charcoal baskets?

[Corey Elks]

been thinking about buying charcoal baskets for my newly acquired master touch. The ones that come with the performer and otg. Are these better then just using the fire brick? I also saw where someone made one out of the expanded metal but that stuff is more then the baskets. baskets are 15 dollars at hd. Just wondering if there is a advantage with them. thanks

 

[Mike Purnell]

They are great when cooking indirect by allowing you the freedom to move the baskets anywhere you want to make setup a breeze. Charcoal seems to last longer in them too.

I don't fill them up when cooking direct because I find both of them side by side is just not a big enough cooking space when making lots of food. I actually keep one empty and place the charcoal on the grate. This way is gives me a nice space for a cold zone in case of flare-ups, etc.

 

[George L]

Expanded metal stock is not cheap but you end up with a custom size and shape by fabricating these things yourself.

 

[Shaun R]

I agree with George, I would visit a metal supply and buy a sheet at a fraction of the cost of those little pieces at HD.

 

[Chris Stanek]

I have the weber baskets that I just bought... so far, I've used them once. I can't use them with the ribolator... if you use a rotis for other stuff, you usually just bank on one side... I don't know... I don't see using them all that much and I don't know that I spend a lot of money to have some made. For $15, just get the weber ones at home depot and see if you find a lot of value in them. If so, then you can always upgrade to something custom.

 

[George L]

I don't use this basket for every cook but the beauty of this basket is that it holds a full chimney worth of briquettes and it only takes a few seconds of shaking to sift out the ahes exposing partially spent coals for reuse before your next cook. You don't lose any of the smaller pieces down the vents. Then I simply dump fresh briquettes over them. It's just convenient for certain types of cooking.

snuffed out coals from the night before

give it a good shake before your next cook

 

[AJ S.]

I agree with Chris, custon is cool and all, but the time and effort to make these is more than the $15 that the Weber ones cost. Not sure what the bottom looks like. Somehting to sift ash would be ideal. I hate losing the small bits of charcoal.

 

[George L]

Originally posted by AJ S.:
Not sure what the bottom looks like. Somehting to sift ash would be ideal. I hate losing the small bits of charcoal.

Bottom is expanded metal too.
We don't care about the small bits of charcoal, the basket happens to save most of them....

)

 

[Miguel M]

Nice looking basket there George!

 

[George L]

Thanks.

Super hot wings (new recipe) at Park Drive, Sat. You're coming.

)))