Smoke from under the lid...Normal???

[chris101]

So I bought my weber master touch (Smoke) in March but havn't had a chance until today to use it due to the poor weather.

While BBQing some meat I noticed smoke coming under the lid. Tried replacing the lid, turning it and looking for anything obvious that is letting smoke out but couldn't find any.

Is this normal and will it affect cooking heat and times?

Also for my first bbq on the weber I used Australian Head Beads. The packet was opened from last year and I had to use two batches of weber fire cubes to get them to light.

The first time I lit the cubes it only got the under side coals to the middle lit and hot after 20mins, I had to light another 2 cubes to get them all to lit.
Was there anything I was doing wrong?

Lastly, after using the BBQ (2hrs later) I closed all vents to let the coals extinguish. Most coals were not in an ash format and some were black/grey all over.
Can I reuse them?

Thanks

[salad]

I think that's pretty normal for a "clean" grill.  Over time you'll build up "stuff" and it will seal better.
It's perfectly fine to put new coals on old ones. 

[landgraftj]

Smoke coming from the lid is normal on a new grill, gunk it up with use and it will stop.

Reuse those coals for sure, I always do.

I use a chimney to light my coals usually. If it's full I'll use 2 cubes and light them. Takes 15-25 minutes for full lit coals.

[1buckie]

 Chris, the above comments are accurate & also the lids can be very slightly out of round, but that will also fix with cooking some more.......

Shouldn't really affect the heat retention very much at all......i.e.: whatever minimal heat you do lose, then the kettle temp settles there.....make sense?


As for charcoal, it's an absorbent.....a very, very good one............

When people suffer from acute alcohol poisoning (too much booze, too quickly), the hospital will give them, you guessed it: charcoal.....not heat beads, but a different form of it to soak up the toxicity.......

If your bag was open, a common effect will be: tough to light, right after a bout of rain.............

If the bag is open, consider some kind of closeable container.....I've used large plastic laundry soap buckets, cat litter buckets, either has a snap close lid & will help a lot with keeping moisture at bay.......the stuff is a moisture sponge.........


Helps just to get in the habit of  closing up the bag by rolling the open top down tight, too!!!!

[Hogsy]

Hey Chris, it's great to see another Aussie on the forum
First of all, when you say "weber master touch (Smoke)" do you mean this?

If so show us some pics!!!! Most of us haven't seen this colour in the flesh!
When using Heatbeads I normally do the 3 second test on the chimney. I hold my hand over the chimney and count to three, if I need to pull my hand away after 3 seconds it's good to go( not very scientific I know). Usually the top heat beads haven't taken alight.
I then  pour equal amounts if unlit heat beads into both baskets and then distribute the lit coals between the baskets . Don't worry those unlit ones will catch alight
I'm not sure how many firelighters to use as I don't use them
Maybe try using charcoal or robo turds they definitely light quicker if your concerned about getting the kettle up to speed quicker but Heatbeads are a good consistent product. BTW Heatbeads to all my friends abroad are the same as Kingsford, there briquettes.

[addicted-to-smoke]

^^ DO LIKE.

I'd call that one "charcoal gray".

Really now --- isn't that an obvious name, and color (for them to make)?