baskets or not?

[zavod44]

I use baskets 90% of the time

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[heart of coal]

never!  used them before..didnt like them.

if i am cooking with indirect, i usually have a disposable pan in the middle to catch grease or hold water.  i just dump coals in the sides and lay a hunk of wood on top.

if i need concentrate heat for a fast sear, i pile the coals up on one side..really run them up the sides.  no issues.

i rarely own anything that isnt a multi-tasker.

[gunner]

This is a good topic. I never use my baskets. I always just bank my lump or coals off to the side and use fire bricks. I am curious if using baskets helps preserve the kettle bowl at all? When I sear I bank my coals off to the side the same way but get the temps well past 500 degrees...I wonder if long term this could harm that side of the kettle in some way?

[pbe gummi bear]

This is a good topic. I never use my baskets. I always just bank my lump or coals off to the side and use fire bricks. I am curious if using baskets helps preserve the kettle bowl at all? When I sear I bank my coals off to the side the same way but get the temps well past 500 degrees...I wonder if long term this could harm that side of the kettle in some way?

I believe it does. Being on BBQ forums for years now, many of the performers scored second hand have "crazing" on the bowl that usually isnt present on other kettles. They also seems to be more cracks and chips at the grate strap welds. My theory is that there are multiple reasons this happens:

1- The burner and baskets really concentrated the heat on one side. Remember that while your kettle ambient temp is 500. The charcoal itself is much hotter.

2- Performers are more likely to come in colors. Colors have a thicker porcelain coating (color goes on top of the black) that is susceptible to cracking under extreme temperature changes.

3- Since the performer is much larger and the table/ lid bale restrict access to one side, they are probably getting set up and used more frequently in one orientation which makes #1 and #2 worse.

[smokeyjoeuk-ray]

very interesting indeed, i am going to start keeping a log for my cooks, so i will include if/how and what baskets i use just to see how much i do use them, so far i have only banked to one side, i'm happy with that, but now obviously want to do more and i reckon a couple or three baskets will certainly give me a lot more versatility.

[Golly]

baskets 100% of the time
either 1 or both to eliminate crazing

[Craig]

baskets 100% of the time
either 1 or both to eliminate crazing

I do what Golly said.... A basket a day keeps the crazing away!