first run of the WEBER basket minion

[WNC]

Jammato, looks like you figured out low and slow on those baskets! How much did you have the vents open when the temp was finally settled in? Also, was that first pic with the coals, all the coals you put in?

Ribs look great, dogs too! Boxers?

[wyd]

Great setup.  Looks like it works very well for longer jobs.

[Jammato]

Jammato, looks like you figured out low and slow on those baskets! How much did you have the vents open when the temp was finally settled in? Also, was that first pic with the coals, all the coals you put in?

Ribs look great, dogs too! Boxers?

The coal pic is a bit deceptive
I wanted to use up some used coals from a beer can chicken cook so I poured them on the left side and the middle is new coal. I then added about four coals too the top of the left side and took out some of the used coal and put them in the bottom of the right side. I started  8 new coals.
I did not think I needed full baskets but they were just over 3/4 full

When temp settled the tops were user a quarter and the bottom was choked a lot. Problem with the one touch is that you cannot see the openings. Outside temperature was in the mid 70s

Thanks for the words on the ribs, I have a few ribbons around here for ribs. Some even blue. And yes boxers, they are great dogs

[1buckie]

I get the coal picture...use up old ones quite a bit.....
....and get the dawgs waiting on dinner just the same....



So it seemed like the bigger basket will hold a good burn trail.....nice fixup....
The times I've tried similar with a single basket have worked & not worked so well, but these bigger setups maybe allow just a tad more airflow so you can pinch down the vents some still get a good continuous burn...

Nice lookin' ribs & dinner !!!!!

[Jammato]

I get the coal picture...use up old ones quite a bit.....

yea, coals cost money, why waste money

....and get the dawgs waiting on dinner just the same....

they seem to know when it is ready, that is for sure

So it seemed like the bigger basket will hold a good burn trail.....nice fixup....

my frustration with the single baskets was long cooks, part of the beauty of the baskets is not having coals against the side of the grill, the grill will last longer. Now I have a long cook basket that protects the sides.

The times I've tried similar with a single basket have worked & not worked so well, but these bigger setups maybe allow just a tad more airflow so you can pinch down the vents some still get a good continuous burn...

I went outside my last quote and opened the vent as much as they were, it is not much on the bottom. one change I had done with my foil setup is no foil blocking the side vents of the baskets, instead when I set the bottom foil I bent it up to block the direct heat but allowed air to get to the side vents.

Nice lookin' ribs & dinner !!!!!

I have always been able to make better ribs on the Weber than on any smoker I have ever owned, including the Lang offset stickburner I once owned. I actually have a few welded up racks I made up just to be able to use max space inside a 22 inch kettle. It just takes being judged on your ribs a few times before you start to take notes and decide those judges know what they are talking about. When you have gotten judged 70 or 80 times you should have started collecting ribbons. If not give up. I can tell you, I made one huge mistake in those ribs, but it did not affect anything but the looks. But to a judge that would be important, to me at home it was minor.
The backyard griller does not need to get that serious, he needs to just make a set of ribs that are very tender and moist at the same time, be able to grab any bone and pull it from the rack and have a flavor profile that makes people come back for more. If one person complains about the heat, you screwed up. Let the heat freaks pour on the hot sauce. If one of your guest goes away hungry because the food was to spicy, you messed up.

[1buckie]

Thanks for the rundown on the aspects of this.....a good solution for protecting the kettle & still getting a good, clean burn.....

[Jammato]

How much did you have the vents open when the temp was finally settled in?

ok. remember it was a 75 degree day, very little wind, and humidity around 20%

between this

[Jammato]

and this

[Jammato]

which is this at its most open point

[Jammato]

and top vent open like this at its most

[WNC]

Thanks for those pics, that's helpful. In my experiments with the charcoal baskets I've been keeping the top completely open, and the bottom vent about as closed as that first picture, maybe even a little more closed. But I've been running in the 275-300 range. Might need to start playing with the top vent too.

Your experiments have been real helpful, keep posting them up. I for one have been appreciate it!

BTW, is that a new master touch you're running on?

[argentflame]

The basket mod worked great. Nice smoke ring on the ribs.

[aguyindallas]

Really nice minion setup and a nice looking cook.


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