Time to get it dirty! - Summit Charcoal grill (ribs and chicken wings)

[Bbqmiller]

Time to cook some ribs and chicken wings

Getting it setup


Handy place to hang the grate


Setting coal grate to lower position and lighting it up - this Is really fast as the grate sits just above the igniter




Added the wood


Getting warmed up - it was fast to get it up to temp



Two racks of spares and two racks of loin backs




Hover grill works well to add cooking space


Chugging along


I had the charcoal banked on the side where the igniter was. I was interested if this caused a temp differential. I got to use my new green maverick to check both sides - temp within the kettle seems very consistent even with charcoal not spread out evenly. Also, the lid gauge was right on with the maverick


Looking good but not done yet!


Where to put the chicken wings? Let's see if another hover grill will fit. Perfect - almost 3lbs of chicken wings on the second tier.

[Travis]

CRAAZY!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[addicted-to-smoke]

NICE COOKUP, SIR.

Thanks for sharing her maiden voyage! Plate pix?

[Bbqmiller]

Wings done - 3 lbs of wings were gone in no time. Our guests loved them




Bone suckin sauce rub was used with a couple of Apple chunks. It was pretty easy to add some wood using the flaps on the cooing grate and diffuser plate.

Threw some dogs on for the kids


Loin backs done - these were really good. Rub was a 1/1 mix of a coffee bbq rub from trader joes and southern succor


Sauced and glazed spare ala trigg style were tasty






For the first cook , everything turned out really well. Temp is very stable and responds like that of a regular kettle with vent settings. I didn't mess much with vents during the cook.

[pbe gummi bear]

Awesome write up! So what's your verdict? Does the Summit blow the performer and 26r out of the water, costs aside?

[Nate]

AWSOME! I'm really thinking about purchasing one of these.

[Travis]

Ah man, what a show stopper that is. I would be standing next to that sucker the whole time with a gleam. Good times brother. Congrats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[addicted-to-smoke]

" It was pretty easy to add some wood using the flaps on the cooing grate and diffuser plate. "

Having trouble picturing how easy this is. Lift cook grate flap, reach down and lift diffuser flap? Long tongs?

[Bbqmiller]

Here is how much was left - this was around 5 hours of total cook time. I should mention that the temp did run a bit hi early on., but I see no reason that 10-12 hours is possible with a full load of fuel.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bbqmiller]

" It was pretty easy to add some wood using the flaps on the cooing grate and diffuser plate. "

Having trouble picturing how easy this is. Lift cook grate flap, reach down and lift diffuser flap? Long tongs?

Yep I used some long tongs, but it was pretty straightforward. I can try to take a short video the next time I do it again.

[Bbqmiller]

Awesome write up! So what's your verdict? Does the Summit blow the performer and 26r out of the water, costs aside?

I need to get some more cooks to make a closer comparison, but it was very easy to get fired up and up to  temp in no time. The kettle is very responsive to vent settings. That top damper is really nice in getting the cooker warmed up very quickly when fully open. I can't wait to try some high heat direct grilling to compare with the 26. By the way, I cook most of the time on a 26 so I am very comfortable and familiar with how it cooks. Will make sure to keep documenting observations as I get more cooks on it.

It was nice that two hover grills worked well, and I think there is still a little room to spare under the lid.  Also, the gasket on the lid makes a nice seal - no smoke what so ever leaked out when shut, and temp probes can be used with no worries of getting damaged.  Also, the temp recovery after opening the lid seemed quicker than on a standard kettle but with less of a worry of temp spikes.

I think the thing that impresses me the most on the first cook is the speed and ease to getting it ready to cook on, and the stability of the temp during the cook.

[addicted-to-smoke]

So, no charcoal holders ... just made a pile and hit the burner? I'm trying to also wrap my brain around Weber not emphasizing use of a chimney with this grill.

If that's the case, not having to dump hot coals upside down is a significant advantage IMO.

[Craig]

Helluva good looking cook and nice write up! The SCG is growing on me more each day.

[crowderjd]

Wow.  Great cook.  I love seeing the Summit in action with a "real" user.  Seems pretty easy to use.  Everything looks great.