Rotisserie folks: One bank of coals or two?

[ChadVKealey]

Seems a nit-picky question, but when cooking something as big as a turkey (ours will be about 16 pounds) at a temp of about 350, is it better to have one big bank of coals, or two smaller ones? I think one would definitely make it easier to set up and tend to the cook (no reaching across hot coals), but wouldn't heat the cooking chamber as evenly (which, I guess, doesn't matter as much when the item being cooked is rotating through it).

 

[Mike Willis]

Chad, I've used my rotisserie with a boneless pork butt (still wanting to try a big bird!) and I had banks of coals on both sides of a drip pan, and I was running temps of 350-375˚F. However, I've heard that the design of a Weber kettle is to provide a circulation of the heat, so the two banks of coals may be a moot point...but I feel better with two banks of coals! Tending coals just amounts to dropping briquets on the side that needs them - really nothing to reach across if the banks run parallel to the spit rod.

 

[Chris Arnold]

two for me when I do Xmas Turkey...

 

[Andrew F]

I've always done two. Just run your spit north/south with coals on the east and west. That way you don't have to reach over anything.

 

[John Solak]

Guess I'm the oddball, I always do one.

 

[Larry Nehls]

I do two also

 

[Bill Freiberger]

I do two as well with the vent in the middle.









Bill

 

[Bill W San Diego]

Great color on those birds Bill. I guess I better get the Rotisserie gear out of the shed. Thanks for sharing.

Bill

 

[Brian Thomas]

I always do two. Easier to maintain high temps that way.

 

[Randy G]

I generally do two with the drip pan in the middle. Trying the "U" from DadCooksDinner for this years bird. Will have to see how that works.

 

[Keith H.]

I have used two sides previously in my Performer but will try one side this year based on the Weber Blog - HOW TO ROTISSERIE A TURKEY.