Performer Premium vs. Deluxe

[steph746]

Thanks. Temp seems to be going down to about 300-325. Do you normally add coals or poke coals to help raise the temp?

[kettlebb]

Just keep playing with your kettle. You'll figure it out.


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[SmokenJoe]

@steph746

So many questions, so little time.  I never use my GA for longer than 5 minutes (that's about how long a Weber "cube" burns, so ...).  I never put hot coals directly onto my coal grate.  They always go into some type of basket  ...  I like the enamel on my kettles w/o heat crazing lines.  As for charcoal;  pick the temp that you want to cook at, then that will tell you how many lit-coals you will need, then pick the cook duration, and that will tell you how many un-lit coals you will need.  You control the burn rate w/ your vent dampers.


@Troy   @1buckie

Gentlemen, I couldn't find the post's that you did on charcoal amounts (lit vs un-lit) and amounts for specific temp ranges.  Might be useful for some of the newer kettle cooks to get a handle on the "art of the kettle"

SJ

[steph746]

Thanks...will do. I think the first round went well. Maybe could have cooked things longer to get more of a "burnt/crisp" texture.

As for cleaning. The coals seem to be going fairly strong still. Should I spray water on them to put them out? I can't imagine I should wait overnight until they burn out. I assume also that I shouldn't put too much water on them so as not to create a mess in the ash catcher...

[Hofy]

No water.  Just close all the vents and the lack of air will put the coals out.   Nice thing about doing this is you save charcoal for your next cook.

[Foster Dahlet]

Thanks...will do. I think the first round went well. Maybe could have cooked things longer to get more of a "burnt/crisp" texture.

As for cleaning. The coals seem to be going fairly strong still. Should I spray water on them to put them out? I can't imagine I should wait overnight until they burn out. I assume also that I shouldn't put too much water on them so as not to create a mess in the ash catcher...

As @Hofy said, simply shut down the vents and the coals will go out in time.  You can reuse the charcoal that is unspent.  Water on charcoal is a not a good idea.  Wet charcoal ash is slightly corrosive, and therefore not good for the ash pans and ash buckets. 

[steph746]

That sounds good. Thanks. Once the coals are out I collect the coals in some sort of canister. If I clean the grate while it's I the kettle then I'll get the ash pan and kettle wet which isn't a good idea?

[1buckie]

That sounds good. Thanks. Once the coals are out I collect the coals in some sort of canister. If I clean the grate while it's I the kettle then I'll get the ash pan and kettle wet which isn't a good idea?

I a lot of times just set off the cooled down coals back in the chimney, ready then for the next round.....

Cleaning the grate can be as simple as a scrape down w/ brush, aluminium foil ball or those new-fangled wooden paddle things....OR, if you're wanting real "clean & sanitized"  just do that separately elsewhere.....

Wood scraper:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/anyone-try-the-wooden-grill-grate-scraper-that-costco-sells/

Mine:



they're coated with bacon render & other juicy meat by-products so they don't rust......


Don't think water cleaning the Kettle bowl would ever be a good idea with the gas assist starter thing down in there....would likely goof up that mechanism royally....

[Foster Dahlet]

That sounds good. Thanks. Once the coals are out I collect the coals in some sort of canister. If I clean the grate while it's I the kettle then I'll get the ash pan and kettle wet which isn't a good idea?

I a lot of times just set off the cooled down coals back in the chimney, ready then for the next round.....

Cleaning the grate can be as simple as a scrape down w/ brush, aluminium foil ball or those new-fangled wooden paddle things....OR, if you're wanting real "clean & sanitized"  just do that separately elsewhere.....

Wood scraper:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/anyone-try-the-wooden-grill-grate-scraper-that-costco-sells/

Mine:



they're coated with bacon render & other juicy meat by-products so they don't rust......


Don't think water cleaning the Kettle bowl would ever be a good idea with the gas assist starter thing down in there....would likely goof up that mechanism royally....

@steph746 , as usual @1buckie is on point. a simple scraping on a warm grate, if you want to remove the big bits off the grate, is all you really need.  as for cleaning the bowl, i have cleaned the interior of my performer bowl less than 5 times in 15 years, and 1 of those was because i was restoring the grill after over 14 years of use.  there is no real need to do it.  occasionally, you can sweep the stuck ashes (the parts that the ash sweep misses) down to the bottom of the bowl and out the bottom vents, but that is about it. 

[steph746]

Thanks very much everyone. So, basically anything solid can be put back into the chimney for the next use?

...and as for cleaning the grate, I purchased this Weber cleaning tool:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Weber-Stainless-Steel-Grill-Brush/50330229


Using the scraper won't scratch off too much of the coating? Would you recommend removing the grate and scrubbing it down somewhere else other than in place over the kettle, so soap and water do not get into the ashes and GA mechanism?

[1buckie]

Using the scraper won't scratch off too much of the coating? Would you recommend removing the grate and scrubbing it down somewhere else other than in place over the kettle, so soap and water do not get into the ashes and GA mechanism?

Yes, if you'd like really clean, that would be the ticket.....

I personally don't worry much about any coating on the grates from previous cooks (chunks & bits, yes, scraped off) because you're going into a relatively high heat situation on the next cookup.....likely would kill off any possible baddies......it differs a little from indoor cooking in this respect....

[steph746]

Thanks...I meant more about any sort of anti-stick coating on the grates that I might scratch off with either a brush or the metal tip of that Weber tool I purchased. Is there any kind of coating on the grate that I should be worrying about?

[1buckie]

They are nickel plated & will withstand a reasonable amount of scrubbing even w/ the steel brushes.....

If you have a STAINLESS Gourmet System grate, then locate a STAINLESS brush (I believe the Weber ones ARE stainless) because scratching by way of dissimilar metals will hasten rust....

Just look at the label before you buy....they are almost always clearly marked.....

[HoosierKettle]

I clean and re-apply a coating to the grates in one step. My grates are always spotless.




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