Lid Orientation

[R Cain]

Silly question. When using my 22.5 OTG I have my lid handle parallel to the grill handles. That way I stand at the front handle and am able to hang the lid on the right side without covering the handles. I see many pictures however with the lid turned 90 degrees. What your method?

-rog

 

[timothy]

Depends on the set-up. I always set My OTG with the handles going L-R with me facing it. This way the lower lever is front of me and I also have a side table that attaches to one of the handles and a slide-aside which goes over the other handle.
At first I tried using that hook to catch the side of the kettle. Burnt my forearm more than once trying to line up that angle till I read a tip on here on hooking it on one of the handles.
Easy peasy and then I bought the SAS
Lid vent always goes opposite for me for indirect, and the handle orientation can change also.

Tim

 

[Mike Willis]

I put the lid vent opposite from where I put the coals. I almost always bank coals, and I rotate the coals so no one side always gets the heat (to avoid stress on the porcelain finish). If I split the coals and put a drip pan in the middle, I put the lid vent in the middle…I like the smoke to drift across the meat....

Of course in the WSM it doesn't matter

I don't consider the handle orientation of the lid to the kettle handles, I consider the bottom "intake vents" and coals location to the lid "escape vent". I should also mention that I have the "3 daisy wheel" vent arrangement on my kettle, not a OTG or OTS....

 

[George Curtis]

if yer wondering about how to hang the lid on the body, just do what you like. just try differant ways. i asume thats what yer talking about. if yer wondering about while cooking, the vent should be over the meat and this combination should be down wind.

 

[George L]

Always opposite the banked coals and try to orient it away from the wind.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

Always opposite the banked coals and try to orient it away from the wind.

I do this ^

 

[R Cain]

Thanks guys. Sometimes I get too caught up in minute details!

 

[Chris E]

Since you're into the details.

Thanks guys. Sometimes I get too caught up in minute details!

I have the OTG kettle with the "ring" on the back to hold the lid and a thermometer in the handle.

When direct grilling, I set the grill grate with handles on left/right. The bars on the grill are lined up pointing away from me and that works best for a spatula with burgers, fish etc.

I build the fire generally towards the back when grilling steaks or chicken with the hottest level in the rear and the "safe zone" toward me and the handle on the bowl. Then I don't have to reach across the fire when pulling the meat off onto the platter. I place the lid with vent in back just so thermometer shows in front

For indirect cooks, I put the grate handles front/back so my hinged grate has one hinged area in the front. This is where I put the coals when I'm doing indirect--I use firebricks to capture the coals in the "front" section and can add more coals or wood chunks through the hinged grate. I also usually foil the entire charcoal grate on the non-fire side of the bricks to direct airflow up through the coals/wood. Important part: I orient the lid vent in the rear so the airflow goes under the foil, through the fire, back across the meat and out the vent in the back. AND the thermometer faces the front too! Handy if I've got the Maverick in the WSM.

I've found that all this actually makes a difference in consistency of my cooks.

Indirect setup with bricks and foil.

Lid orientation - same for direct and indirect for me.

 

[George Curtis]

my setup is similar but my coals are to my left and the meat is to my right. no reaching over coals. you can orient the grate any way you like if needed.