Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
Very true - The only time I do not use a chimney is for low and slow. Plus I kind of love when the flames are coming out the top;-)
New The Huntsman Kettle Kamado Grill from Spider coming.
- Thread starter Joe Anshien
- Start date
Darren Whitley
New member
Finally got the shelves on today. I was hesitant to get them for fear they’d be flimsy. I should have known better. That’s not the MO of spider grills. They are heavy duty and will no doubt be very useful on my next cook. Makes me all the more excited to get the rotisserie next month.
Attachments
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Is the Huntsman a Warm Weather Grill?
So, on Sunday I gave my Spider Huntsman another tryout on a chilly day. This time I used TWO Weber charcoal starters, both full of Kingsford Professional High Heat charcoal. I lit them both setting on the charcoal grate inside the Huntsman and waited until charcoal was grayed over in both starters. That's over a half bag of Kingsford Pro!
The grill performed better, but I never did get over 470 with the top vent wide open and the Venom pumping full speed. The good news is that this was enough to put nice sears on my ribeyes which everyone liked. (Sorry, failed to take pics.) Another good news item was that my wife did not have her usual subsequent bad reaction to charcoal grilled food. In this case, waiting long enough and using my Huntsman did work out in the end.
The Huntsman can do low and slow bbq, even in cold weather. However, I am disappointed that I haven't been able to get roaring hot high heat grilling during the Midwest winter. I think a Bullseye pellet kettle - or a plain old Weber kettle for that matter - would not have had the same issues.
I am not ready to throw my Huntsman under the bus, but some suggestions that the Venom - originally designed for the 22" Weber kettle with considerably smaller interior volume - may not be able to keep up in the Huntsman during cold weather are perhaps true. The cold makes that thick metal get very cold and winter winds keep blowing on it presumably making it hard for the grill to get up to a high temperature.
So, on Sunday I gave my Spider Huntsman another tryout on a chilly day. This time I used TWO Weber charcoal starters, both full of Kingsford Professional High Heat charcoal. I lit them both setting on the charcoal grate inside the Huntsman and waited until charcoal was grayed over in both starters. That's over a half bag of Kingsford Pro!
The grill performed better, but I never did get over 470 with the top vent wide open and the Venom pumping full speed. The good news is that this was enough to put nice sears on my ribeyes which everyone liked. (Sorry, failed to take pics.) Another good news item was that my wife did not have her usual subsequent bad reaction to charcoal grilled food. In this case, waiting long enough and using my Huntsman did work out in the end.
The Huntsman can do low and slow bbq, even in cold weather. However, I am disappointed that I haven't been able to get roaring hot high heat grilling during the Midwest winter. I think a Bullseye pellet kettle - or a plain old Weber kettle for that matter - would not have had the same issues.
I am not ready to throw my Huntsman under the bus, but some suggestions that the Venom - originally designed for the 22" Weber kettle with considerably smaller interior volume - may not be able to keep up in the Huntsman during cold weather are perhaps true. The cold makes that thick metal get very cold and winter winds keep blowing on it presumably making it hard for the grill to get up to a high temperature.
MikeCantell
TVWBB Pro
Surface area of the dome is where you are losing heat, the dome looks a lot bigger on the Huntsman imo
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Good point. It is more of a straight rise to then a flatter top. Not as tall as a Weber lid but a LOT thicker metal.
John - au4stree
TVWBB Member
I’ve searched and could not locate an answer. Will a SnS charcoal insert fit in the Huntsman? Or can someone provide vertical clearance of charcoal grate to cooking grate? Thank you.
Todd K Wisc
TVWBB Super Fan
Tom Horsman says it won't fit here:
Grill top experience says you shouldn't use the two together, unless the venom is turned off (but doesn't show it fitting in the Spider):
Maybe someone can measure charcoal grate to grill grate or show if it fits since I don't have one.
John - au4stree
TVWBB Member
Thank you. Obviously I should have searched further.
Todd K Wisc
TVWBB Super Fan
No problem. I had watched those two videos previously, so I knew right where to look.
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
Tom just did one on the cold weather problems.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Good video with honest assessment. I posted a couple comments on that YouTube video. I have to say that it is not practical to use over a half bag of Kingsford Professional to only get to 480 degrees - and not even be able to hold that. I am disappointed. The Huntsman has fantastic build quality and does amazing low and slow bbq. But I had sprung for the early order price, plus bought the "Next Level" diffusers, expecting to have a year-round grill not only for bbq but also just to grill steaks or even burgers on. That appears to be limited to summertime for me here in central Indiana.
I guess I can hope Spider is working on a ramped-up Venom and maybe some kind of heat blanket that would hopefully address this. Meanwhile, I have to admit that if I could go back in time, I think I would have gone with the Recteq Bullseye Deluxe "Black Edition" instead.
I guess I can hope Spider is working on a ramped-up Venom and maybe some kind of heat blanket that would hopefully address this. Meanwhile, I have to admit that if I could go back in time, I think I would have gone with the Recteq Bullseye Deluxe "Black Edition" instead.
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Honor Circle
I wonder if a nice bed of coals and a couple of splits could solve the cold weather issue?
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
The split idea is interesting. I don't see how much more charcoal I could have thrown at it. TWO full starters, well lit, of Kingsford Pro spread out as a bed of charcoal still wasn't enough, apparently. That's a crazy cost to do a few burgers or even steaks. A gas grill, or a regular Weber kettle, would be a lot more efficient. I also think a pellet kettle - Recteq or the new Pit Boss Phoenix - would get hotter a lot easier, plus at a way lower cost.