Extra Cooking Real Estate


 
D

Darren C.

TVWBB Pro
I was cooking hamburgers and sausage on my 26.75" kettle yesterday. I needed more room. So, I grabbed the cooking grate from my 22" kettle and the two charcoal tins to create a second story. It worked perfectly.

In the past, I would have either lit both grills or cook the food separately on the same grill. But, that's a waste of fuel. Reading all of the innovative ideas here inspired me to think outside the box. Next time, I think I'll steal some ideas from Gary S and use empty cans or fire bricks to rest the top grate on. But, I was in a hurry yesterday.

I thought I would share in case anyone could take advantage of this:

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At first I was gonna say that you didn't gain anything, you just shifted the cooking space up a level, since the second set of coal tins take up cooking space on the first level. But since you're doing indirect you have netted a nice gain in space. Great idea. I'll have to try that with my 26.75 when the need arises.
 
Didn’t think it was possible to run out of room on one of those monsters, but with those giant burgers I can see it. Nice quick thinking solution.
 
Hey Darren, happy to share. Those are great looking burgers. You can't beat the versatility of the 26". :)
 
I might be the only one who does. But, most of the time I do. I don't always cook them indirect for the entire cook. Sometimes I use charcoal on half the grill and cook them directly for 4 or 5 minutes per side. Then, I finish them indirectly. It depends on how lazy I feel. Cooking indirect is so laid back. It's my preferred way to cook.

If I cook them indirect for the whole cook, I flip them in 15 minute intervals until they are cooked. I find they cook more evenly if I rotate the ones in the middle with those on the outside, as well.

Greg Y said:
You cook burgers indirectly? I've got so much to learn.
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My brother has a Rotisserie attachment for his Weber, and I got the great idea that by adding a few screws I could double the amount of goodies I could put on the grill. I had a local tin shop turn the ring, and I measured 4 inches down and added 4 quarter twenty pan-heads. The temp at the factory grate and the added grate is almost exact. With leg quarter racks I can cook a farmhouse full of yard bird at one time, and with the size of my family it's a must. I also like using it without the second grate when I'm doing beer can chickens. It seems to cook more evenly with the lid farther away from the birds, and I can get 3 good sized chickens on the grill without crowding them.
The ring only cost me $25.00 to have made, and then I just needed to get 4 panhead screws and a few nutts, and a replacement grill grate at about 20 bucks or so, so for just under fifty bucks I doubled the capacity of my Performer.
 
Bill
I've done that for years. My brother ended up taking his wings off, but I never figured out the benefit of that. I just give mine a flip, and have the opening for the wood chips, and it makes it where the wood doesn't fall into the middle. Only thing, when you put the grate on you'll need good gloves, those coals get darn hot.
 
~Mark~ said:
The ring only cost me $25.00 to have made, and then I just needed to get 4 panhead screws and a few nutts, and a replacement grill grate at about 20 bucks or so, so for just under fifty bucks I doubled the capacity of my Performer.
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Thats a good price I paid about $175 for a Cajun Bandit Stacker with postage. I can get 3 full size 22 in. and one 18 inch racks in the Stacker. You should be able to as well on yours.
 
Thats a good price I paid about $175 for a Cajun Bandit Stacker with postage. I can get 3 full size 22 in. and one 18 inch racks in the Stacker. You should be able to as well on yours.
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John, do you have any pictures of that setup?
 
~Mark~ said:
John, do you have any pictures of that setup?
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No but here are the steps:

Remove the current charcoal grate and use a charcoal grate designed for an 18 inch kettle which is 13 inches. The smaller charcoal grate is now sitting on the fins. Next I use a 13 x 5 inch round charcoal basket made out of expanded metal on the charcoal grate.

This gets the top of the charcoal basket 2+ inches lower.

Next I add an old grate and place that on the tabs where the kettle food grate goes.

Next I place a diverter pan on top of the old grate. Mine diverter is 17 5/8 round by 2.5 inches. I add maybe a 1/4 inch of sand then foil it. The Diverter Pan sits about 2 inches above the charcoal basket.

Next I add the CB Stacker.

Next. I place the 1st food grate (lowest) on the lowest tabs. The 1st grate level is about 1.5-2 inches above the diverter pan.

Next I add 3-4 tin can spacers (on the lowest grate ) which are about 1 wide x3 3/8 inches high.

On the spacers, I place the 2nd grate.

Next ... on the top tabs I add the 3rd grate which is about 3.5 inches above the 2nd.

Next (if I still need space) I add a commercial pot steamer insert (4th grate).

So that is 3 full size grates and the top one about 18 inches.
 
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