Two kettle questions

[networkn]

Hi.

So I have Weber 22" OTG kettle and I had two questions.

1) Using the snake method of Cooking, is it possible to give a reasonably accurate range for how hot the BBQ will get with say a 3 briquette snake, 4 briquette snake and 5 briquette snake? What I mean by that is 3, 4 or 5 briquettes at each part of the snake? I do understand it will vary on brand of briquette, ambient temperature etc, but as a bit of a guideline? Also how many briquettes do you normally light at the beginning?

2) Secondly, cleaning the grill plate (the part the meat sits on), what method do you guys use after each cook vs a deep clean? I have tried a bunch of tools but I can't seem to get near the edges, or they don't do a great job or what not. I found a few highly rated tools on Amazon, but stuffed if I can work out how they ever do a good job.

Cheers

[1911Ron]

A couple of different factors come into play with your first question,the amount of charcoal that you light to start your snake and how you set your vents will determine how hot your temps are going to be.

I have done a four briqs (2 separate snakes ) and lit 10 briqs and putting 5 on each snake and got 300 degrees with all vents wide open( grate temp).

[Darko]

To answer your first question. No, not really. As you stated there are several variables.... charcoal type, ambient temperature...etc...

As to your second question... Don't worry about the edges. Heat does wonders.

[HoosierKettle]

To answer your first question. No, not really. As you stated there are several variables.... charcoal type, ambient temperature...etc...

As to your second question... Don't worry about the edges. Heat does wonders.

I don’t worry about the middle either


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[Jules V.]

This will do quick work with  gunk or crud on your grates. Just make sure to wash or wipe down your grates thoroughly afterwards.

[hawgheaven]

As far as cleaning, https://www.amazon.com/Weber-6494-12-Inch-3-Sided-Grill/dp/B009IH0BYQ/ref=asc_df_B009IH0BYQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167125192708&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14553588428882375137&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1027028&hvtargid=pla-310037514468&psc=1

Best damn grill brush I've used

[MacEggs]

2) Secondly, cleaning the grill plate (the part the meat sits on), what method do you guys use after each cook vs a deep clean? I have tried a bunch of tools but I can't seem to get near the edges, or they don't do a great job or what not. I found a few highly rated tools on Amazon, but stuffed if I can work out how they ever do a good job.

There are various methods that work.  I like to hit it with heat, then a quick scrape while it's still hot.
I then apply some vegetable oil and wipe down.  YMMV

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/occasionally-i-will-clean-my-grates/

[Antisven84]

For most smoking duties, I do a 2x1 snake, start with 13 fully lit and it’s 3/4 of the way around thekettle, last about 15hrs at 250-275f


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[Shoestringshop]

If you don’t get it as clean as you want it don’t worry about it. Have you ever seen a grill top in a restaurant? Most would say no. I have but we all still eat at them from time to time. 🤔

[nvandyke]

I run a 2x1 snake and use 8 briquettes to light it.  As others have said, wind, ambient air temp, type of charcoal all play a factor but you can adjust for that most of the time.  I use regular old Kingsford blue bag and it runs 250-275 pretty steady.

I asked a bunch of the same kind of questions when I first started using my grill as a smoker or a "low and slow" cooker for ribs, brisket, etc.  It's never going to sit right at 250 like you can do with some of those new fancy pellet cookers.  But the best advice i got was "dont worry about it so much!"  Obviously lower temps mean a little longer cook time, and higher temps will get things done faster.  But if your temp is swinging 20 degrees...chill out, crack a beer, and enjoy the cook!

[jacko1962]

Grate cleaning: light cleaning use an onion before the food goes down. Deep cleaning, I put it inside my Gasser 1000. I run it full blast and spin the grate around to do both sides.

[nvandyke]

OH! And for cleaning I just powerwash mine in the spring.  I borrow a power washer from my dad for our deck and some places on the brick of the house that always get dirty.  I throw the grates down on the driveway and hit them with a blast from the power washer and they're good to go

[Darko]

I'm with @MacEggs . Heat kills germs...

[Big Dawg]

I've never been overly concerned about cleaning the grates.  I do have one of the Weber Grate Brushes that @hawgheaven recommended and it works great.  But I've watched all of the Aaron Franklin videos I can find and don't recall seeing the one where he's crawling around on one of the big cookers of his, cleaning the grill grates . . . just sayin'

As far as snakes go, I'm planning on doing couple of St. Louis racks this afternoon and I'll be using the SnS.  So, no advice on that point.





BD

[56MPG]

Re: Aaron Franklin - as a commercial outlet, my guess is that food safety inspectors would require some attention to that. I haven't had an inspector at my house ever, no-one ever got sick eating my grilled food, and I let heat and a quick scrape with a wood or SS brush to get it ready for the next pile of meat.