Does a dirty kettle affect temp?

[Schaefd2]

I dont know where youre from @Vette10R, but where I am (Ohio), it only recently started to get warm. I have a harder time getting my grill hot when the temps outside are below 45f, especially if it is extra windy too.

[addicted-to-smoke]

I'm surprised to learn some of you don't sift out your charcoal holders after every cook. Why keep ash in there when it's so easy to get rid of? Did the gas grill break down again, and you're in a hurry?

It's Step One.

Even with just Weber's baskets, I pick them up and tilt toward me, so that small coals don't fall out of the open bottom slot. Give a couple side to side shakes and the ash that's on the coals falls away. They will now relight properly. Either leave them in, or add them to your chimney.

Step Two: I then remove the charcoal grate and drop it on the grass. Now ash is shook loose from that grate, so that only heat, not moisture, will attack the grate.

Step Three: Now I have an open pit for inspection and easy scrape or brush most of whatever the sweeps won't get. I don't empty the ash can with every cook, but now would be the time for that.

[Vette10R]

I dont know where youre from @Vette10R, but where I am (Ohio), it only recently started to get warm. I have a harder time getting my grill hot when the temps outside are below 45f, especially if it is extra windy too.

I'm in MN so I deal with the cold and understand the effects. Yesterday when j started this thread it was 75 degrees out, it's actually been very nice the last couple weeks here.

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[Vette10R]

I'm surprised to learn some of you don't sift out your charcoal holders after every cook. Why keep ash in there when it's so easy to get rid of? Did the gas grill break down again, and you're in a hurry?

It's Step One.

Even with just Weber's baskets, I pick them up and tilt toward me, so that small coals don't fall out of the open bottom slot. Give a couple side to side shakes and the ash that's on the coals falls away. They will now relight properly. Either leave them in, or add them to your chimney.

Step Two: I then remove the charcoal grate and drop it on the grass. Now ash is shook loose from that grate, so that only heat, not moisture, will attack the grate.

Step Three: Now I have an open pit for inspection and easy scrape or brush most of whatever the sweeps won't get. I don't empty the ash can with every cook, but now would be the time for that.

I always shake the ash from the SnS and chimney before each use they use the sweeps to knock everything into the ash pan.

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[kettlebb]

Sell the SNS for scrap metal,or leave it at the curb for local pick up,,,,,no need at all in a Weber kettle,

I and many others would respectfully disagree with you, especially if you are cooking on a vintage colored Kettle.  It does a great job with keeping the coals off the side of the bowl and it shines with low and slow cooking.  Have you ever used one to draw up this conclusion?

[hawgheaven]

Use a Vortex. Never had a problem with it, very versatile, been using it for years...

[Schaefd2]

For the record, I just ran 410f (lid thermometer) for over two hours with a full chimney of GFS Lump with bottom vent wide open and top vent open 60%. it is 65f outside right now.

I did have some GIANT pieces in this chimney this time though


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[Vette10R]

For the record, I just ran 410f (lid thermometer) for over two hours with a full chimney of GFS Lump with bottom vent wide open and top vent open 60%. it is 65f outside right now.

I did have some GIANT pieces in this chimney this time though


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What about grate temp? I never use the lid temo because it's always directly over my coals. Usually the lid thermometer is pegged to the max when grate is at 350 lol

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[addicted-to-smoke]

What about grate temp? I never use the lid temo because it's always directly over my coals. Usually the lid thermometer is pegged to the max when grate is at 350 lol

Depends where that thermometer is located in relation to the heat. In a typical indirect cook, where the thermometer is hopefully over the food, the lid temp will be about 50 more than the grate temp. This has been so repeatable for me that I stopped using a grate thermometer in many cases. I just look at the lid and subtract about 30-50.

Lid temp and the grate temp will be more similar when smoking/barbecuing low-and-slow. With low heat, the temp is more even throughout the kettle. With grilling/higher heat, there's always hotter areas near the fuel AND up near the lid.

[addicted-to-smoke]

... because it's always directly over my coals. ...

Yeah stop doing that ... unless you have one those lids where the vent is 180 degrees from the thermometer.

[Schaefd2]

What about grate temp? I never use the lid temo because it's always directly over my coals. Usually the lid thermometer is pegged to the max when grate is at 350 lol

Depends where that thermometer is located in relation to the heat. In a typical indirect cook, where the thermometer is hopefully over the food, the lid temp will be about 50 more than the grate temp. This has been so repeatable for me that I stopped using a grate thermometer in many cases. I just look at the lid and subtract about 30-50.

Lid temp and the grate temp will be more similar when smoking/barbecuing low-and-slow. With low heat, the temp is more even throughout the kettle. With grilling/higher heat, there's always hotter areas near the fuel AND up near the lid.

my lid has the vent and thermometer on opposite halves of the lid. I always place my vent opposite the coals; so the vent is over the meat. This means my thermometer was directly over the coals. However, like addicted to smoke, I have noticed a 50f difference from the lid therm being over the coals to the lid therm opposite the coals. (I've twisted the lid around and checked). I ran 410 over the coals. And if I'm using a lid therm, I'm not using my hockey puck grate therm.


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[Vette10R]

How do I stop doing that? The lid thermometer is opposite of the lid vent. I thought you put the vent over the indirect side which obviously puts the thermometer over the coals...

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[Schaefd2]

How do I stop doing that? The lid thermometer is opposite of the lid vent. I thought you put the vent over the indirect side which obviously puts the thermometer over the coals...

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He said stop it only if your lid doesn't have the vent and therm 180 degrees from each other (opposite halves). Continue placing your vent over the meat (opposite the coals) and just subtract 50f from what the lid thermometer says. You can temporarily twist your lid around to verify that 50f number. 


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[Vette10R]

The 180 degree part didn't register to me thanks.

Either way I use me thermoworks smoke on every cook so that lid thermometer might as well not be there.

Like I said though I'll play around with some variables and hopefully get it dialed in.

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[Dc_smoke309]

Sell the SNS for scrap metal,or leave it at the curb for local pick up,,,,,no need at all in a Weber kettle,

Strange...... I love my SnS.   It works great .


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