRoller smoke system for example --- what? They tried to reinvent the wheel when it didnt need to be.

And then I discovered the Summit already has a fan blower port ready to use. That pretty much sold me. Current plan is:

• Summit E6
• Weber expansion rack (I'm now on the fence about this piece since I saw this video though)
• Center-insert cast iron sear grate
• E6 cover
• Weber charcoal rake

I've got a Fireboard 2 Drive and a Pit Viper fan so I plan on putting those to use somewhat frequently when doing smokes, though I'm excited to try manual vent control given how stable I hear it is.

 

[DanHoo]

I don't have an E6/S6...

On my large BGE, I've never added smoke wood to a long cook.

The challenge I have had is getting enough smoke wood to burn to get the smoke flavor.

 

[GrantT]

+1 to @DanHoo comment. No kamado creates enough smoke flavor for some people - they are generally too efficient to be GREAT smokers. Kamados are a great "does everything well" devices, but there are better dedicated devices for any particular category as well.

 

[DanHoo]

There are options...

My kids gave me a smoke daddy magnum P. I. G. For my birthday.

I think the WSK has an inlet to mount one.

It's working well to add more smoke to my BGE and I think it would work well on a WSK.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Considering most meats won’t absorb more smoke after 2 hours, I don’t see the value in adding more wood when deep into a cook. My longest cook was around 9 hours and I still had a bunch of fuel leftover when done so I don’t buy the argument of needing to add fuel mid-cook. The E/S6 are fuel misers due to being well insulated.

These are just my observations, ymmv.

June will be one year with my E6 and I still discover new ways to cook proteins using it.

Absolutely the most versatile grill I’ve ever owned and used and flavors are restaurant quality and better.

On the CI center burner, the Weber one is porcelain coated CI. I have a non Weber one that’s full CI. Yes it takes a little more maintenance but it outputs some amazing high temp sears. You can get to 1100°F with direct seating (I like, use and recco JDXL here on the forums for heat output, consistency and flavor). Others may agree.

Best of luck on your new grill purchase. If you’re into cooking and love using charcoal, you’re in for some great food. Congrats!

This thing does it ALL.

 

[Chris Allingham]

Considering most meats won’t absorb more smoke after 2 hours...

Myth debunking from amazingribs.com:

Does meat stop taking on smoke?​

There is a popular myth that at some point the meat stops taking on smoke. Sorry, but meat does not have doors that it shuts at some time during a cook. There is a lot of smoke moving through the cooking chamber although sometimes it is not very visible. If the surface is cold or wet, more of it sticks. Usually, late in the cook, the bark gets pretty warm and dry, and by then the coals are not producing a lot of smoke. Smoke bounces off warm dry surfaces so we are fooled into thinking the meat is somehow saturated with smoke. Throw on a log and baste the meat and it will start taking on smoke again. Just don’t baste so often that you wash off the smoke and rub.

What You Need to Know About Wood, Smoke, And Combustion

Learn all about wood smoke and how it adds flavor to BBQ. Find out whether you should be using wood chunks, chips, pellets, logs, or sawdust in your cooker. Discover the truth behind the claim that different woods have different flavors.

amazingribs.com

 

[Brett-EDH]

Myth debunking from amazingribs.com:

Does meat stop taking on smoke?​

There is a popular myth that at some point the meat stops taking on smoke. Sorry, but meat does not have doors that it shuts at some time during a cook. There is a lot of smoke moving through the cooking chamber although sometimes it is not very visible. If the surface is cold or wet, more of it sticks. Usually, late in the cook, the bark gets pretty warm and dry, and by then the coals are not producing a lot of smoke. Smoke bounces off warm dry surfaces so we are fooled into thinking the meat is somehow saturated with smoke. Throw on a log and baste the meat and it will start taking on smoke again. Just don’t baste so often that you wash off the smoke and rub.

What You Need to Know About Wood, Smoke, And Combustion

Learn all about wood smoke and how it adds flavor to BBQ. Find out whether you should be using wood chunks, chips, pellets, logs, or sawdust in your cooker. Discover the truth behind the claim that different woods have different flavors.

amazingribs.com

I’m not going to argue for the sake of arguing, but every brisket I’ve cooked shrinks in the first two hours of cooking. This is from the protein tightening up and moisture being pushed out of the meat. This tightening closes the meat’s fibers thus reducing smoke penetration.

The level of smoke penetration deep into a cut of meat will be less the longer the cook goes. Do meat “doors” close? I seriously doubt meat has doors. And there comes a point of diminishing returns on adding more and more smoke to a protein.

I personally prefer to eat a brisket, for example, that has smoke flavor than to eat smoke that has brisket flavor. I prefer to taste the beef with smoke. And the same for chicken or fish.

Even as Meathead states, the meat will open up at the end of the cook, which supports that the meat closes up during the cook and once fully rendered (as in near its end of cook) you could add more smoke. But, IMO, and desired flavor profile, I don’t want to eat an ashtray for dinner.

Again, not arguing but being realistic on the point of diminishing returns. I’m just a backyard barbecuer. Nothing more. And I’ve ruined beef by over smoking it. And it’s likely creosote that’s being added late in a cook, and not clean smoke, and that creosote ruins a flavor profile. That’s another reason I won’t add smoke late in a cook.

 

[Chris Allingham]

Meathead is a trusted source that relies heavily on scientific research. I believe what the article says...that smoke does NOT deeply penetrate meat, it collects mostly on the surface, and that as long as the meat surface is kept moist and smoke is present in the cooker, the meat will continue taking on smoke flavor.

Sorry, I took this thread off-topic. We now return you to the hinged diffuser discussion.

 

[John K BBQ]

Yeah man I knew I would go with a kamado but I wasn't wild about ceramic, so being a big Weber person with 4 of their cookers (kettle, WSM, smokey joe, Traveler) I figured I'd give the Summit a look. It doesn't:

• weigh 400+ lbs
• crack if the temp changes too quick
• crack or break entirely if somebody knocks it over for some crazy reason
• look like a nightmare to travel with

I got my decision down to a KJ Big Joe 3 vs the Summit. It seems like a no-brainer when you consider that the BJ3 is ****ing 2800 bucks before tax -- just unreal. For that price, I could buy TWO Summits + plenty of accessories and I might reach 2800 if I'm lucky, haha. And some of the stuff that thing comes with are total gimmicks -- the SloRoller smoke system for example --- what? They tried to reinvent the wheel when it didnt need to be.

And then I discovered the Summit already has a fan blower port ready to use. That pretty much sold me. Current plan is:

• Summit E6
• Weber expansion rack (I'm now on the fence about this piece since I saw this video though)
• Center-insert cast iron sear grate
• E6 cover
• Weber charcoal rake

I've got a Fireboard 2 Drive and a Pit Viper fan so I plan on putting those to use somewhat frequently when doing smokes, though I'm excited to try manual vent control given how stable I hear it is.

Nick - I'm one of the newer Summit E6 owners on the forum, and I really love mine. I hope you have the same experience. I was excited when I found weber included a port for a temp controller/fan. I have been using ATC's for years on my WSM but honestly haven't found the need to use it on my Summit E6.

Using a snake method under the diffuser is my preferred set up for smoking and easily holds +/- 15 to 20 F in most conditions, without too much fiddling with vents, and etc.. Of course, I'm also accepting +/- 15F instead of +/- 5F, but as I'm getting older, I'm becoming less of a control freak.

You can also set the snake up with multiple wood chunks so you never run out of smoke if you want to go "super smokey". 12 to 14 hour cook times won't be an issue for you on the E6 once you have a little practice.

 

[GrantT]

Using a snake method under the diffuser is my preferred set up for smoking and easily holds +/- 15 to 20 F in most conditions, without too much fiddling with vents, and etc.

Do you have any pictures/videos of this setup? I don't understand why this extra effort and setup is even needed. What do you do with the vents if you are also limiting burn by the charcoal setup? Never have been a kettle user so I have no reference from experience.

I just dump in a ton of lump/briquettes, light a small area with my MAPP torch and throw on my grates and pans. I start with the vents opened up fairly wide, and when it is about 20 degrees below my desired temp, I drop the bottom vent to the "smoke" position, and top vent to just a bit wider than 1/8th open). Holds solid from there.

 

[Grant Cunningham]

My longest cook was around 9 hours and I still had a bunch of fuel leftover when done so I don’t buy the argument of needing to add fuel mid-cook. The E/S6 are fuel misers due to being well insulated.

Definitely!

I did a 10+ hour cook this last weekend using B+B briquettes. At the end of that time a bit over half of the fuel was still unburned.

(Probably a good idea to note that fuel usage definitely varies with ambient temperature. This weekend it was in the mid-50s, but a few months ago, when it was hovering in the low- to mid-30s, this same length cook took a bit more than 2/3 of the fuel. That's still amazing performance given the conditions.)

In any case, the OP should have no worries about needing to refuel mid-cook. Non-issue.

 

[EricV.]

Isn't using the snake/fuse method defeating the purpose of the Summit, since it is very efficient.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Meathead is a trusted source that relies heavily on scientific research. I believe what the article says...that smoke does NOT deeply penetrate meat, it collects mostly on the surface, and that as long as the meat surface is kept moist and smoke is present in the cooker, the meat will continue taking on smoke flavor.

Sorry, I took this thread off-topic. We now return you to the hinged diffuser discussion.

i fully agree on all points. i've been a longtime reader of amazingribs and Meathead's site is what motivated me into advancing my skills. i consider his site the bible for all beginners and even advanced bbq cooks. and their product reviews are very honest and accurate.

to the OP, where he sought to add more wood into a cook, i personally avoid doing so, specifically to avoid adding creosote onto the meat later into a cook. in my experience, the first smoke that comes off newly lit wood chunks is actually burning and producing creosote which imparts a fairly bitter flavor profile. to add smoke flavor, the smoke needs to be the coveted blue smoke, which requires the right coal temp and seasoned wood. if the wood has sap or too much moisture, it'll produce dirty smoke.

these are esoteric points and i'll stop here so as to not beat a dead horse. always appreciate your replies @Chris Allingham and i'm here to learn and share. and my offer still stands if you're up in the sacramento area, i have some CA white oak to share if you want some splits.