What's Your Indirect Set-up?


 
J

JimT

TVWBB Pro
I've always used the baskets, and cooked in the middle of the grill. With all the pictures being posted, I hardly ever see this set-up.

That said, I'd be interested to hear from all you grillers lots of details about how you do it, and why you do it that way, especially if you have tried different methods, and settled on one.

In other words, from your experience, what are the pros and cons of one side vs. two sides, using fire bricks, etc. Let's make this an informative thread.

Thanks!

JimT
 
I have been using the "Fire Brick" method for years. I feel it helps keep the temp. steady for longer cooks. I'm able to keep them in the 280*-300* range for Hrs. using the MM. For HH cooks I load the fuel area with a full chimney of lit lump and move the food accordingly.
Here's my set up for "Smoking" on my Kettle. If I'm doing ribs the pan has beans in it, otherwise usually just water.
lit%20added%20and%20Apple%20chunks%20placed%20on%20top.jpg
 
agree with Jeff - i usually use baskets and cook in the middle if 2 hours or less, firebricks and coal on one side if longer.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Solak:
I just bank the coals on one side of the grill. I don't use baskets or fire bricks </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am with John!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">i usually use baskets and cook in the middle if 2 hours or less, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Ditto, except that it doesn't matter how long a cook for me. I cook in the middle. I occasionally use only one basket on the side - if I need the real estate on the grate.
 
Drip pan on one side, coals banked to the other. Gives a nice big area for searing and the rest for indirect.

The exception would be if I need the height for some reason, or if I'm using a rotisserie - then it's coals in the holders to the sides.
 
i used to cook with the coals on opposite sides. i quickly found that i hated cooking this way. tending two fires with one usually not burning as well as the other drove me batty. i tried all kinds of stuff. just never happy. then i went to a fire on one side with just the coals piled up on one side. i liked that a lot better. i could have a hot zone, medium zone and a cool zone. worked really great for me. i then went further as i gained experiance and as i studied my results. as to smoking indirect, i now use the coals on one side using a piece of expanded metal with fire bricks as mac shows. i make sure a vent is under the coals though i just started to make sure that the coals are between two vents. not sure about that yet. long ago i also started to foil the coal grate from the coals to the other end of the coal grate. this forces most of the air through the coals rather than going straight up and confusing the heat/air mixture. i found this setup a lot easier in controling the temp/burn. i no longer use water. just found it to be messier to deal with and found no advantage in using water. make sure that the lower vent/coals are facing into the wind. the meat and the lid vent should be facing downwind. nothing but trouble if done any other way. i found it a lot better, for me anyway, if i controlled the temp with the lower vents and have the upper vent open fully. i might use the top vent only in extreme situations but rarely need to mess with it. now go out and play with it and see what works for you.
 
Same as George! Excellent advice and results. I can go as low as 200 with no water so I see no need as well. With this method you can adjust how big the bed of coals are as well. Very rarely I go with the 2 fires unless both are mostly lit and Im in a hurry.
 
I don't cook a lot on my OTS,but when I do,I just bank the coals to one side. Nuttin' fancy. Just dump 'em in a pile on one side and do the chicken (or whatever) on the other.
 
I just the fire brick method and no drip pan. I used to use a drip pan but somewhere along the way, I decided it was easier to just scrape the grill every so often than to clean the drip pan every single cook.
 
Started off with brick´s and drip pan,now just coals on one side and normaly no drip pan.

But remember to burn off your normal indirect area from time to time to burn of the grease.

I did a thai-wok and coals placed in the center and the grease was set on fire,that was some fast stir fry for sure.

 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">,that was some fast stir fry for sure. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Wow Daniel, it sure made a great "Kodak" moment though.
icon_eek.gif
 
I use two pieces of sheet metal that I slide thru the grates...no complaints so far!

That being said, I would like to try the fire brick method so I can compare.
 
Baskets sometimes. Bank coals sometimes. No drip pan, but if needed, a boat of foil
 
2 baskets on each side, cook in the middle. Want a 26er for more indirect space.
edit to say: Used to use a foil pan for a drip pan, now I just use a piece of HD foil.
 
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