WSC, E/S6 owners, coal basket idea - seeking feedback

[Brett-EDH]

so i had this idea the other night. to place some sort of wire-type basket that's large enough to be held by the metal studs that hold the adjustable coal grate in position.

goal: to keep my lump close together for burning efficiency as to avoid placing lump onto the coal grate in the lower position. i want the density and tighter weave of such coal basket.

this way my coal is sitting below the upper level but not spread out on the lower level across the coal grate (to keep the smaller lump pieces in the basket and not fall through into the ash can).

so, anyone doing this already? if so, which wire basket are you using to suspend from the studs on the mounted upper ring?

feedback. thoughts and ideas welcome.

 

[DanHoo]

like a kick ash basket ?

Collections

Kick Ash Basket has grill accessories & charcoal baskets for easy, tasty grilling. Shop our site for grilling essentials like coal ash cans, dividers, & more!

www.kickashbasket.com

 

[Brett-EDH]

like a kick ash basket ?

Collections

Kick Ash Basket has grill accessories & charcoal baskets for easy, tasty grilling. Shop our site for grilling essentials like coal ash cans, dividers, & more!

www.kickashbasket.com

Yes. Exactly. TY! Now I need to measure dims.

 

[DanHoo]

Yes. Exactly. TY! Now I need to measure dims.

You should call them. They may have some ideas for you. KA is well thought of in the BGE world. I have a KA basket and KA ash can on my wish list.

 

[DanHoo]

checkout CGS. In addition to KA baskets the have some from kamado joe that might workout.

Kick Ash Baskets, Cans & Dividers, all baskets get free CGS lump rake

In stock, KAB Baskets, KAC Cans and Dividers for Big Green EGG, Kamado Joe, Primo, Vision and Pit Boss grills. All Baskets include a free Ceramic Grill Store Lump Rake, a popular tool for handling hot lump. Best tools on the market, take the hassle out of handling ash and charcoal.

ceramicgrillstore.com

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

It's a double edged sword, IMO. I have a perforated metal basket I made for my bubba keg many years ago. It has 1/4" holes and retains all the small pieces to be burned to the end. The issue becomes air flow. The small holes are fine, but the little pieces of charcoal start getting close together and restrict air flow on the bottom layers. I end up dumping out some of the smaller pieces and sifting the ash. If you do a perforated metal basket, I'd go with 1/2"- 5/8" holes. You want those small pieces to fall thru. If you look at the Kick Ash baskets, they have fairly large spacing of the grid. That's a good thing.

 

[Tony P in Florida]

This is an interesting thread. I was thinking the very same thing last week. When I was burning in my E6. I was worried about the small pieces slipping through the charcoal grate. I ended up using the baskets that day. And I did a cook today where I used the baskets.

The kick ash basket looks like a neat idea. Although I don't think I want to Shell out that kind of money

I did consider getting a third charcoal basket when placing coals on the high charcoal grate setting. I didn't measure it but it might even fit on the lower grate, so I might even pursue that.

 

[EricV.]

I’m surprised that you Weber E6/S6 owners haven’t trolled the KJ or BGE forums previous to your purchase. I know I did when I was contemplating a “Kamado” style grill.

 

[Brett-EDH]

This is an interesting thread. I was thinking the very same thing last week. When I was burning in my E6. I was worried about the small pieces slipping through the charcoal grate. I ended up using the baskets that day. And I did a cook today where I used the baskets.

The kick ash basket looks like a neat idea. Although I don't think I want to Shell out that kind of money

I did consider getting a third charcoal basket when placing coals on the high charcoal grate setting. I didn't measure it but it might even fit on the lower grate, so I might even pursue that.

i'ma gonna measure this weekend. thinking this might fit:

Amazon.com

 

[Brett-EDH]

I’m surprised that you Weber E6/S6 owners haven’t trolled the KJ or BGE forums previous to your purchase. I know I did when I was contemplating a “Kamado” style grill.

personally, i knew what kamados could do and where they were deficient. it's why i never bought one. the E6, was like an easy-to-buy solution and took away my concerns of cracking or me pushing over a kamado by accident.

what did you "discover" in your research? anything worth sharing or extraordinary? i'm beyond happy with my E6. my only goal right now is to shape my heat source to maximize grilling. as soon as i get this next step done, i should be at 100% for all my cooking options, and with various fuels.

i'm loving the jealous devil XL lump; just trying to corral its unique shape to get best fuel performance for different load size cooks.

 

[GrantT]

So, I came to my S6 after over 10 years of first having a small Visions Kamado, then a large BGE, then finally a Broil King Keg (for which I also had a KAB in for coals and charcoal management).

I am not 100% sure yet that this is not a solution looking for a problem. I have (with the S6) evolved into using two different cooking methods now for almost all my cooks...either having all the charcoal on the lower grate for long/low/slow cooks, or having the charcoal on the upper level grate (almost always contained in the charcoal baskets I converted into a SnS format) for searing, grilling - usually 1/3 of the grill for searing, and 2/3 for indirect.

At what point, or for what process do you foresee the baskets being helpful? After having a "vertical" style kamado previously where the basket was helpful for as cleanout etc, and now the S6 where I do not have much of a charcoal management issue, I am just not seeing when/where I would use the basket.

I absolutely LOVE adding improvements....but I have had no urge or seen any need to add more charcoal management so far...and it is pretty rare when I cannot find something to modify/add.

Grant

 

[EricV.]

personally, i knew what kamados could do and where they were deficient. it's why i never bought one. the E6, was like an easy-to-buy solution and took away my concerns of cracking or me pushing over a kamado by accident.

what did you "discover" in your research? anything worth sharing or extraordinary? i'm beyond happy with my E6. my only goal right now is to shape my heat source to maximize grilling. as soon as i get this next step done, i should be at 100% for all my cooking options, and with various fuels.

i'm loving the jealous devil XL lump; just trying to corral its unique shape to get best fuel performance for different load size cooks.

Dude, calm down, I knew you would take offense to that comment! I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel here; I am just making a general observation.

I just determined that for me, I didn’t want an all-in-one cooker, nothing against a kamado style grill, I have my reasons for not going down that path.

I guess what triggered my response was that you didn’t know about these baskets, yet I did from doing previous homework.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Dude, calm down, I knew you would take offense to that comment! I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel here; I am just making a general observation.

I just determined that for me, I didn’t want an all-in-one cooker, nothing against a kamado style grill, I have my reasons for not going down that path.

I guess what triggered my response was that you didn’t know about these baskets, yet I did from doing previous homework.

I don’t think words in a forum convey emotion accurately. In no way did I get riled up.

My quest for a basket is specifically related to finding a middle tier heat solution for cooking kebobs. Using the CBs pushed too much direct heat onto my chicken and I’m thinking using the lower coal grate positions won’t be enough direct heat to the kebobs.

Thus I want a more concentrated heat source, as in I don’t want the coals spread out flat across a surface area because I have indirect cooking concurrently with direct cooking.

The baskets in a classic kamado appear to solve a different type of problem, ease of clean out and reuse. I’m just seeking a high air flow across 18” of coals or less, and where my lump doesn’t fall through.

 

[Brett-EDH]

So, I came to my S6 after over 10 years of first having a small Visions Kamado, then a large BGE, then finally a Broil King Keg (for which I also had a KAB in for coals and charcoal management).

I am not 100% sure yet that this is not a solution looking for a problem. I have (with the S6) evolved into using two different cooking methods now for almost all my cooks...either having all the charcoal on the lower grate for long/low/slow cooks, or having the charcoal on the upper level grate (almost always contained in the charcoal baskets I converted into a SnS format) for searing, grilling - usually 1/3 of the grill for searing, and 2/3 for indirect.

At what point, or for what process do you foresee the baskets being helpful? After having a "vertical" style kamado previously where the basket was helpful for as cleanout etc, and now the S6 where I do not have much of a charcoal management issue, I am just not seeing when/where I would use the basket.

I absolutely LOVE adding improvements....but I have had no urge or seen any need to add more charcoal management so far...and it is pretty rare when I cannot find something to modify/add.

Grant

See above post about kebobs and having room for direct and indirect cooking concurrently in a specific area. Esoteric but I’m trying to solve a too high heat in the CBs vs not enough heat using the lower coal grate position.

And I find myself in the same position as you; mostly CBS for upper deck cooking mixing direct and indirect and center cooking CBS on direct sear. And lower grate with diffuser for longer type cooks. The E6 has done really well in these scenarios so far.

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

So, I came to my S6 after over 10 years of first having a small Visions Kamado, then a large BGE, then finally a Broil King Keg (for which I also had a KAB in for coals and charcoal management).

I am not 100% sure yet that this is not a solution looking for a problem. I have (with the S6) evolved into using two different cooking methods now for almost all my cooks...either having all the charcoal on the lower grate for long/low/slow cooks, or having the charcoal on the upper level grate (almost always contained in the charcoal baskets I converted into a SnS format) for searing, grilling - usually 1/3 of the grill for searing, and 2/3 for indirect.

At what point, or for what process do you foresee the baskets being helpful? After having a "vertical" style kamado previously where the basket was helpful for as cleanout etc, and now the S6 where I do not have much of a charcoal management issue, I am just not seeing when/where I would use the basket.

I absolutely LOVE adding improvements....but I have had no urge or seen any need to add more charcoal management so far...and it is pretty rare when I cannot find something to modify/add.

Grant

Grant, Thanks for your perspective on the S6. I've had Bubba Kegs (same product as the Broil King Keg by previous company) for something like 15 years or more. About a 2 years ago, my original one finally rusted from the inside out from condensation and forced me to get out the spare NIB keg I had stored in the garage. I use a basket mainly to be able to put it on the diffuser rack closer to the cooking grate. Years later, Broil King offered a basket for that purpose. Overall, I like cooking on the keg. I will cook on it until it dies.

But it is limited in space and I was looking for a larger grill/indirect smoker that I could load fuel/wood without removing the food grate. So, after long consideration, I bought a 26" and a SnS XL. I still have it in the box and haven't gotten around to building my cart.

Can you show a pic of your S6 in the "SnS format"?

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

i'ma gonna measure this weekend. thinking this might fit:

Amazon.com

Brett, I'd shy away from any China sourced "stainless" baskets unless it was Prime (free returns). I bought a couple a few years ago and it was plated. You don't want plated stuff in your bbq. Especially unknown Chinese plating in the actual fire. You really want known good guy stainless. The peace of mind of a US made Kick Ash is worth it, IMO.

 

[GrantT]

Can you show a pic of your S6 in the "SnS format"?

These are the two original factory charcoal baskets that I riveted together to make a larger "SnS" shape...I just find it works better for me rather than having the two separate baskets. I use this setup 80% of the time...it's crazy how versatile this is. You can sear directly over coals, or roast on the other side indirect.




I converted an 18" pizza tray to act as a drip pan (19" would have been perfect), and to block air from the bottom vents so it mostly has to go through the coals.





I usually have a drip tray or tin foil on top of the pizza pan...but (as seen above) it takes a lot of dripping abuse.





With cooking grate...

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

Grant,
Thanks for that pic. Giving me ideas for my 26.
You might try a disposable turkey tray. It may cover the space a bit better. You can form them a bit too. I use them in my Bubba Keg, lined with foil, so I can use them for a good number of cooks.

 

[PaulH PNW]

These are the two original factory charcoal baskets that I riveted together to make a larger "SnS" shape...I just find it works better for me rather than having the two separate baskets. I use this setup 80% of the time...it's crazy how versatile this is. You can sear directly over coals, or roast on the other side indirect.

View attachment 38735


I converted an 18" pizza tray to act as a drip pan (19" would have been perfect), and to block air from the bottom vents so it mostly has to go through the coals.


View attachment 38736

What metal is that pizza pan made of?

 

[EricV.]

Just to be safe, I would opt for SS 304 via SnS grills:

Drip 'N Griddle Pan - Deluxe

The Double Duty Kettle Grill Accessory that combines a griddle pan and drip pan for grilling. The Drip ‘N Griddle Pan – Deluxe lives up to its name….and more!

snsgrills.com