PartyQ Installation

[mishanctrl]

I've been lurking around this site since getting my first kettle (a 22.5" OTG) this past summer getting some great tips. The wife was kind enough to get me the PartyQ for Christmas and have been trying to figure out the best location to install it. The official installation has it just below the charcoal grate with the draft pointed down.  I see some people around here have installed it just below the charcoal grate but have angled the draft to the side to avoid blowing ash.

Over at Amazingribs, they recommend installing just below the cooking grate and angled down, installing it higher up to avoid blowing ash.

I hadn't seen anyone around here mention that they installed it higher up as recommended on Amazing Ribs

Before drilling into my Weber, I was wondering if anyone could provide any recommendations?

For your viewing pleasure, I've attached some pics of what I have been up to so far with my new hobby!

[pbe gummi bear]

I'm glad you signed up- Welcome! If it were me I would install it higher up above the charcoal grate simply on the basis that mounting it lower might cause ash and drippings to fall there when grilling normally. As long as you aren't blowing on the ash you should be fine.

[mirkwood]

Hi mishanctrl and welcome to the WKC, How do you like using your Smokenator?
If it were me installing a PartyQ and it was my pretty red kettle, I would adopt one
of the many common black OTG kettles and drill into that one.

[argentflame]

Welcome to WKC.

[mishanctrl]

I've only had the chance to use the Smokenator a few times and like it so far. Definitely need to play around with it some more.  Not sure if I would get the boss's permission for a second grill just to install the PartyQ, but I know what you're saying.  It wasn't my intention to get the red one, but lucked out and got it NIB for a great price on Kijiji (CL isn't big where I live).  The person I got it from had won it from a liquor store (it has Grand Marnier logo on the handles, you can see in first picture posted). The second photo shows the first steak to go on the grill, nice shiny grates. 3rd photo was first time with the Smokenator, bacon wrapped smoked pork tenderloin. 4th picture is my pizza oven setup. I've tweaked it a bit since then and have a second grate above the main pizza stone with a second pizza stone on it to get some downward radiant heat.  I found a local guy online who had made a up a few collars for his kettle for pizza and grabbed it for $20. 5th picture is a pizza result. Last picture is the spatchcocked turkey I did for Christmas the week before last. My first time doing this. I misjudged the effect of the outdoor temperature a bit, it was -6C (20F) and I thought it would have more effect, so the turkey go slightly overdone (not much though) but turned out great besides that.

Thanks for the tips so far.

[mirkwood]

I love my Smokenator, I just got a 18.5 WSM in October and I still can't get it to hold
low temps like my Performer/Smokenator combo. I removed the SS pan and use a
disposable aluminum 1 pound loaf pan for water and just set it over one of the round
holes on top of the cooking grate and can get 225~230 for about 6 hours.