Where are all the Summit owners?

[addicted-to-smoke]

Learned a lot from this thread even though I don't have a Summit. I'd always wondered about the practicality of positioning the charcoal grate (I would not want to ever do that during a cook) and it seems as if that isn't needed so long as you adjust how you light the coals and probably use some extra fuel when searing (by just leaving the grate on the bottom.)

[jacobp]

Absolutely not necessary during a cook. but the upper position is super handy for direct grilling and indirect/two zone cooking. I love having the flexibility.

[au4stree]

I typically try to move the coals in lower level when I'm using diffuser plate, low/slow cooks. The upper level is most handy for all other cooks. I gotta be honest, the mod. to increase flame height is intriguing. And ditto, this forum is a huge reason I bought the Summit. Great community here


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[addicted-to-smoke]

OK, my misunderstanding. So unless smoking you'd normally leave the charcoal grate up, but it's harder to light coals that way hence the oriface mod or use of a random Performer etc. Hopefully I got it right this time.

[au4stree]

@addicted-to-smoke, that's just how I do it. I've been using some leftover charcoal starters and haven't really paid much attention to the flame height. But this thread made me take a second look.


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[jacobp]

OK, my misunderstanding. So unless smoking you'd normally leave the charcoal grate up, but it's harder to light coals that way hence the oriface mod or use of a random Performer etc. Hopefully I got it right this time.

Don't know. I haven't had any issue with flame height reaching the upper position with the gas assist. That said, I generally just use a couple starter cubes and chimney anyway.

[Josh G]

I cooked chicken on Sunday and Burgers on Tuesday and left the charcoal on the lower level and had no problem getting good heat going.  From the lower level it is about 10" from charcoal grate to cooking grate.  ( I believe my performer is about 5" )  The burgers were cooked with half new charcoal and half  left over so it was not a completely accurate test.  They did take a little longer than what I'm used to but overall were very good.  I will test again with all new charcoal and see if that increases the heat and gets them done in the 8 minutes I normally do.  Overall lots of fun experimenting and playing with it. 

[au4stree]

@Josh G, I agree.  Love experimenting


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[GoAnywhereJeep]

I have used the lower grate position for direct cooks as well. I have done spatchock chickens that way and pseudo santa maria style cook for tri-tips where I do a two zone using the lower grate. As teh tri-tip heats up, I move it from the indirect to the direct.

[CharliefromLI]

Hi All, I can't believe I missed this thread somehow!

Had my summit for almost a year now and use constantly.

The price was steep, no question, but I was able to get a discount on it and I funded by selling a few other grills. It's replaced my performer, my WSM, and my 26 as my main cooker. Outside of the portability of the 26, I don't miss the others at all.

As noted above the gas assist placement is less than ideal when using the upper level grate (which I do for most cooks unless I'm going slow and low with diffuser.

The orifice mod above seems pretty promising. I overcome this issue by using the existing burner AND a stick torch together (since I had one from my WSM days). Two minutes with the torch to get a center glow and then a quick blast with a desk fan or blower (bucket vac from HD) and I can have lump ready to cook in under 10 minutes.  Perfect for week nights.

I sometimes would use the burner to light my chimney on bottom and then move grate up to top position, but an even better last trick I found: buy an extra charcoal grate for a 22 and use that on top, so you have dedicated top and bottom coal grates.


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[jacobp]

I sometimes would use the burner to light my chimney on bottom and then move grate up to top position, but an even better last trick I found: buy an extra charcoal grate for a 22 and use that on top, so you have dedicated top and bottom coal grates.


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I've thought about doing this same thing, just haven't messed with it yet. Great idea.

[CharliefromLI]

I sometimes would use the burner to light my chimney on bottom and then move grate up to top position, but an even better last trick I found: buy an extra charcoal grate for a 22 and use that on top, so you have dedicated top and bottom coal grates.


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I've thought about doing this same thing, just haven't messed with it yet. Great idea.

it's a great idea, that's why I stole it from whoever thought of it first


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[GoAnywhereJeep]

I tried using the gas assist on the lower grate with a chimney as well. The grate gets hot so you have to move it with heavy gloves or tongs. Not an issue.

The deal breaker for me is that the lid does not open fully and when using the chimney it directs all of the heat up to the lid seal and handle where I have grill lights mounted.

What i do instead for a direct cook is start the chimney on the Performer Deluxe sitting right next to the Summit or I have an old Coleman propane camping stove kicking around in the back yard. I have a flat square piece of cinder block sitting out on the ground in the yard too that I sometimes use with the Weber fire starter cubes.

We'll see how it goes once my hand drill arrives.

[GoAnywhereJeep]

Please add me to the list of folks who have performed the jet modification. I can corroborate that there is an incremental improvement in flame height and that it works well for lighting the charcoal grate while in the upper position.

I removed the jet and drilled it out on a work bench. It was a minimal increase in diameter and not much brass was removed.

One thing that I am not sure if others observed is that I no longer hear that brief whistle and pop that the gas makes right when it catches. It is a much smoother and quieter ignition now. Sort of a welcome second benefit.

@SixZeroFour Thanks again for sharing this information. It worked well.

@chiku18 Thanks for the link to the drill bit. It arrived quickly and as described.

Now, the issue that I am still having with this is that liquid (condensation?) keeps finding its way down through the tube, past the square openings at the jet end of the tube and into the jet to gum it up. It would be nice to solve that.

[SixZeroFour]

Nicely done! And I did notice the lessening of the whistle/pop but wasn't sure if others even had it or not

One thing that I am not sure if others observed is that I no longer hear that brief whistle and pop that the gas makes right when it catches. It is a much smoother and quieter ignition now. Sort of a welcome second benefit.