Weber Kettle Club Forums
Cooking & Food Talk => Charcoal Grilling & BBQ => Topic started by: VAis4BBQers on March 18, 2016, 09:37:56 AM
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I was wondering what everyone's technique was when it came to lighting the charcoal baskets for those that use them.
I typically use a chimney. But, just seems too tedious to move the coals over to the baskets from the chimney with out missing a few coals or maybe lighting too many.
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Performer w/ gas assist...
but I find I'm using the SnS more than baskets these days...
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I usually use my gas assist with a chimney then dump. I've used the gas assist with the baskets which works fine, but I think it take longer than the chimney does.
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Thanks for the options. I may just use the old torch.
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Lighter cube and a chimney. I have a dedicated pair of charcoal tongs, to pick up the runaways.
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NO such quaint gadgets needed, for I AM THE GOD OF HELLFIRE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE
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Sometimes I use Doritos ….
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/used-some-doritos-to-get-charcoal-going/
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Weber lighter cubes with Weber chimney are a winning combo. I think they get coals going faster than using charcoal baskets and the gas assist on my performer.
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Weber lighter cubes with Weber chimney are a winning combo. I think they get coals going faster than using charcoal baskets and the gas assist on my performer.
Ditto.
BD
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Weber lighter cubes with Weber chimney are a winning combo. I think they get coals going faster than using charcoal baskets and the gas assist on my performer.
Ditto.
That's why I use my Weber chimney with the gas assist. 8)
After about a year or so of doing this I noticed the grate (bought new in '13) had developed a droop with bent tines. So I flipped it over and a year later it's level again. :)
The real challenge is with my '90s 26-er. Its charcoal grate is pretty bad, almost U-shaped, and those charcoal grates have a double-reinforced design. It's like the first owner always cooked with 3 chimney's worth of heat. I flipped it over a few times but that puts the charcoal only about 4-5" from the cook grate (or seems to, since the cook grate is positioned fairly low on those models.)
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Sometimes I use Doritos ….
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/used-some-doritos-to-get-charcoal-going/
I use Weber chimney and cubes too. Fritos work very well also. I always have a bag in the camper as backup.
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I got a blow torch with ~4ft hose attachment for the head. The tank hangs from my performer table. Works better on lump, so when using briquettes I sprinkle some lump on top.
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Weber lighter cubes with Weber chimney are a winning combo. I think they get coals going faster than using charcoal baskets and the gas assist on my performer.
Ditto.
BD
Ditto
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Weber lighter cubes with Weber chimney are a winning combo. I think they get coals going faster than using charcoal baskets and the gas assist on my performer.
Ditto.
That's why I use my Weber chimney with the gas assist. 8)
After about a year or so of doing this I noticed the grate (bought new in '13) had developed a droop with bent tines. So I flipped it over and a year later it's level again. :)
The real challenge is with my '90s 26-er. Its charcoal grate is pretty bad, almost U-shaped, and those charcoal grates have a double-reinforced design. It's like the first owner always cooked with 3 chimney's worth of heat. I flipped it over a few times but that puts the charcoal only about 4-5" from the cook grate (or seems to, since the cook grate is positioned fairly low on those models.)
Interesting....my charcoal grate has a nice sag to it as well. I thought it was from my vortex but now that I'm thinking more about it, I do think its from the gas assist and roaring chimneys. I'll have to try flipping my grate over when getting my chimney going to see if that levels things out.
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Yeah it works fine on a 22's charcoal grate but on the 26 those 2 support rods then become like domes when upside down (they aren't flat, but U-shaped below when new.)
The other thing I try to do Mike is position the grate so that the flame shoots mostly between 2 of the rods. Otherwise you'll for SURE get bent and squiggly rods as the metal tries to get the hell away from the flame.
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There is a simple process for repairing charcoal grates that are sagging from the Performer gas assist:
1. Remove charcoal grate and place top-side down on ground.
2. Step on it.
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There is a simple process for repairing charcoal grates that are sagging from the Performer gas assist:
1. Remove charcoal grate and place top-side down on ground.
2. Step on it.
This literally made me laugh out loud. I was expecting something totally different. Well done Sir.
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Was aware of that but last time I tried it my 180lb frame didn't budge it. I'll try again on another one I picked up; grate is resting on the Performer's burner tube!
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Performer TnG for ease and convenience in starter, Weber cubes in starter when Perf is busy. Got sagging grates on several kettles, but @ $15 for new grates, come'on. SJ
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... Got sagging grates on several kettles, but @ $15 for new grates, come'on. SJ
I hear you, but that's not an option on the last-generation 26er unless a new source of charcoal and cooking grates has appeared.
Nevertheless I just stepped on the charcoal grate for the 26 I just picked up. Bad idea.
(http://pics.weberkettleclub.com/images/2016/03/21/IMG_6298.jpg)
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Sometimes I use Doritos ….
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/used-some-doritos-to-get-charcoal-going/
Interesting idea, however the price of chips is pretty high. Must be 4 bucks at least for a bag of Doritos and that guy in the video dumped a whole bag in. Those little fire starter cubes would be a lot cheaper.
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ATS, the char grate on my older 26r was pretty good, didn't even have a cooking grate until Tom (@indy82z) set me up with a brand new grate (thanks again Tom, may the kettle Gods treat you well). Anyhow, I try to never use brute force on any kettle especially an older one. Try some heat from a low torch and the gentle pressure from a vice grip or some such. It's not covered in porcelain so can't do to much harm. SJ
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I needed some New style dark gray handles for a mod.i grabbed two compact chimneys from Amazon and swapped handles out and had chimneys as bonus. Now I use the two compact chimneys with gas assist on perfomer. Each chimney holds a baskets worth of fuel and the two Smaller chimney gets coals lower to the burner and give more surface area which lights coals very fast.
If I am using my 26, I've been using A J 850 weed torch that came with a recent Craig's list score. Works fairly well too
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(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/Ugly%20Drum%20Smoker/Weber/IMG_2071.jpg)
weed burner