Gas Grill Burner Orientation-Does It Matter?


 
C

Chris A. (Grillilla)

TVWBB Member
Back in the day I had a Weber Genesis 1100 (the red Home Depot special). Over 20 years I cooked literally thousands of meals on that grill with great success. The three burners ran side-to-side, which allowed for great indirect cooking using a rotisserie. Eventually, I replaced that grill with a Weber Genesis E-310 which has three burners running front-to-back. My question is: has anyone had good results using a rotisserie on a grill that has front-to-back burners? It seems to me that you would either have too much heat in the middle, or too much heat at the ends. I don't want to buy a new rotisserie kit if it isn't going to work.

Happy grilling and smoking!
 

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I've had both e/w & n/s and yes you can do roti cooking on a n/s grill although I found it to be a lot easier on a e/w grill. The e/w cooks more evenly and actually faster. Using the two outside burners on the n/s grill works but the heat distribution isn't as good as the e/w style grill, but it does work.
 
Rich Dahl said:
I've had both e/w & n/s and yes you can do roti cooking on a n/s grill although I found it to be a lot easier on a e/w grill. The e/w cooks more evenly and actually faster. Using the two outside burners on the n/s grill works but the heat distribution isn't as good as the e/w style grill, but it does work.
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This is a legit review.

Key points. Has had both.

I also have both but held onto a Genesis Silver B just for roti. Later swapped the silver B for a Genesis 1000 again, just for roti.

edit: I might try roti on the E330 just because
 
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I have only gone E-W, which I assume (like most) cooks more evenly. I would conjecture that results may vary with N-S depending on the size and shape of what you are cooking. A turkey is a whole different shape than a kabob. Again, just conjecture.
 
East west has more burner tube surface area than a north south. The older genesis has a smaller firebox with less cubic area under the lid.

Since it’s indirect heat the east west should have better heat control
 
As an owner who has owned both side by side and tried them both side by side. Winner................................drum roll................................E/W burners hands down superior. And FWIW when I did the comparisons, it was on the same sq in old style Genesis X000 to a 1st generation Summit NS burner (only difference was the Summit had 1 extra burner in the sq inches available.
Can you spin something on a NS? Of course you can. Will it be "decent"? Since we're comparing Weber to Weber, yes it will be decent. But you will get superior results on the old fashioned "real" Genesis
 
When I upgraded from 3-burner E/W Genesis 2 to 4-burner N/S Summit 450, I really liked how I could divide the cooking space into two halves with two left burners on and two right burners off, or with #1 and #4 on and #2 and #3 off. So for usual grilling, I prefer 4 N/S burners. But she don't do roti the way the E/W grills do.
 
I have both right now, as well as one for charcoal. I’ve used my rotisserie on both several times. I will say it’s better on charcoal….🤣

Both are good. I would say side control is somehow juicier. I don’t think I’ve had a bad experience either way.
 
I had a E/W for almost 20 years and loved it, I now have a N/S and would not go back. I don’t rotisserie on my gasser though. I like having more zones.
 
Shane - glitchy said:
I had a E/W for almost 20 years and loved it, I now have a N/S and would not go back. I don’t rotisserie on my gasser though. I like having more zones.
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My experience exactly. 20 good years with the old orientation, but the new style is just better in general for grilling. Indirect areas are more versatile. Even when I had a grill with a rear IR burner the best rotisserie chicken I got was from Costco.
 
I see people going on and on about how it's better. MEH I just don't see it (even for just straight up grilling and or simply indirect). Yeah the Summit I had was a little nicer to just "grill on" but it had 4 burners vs the 3 of the Genesis in the same sized body. So yeah on that alone it was nicer. But if it was only 3? Nah
 
So the consensus is...maybe? Follow-up question: Since the grill I'm using has three North-South burners, which burner(s) are recommended for a rotisserie pork roast? Or, should I just smoke it?
 

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But should it be briquettes or lump... Then again, with that pictured loss of smoke, should liquid smoke be used instead....
Decisions Decisions ....
;)
 
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I have had a couple e/w grills, Genesis silver a 2 burner that I've since redone and gifted to my sister in law, and my current Genesis gold c 3 burner. I do like the indirect heat that I can achieve by putting all 3 burners on hi to preheat, sear some steaks in the middle, then turn the center off and front/back down so I can indirect cook. I just picked up a summit 420 that needs work before I i can use it and I'm looking forward to comparing the 2. Wouldn't I be able to achieve similar or better results doing the same process and turn off the middle 2 burners? I've only done rotisserie with the kettle, but I would think it'd be at least similar with the summit by turning off the 2 center burners. Other than the weak cook box the summit seems like a hell of a grill
 
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