Weber Kettle Club Forums

Everyone has one. What's yours?

I grill several nights a week and this is the same routine I use for 90% of my cooks for several years now. It's really easy and allows a lot of flexibility.

I give the old coal a stir and light 1/2 chimney new coal and add it on top of used. For lower temp cooks I put the lid on before the entire pile ignites. Hotter cooks I let the fire get going better before cooking. The pile itself can be adjusted by spreading out some or pushing it tight to the back. I use an old spatula as a rake. You can create graduated heat from front to back.

This method may not be advisable for old colored kettles but it doesn't seem to hurt modern black kettles at all so no fear of grill damage imo.

Anyways just thought I'd share one of many different ways. Maybe helpful to new people. Maybe not.

And the best part is no accessories whatsoever required except a Weber charcoal chimney.




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Pretty much the same as you @HoosierKettle except I always use a basket or my SnS in my non black kettles.  Some nights it's just steak or chicken for salads so I use the mini chimney and fire up the CGA.  The CGA is the best little fuel saver grill out there, very little charcoal needed to cook up some burgers, steaks, or chicken.

I just use a touch of match light, then regular charcoal on top. Normally do inderict, with whatever I'm grilling in the middle. Tri tip, Chuck roast, ribs, whole chickens, prime rib roast, pork butt roast...coal on both sides, drip pan in the middle. Usually soaked hickory chips...use gasser for steak and fish, burgers and dogs, cedar planks for fish. Starting to use wood chunks again.

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I do the same thing, with or without the SNS. did not use that routine previous to getting the SNS, I thought this should work as well without it, now it is routine

I'm an accessory freak so i always have 4 grills in regular rotation that have different accessories  with different shapes or sizes of charcoal holders.  They're more or less set up as an especialized cookers as i don't like to keep swapping accessories from grill to another that often. Rotation will depend on the item being cooked at that given time. Somewhat helps me  in deciding which grill is up for duty. And yeah i fire up a grill at least 6 times a week, before and after work so it can be up to 10 times.

I haven't quite got a habit down just yet, other than grilling about twice a week, and committing to charcoal since finding the WBC.  I've picked up some much appreciated tips and advice here, along with some really cool recipes.

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Pretty much the same here with a touch of OCD...My coals always go on the east side of my grill...I tried the west side a time or two and ended up turning the grill around so things felt right...OCD rules...

Quote from: SMOKE FREAK on June 29, 2018, 05:17:51 PM
Pretty much the same here with a touch of OCD...My coals always go on the east side of my grill...I tried the west side a time or two and ended up turning the grill around so things felt right...OCD rules...

Ha!  I'm a west side coal guy.  I use my left hand to take the lid off to hang.  I use my right for utensils. 


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Quote from: Mike Huff on June 29, 2018, 04:10:14 PM
I haven't quite got a habit down just yet, other than grilling about twice a week, and committing to charcoal since finding the WBC.  I've picked up some much appreciated tips and advice here, along with some really cool recipes.

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*WKC...doh!!

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being a newbie and on the near same page as Mike Huff and not yet with a grill routine set, I am wondering how clean is enough? After a grill on my very new weber 22", it occurs to me that I might be behaving a bit too much over the top about the cleaning of the grill and kettle and lid. What is the cleaning routine after a grill? Cheers.

Quote from: Publicknitter on June 30, 2018, 08:35:14 AM
being a newbie and on the near same page as Mike Huff and not yet with a grill routine set, I am wondering how clean is enough? After a grill on my very new weber 22", it occurs to me that I might be behaving a bit too much over the top about the cleaning of the grill and kettle and lid. What is the cleaning routine after a grill? Cheers.

I don't do any cleaning at all aside from giving the cooking grate a scrape.

Occasionally I'll shine up the outside of the lid if I'm having people over.


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If I don't cover my grills I'm usually cleaning bird shit off the lids a couple times per week. It really pisses me off too. My neighbor is an old man with a pristine property with bird baths and feeders.  I usually do a quick scrape of my bowls about once per month but my coolers aren't ever clean like my lookers.


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Quote from: kettlebb on June 30, 2018, 09:35:19 AM
If I don't cover my grills I'm usually cleaning bird shit off the lids a couple times per week. It really pisses me off too. My neighbor is an old man with a pristine property with bird baths and feeders.  I usually do a quick scrape of my bowls about once per month but my coolers aren't ever clean like my lookers.


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I hate bird shit on the lid!!  I usually don't get it too often but I had to clean the 26er lid just the other night.


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Quote from: HoosierKettle on June 30, 2018, 10:43:15 AM

Quote from: kettlebb on June 30, 2018, 09:35:19 AM
If I don't cover my grills I'm usually cleaning bird shit off the lids a couple times per week. It really pisses me off too. My neighbor is an old man with a pristine property with bird baths and feeders.  I usually do a quick scrape of my bowls about once per month but my coolers aren't ever clean like my lookers.


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I hate bird shit on the lid!!  I usually don't get it too often but I had to clean the 26er lid just the other night.


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"My neighbor is an old man..." lol

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Quote from: michaelmilitello on June 29, 2018, 06:46:21 PM

Quote from: SMOKE FREAK on June 29, 2018, 05:17:51 PM
Pretty much the same here with a touch of OCD...My coals always go on the east side of my grill...I tried the west side a time or two and ended up turning the grill around so things felt right...OCD rules...

Ha!  I'm a west side coal guy.  I use my left hand to take the lid off to hang.  I use my right for utensils. 


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I second this!

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Quote from: Publicknitter on June 30, 2018, 08:35:14 AM
being a newbie and on the near same page as Mike Huff and not yet with a grill routine set, I am wondering how clean is enough? After a grill on my very new weber 22", it occurs to me that I might be behaving a bit too much over the top about the cleaning of the grill and kettle and lid. What is the cleaning routine after a grill? Cheers.

You mean I'm supposed to clean the damn things?

Quote from: Mike Huff on June 30, 2018, 05:00:41 PM

Quote from: HoosierKettle on June 30, 2018, 10:43:15 AM

Quote from: kettlebb on June 30, 2018, 09:35:19 AM
If I don't cover my grills I'm usually cleaning bird shit off the lids a couple times per week. It really pisses me off too. My neighbor is an old man with a pristine property with bird baths and feeders.  I usually do a quick scrape of my bowls about once per month but my coolers aren't ever clean like my lookers.


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I hate bird shit on the lid!!  I usually don't get it too often but I had to clean the 26er lid just the other night.


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"My neighbor is an old man..." lol

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Didn't mean to offend or sound like an ass. I absolute do respect my elders and my neighbor as well. It's just that all he has to do these days is keep up his property. I just wish he let the birds fend for themselves out in nature instead of feeding them next to my grills and cars.


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Quote from: kettlebb on June 30, 2018, 06:41:29 PM

Quote from: Mike Huff on June 30, 2018, 05:00:41 PM

Quote from: HoosierKettle on June 30, 2018, 10:43:15 AM

Quote from: kettlebb on June 30, 2018, 09:35:19 AM
If I don't cover my grills I'm usually cleaning bird shit off the lids a couple times per week. It really pisses me off too. My neighbor is an old man with a pristine property with bird baths and feeders.  I usually do a quick scrape of my bowls about once per month but my coolers aren't ever clean like my lookers.


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I hate bird shit on the lid!!  I usually don't get it too often but I had to clean the 26er lid just the other night.


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"My neighbor is an old man..." lol

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Didn't mean to offend or sound like an ass. I absolute do respect my elders and my neighbor as well. It's just that all he has to do these days is keep up his property. I just wish he let the birds fend for themselves out in nature instead of feeding them next to my grills and cars.


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I know you didn't mean it like that...Just struck me funny! Should've kept my chuckle to myself

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All good man. I feel terrible being his neighbor but I just don't have the time to keep up with him.

He also cooks on an 18" Weber Kettle in his driveway.


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Quote from: Joshua_423 on June 30, 2018, 05:10:30 PM

Quote from: michaelmilitello on June 29, 2018, 06:46:21 PM

Quote from: SMOKE FREAK on June 29, 2018, 05:17:51 PM
Pretty much the same here with a touch of OCD...My coals always go on the east side of my grill...I tried the west side a time or two and ended up turning the grill around so things felt right...OCD rules...

Ha!  I'm a west side coal guy.  I use my left hand to take the lid off to hang.  I use my right for utensils. 


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I second this!

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@SMOKE FREAK

@michaelmilitello

@Joshua_423

.....you guys will want to know this:

if you chain (ring of fire) charcoal for pork butt, brisket or other large pieces, burn the coals counter-clockwise for pork, clockwise for beef.....
.....lamb, poultry, etc. is cooker's choice.........

Pork setup....lite at right:

(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd520/1buckie/Jan29%20Danae%20%20dad%20002/Jan29Danaedad021.jpg)

But, if you do beef, lite like so & it will come out like this:

(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd520/1buckie/1st%202013%20chicken/3-6-2013%20%20Beef/3-6-2013Beef012.jpg)

(http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd520/1buckie/1st%202013%20chicken/3-6-2013%20%20Beef/3-6-2013Beef069.jpg)


Every time I disavow the prime directive of clockwise for beef, etc., it comes out not as good...... :o

Trust @1buckie he knows his shit.

Quote from: kettlebb on July 03, 2018, 07:36:20 AM
Trust @1buckie he knows his shit.

just what I was thinking, but it is opposite if you are south of the Equator right?

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So THAT'S why my chuck roast tasted left handed!

When I read the title, I thought it said "Poutine"

Damn! I must be Canadian!!!!   Shit, now I want Poutine!!

Quote from: Darko on July 03, 2018, 10:57:59 AM
When I read the title, I thought it said "Poutine"

Damn! I must be Canadian!!!!   Shit, now I want Poutine!!

I googled poutine. Sounds weird and unappetizing to this American but I would definitely try it.


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I've always been a gadget guy so although it may be routine for that particular cook, it's not necessarily the same routine for a different cooker.  I usually have 3-4 grills in regular rotation and another 4 in the garage that rotate in an out of active use.  Like most of you, I also use various baskets and dividers, kettle pizza, vortex, SnS, etc...depending on what I am doing.

That being said, I've been in all of them enough that I probably have some sort of routine.  I'd say a good general answer would be sweep/dump ash from last time.  Assemble whatever configuration I am using, light it and go set the meat out.  Replace the grate(s) and give them a good brushing once they are hot.  Meats are prepped beforehand so they just need to come out to knock the chill off.

Doing exactly the same @HoosierKettle. I have one beater which is simply my first choice cooker and I really don't care whether the porcelain get damaged or not.

Quote from: qrczak1 on July 03, 2018, 11:33:54 AM
Doing exactly the same @HoosierKettle. I have one beater which is simply my first choice cooker and I really don't care whether the porcelain get damaged or not.

If it's a black kettle you shouldn't have anything to worry about. I've been abusing my black grills for 10+ years and I don't see any heat damage yet.


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Quote from: Darko on July 03, 2018, 10:57:59 AM
When I read the title, I thought it said "Poutine"

Damn! I must be Canadian!!!!   Shit, now I want Poutine!!

Haven't had breakfast yet, now I want poutine!

It's black and the porcelain has heat damage. But it's a beater so really doesn't matter

I always open an ice cold beer after lighting the chimney.

...is there any benefit to having the charcoal either on the left side or the right side of the charcoal grill as opposed to the middle (I pour my charcoal into charcoal baskets which are centred underneath my cooking grill, so I cook everything indirectly around the perimeter of the cooking grill and then sear over the middle part of the grill, at the end)?

I learned that with my Sn'S  and Drip'n Griddle that I have to Always place my Sn'S on the right side of my MT grill when using the rotisserie. MY Weber roti motor turns clockwise with the motor on the back of the kettle, as it turns chicken drippings sort of climb UP the bottom left of the bird and fall down away from the coals onto the drip pan.
If you don't pay attention to this you end up with chicken fat being dropped into your coals causing smoke and flare-ups.
Some other types of roti motors can be bump stalled to reverse the direction !
So from now on.. my Sn'S or coals always sits on the right hand side of my grill!


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Quote from: deans6571 on July 06, 2018, 04:00:59 AM
...is there any benefit to having the charcoal either on the left side or the right side of the charcoal grill as opposed to the middle (I pour my charcoal into charcoal baskets which are centred underneath my cooking grill, so I cook everything indirectly around the perimeter of the cooking grill and then sear over the middle part of the grill, at the end)?

Dealer's choice, with placement of food usually being paramount. Larger pieces might not fit well around the perimeter for example. With a 2 zone setup, coals off to one side, it's easier to create a temp difference, especially if it's ONE large basket.

For grilling, I'm a Vortex and Gourmet grill kinda guy, placing the product around the perimeter.
If I'm rotissing, then the V gets put aside, a drip pan in the middle, and coals on either side of it.
If I'm smoking, I use the EZ with a snake.