How to use your two grates?


 
B

BLGreenway

New member
Ok...I'm sure this is a very stupid question, but here goes. And I ask this as one who does not have a Smoker but is now leaning toward purchasing very soon an 18.5 Weber Smokey Mountain. If you smoke one kind of meat on the top grate, won't those juices fall on the meat on the grate below and alter its taste? Do you follow any rules for yourself as to which food goes on top? Chicken on Top, Beef below, or vice versa? Harry Soos says he doesn't even mix smokers in regard to seafood. Well, I can't afford two smokers now...haha...but wondered how you handle the two grates in your smoker.

Thanks...your patient answer are very much appreciated! :D
 
May just be me, but I've not used the lower cooking grate in my 18 or my 22 .......... in a long time. I don't remember last time I did that.

When I first got my 18 WSM, I thought if I was gonna use the charcoal for a long cook, I might as well load it up with as much as I could get on it. Then put the excess in the freezer.

But now , I don't worry bout how much meat I get per charcoal used or per cook. I cook only on the top grate.
 
If you need to do a ton of product you can use both, I’m still sorting out just how these dark pearls of deliciousness work so, I’ve only used the penthouse, when I first started, Rich Dahl offered the sage advice “If you are not using both grates, take the bottom one out and you won’t have to clean it.” I’ve only forgotten that once since. One less thing to clean? Yep, I’m in!
 
I've used both grates to cook multiple pork butts (as many as 4 when I had my 18.5 and 8 in my current 22.5) and also butt & brisket at the same time. Most folks put butt on top, brisket below; the thought being that the extra fat in the butt would drip down and "baste" the brisket. However, when mixing meats, I've always put the butt on bottom and brisket upstairs. Some family have digestive issues with pork fat, so I'd rather not get that all over the brisket. Also, I pretty much always go simple with brisket (salt, pepper and garlic, nothing else), so any seasoning that falls on the butt isn't going to mess with the flavors I use there.

Actually, I've also done a long-cook meat (butt or brisket) on top, then, after wrapping, moved it to the lower rack and done ribs on the top.
 
About the only time I use the lower grate is when doing a bunch of ribs or a butt and a brisket.
Although I have been known to put a pan of beans under a butt to get some drippings in for flavor! ;)
 
the only problem I've ever had was smoking a bunch of fish (tilapia?) over a bunch of chicken.

Don't do that :)
 
yep,I have an 18.5,and so far have only used the lower grate once. I loaded it up with 5 slabs of ribs. You can get quite a bit of meat on the top grate of an 18.5
 
I am with the majority here. I only use both grates when cooking multiple pork butts, 4 to 8 on the 22" WSM, or multiple racks of ribs.
 
I modified my WSM and have actually used 3 grates a couple of times. That would be butts on top and ribs below.

At one time I asked about cross contamination and was told there was nothing to worry about. Which only made me worry more. LOL!

I just simplify the entire issue by cooking only 1 type of meat at a time. This completely eliminates any worry.

With that said, if you foil pork butts and ribs they can go to the lower rack (after foiling) and you can start the chicken on the top. You can place a drip pan on the pork below to catch the drippings. :)
 
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