What's the largest piece of meat an 18.5" will cook, indirect?

[addicted-to-smoke]

I have my eye on a pretty 18.5" that would be picked up, potentially, on the way to my inlaws in another state, who only have old gas junk and don't BBQ anything. The thing is, it would probably only get used when I'm there and that automatically means cooking for 4-6 people instead of for 2.

I know you can cook a whole meal on an 18-incher but I'm liking the idea more and more of indirect cooks for meat, and there's that lid which is flatter and so on.

Maybe I'll just pack up my black '02 22-incher and donate that to them instead, since I have my Performer ready to use soon-ish.

[1buckie]

Here's a 9# Boston Meat Hunk ( I think that's what they call 'em nowdays)



Took a little extra fiddlin', but not bad.....one thing I probably wouldn't try to cram on one is too many ribs, but beef roasts or butts, maybe 8,9,10#

[addicted-to-smoke]

Oh -- nice! That's plenty. And you just snaked it around and turned the grill every so often? Did you have enough room for a drip pan? (Not that it's a priority.)

[1buckie]

 I didn't even turn this, if I recall.....was doing six shoulders all at once so noodling too much was not a thing I wanted to figger into the equation.....the other 18.5" ones I've done I'd move back & forth a small bit to stay off the coals.......

I think a half-size hotel pan might be a bit too big to allow for charcoal & airflow, maybe one of those smaller square cake pans?

Fill it up with beans & peppers & onions & let 'er (r)drip