Charcoal baskets


 
Sheldon Koehler

Sheldon Koehler

TVWBB Super Fan
Am am still a bit new to using my new (used) performer and had a question about using the charcoal baskets. I find they do not have enough coverage for direct grilling but I love them for indirect. I found for direct cooking I just pile the coals up on the charcoal grate to start and then spread them out when fully lit. Is this typical? I like to have a fully covered grate when doing burgers and pork chops as i am usually cooking for 4-6 people at minimum.
 
Well... the charcoal baskets are meant for indirect, not direct grilling.

What you're doing is the common method for direct grilling. Though I like to keep a small space coal-free for 'warming'.

A faster way would be to use a charcoal chimney, fill it up, get the coals hot, dump them in, and spread them about.
 
Well... the charcoal baskets are meant for indirect, not direct grilling.
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Well, direct if you use the baskets and simply have whatever you're grilling over them (or it, if using one).

I never spread coals over the charcoal grate myself. I use one or both baskets pretty much all the time. I cook substantially indirect, sometimes entirely, sometimes mostly indirect with some direct.

Do whatever works for you.
 
Travis, the chimney will not work on the Performer as the charcoal is too far away from the flame. I use the chimney on everything else though.
 
Originally posted by Sheldon Koehler:
Travis, the chimney will not work on the Performer as the charcoal is too far away from the flame.
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I use my chimney over the gas assist of my Performer to light my charcoal every cook. Works great for me. I have only used the baskets once, preferring to just pile the lit coals on one side and, like Kevin, most everything cooked indirect...direct sometimes.
 
I popped the grate out of one of my charcoal chimneys and put it back in upside down. That gets the coals a little closer to the flame on my performer. Rob.
 
Yes, been doing it this way for like 2 years with no problems at all. You could also invert the bottom tray of the Weber chimney to get it closer if you want. But I haven't done that yet, as I still use it sometimes when we go camping and need to put newspaper in the bottom of it.
 
In the start of using my Platinum i used the basket´s. Now i never use em. I can get the same indirect area without em and for direct i wouldent use em at all. I have done that but it´s a "No no" to me now.
 
I just find them convenient, rather than piling as I dump and hoping none go astray. About the only time I spread them out is for something like pizza. Other than that, never. I go with the baskets for all other direct cooks - which are substantially indirect, moving to direct, if needed, only occasionally. I strongly dislike meats cooked in flames/flare-ups that end up black, which cooking direct, with the drippings, especially if plentiful, often leads to.
 
Well every one have the own way of making great food.

Kevin : "I strongly dislike meats cooked in flames/flare-ups that end up black," - Makes 2 of us.
But the baskets wont really help here,same as having a 2 zone fire,banking coals to one side.

Kevin: "which cooking direct, with the drippings, especially if plentiful, often leads to." - I dont have that problem using the lid.
If you do controll the lover vent a bit.

Basket´s work nice and all..But you can do everything without e´m..Same heat,same dirict area(or more) and same way to controll flare ups?
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No, the baskets don't have anything to do or not to do with flare-ups. I find them convenient to use rather than piling. Dump and go. I spend very little time at the grill. Food on, lid on, I'm gone.

The lid helps immensely. If the food isn't especially fatty or if the cook has gone on some time and the fat has rendered well, indirect, going direct with the lid on avoids flare-ups. I rarely bother adjusting vents. Again, I spend virtually no time at the grill, do not make adjustments, do not hang out. Even shorter cooking stuff, like steaks, I largely cook indirect, only occasionally going direct. I move them and/or spin the grate.

But, yes, many ways to make good food.
 
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