So I love steaks using kingsford charcoal on the kettle. I don’t even go to steakhouses I love them so much. With a little hickory chips. So so good. I can get a nice grass fed steak and be in heaven over that. So how does weber grill operate. Obviously keeping grills lit with kingsford all day your place is open can’t work. That would cost a lot of money. Or is that how they do it and I am missing something? I will google this as well. But I want to do a kingsford grill going all day long. Does the weber grill have huge weber kettles or a different version of a weber? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
BBQ Restaurant
- Thread starter PaulBz
- Start date
Dustin Dorsey
TVWBB Hall of Fame
They look like a heavier duty ranch kettle to me. I love the taste of steaks and burgers on charcoal.
BFletcher
TVWBB Platinum Member
I've not yet had the pleasure of dining at a Weber Grill but judging by several pics that I've seen it appears to my inexperienced mind that they use Ranch Kettles. And I've read two or three posts--here and elsewhere--where patrons have had opportunity to tour the kitchen and noted several Ranches. What do you currently use for your cooktops and fuel at your restaurant?
Yes, charcoal fired, custom made stainless steel “ranch kettles”. They have a gas-fired station where they light chimneys full of briquettes and add them as needed to the various kettles. It’s a unique experience, you should visit a Weber Grill if you ever have the chance.
https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?43800-Illinois-gt-Chicago-Weber-Grill-Restaurant
https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?43800-Illinois-gt-Chicago-Weber-Grill-Restaurant
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
There's one in St Louis.
That looks awesome. The weber grill is actually pretty close to me. So I will be visiting very soon. That looks like an awesome setup. I’ve had some good steaks at different places. A good prime grass fed steak on the weber though is the best I have ever had. With a little kiss of hickory. I have not opened my place yet. I am gathering ideas of what the best thing is to do. I think I’ll have at least a few 22 inch wsm’s and I am going to do bbq once a week or so. Like that Snow’s place in taxes. They are only open on Saturday’s. Mine will be a sports bar and have some the best all organic locally sourced food in town. So I would have to talk to weber about this setup if that is what I am going to do. There’s a lot to figure out! I also want to have a greenhouse for all fresh herbs. People who eat my bbq say it’s the best they have had so I think this is going to be success. I credit most of that to the wsm. BBQ places aren’t using the wsm. And it’s my favorite bbq I have had any any joint I have been to. And every bit of bbq you have will be the best bite. No dry food in my joint.
My briskets will be all the best quality prime beef. The goal of my bbq is at least to break even or make a little money. I am in for the love of bbq and feeding people great food regardless of profit. Obviously I am opening the place to make a liviing. But It’s all about the passion for great food and sports and creating the best experience possible.
Bill D-NC
TVWBB Pro
At one point my Son-in-Law was planning to open a micro-brewery. I told him that if it ever acme to be, I would help out by cooking BBQ and/or ribs once a week to support his tasting room.
Sadly, it never came to be. But my thought was to pick up an extra WSM base. That way I would always have a base loaded and even pre-heated. Then I would just have to transfer the barrel/dome combo from one to the other.
BD
Sadly, it never came to be. But my thought was to pick up an extra WSM base. That way I would always have a base loaded and even pre-heated. Then I would just have to transfer the barrel/dome combo from one to the other.
BD
BFletcher
TVWBB Platinum Member
Did Weber design and produce all of the custom work depicted here, or farm it out to a vendor while maintaining control? Or did another vendor purchase stock Ranch Kettles and modify them?
BFletcher
TVWBB Platinum Member
Well, but if they were stainless then they were not stock, were they?
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
With the stock Rancher going for $1,300 one can only imagine what a SS model would cost, if you could even buy one, and I seriously doubt that anyone can.
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Alan D
TVWBB Super Fan
Paul,
I do agree that steaks on the kettle are xlnt, my wife puts a good quality skirts steak as one of her favorites. We also do ribeye quite a bit, I like both of those cuts. Those are my two favorite cuts. However, as far as steak goes, I don't think the kettle does as well as the Argentinian style charcoal grill where the grill is designed to raise/lower from the fire using a large flywheel. This style also allows for spit 'que as well and you can still control the position of the spit. Steven Raichlen has a video using the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet unit to first cook a prime rib, then take it off and slice the bones into rib chops, and then sear the outside by lower them on a grill, positioned close to the first to get an incredible sear. Ironically a company does make a unit to allow using the Weber kettle to function as such with a crank unit that mounts on the kettle.
The Santa Maria style 'que allows for this also, and very similar to how the Argentinian 'ques function. Those will often use a spit as well.
For a steak, that's the best you can get.
That said, there's a searing unit that heats up really hot, and restaurants use it often using a Salamander grill, and another company Otto Wilde makes a similar less expensive (but still pricey) unit. I use my Weber kettle for steaks and love it for that, but that is how I would see getting a better setup for steaks, the flywheel style Santa Maria or Argentinian would be ideal.
Food for thought...
Gene Brownson
TVWBB All-Star
A interesting thread on Weber size and decision talking on the topic of size and reason for your decision was posted earlier.
Kevin L (NKY)
TVWBB Diamond Member
Well I have only eaten at the Indy Weber Grill a couple times and it wa very good, and the best part is the view of the cooking area, i would love to have the money for a months charcoal bill. Great service, excellent food, we have had the chicken, fish and steaks, prices very fair.A must do on your bucket list.