Has this Silly Question been asked before?

[PeteH]

When grilling indirect - or smoking - on the kettle, I usually bank the coals on one side and put meat on the other. Is it better to place the lid vent over the fire source or over the meat? Does it make a difference?

I usually put the vent over the heat source to get a nice, clean vent. Am I losing smoke flavor by not dragging it past the meat? Or am I being inefficient with the fuel source? Or does it make any difference at all?

I usually think about this for about a nano-second when I am putting the lid on after placing the meat. What do you all do?

Pete

 

[timothy]

I go over the meat. Brings the smoke and heat in that direction.

Tim

 

[Dave Russell]

Since I want the meat directly in the circulation between the coals and the vent, mine goes over the meat. I just read that somewhere and it made sense to me. However , I've never tested to see what the difference is.

 

[James Lake]

My vent is on the side with the meat, I feel this draws the smoke over the meat.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I also put the top vent over the meat to drag smoke over it on the way out. I cover the empty part of the charcoal grate with heavy duty alum foil (most of the time).

I have noticed that when cooking pizza it's definitely hotter where the vent is. That part gets brown faster so I rotate the stone.

 

[timothy]

I'm pretty sure that's the way Weber describes to do it for indirect on a kettle.
Than a few years ago they came up with that OTP or (something like it), that had the lid vent top dead center.

Tim

 

[Tony R]

I go over the meat. Brings the smoke and heat in that direction.

Tim

Ditto what Timothy said.

 

[Chad Bman]

Over the meat.

 

[Dave_B]

Another one for vent over the meat here.

 

[JDLones]

Over the meat here, too.

 

[Jak Stepan]

bank them coals on one side, set the meat down on the other side. put lid on, vent over the meat. hang lid on left w left hand.

or for me its: bank coals on the left, take a drank of beer. put meat on the right, take a drank of beer. vent over the meat... drank a swallow of beer - you get the picture... hehehh.

don't lift the lid...

 

[R Cain]

Agree with all the above.

 

[J. Wilson]

Over the meat for me also...unless I think fire isn't hot enough then I put vent over fire.

I have no clue if that even does anything though.

 

[Robert T]

I vent over the meat and put my temp probe as far from the fire as whatever I'm cooking allows.

 

[Enrico Brandizzi]

For me top vent just over the meat. If using snake Minion method the top vent will move always opposite to the fire and in this case not always over the meat. If I remember I would rotate the grill but often I don't. A complete description of the reasons why is on www.amazingribs.com
http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/charcoal_grill_setup.html

 

[Ryan P.K.]

Over meat as well

 

[Hamilton Barnes]

Ditto what Timothy said.

I do the same

 

[JeffB]

Now what the hell kind of a silly que.......!! (just kidding)

[[crawling away quickly.....]]

 

[Dave Alvarado]

Over the meat.

 

[Shawn W]

ya, vent on opposite side of the coals. smoke swirl. one reason Weber put the WSM top vent down from center top of the lid