Kettle temp

[namtrag]

I fill two charcoal baskets, light them with my gas assist, wait until the coals stop flaming, then start cooking.  The thermometer on the kettle top never gets above 320.  Is that ok?  This is with all venting wide open.

Seems like I see recipes calling for 400-500 degrees.  Do you get that by using more charcoal?

[Troy]

you can do it by using more charcoal.

Or you can stop waiting for the flames to go out (and force them out)

For the highest heat, close the lid when all the coals have light ashing. The lack of wide open oxygen supply will stop the flames, but the charcoal will still burn plenty hot.


If you leave the lid open, the nestled coals will continue to produce flame for quite a while. By the time the flame dies, half of the charcoal is consumed.

[1buckie]

Yeah.....MacEggs hits 900~1000 degrees on his pizzas (crazy blastard!!).....

The baskets are good for certain things, but remember, they're a set number of coals......it can only get so hot unless you pack in a big bunch banked up or something...........

I'll see if I can recall where some good shots of people packing in the lump to do steaks & such are.....there's a good one of Golly & Hogsy firing a huge load of half-chickens on a Ranch....flames shooting up from the back, etc.

BBQ Miller might have some good pics.....who else....lemme think, I'll be back.....

[1buckie]

OK......here's MacEggs pizza thread......he's using baskets to directionalize, but they're home made expanded metal.....more airflow.....look at the intense orange going on from the lump & wood later bring the temp WAY up.....

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/kettlepizza-first-time-firing-it-up/

[namtrag]

you can do it by using more charcoal.

Or you can stop waiting for the flames to go out (and force them out)

For the highest heat, close the lid when all the coals have light ashing. The lack of wide open oxygen supply will stop the flames, but the charcoal will still burn plenty hot.


If you leave the lid open, the nestled coals will continue to produce flame for quite a while. By the time the flame dies, half of the charcoal is consumed.

By closing, do you mean putting the lid on, or putting the lid on and shutting the vent on the lid?  I thought shutting the vent was used to lower the temp?  Thanks in advance!

[1buckie]

No, leave your vents open, esp. right at the start.......one thing you don't want is to choke the air & snuff or retard the fire.......airflow thru that bell is the magic of a Weber......

[Troy]

you can do it by using more charcoal.

Or you can stop waiting for the flames to go out (and force them out)

For the highest heat, close the lid when all the coals have light ashing. The lack of wide open oxygen supply will stop the flames, but the charcoal will still burn plenty hot.


If you leave the lid open, the nestled coals will continue to produce flame for quite a while. By the time the flame dies, half of the charcoal is consumed.

By closing, do you mean putting the lid on, or putting the lid on and shutting the vent on the lid?  I thought shutting the vent was used to lower the temp?  Thanks in advance!

don't close any vents, just the lid.
if you feel comfy, leave the lid open just a tiny crack as well. It SHOULD put out the flames, but allow even more air flow to get the coals super hot.

[namtrag]

Yeah.....MacEggs hits 900~1000 degrees on his pizzas (crazy blastard!!).....

The baskets are good for certain things, but remember, they're a set number of coals......it can only get so hot unless you pack in a big bunch banked up or something...........

I'll see if I can recall where some good shots of people packing in the lump to do steaks & such are.....there's a good one of Golly & Hogsy firing a huge load of half-chickens on a Ranch....flames shooting up from the back, etc.

BBQ Miller might have some good pics.....who else....lemme think, I'll be back.....

.

Holy hot coals in the pizza thread you linked.  I see what you mean about the limit of the baskets being a factor.

I will have to say though, I've cooked whole chickens, tri tips, chicken thighs, and chicken legs, all with the kettle registering 320, and they've all turned out really good.  So maybe I am overthinking it.  I think the only issue has been trying to sear the tri tip at the end, and the heat just not being high enough.

[namtrag]

Thanks on clearing the meaning up on closing the lid.  I do try to put the lid on just as the coals are stopping flaming.  Will keep practicing!,,,

[Troy]

Yeah.....MacEggs hits 900~1000 degrees on his pizzas (crazy blastard!!).....

The baskets are good for certain things, but remember, they're a set number of coals......it can only get so hot unless you pack in a big bunch banked up or something...........

I'll see if I can recall where some good shots of people packing in the lump to do steaks & such are.....there's a good one of Golly & Hogsy firing a huge load of half-chickens on a Ranch....flames shooting up from the back, etc.

BBQ Miller might have some good pics.....who else....lemme think, I'll be back.....

i hit over 1200 once. Never again though

[Troy]

Thanks on clearing the meaning up on closing the lid.  I do try to put the lid on just as the coals are stopping flaming.  Will keep practicing!,,,

don't wait for the flames to stop. They'll go out when you close the lid.
Just like when you're grilling

[namtrag]

Gotcha!  Will try the new technique next cook.

[1buckie]

I will have to say though, I've cooked whole chickens, tri tips, chicken thighs, and chicken legs, all with the kettle registering 320, and they've all turned out really good.  So maybe I am overthinking it.  I think the only issue has been trying to sear the tri tip at the end, and the heat just not being high enough.

"So maybe I am overthinking it.  I think the only issue has been trying to sear the tri tip at the end, and the heat just not being high enough."

A couple ways to go about this.....

when you're near to sear time, pull the grate, meat & all, off & set it off on a waiting unused kettle (see that nifty, irrefutable reason for having more kettles?) then load in some lit coals to ramp the temp up, wait a minute or two for things to get going & replace the grate to sear......

Or, go to a slightly lower temp than above (because the meat will stay in cooking the whole time), use flip grate, add (probably lit would be best) coals & wait just a tad & sear..............

here's a pull to add beans....same concept, different cookup.....



Both those sets you add lit coal.......if you're looking for a somewhat longer burn, perhaps with the heat the same or rising just a bit, add UN-lit coal so it heats only as it begins to catch.....make sense how I'm describing it?

Here's a situation where I wanted to get a sear & ended up pulling the meat off to add coals & beef up heat:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/hyena-brisket-w-taterzilla/msg107002/#msg107002

[namtrag]

UPDATE

I cooked a 7 lb bone-in turkey breast Sunday.  In theory, I had read to cook at 275 for 30 minutes per lb.   Filled both baskets to a little over capacity (cheap Royal Oak ridge briquets).  Put lid on with all vents wide open, with charcoal still slightly flaming.  Breast was close to room temp when I put it on.  Temp was about 325 on the lid thermometer for the first 30 minutes or so.  I wanted it to be about 275 (the temp I read to cook the turkey at), so I closed the top vent about halfway.  BIG MISTAKE!!!  Came out about 30 minutes later, and temp was down to 215 or so.  Opened back wide, and it barely came up.  Left it going for about another 45 minutes at 200 or so.  Looking at the coals, they already looked like they were going out some, so I pulled the rack with the turkey off, poured more charcoal in, and pulled the baskets to the middle and used the gas starter.  Basically started all over again.  Temp held only at about 290 after that, but I was able to complete my cook, and it all turned out fine.  I even cooked two 1.5 lb meat loaves after pulling the turkey breast off. 

It's still frustrating me that the max temp with the vents wide open is 325, and I can't seem to keep it there (not a big deal in the above cook, but what if I want to cook something at 325? lol)

And what will happen when I try to cook something using the snake method at 225?  I am afraid it will not hold that temp, since I am getting 275-325 with a lot of coals!

[1buckie]

Still going with the baskets will limit where you can get to & hold.....they are fine for some things, but I urge you to begin to branch out a bit & test out just banking the coals approx. where you would set the baskets, & adding another 25% of the amount of coals & notice what happens....

Look at the pre-set for this as an example:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/spatchcocked-bunny-w-twelve-thighs/msg88420/#msg88420

This is what 350 might look like, or the examples in the thread above.....




Here's some more answers about charcoal, amounts, setups.....

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/newbie-help/msg114935/#msg114935

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/grate-to-vent-temp-ideas/msg109089/#msg109089

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/first-try-at-the-buckie-method/msg14369/#msg14369

This is more about temps & the snake & choosing what's going to work for you.....

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/brisket-on-a-22-5-kettle/msg106482/#msg106482