Couple questions about my new 22” Performer

[W_Stewart]

I decided to get a 22” Performer with the short folding table after a year of make-do grilling on the bottom of my 18” WSM. Looking forward to summer time grilling if the meat supply will hold up!

1. How do folks open/close the hinged cooking grate openings once things get hot? I assume they are hinged to add coals or smoke wood.

2. Should the lid slide all the way down to the very bottom of the lid catcher? Mine wants to hang on the top of the bracket (see pic)

3. My temp gauge doesn’t seem to fit flush in the bezel ring. The bezel ring fits flush to the lid but the gauge itself is uneven, enough that I see smoke coming out.

4. What’s a suggested starting point for doing a low and slow rack of ribs in terms of bottom and top vents? On the WSM I usually get them about 2/3 open and the top fully open, using the bottom to regulate the heat. Same for the kettle?

5. I typically grill small meals - it’s just the 2 of us. So usually 2 burgers or 2 pieces of chicken, or one steak. I think I need a basket - what’s a good basket for this size kettle?

 

[Kyle in Woodstock]

Thermometer should have a little thing poking out the back and the bezel has a hole where that thing fits into. Same with fitting it into the lid, just make sure grooves are all aligned.

Just buy the Weber charcoal baskets. You put on on either side and meat in middle for indirect. Or push baskets together in the middle, remove center of grate and grill indirect on the sides.
Surprised that grill didn't come with baskets.

For adding coals during a cook. I usually just leave the grate flipped open if there's enough room to do so. Or just use a grilling fork or something like that.

I don't think the lid is supposed to slide all the way down, but I'll have to check how mine looks, never noticed it before.

 

[Teddy J.]

1. How do folks open/close the hinged cooking grate openings once things get hot? I assume they are hinged to add coals or smoke wood.

2. Should the lid slide all the way down to the very bottom of the lid catcher? Mine wants to hang on the top of the bracket (see pic)

3. My temp gauge doesn’t seem to fit flush in the bezel ring. The bezel ring fits flush to the lid but the gauge itself is uneven, enough that I see smoke coming out.

4. What’s a suggested starting point for doing a low and slow rack of ribs in terms of bottom and top vents? On the WSM I usually get them about 2/3 open and the top fully open, using the bottom to regulate the heat. Same for the kettle?

1) Tongs. I use 16” length.

2) Yes, mine slides all the way down into the bail.

3) I have the Performer with older style thermometer. I’d say burn some cooks and it will likely seal up enough to stop leaking there.

4) For all Performer cooks I have top vent 90-100% open at all times unless I need to choke temps. For bottom vent, unless I’ve started with too much lit coals, generally my bottom vent is 5-10% open to hold 250-300 lid temp. If you find temp control easy on the WSM, this Performer is a piece of cake. Almost feels like cheating.