Sharing my first cook on 22" weber -- learned a lot, had a great time


 
JasonWilliams-CA

JasonWilliams-CA

New member
Hey folks!
Thought I would share my first cook on my 22" weber kettle yesterday. I was very excited for this and wanted to share.
My setup

22" Weber
jealous devil briquettes
charcoal baskets used
thermoworks thermapen

Chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
made my own rub of brown sugar, salt, pepper, some garlic and onion. (food allergies in the family. Safer to make. Going to play with different variations)
Seasoned the chicken and put them in the frig for about 2 hours.
Indirect cooking method with one basket filled on one side, thighs on other at 400 degrees,

Overall, I believe it was successful.
The chicken came out very juicy and moist. Unlike anything I have ever been able to do on my gas grill.
In fact, my family is so used to dry chicken (whether on the gas grill or strove/crock pot), everyone was thinking "Is this fully cooked chicken?" ....
I used my thermapen and pulled the thighs off around 180.

Flavor was very good. I noticed a nice fragrant smell as well. I have never had that before.


I learned a lot.

Timing. I think it will take me several cooks to get the hang of planning my cook. From the time I start the chimney until completion of the food. It took a bit longer, but I think experience will help me long term.

Briquettes. I did not use enough from the start and had to add a few. Figuring out how many briquettes to use in the chimney and in the baskets,

I forgot to put some foil underneath where the thighs where, to catch the drippings. I figure I can just clean it up today.

I was astonished how easy it was to control the temp. Initially, I was concerned about the temp before I put the food on. It was hitting 450-500 degrees. I kept trying to adjust the dampers, but realized the more I fiddle with them, more problems I could cause.
Once I put the chicken on, everything seemed to just "set". I had the bottom fully open and the top halfway. After that, it was locked in.

I had a great time. Looking forward to learning as I go.

Now, I just need to figure out what else to cook on my kettle so I can use it all the time.
Breakfast?
Lunch?
dinner?

We have some leftovers from the cook and I think i am going to make some corn, potatoes and other veggies today. Gives me an excuse to use my kettle!

Thanks for all the feedback and help!

Cheers,

Jason
 
Good job Jason.
That is one of my favorite cooks for chicken.
When I first got my kettle I marked the bottom vent damper settings at 25%, 50% and 100%.
I'm sure marking thirds would work just as well too.
Doing that helped me more than the factory settings and were much easier to see.
 
Sounds great, pictures are super easy to post , I never put foil down as I don't do a lot of bbq sauces, the ash catches the mess and gets swept out, hard to do that on a new unit though. Little bit of wood next time for some added goodness
 
I marked my kettle vent as Andy suggests but, marked 25% and 50% I need to clean up the ring and engrave it more permanently, marker came off more easily than I’d expected but, I have a better idea of where those positions are even lacking the marks.
I rarely choke back the exhaust (top) vent, read never, but for an indirect cook (2 baskets side placed, food in center) I have always gone full throttle.
You are going to find a million little things that work for YOU! What works for me may not be comfortable for you but, it’s all about the journey! The results even when a little disappointing are still better than most “bought“ products! After using a kettle for over forty years I can count the number of failures (which went straight to bin) that were not caused by my own inattention. This last summer “toasting“ bread seemed to be the thing I walked away from! I think I pitched four loaves between as many feasts, good thing I had plenty ”real” things to eat.
Never get discouraged! The kettle is one of the most fun pieces of cooking equipment ever made! It has few limitations, most of which are things we are afraid to attempt, smoked ice cream is one.😉
 
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Try adding one chunk of apple or peach wood. It will be a totally unique flavor compared to gas or straight charcoal.

I also leave the top fully open and choke the bottom. I want to minimize cresolite build up.

Well done on your first cook!
 
@Andy Kaminski Thanks. I definitely think marking the vents will help me out as I learn. Great idea. Thighs seem to be a great way to learn (plus so many ways to cook them and they taste great!)

@MikeCantell Pics definitely. I have a few more cooks planned this weekend!

@Timothy F. Lewis Definitely! The marks I think will be super helpful. I plan to do that tomorrow before my next cook. I am seeing just how diverse the kettle is. So may different ways to cook, things to try. I imagine, I will find the sweet spot that I like or am comfortable with. It really feels amazing.

@JWorden Roger that. I look forward to trying that out. I was planning on picking up some apple, cherry, pecan and others. Are chunks better than chips?

@Joe Anshien Absolutely! I am doing thighs tomorrow again and my first ribs on Saturday! I will take pics and post for sure!

Thank you!
 
Yes, definitely chunks over chips and less is more. So start with a single chunk. You don't want to overdo it until you know what you like. I posted a picture of my setup on your prior thread. Chips will burn out in a few minutes whereas chunks last longer.

I get my wood from fruita wood (2"x2" chunks are perfect for the kettle)

Fruita Wood and BBQ Supply | Fruita Wood Chunks

Fruita Wood and BBQ Supply | Fruita Wood Chunks Premium Quality BBQ Smoking wood chunks, wood for smoking, wood chunks for smoking.
fruitawood.com fruitawood.com

It costs a bit more than the big box stores but you don't get the useless wood scrap shreds you commonly get. These are nice uniform fist size chunks. I really like their peach on chicken. It will turn chicken breast an golden/orange color. Cherry will give a reddish color which I like for ribs with hickory. Apple is good for either. I mention color so you don't think something is wrong with your chicken when you see a red or orange smoke ring when you cut into it. I had to convince my wife the first time it was actually done!

When I make burgers or steak I'll add one chunk of mesquite. I get comments from coworkers if I being a burger I cooked for lunch the next day. You can also cook extra burgers and break them up for chili, tacos, or whatever you want.

If you decide to experiment with wood I suggest you wear something old. You and your clothes will smell like the grill and the wood you were burning.
 
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