Weber Kettle

[This Charring Man]

If you can find hardwood briquettes, I would use them. Otherwise, Kingsford is good enough for a kettle. Hell the kettle was developed specifically for it.

 

[Timmy]

I picked up the kettle from HD this morning, as well as a tower and cover. The wife is out of town this week so it should be interesting to see what she says when she comes home and sees another grill in the back yard!

I haven't used charcoal in about 20 years other than buying a 5# bag of Kingsford match light to use at a beach front hotel a few years ago. So what's a good brand and/or type to use? Kingsford briquettes, Royal Oak lump charcoal...other?

The Cowboy charcoal I purchased a couple weeks ago was mostly really small stuff, smaller than a brickette.
Ive heard the Jurk charcoal is pretty big stuff, but I think you can only get it online.

 

[Tommymick]

I have used the Weber kettle for 40+ years. Love it, love the charcoal flavor. I currently have a Weber Performer (Deluxe), standard 22" kettle that burns charcoal, but it has a built-in ignition system which uses those small camping propane canisters to start the charcoal. Charcoal flavor, but no starter fluid, hot irons, chimney/paper, etc. Best idea ever from Weber.

 

[Timmy]

I have used the Weber kettle for 40+ years. Love it, love the charcoal flavor. I currently have a Weber Performer (Deluxe), standard 22" kettle that burns charcoal, but it has a built-in ignition system which uses those small camping propane canisters to start the charcoal. Charcoal flavor, but no starter fluid, hot irons, chimney/paper, etc. Best idea ever from Weber.

Interesting!

 

[Dan-H]

I had a kettle for a decade alongside my Genesis silver B and used it a fair amount.

After I was given a BGE as a birthday gift the kettle was used less and less. Eventually it moved off the patio to the side yard where it sat for about a year. I "loaned" it to a friend of mine a few years ago and he uses it in addition to his big offset smoker, and he also has a gas grill.

I think it makes sense to have something that you can cook directly over lump or briquettes.

 

[Murphy's Law]

I took it for the maiden voyage last night. Just a small tuna steak and some asparagus.

Well, the asparagus was good!

chicken breast, a baked potato and corn on the cob is on deck for tonight.

Other than buying a small bag of instant light and cooking some steaks on one of those small hotel grills a few years ago, this is my first cook over charcoal in many, many years. I’ll have to dial in the process.

 

[Murphy's Law]

…and thanks for the input everyone!

 

[MidwestSmoker]

I am eagerly waiting to see if you will do the FireBoard Pit Viper or the Thermoworks Billows modification!

 

[Murphy's Law]

I am eagerly waiting to see if you will do the FireBoard Pit Viper or the Thermoworks Billows modification!

I have a Fire Board I use on the Traeger but I am going to keep the kettle "as is" with no mods!

 

[Slimpicker]

this is my first cook over charcoal in many, many years. I’ll have to dial in the process.

Let it settle in, meaning, don't cook your food till the grill is done warming up, kinda like a Traeger. I've made too many kettle mistakes putting food on right away, first off, the heat is is not spread out yet and the heat will climb on you fast if you walk away too soon. I let the fire get going, spread it out a little bit, throw on some soaked wood chips, then add my meat for that initial smoke flavor... adjust your intake and dial flu to maintain and away you go.

 

[Murphy's Law]

Let it settle in, meaning, don't cook your food till the grill is done warming up, kinda like a Traeger. I've made too many kettle mistakes putting food on right away, first off, the heat is is not spread out yet and the it will climb on you fast if you walk away too soon. I let the fire get going, spread it out a little bit, throw on some soaked wood chips, then add my meat for that initial smoke flavor... adjust your intake and dial flu to maintain and away you go.

I let it burn for about 15 or 20 mins before I started cooking. I think my issue was I had too few briquettes and the grill never got as hot as I would have liked.

I’m already looking forward to firing it up and then grabbing a Long Board from the fridge tonight!

 

[tommyb50]

Another tip, as soon as your done cooking close the top and bottom vents, this will put the coals out fairly quickly so you can re-use the mostly whole coals the next time you use it. Just throw them in the chimney coal starter with some fresh charcoal.

 

[Dan-H]

Another suggestion, is save bacon fat or any other fat that is solid at room temp and use it as fuel to start the chimney.

I wrap a spoonful in a paper towel, and put two or three under the chimney. The bacon fat works great to start the chimney.

 

[Slimpicker]

Another suggestion, is save bacon fat or any other fat that is solid at room temp and use it as fuel to start the chimney.

I wrap a spoonful in a paper towel, and put two or three under the chimney. The bacon fat works great to start the chimney.

I just use plain old vegetable (olive) oil on said paper towel and it stays lit for a long time... after all, Olive oil was what kept the Menora lit 24 hours a day for the Israelites.