Performer Fire Setup

[Brian_H]

I purchased a new performer:

and I was wondering about the fire setup for direct cooking. It seems like the included baskets are too small to get a decent size direct cooking surface. Do I have to go with the fire brick setup to get some decent direct cooking area?

Here is my first cook on the Performer,

Is that the best grill marks I am going to get with the stainless grates it came with? Is that another mod in my future?

 

[Pat Smith]

Just leave the baskets out and spread the coals over the part of the grate you want to use for direct cooking.

Congratulations on your new Performer.

Pat

 

[Brian_H]

Thanks, so just pile them in the middle, use the igniter and then move them? Seems like the igniter should be on the side rather then the middle.

 

[Davo]

You could place your baskets toward the outside and leave them empty and pour the charcoal in between them which will allow you to use the gas starter directly under the coals.
This gives you a good workable direct heating area but also affords you some indirect space on the sides over the empty baskets should ever you need it.
I don't use the gas canisters any more,they cost me $13 each(Australia) for around 10 starts...that's $1.30 per start-up....firelighter cubes are much cheaper.

Cheers

Davo

 

[Don Cash]

Do you have a chimney starter? I use one over the gas assist starter to light my charcoal. Fill it up with unlit, put it over the gas assist, light it for about 5 minutes, turn off, let the coals fully light (another 10-15 minutes), dump in Performer wherever you want, for whatever setup you're using. Works every time!

I hardly ever use the baskets (only used them once), others swear by them. Find out what works for you and do that.

 

[Todd H.]

Brian first off congrats on the Performer!
Like Don, I light my coals in a Weber chimney Starter (you can just place the Chimney over the Performers gas assist) and when there ready I dump them out and bank them to one side.
You can get decent grill marks from the stock grate but check out the cast iron grates for better grill marks.
Webers Gourmet sear grate
Or
These are also good grates

Hope this helps.

 

[Jim Rudman]

A chimney and your new performer are a match made in heaven. Besides being one of the most effecient ways to start your coals,you'll soon be using it as a measuring cup to determine how much charcoal to use for a given cook.As for grill marks,firebricks will allow you to get the coals closer to the cooking grate,and be sure your steak is room temp.when going on the grill.

 

[Michael L.]

Chimney is the answer. A chimney over the gas starter will solve your problem.