Possible indirect setup?


 
Rich G

Rich G

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Ok, I'll preface this by saying I'm partway into my second Deschutes Inversion IPA (6.8% ABV), so what may seem like a good idea.....

So, I have a Performer with no charcoal holders. I have been banking coals to the side, but would like a bit more precise control. What if I put the WSM charcoal ring on the Performer charcoal grate, and put the lit coals around the OUTSIDE of the ring (between the ring and the outside of the kettle.) I'm thinking that the ring may be a bit to small in diameter to create a large enough indirect cooking space in the middle, but I could fashion something with a larger diameter if this idea has merit.

So, what do you think? Any airflow issues? Other things I haven't thought of? Anyone else done this (there aren't any new ideas anymore!!)?

R
 
don't know nothin bout grillin and bbqn but deschutes inversion ipa is good stuff. i'm actually 3 (i)pas deep with lagunitas ipa, stone pale ale, and now sierra anniversay ipa.
 
Thanks for the encouragement!

JB, let me know if you try this and how it works out.

JL, Deschutes is one of the few breweries where I like just about their entire lineup....Obsidian Stout rocks, too (almost as good as mine!)
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R
 
This works fairly well. I have done this several times. Actually, this is how I cook my pizzas. WSM charcoal ring in the performer, coals around the outside of the ring, pizza stone in the center on the grate. The ring fits perfectly under the grate. I will say that I have not been able to achieve as high a heat like I can banking, but it works great. The ring indeed does block a bit of air flow. I would try it and see what you think!
 
I haven't had an original thought in years, so I was sure that someone had done this!!!
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Thanks for the input, LM, I'll give it a go, and then see how I can tinker to make it work the way I want. I figured airflow (and, therefore, heat) would be the major issue.

R
 
Ah! I knew I had a pic or two of this laying around...

Insert your Performer here!

Actually, this might work pretty well for you... I believe my airflow issues are really the fault of the pizza stone. You can still reach some pretty high temps with this setup, although I was not hitting my 550 for my pizzas...

Brew-on brotha... Oh wait, this is the BBQ forum!

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Nice, LM, thanks!

Forgot you were a home brewer, and the father of the Brutus 10.
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R
 
Fantastic! My last few pizza cooks have gotten out of control heatwise. I was doing 4-6 pizzas and used too many coals. Crust was burned before the toppings were done. Can't wait to try this.

Thanks!!
 
Originally posted by Don Cash:
Fantastic! My last few pizza cooks have gotten out of control heatwise. I was doing 4-6 pizzas and used too many coals. Crust was burned before the toppings were done. Can't wait to try this.

Thanks!!
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I LOVE the pizzas this way... Keeping in mind, I am certainly no pizza chief, but I was always under the impression that the pizza oven "had" to be a gillion degrees... All I know in my little mind is that my pizzas are working great for me with this method. Like Rich, I can see a use for this method with other cooks but I have just not fooled with that much. As I recall, my last cook topped out around 450 or so with the stone, and vents wide open. I'm sure more coals would have brought that up more if one wanted, I don't know really. This is one full lit chimney in this photo. This seems to make pretty good pizzas though!
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Originally posted by Lonnie Mac:
I LOVE the pizzas this way...
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Me too, Lonnie. I've done lots of pizzas this way, with coals in a ring around the grill. I'd just never thought about using the WSM ring to contain them...brilliant!

The last few cooks I put some unlit in a ring under the lit...Got way too hot! You're right, It doesn't need to be a "gillion degrees".

Can't wait to try this! Great idea, Rich G!
 
I have seen this set up with a ring made of expanded metal.I don't have a WSM ring to use so I am thinking of the expanded metal but dont know how big to make it.Would someone please measure there ring for me.I was thinking about doing a long low and slow inderect with it.
 
Originally posted by Don Cash:
Fantastic! My last few pizza cooks have gotten out of control heatwise. I was doing 4-6 pizzas and used too many coals. Crust was burned before the toppings were done. Can't wait to try this.

Thanks!!
Click to expand...
The last coule of pizzas I have done, I ended up putting the pan on top of my rib rack. This gets them closer to the dome. The top is then done quicker, and the bottom is done slower
 
Originally posted by Dave K:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Cash:
Fantastic! My last few pizza cooks have gotten out of control heatwise. I was doing 4-6 pizzas and used too many coals. Crust was burned before the toppings were done. Can't wait to try this.

Thanks!!
Click to expand...
The last coule of pizzas I have done, I ended up putting the pan on top of my rib rack. This gets them closer to the dome. The top is then done quicker, and the bottom is done slower </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have done an iteration of this setup as well, except I used the WSM ring again and just placed it on top of my upper grate and the pizza stone on top of that. That setup placed it right up in the dome... Very nice.
 
I have done an iteration of this setup as well, except I used the WSM ring again and just placed it on top of my upper grate and the pizza stone on top of that. That setup placed it right up in the dome... Very nice.
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I like it! it sounds much easier to work with than my last attempt
 
Originally posted by Dave K:
The last coule of pizzas I have done, I ended up putting the pan on top of my rib rack. This gets them closer to the dome. The top is then done quicker, and the bottom is done slower
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My stone has a stand so it is already raised up a few inches, similar to what you are suggesting.

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It's made some pretty darn good pies before. The last few attempts I was cooking many, many of them (4-6). I was thinking that some unlit (actually a lot) under the lit would extend the life of the coals and I wouldn't have to refuel. Wrong! Just made things too hot.
 
My stone has a stand so it is already raised up a few inches, similar to what you are suggesting.
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that's a pretty nice stone. does the therm tell you the temp of the stone? or just ambient temp around it?
 
Originally posted by j biesinger:
that's a pretty nice stone. does the therm tell you the temp of the stone? or just ambient temp around it?
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Thanks J. Got it as a gift a few years back. It's from Sur La Table. Sells for $90. Kind of steep IMO. I doubt I would have bought it on my own. A cheap one resting on a rib rack (as Dave K recommends) would do.

The thermometer tells ambient temp. I don't use it for that though. Bend it out slightly and it rests the lid slightly above the bowl, cracking it to boost temps. Bend it back in and the lid rest back on the bowl.
 
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