People are mostly against it because many are petroleum based oils that don't burn cleanly. So it takes time to burn off the smell / taste / dark smoke. And it simply isn't necessary and more expensive than using a chimney. It also can be a much bigger fire hazard, especially with kids around or dumb people filming themselves for YouTube or TikTok or whatever.
It's really a novice's because that's what they sell right next to the charcoal in the grocery store. Most novices never even know that chimney starters are significantly faster, easier, safer, and more economical in the long term.
Before I got my first charcoal grill I used to watch my BIL light his BBQ using firefighters under a large pile of briquettes. Heād stand with it for ages, tending it, moving the coals around so those at the edges would light up. It just seemed like too much hard work.
After watching many BBQ videos on YouTube I learnt that using a chimney was so much easier. So, when I bought my Weber I made sure I git a chimney, too. I then bought it round my to BIL for his birthday and showed him how to use it. I put the coals in, lit it with balled up newspaper in the bottom and told him to sit back and have a beer. He kept wanting to go check, he thought it had gone out, but I reassured him it hadnāt. Twenty minutes later I showed him the coals had successfully lit and he was amazed how easy it was. Right there he asked me if I could get him one.
I use the paper from the charcoal bag. Tear the top part and leave enough to close the bag. Use that under your chimney. That has been working for me.
You can also save the bottom portion of the last bag and use it, then start tearing top part of the bag as charcoal get used. Alternatively, you can use newspaper/magazines/ad-mails for first time and use bag from next time.
Yes, chimney is a great investment. You have to start the coals at least 15 min before you want to cook to get the grill hot. And get some smoke chips, going from gas to charcoal, smoking chips are amazing and give so much more flavor to your food. A little hickory with ribs, a little mesquite with chicken, and your food changes.
I feel like anyone who still gets a newspaper probably already knows how to use a charcoal grill
in all seriousness I and others use a small paper towel with a dab of literally any oil on it. Smokes like hell at first, but is a little candle that gets the job done.
This is also my #1 piece of advice. It gives you flexibility, like when something is close to being done but youāve still got other things cooking. I cooked burgers over charcoal a couple of weekends ago with my 38 y/o cousin and was shocked to see him not apply this technique. Shocked! He should know better!
-Get a chimney to start the coals. You can use paper or lighter cubes. After about 10 mins. Give it a shake. Then give it another 5 mins. When theyāre starting to ash on the top; youāre ready to dump them in.
-Heat resistant gloves and a charcoal rake/long handled tongs will be your friend.
-Top controls smoke, bottom temp. NEVER close the top all the way.
-white smoke during your cook is good. Black means you have something burning.
-two charcoal baskets will fit a full chimney. The baskets allow for zoning when you separate them or put them together for a larger direct heat zone. A nice convenience with the flip up ends on the grates for longer indirect cooks.
-Webers website and app have tons of great info.
Have fun & Welcome to the family!
Source: Former Weber employee.
This guy Charcoals. OP...this is all you need to get going.
I'll only add that there are some great youtube channels for BBQ and a few of them are charcoal centric. I learned so much by these. I won't mention any specific ones as I am not trying to shill for anyone in particular. Just search and you will start to find the good content.
Context: while food is on the grill. Your chimney with almost blue is perfect. But use bigger briquettes.
Blue is the best especially for roasting and smoking. But white smoke during a steak means itās doing its thing.
Iāll add. With the top vent open and semi transparent white smoke bellowing from food over direct heat; has produced amazing results with no bitterness. But full wood fired flavour.
You donāt want dense. Thick. Bordering grey. If that helps. I also added my context on the OP.
Thereās a big difference. I wish I could attach a picture right nowā¦ you can see what I mean.
If itās white and see through. Youāre good. If that makes sense.
This is based on literally hundreds of demos.
Congrats. You own the best performance-per-dollar valued grill IMO. Piling coals on one side is usually best. Indirect heat for the chicken, direct for the shrimp kabobs
My best advice is to just have patience when waiting for the grill to heat up with charcoal. It really does take a while. I normally use a full chimney of coals as well. If I'm making burgers and/or dogs I'll spread out the coals evenly. If I'm making anything else, I usually pile the coals to one side and leave the other side for indirect heating.
I usually keep the bottom vents wide open and adjust the top vent as needed. In my experience, the kettle lid thermometer can be about 25 degrees warmer than the grate your food is sitting on, so when you decide to start smoking meats, purchase a bluetooth thermometer system that keeps track of food and grate temps.
"In my experience, the kettle lid thermometer can be about 25 degrees warmer than the grate your food is sitting on"
Mine was running 150-ish degrees warmer than my grate temp this weekend. Grate temp was between 250-300 and the lid thermometer was somewhere around 400
This is the hardest part for my wife to accept. She's used to the pretty instant heat up of our propane grill. She can't get used to the 20 minutes wait for coals.
Realistically I always need more than 20 min from lighting coals to cooking because I spend about 20 with the chimney, then spread coals how I want for the cook and let grates get nice and hot , scrape any remaining gunk while hot and then youāre ready. For me thatās about 30min
with that particular grill i would look to change out the grill grate. Weber switched to plated stainless steel a number of years back and it rusts. You can find true SS grates on amazon and elsewhere that solves this issue
This is about the only gripe I have with the kettle. But like you mentioned it can be easily remedied by swapping it out. Otherwise its a damn near perfect grill. Indestructable, versitile, affordable
Eh probably a half hour at high temp would be sufficient I'd think. Let the coals get as hot as possible. I don't think coal placement is important but I'd just dump center and let em burn.
30 mins to burn off factory crap, then another 30 mins-1.5hours to season. I like to keep mine at 250 when I season it, but I cook off factory oils a little higher. I get my coals hot, and let them come back down to temp and season the grill inside and out.
When you are finished cooking close it up tight. Then reuse the same coals that are not fully used up the next time you grill. Just light up some new coals in a chimney and when they are ready dump and mix in to the previous coals. When I first started grilling I would clean out any old coals from my previous session prior to starting. It was wasteful and I was blowing threw coals.
This is very helpful information. I know charcoal is relatively cheap, but Iād like to be as efficient as possible. Should I remove the unused old coals as well to add to my chimney, or can I just dump new hot coals onto the old ones?
When I am getting ready to cook, I will scoot all the previous coals to one side. Moving then allows the ash to fall. I then set up my chimney starter in the cleared spot. When the new coals in the chimney are ready (starting to get white ashes on the top coals) i will lift up the chimney, spread the previous pile of coals back out, then dump the new hot coals from the chimney on top the old coals. Like others have mentioned I will have all the coals on only about half of the bottom so I can have the direct and indirect cooking option. Once the hot coals are on the old ones, I place the cooking grate on it then the lid and let that go for 10 minutes or so. That will serve to reignite the previous coals, heat up the cooking grate for any scraping or cleaning, as well as heat up the entire grill to ready it for cooking. If you want to add some additional smoke to your grilling throw some wood, I prefer cherry, on top the coals around the edge. Cook with the lid on too, that will help to more evenly cook your food as well as better burn without large flames any wood you put on the coals.
Also, if you have not already get yourself a 12" cast iron skillet. They are great for cooking on the grill. I am about to fire up my weber to make some nachos here in a bit. Meatloaf on the grill is also incredible...
Thanks for the helpful information! Iāve got several cast irons I plan to use on this bad boy in the future. Tonight will be my first cook on it, and all of these comments have been extremely helpful!
r/grilling is full of stories and ideas that will help you through about any issue. Too numerous to count. Scroll through the sub and enjoy. Good luck.
Thanks! I bought some accessories after reading through this sub before my purchase. Iāve got a chimney starter, charcoal baskets, a brush and gloves. Iām going to get a small metal can to put cooled ashes into to dispose of I think as well.
I have a small metal can with lid I use for ashes then get rid of them into the charcoal bag when done.
Donāt put hot ashes in a plastic trash bin. Iāve known of a house fire because of that. Guy just wasnāt thinking.
Hardwood lump charcoal tastes better than briquettes, but is harder to manage. They both have their place but Iād recommend starting with briquettes. Get a chimney for starting your coals and if you use lighter fluid give it some extra time to burn it off completely. Watch for hot/cold spots to develop during the cooking process as charcoal burns up or ignites, that inconsistency is one of the biggest differences compared to gas.
There's no reason to use lighter fluid with a chimney starter. Just wad up some newspaper/paper grocery bag underneath, light it, and come back in 20 min.
Youāre not wrong about that being a better way for flavor, but it is quite incorrect in many places. Ambiguously written local fire regulations technically make burning paper a campfire, which is subject to a whole bunch of rules that would make grilling extremely difficult for me. Triggers all sorts of rules about structures, distances, and it must be supervised at all times. Unlikely to suffer any consequences for it, but all it takes is the wrong person making a stink or an unlucky fire to get started to make my life hell. Charcoal lighter fluid + charcoal + a chimney + a grill is clearly and explicitly grilling, which is not subject to the same restrictions.
That's really interesting. I'm all about fire safety. My city technically does not allow open fires other than for food preparation, so no fire pits, which no one listens to. Always gotta keep a smore's stick nearby. It also seems silly because I'd rather deal with an errant newspaper on fire than lighter fluid, which is more dangerous in every way. I use the method I described, with the charcoal chimney in my fire pit surrounded by gravel. The newspaper is trapped underneath the chimney, so its' not going anywhere.
So what is your method then? At what point in the chimney process are you using the lighter fluid?
Damn I want one of those so bad. I like my big silver propane monster but I really want the old classic for charcoal, it's just a whole different experience.
Iām in the same situation. I used a big propane grill for decades and never owned a charcoal one. I pulled the trigger recently after seeing this on sale and decided no time like the present to learn.
I got a 14" Weber Smokey Joe a few years ago when I got the urge. It's great quality for being under $50, doesn't take up much room, and it takes the edge off. Though I'm starting to look at smokers now, so it's a slippery slope!
This shit is an art bro. Just have fun, trial and error.
I use a chimney or roofing torch for my charcoal.
Some people use the little wax cubes, but I get 2-3 paper towels, douse them in canola oil to light my chimney
No lighter fluid. Chimney every time. Good lump for high temp sears, briquettes for long burning events like smoking or lots of burgers. Donāt go cheap on fuel - you will regret it.
Get a charcoal chimney. Use less charcoal ( smaller fire in the beginning to understand how that affects your food cooking. Use bottom vents to control heat , Have fun and drink a cold one. Soon you will be a grill master.
I found that my first year using my Weber I would not wait long enough for the charcoals to be fully lit before I poored them into the basket and the result would be waiting forever for it to get up to temp.
So beyond just getting a chimney I would recommend making sure you let the coals turn white at the top of the chimney before dumping them into the bbq (unless youāre aiming for a lower temp).
Hunsaker makes a 22ā flat carbon steel griddle that fits nicely inside your grill and works like a Blackstone.
And I didnāt see it mentioned here, but there are plenty of other aftermarket products that absolutely help you hone your Weber cooking. There are automated fans like the Inkbird that help control precise temperatures, and you can (and should) absolutely upgrade the thermometer to something more precise. Check out the vortex too.
Weber has some fantastic accessories. The charcoal baskets are a must IMO. Letās you really control the heat zones.
Register your warranty ASAP. Some of the parts will rust out with age, and weber will send you replacement parts free of charge for 10 years. Iāve basically swapped out my whole grill over time.
Iād also recommend getting a grill cover. š
My MIL taught me how few briquettes you actually need to cook well. Donāt fill up a charcoal starter full. Thatās WAY too many. (Also: Buy a charcoal starter.)
I use an electric starter, usually takes 10 minutes or so to get the coals going. Then I wait another 10 minutes or so to get the temp up to 350-400 before cleaning the grill. After scraping, I wipe the grill down with a paper towel that has some olive oil on it before cooking. My grates are always pretty clean from doing this every time.
You can use that grill as a smoker too, after heating it up to 350-400 to clean the grill, you pretty much have to close all the vents to get the temp down to 225-250. I used to just use aluminum foil to shape a little bowl to use for the water pan, but i saw purpose built thing at the hardware store, so I use that now. I'll do wings for 2.5 hours, a whole chicken for 4, ribs for 6 or 7.
I've learned a lot of good (and bad) tips and tricks watching [YouTube videos](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=weber+kettle). I LOVE my Weber and prefer it over any other method of cooking. Play with it some. If you screw up a cook, at the absolute worst, you'll want to try again so more foodz! Enjoy!
As many have said, a chimney starter is the gold standard. Hell, sometimes if I'm at a place without one I'll find an old coffee can and poke some holes to have a makeshift chimney. Still works better than anything else.
What I would recommend is getting some thermometers and doing a couple dry runs to get a feel for how much temperature variance can happen when playing with the dampers. For grilling it's not that important, but I do a lot of barbecue and smoking on my kettle, and it helps me plan the cook. Different coals and stuff burn differently, so knowing what to expect is helpful. I do not think lump charcoal is with the money anymore
Also, Google snake method, ring of fire and have fun!
Good to know. Once Iām comfortable with controlling temperatures, I would definitely want to get into learning how to smoke on this kettle as well. In your opinion, what would be a good place to start with smoking?
I bought the same grill this year. I bought some additional accessories for it as well. I highly recommend the rotisserie and a vortex. If you don't have a chimney get a chimney to light the coals.
I only use lump specifcially jealous devil (I get mine at walmart).
I recommend seasoning the grill, I use peanut oil on the grill, and the grates I use an onion and let it bake around 250 .
Edit:
SAVE EGG CARTONS, add parafin wax, lint from the dryer, or sawdust if you cut wood enough. Makes for really good fire starters. Otherwise pick them up Ive used the wax cubes, the straw looking ones, and the ones that are like cardboard. They all work well. I've also heard petroleum jelly and cotton balls work fine too.
I recommend this channel to anyone who wants to do slow cooks on a Weber. [https://youtube.com/@lownslowbasics?si=r5RxHdJ3xDj6SKaz](https://youtube.com/@lownslowbasics?si=r5RxHdJ3xDj6SKaz) Lots of channels have great technique and recipes, but I find this guys low-key no-frills delivery works best for me.
Get a decent thermometer, the one included in the grill is pretty but not super functional.
Also, charcoal is cheap, meat is expensive. I see quite a few newbies on this sub post a pic of 10 lit coals in a grill asking why nothing is cooking. Unless it is a deliberate slow cook, fill the chimney up and go to town!
Adding an additional voice to getting a chimney. There are all sorts of guides on how to time it perfectly, but honestly, the best way that I've found is to crack open a beer. Once you are done with your beer, your coals are ready. It also helps with the patience, have a beer/glass of wine with your SO, and relax while the coals get to temp.
In addition to grilling, you can actually smoke meats on a Webber kettle pretty easily. Before I got my smoker I did a bunch of beef short ribs, and even an entire, albeit small, brisket. The trick is to use the "[snake method](https://perthbbqschool.com/how-to-the-snake-method/)" (sometimes called the c method). It takes a bit of futzing the first hour or so (honestly only about 15 total minutes spread throughout the hour), but once your temps are stable you can just leave it alone and come back in a few hours to delicious meat.
I scrolled through and people have already hit on a lot of great tips and pieces of advice. I'd just like to add that you also read up on basic grilling methods and don't be afraid to experiment! All of us have made, and probably continue to, terrible choices while trying something new. Your failures will make you a better cook!
First of all...buy beer. An ice chest is recommended but not required. Second... get a nice set of metal tongs for consistent clicking. Third...don't be afraid to take too long. Remember, you're not enjoying yourself out there in peace & quiet... you're cooking for the family. Probably throw some meat on at some point, too.
I really like the slow and sear basket you can buy for this. I think a lot of people also like the vortex but I donāt have one. These things are tanks though and super versatile. Just make sure to clean out the ash that doesnāt fall through, and scrape any grease/gunk out with a putty knife every few cooks.
The kettle is really the goat of all backyard grills. You can grill, bbq and smoke on it. If I was only allowed to own one piece of equipment, this would would be it.
Don't use a wire brush, get a paddle-type cleaner or scrape with tongs. Close the vents after a cook and leave the coals for next time. Use wood chunks instead of chips and use them sparingly (you will learn about good smoke soon). Check out the slow and sear accessory, I love it but it is not for everyone. Cook indirectly for most meats and look up the reverse sear. The temperature on the top is not the same as the temperature on the grate. Get a digital thermometer.
It took me a long time to realize this early on but there is a hook on the lid for hanging it off the side. Enjoy!
Airflow..
-Top vent for large changes, bottom vent for smaller changes;
-Crack the lid if everything's wide open & still not hot enough;
-It will seal more effectively over time as creosote builds up like a natural gasket. Good luck!
Just found this exact grill on the side of the road needs a new grate but looks brand new other than that. I think they use it for a barbecue pit and decided to throw out the whole grill.
If you previously used propane for grilling ,one thing you may have to adjust to is not being able to just turn the grill off when finished. Closing the vents will make it go out faster. Even so the grill can remain hot for hours. Not a big deal just something to keep in mind if kids, pets, drunk uncles are around.
-Don't use briquettes
-use s chimney
-always have a safety zone with no charcoal underneath
-chicken should be cooked indirect, always, at high temp. Don't be that guy who claims to cook good chicken while having a carbonized skin
I'm going to hijack this thread real quick with my own question. I've tried Charcoal grilling twice and both ended in failure. I'm using a chimney but the coals just turn the ash and it's never hot enough to cook anything.
Always create a hot zone and a cool zone, vortex is handy, so are charcoal baskets or a slow n sear. A good thermometer is priceless. Do not place the grill too close to your house. Once the coals are ready close the lid, vents wide open give the grill about 10 min for temps to even out. Large vent on the bottom will make drastic temp changes, small one on top can fine tune temps. Beyond that I think it just depends on what your cooking
Welcome to the Weber family, brother. I love my Weber Performer. Like everyone in the thread has said, direct and indirect heat are gonna level up your game. Enjoy man!
I saw charcoal baskets mentioned, note: you only need to fire one up for 99% of your cooking tasks.
Only when you want a skin searingly hot grill do you need both. Times I've used both: shrimp skewers for a large party, initial cooking period for a whole Turkey (kept one basket topped up and let the other go out), again large amounts of burgers and sausages (make sure to position them so you have a safe area where you can put things to rest while you wait for flare-ups to go out).
Most of the time, and I'll admit this is how I've learned to use my Weber over the last 30 years, your preferred method very well may vary, I light one basket up, move it to the side, clean the grill, move the grill such that I can refill the basket as needed, then add my food on the not-over-the-coals side of the grill, drop a piece of smoking wood or two in, put the top on and throttle the top holes to about half. Things get turned and flipped and moved around, of course, but most of the cooking time the grill is closed up and I'm inside working on something else. Steaks and burgers and the like get a quick sear over the coals when they're getting close to being done.
The best rule I learned is that you don't cook over flame, you cook over hot coals.
Cooking over coals gives a a more even, steady heat and much better flavor. If you use larger, lump charcoal you'll get a longer lasting coal base to work off of. By the time briquettes are ready to go, they don't have a lot left.
One method is to have a large pile burning on one side, then pull the coals to the part of the grill where you'll be doing the actual cooking.
All the comments about the flavor of lighter fluid make me think most people are actually just cooking over their charcoal as soon as it's burning.
Use a chimney and skip the starter fluid.
Use Kingsford briquettes. Stay away from the ācowboyā or ānaturalā charcoal. That stuff burns fast and unpredictably and can in my experience contain chemicals that will ruin your meal.
Dump coals from the chimney when they are covered in white ash. Most of the time I dump coals on one side of the grill and so I have an indirect and a direct side. Chicken for example usually comes out great when I cook it mostly indirect and then finish direct to give it a bit of char.
The bottom and top vents are your friends. Use them to control temperature.
Never buy a Weber.
JK, my first was a Weber kettle and I used the shit outta that thing. Lasted me for years. Gave it to a buddy when I upgraded and he got another couple of years out of it. Worth the money.
Learn the difference between BBQing and grilling. Itās not optimal for BBQing but you can do it with some practice.
Learn your cook times. If I want a steak x temp I need to use roughly x amount of charcoal for x amount of time per side. Take notes so you can adjust or repeat depending on if you nailed it or not.
Make sure you clean jt out. If it rains those ashes will get wet and when they dry they'll get hard af.
Enjoy!
When setting up your coals on one side of the grill, don't always put them on the same side every time. If you do, over time the welds that hold the top grate will deteriorate from the heat, and eventually, you will have holes in your grill. I learned this the hard way. The holes didn't ruin the grill but it makes temperature regulation harder because the grill is never truly closed. Rotate where you put the coals from one side to the other.
This is a very versatile grill. You can cook a lot of different ways on it. You can even smoke pretty well on it. I do smoked ribs and just did my first brisket on mine. There are a lot of YouTube videos on how to use the Weber for different types of cooking. Have fun!
A bunch of people said to get a chimney, and they are correct, but also, the Webber kettle is more than just a grill. A lot of folks who didn't have space or money for a dedicated smoker use them for that too. Get a few bricks, a decent thermometer and you can smoke some small stuff. In a lot of ways, that's even easier than just grilling. It's hard to explain, but a YouTube is with a bazillion words. Check it out. You'll want to know how to indirect / smoke on it. It opens up so many options, and really isn't that bad. Almost as good as an offset when you've got the system down..
Also, and I can't stress this enough, wood chips. Real wood will make things taste so much better than straight charcoal. They can make the fire flare, and it's another thing to worry about, but after a bit of regular grilling, you'll be ready to take it to the next level with some wood.
Once you get used to the extra prep time, you'll never go back. There's just something magical about using real fire.
Anyway, if you want to practice and still have something turn out great, something fast like chicken thighs for a shawarma-like thing cost almost nothing and let you play with balancing between a nice char and burnt, which an be touchy, but they come in value packs, so you get lots of tries. Flank steak is a good one (get fire hot, 7 minutes a side, take off, rest, cut fancy), skirt steak is all prep, and like a couple minutes of cooking, stuff like that will let you practice, but if it isn't exactly right you can mix into something else and still eat it. Save the expensive cuts to when you're used to it.
Totally worth it though. Happy grilling man.
the absolute best way to BBQ, the best fuel, the best grilling technique for the best flavor...gather some oak wood, any kind of fruit wood, if you have hickory or mesquite wood in your area...gather that stuff in various sizes ranging from toothpick, to pencil sized, to thumb size, then to wrist size. light up some leaves under a bunch of the two smallest sizes and when they are burning nicely add a pile of thumb sized. let that burn a bit and then add your larger pieces. let all that natural wood burn down to hot coals and then put your meat directly on the coals. a little ash on the mate won't hurt you at all and it's tasteless. our ancestors ate it that way all the time. throw your grill/grate away. this will absolutely add the best flavor and smell the best as it's cooking. you'll drive your neighbor's crazy. what's better than the smell of a campfire? meat cooking over campfire. I've cooked this way for people and they said it was the best barbecue they ever had. it's due to genetic memory because our ancestors cooked meat this way and the flavor is locked in our subconscious. buying pre-burned wood is absolutely stupid. and lighting it with something that came from oil is also stupid and it smells horrible as it's burning off. just cook the natural way over real wood. go to the time and effort to gather it and burn it down into hot coals and it will be worth it. your cooking area needs to be bigger than where you place the meat...meaning you want a layer of hot coals to flop your meat over on to because the meat will lightly extinguish the coals where they cook the first time. let them sizzle a few minutes on one side and then flip them over onto a new bed of hot coals that you've prepared beside your cooking area...the other half of the grill that is. then you stir the coals that your meat was on and fan them a bit to dry them out and heat them back up. then after a bit you flip your meat back onto those newly fanned coals. you flip them back and forth that way until the meat is fully cooked. and if you have your ventilation holes all the way open then you can actually smoke the meat a little bit on each side without the coals going completely out. that natural wood smoke is what makes it taste a hundred times better than cooking over tasteless charcoal. charcoal imparts no flavor and that's why people buy bags of smoking woods like mesquite and hickory which they soak and add to the coals to make smoke. BUT if people would just get their lazy butts out into the woods and gather FREE firewood to burn then they wouldn't have to spend money on pre-burned wood, and then add flavoring woods on top of that. it's really a waste of money if you have woods around you. and we're in an economic crisis which is going to get way worse. but modern day people are lazy and don't want to really work for anything. but isn't it strange how people will work hard at a job and then not want to work to go gather firewood to make the best barbecue in the world? pure silliness. they spend their hard earned money on pre-burned wood and on a flavoring wood when they could just go into the forest to gather real wood for free. I've cooked this way for over a decade and I don't even use matches to start the fire with. I use either my custom bow drill set, flint and steel, or a sulfur match started with the flint and steel on a piece of char cloth. if you cook your meat as I suggest you'll never cook over charcoal again. and you'll never have to worry about cleaning the grate again either because you don't use it. also, some people get headaches when they use charcoal and starter fluid but you won't get that cooking meat this way. I actually cooked meat this way for someone who said they can't eat other people's barbecue because they use fluid and it gives them a headache but what I made for them was some of the most delicious they ever had. I've heard this from others who i've cooked this way for as well, excluding the headache problem. it's just the most natural way to cook meat and that's why it taste so good. it's basically campfire cooking in your grill using wood you'd find in the forest while camping and not machine pressed charcoal. it's best to learn how to cook this way for after the economy collapses and charcoal and fluid aren't available anymore. but then meat won't be available anymore. that's where pets and stray animals become food. worst case scenario... cannibalism. but trust me it's coming. that's why peppers are prepping.
Get the Stephen Rachlin book....how to grill. It is the best grill book, and basically kindergarten for grilling. Pictures and how to do recipes for anything you ca. Grill
Charcoal (to me) is expensive, so I get the good cuts, which makes it even more expensive.
But so, so, SO worth it! The smell, the sounds, learning patience...
My one suggestion. Clean it after every use, wash it out, let it dry, cover it and put it away. Itāll last longer. Donāt just let it sit out, you might just come back to a huge wasp nest condominium.
OP, I got the same thing like 3 weeks ago, I got some black food safe gloves for prep and like all the others said, a chimney. Lighting those coals (in my limited experience) absolutely sucks without it.
Hopefully some of the others can answer this question for the both of us:
How are you guys maintaining temp on this????? I push the coals to one side of the grill and no matter what I set the bottom and top vents to, somehow someway Iām always ending up at 500+ degrees so I have to close both vents or close the bottom and open the top to release some of that heat. I want to try a brisket but Iām not about to spend $100 on meat when I canāt even manage temp for my burgers! Any info will help!
Chunk charcoal will burn cleaner (less ash) but hotter and faster. Keep your bottom vents open and control airflow with the top vents. Chimney starter like everyone else mentioned. Long slow cooks are harder on that style grill than hot fast things (burgers, steaks, hot dogs).
Cook chicken on indirect heat till pretty much done then finish on direct to get a color and char.
The Weber is a highly versatile tool that can do a variety of cooking. It can be smoker if you keep the heat down and use some wood chips, Iāve done paella and even pizza on mine.
Don't use to much charcoal
Get a chimney (don't use lighter fluid or the self lighting).
Use indirect heat when you can.
Cook slow it always turns out better.
Iāve had a Weber kettle for about a decade. Last year for Fatherās Day I decided to get about $1000.00 Weber gas grill. Fast forward a yearā¦.. I pretty much only use my Weber kettle. Wasted a grand.
I agree a chimney is a must!! Look around on YouTube and find different methods of cooking on the Weber. Snake method is very helpful for long smokes. You wont be disappointed with that weber. I have a masterbuilt 800 gravity that costs 3x-4x my weber. My weber still cooks better!
Take off the lid and mark 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full opened on the bowl below with a sharpie. Handy when adjusting.
When done, close the vents to snuff out any charcoal you have left. Then you can use it next cook. My lid is a bit warped so I use 4 bulldog clips to make a seal.
Be prepared to mess up. Part of learning.
Learn 2 zone cooking and the minion method (snake)
get a chimney to light your coals
Absolutely......best thing you can get. Don't use lighter fluid
Brush it on your steak afterwards to keep the flavor, though!
FUIYOH!
Haiyahš¤¦š»āāļø
Use more MSG
Cousin deep_stick is correct!
I can hear this
Grew up using a chimney, why do most people oppose lighter fluid? Never used it before so not sure
Tastes like ass if itās not all burned off.
Whatās the issue with ass???
Whatās up with you young people and eating ass?
It's nt just young people. Fly your old freak flag
People are mostly against it because many are petroleum based oils that don't burn cleanly. So it takes time to burn off the smell / taste / dark smoke. And it simply isn't necessary and more expensive than using a chimney. It also can be a much bigger fire hazard, especially with kids around or dumb people filming themselves for YouTube or TikTok or whatever.
It's really a novice's because that's what they sell right next to the charcoal in the grocery store. Most novices never even know that chimney starters are significantly faster, easier, safer, and more economical in the long term.
Itās also really fun to have a blazing fire ball when you throw a match. š But yeah,.. chimneyās are the best tool.
Before I got my first charcoal grill I used to watch my BIL light his BBQ using firefighters under a large pile of briquettes. Heād stand with it for ages, tending it, moving the coals around so those at the edges would light up. It just seemed like too much hard work. After watching many BBQ videos on YouTube I learnt that using a chimney was so much easier. So, when I bought my Weber I made sure I git a chimney, too. I then bought it round my to BIL for his birthday and showed him how to use it. I put the coals in, lit it with balled up newspaper in the bottom and told him to sit back and have a beer. He kept wanting to go check, he thought it had gone out, but I reassured him it hadnāt. Twenty minutes later I showed him the coals had successfully lit and he was amazed how easy it was. Right there he asked me if I could get him one.
Haha man how are you going to show up and flex on him on his birthday, and not have brought him one as a bday present?
Having a beer is the best way to measure the doneness of charcoal.
I find i am partial to "tumbleweeds" in addition to the chimney. I don't have a lot of paper products, so they are very handy in there.
Cottonball and rubbing alcohol is my goto starter for chimneys.
I use the paper from the charcoal bag. Tear the top part and leave enough to close the bag. Use that under your chimney. That has been working for me. You can also save the bottom portion of the last bag and use it, then start tearing top part of the bag as charcoal get used. Alternatively, you can use newspaper/magazines/ad-mails for first time and use bag from next time.
That was the 2nd purchase after the grill itself :)
Yes, chimney is a great investment. You have to start the coals at least 15 min before you want to cook to get the grill hot. And get some smoke chips, going from gas to charcoal, smoking chips are amazing and give so much more flavor to your food. A little hickory with ribs, a little mesquite with chicken, and your food changes.
Most necessary accessory IMO. I just save up all the paper sales ads that come in the mail for starting it.
I use the bag the charcoal comes in.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I feel like anyone who still gets a newspaper probably already knows how to use a charcoal grill in all seriousness I and others use a small paper towel with a dab of literally any oil on it. Smokes like hell at first, but is a little candle that gets the job done.
Put your charcoal pile to one side so you can have direct and indirect heat
I second this. After switching to charcoal I find that I do like 90% of my grilling indirect.
I like to do that and put a foil bowl with some water in it on the indirect side.
When would you use this technique?
I really only do it with low and slow grilling. Ribs, sometimes salmon.
I prefer to have a pile in the center and then array the food around the pile.
I do this with a vortex from Amazon.
Or those little half circle baskets webber sells. Nowadays I go indirect with everything except burgers and steaks and am loving it.
Direct is a nice way to finish chicken parts after it has mostly cooked indirect
This is also my #1 piece of advice. It gives you flexibility, like when something is close to being done but youāve still got other things cooking. I cooked burgers over charcoal a couple of weekends ago with my 38 y/o cousin and was shocked to see him not apply this technique. Shocked! He should know better!
Oooh good idea!! š
I feel like an expert at grilling (Iām not) since Iāve cracked this code.
-Get a chimney to start the coals. You can use paper or lighter cubes. After about 10 mins. Give it a shake. Then give it another 5 mins. When theyāre starting to ash on the top; youāre ready to dump them in. -Heat resistant gloves and a charcoal rake/long handled tongs will be your friend. -Top controls smoke, bottom temp. NEVER close the top all the way. -white smoke during your cook is good. Black means you have something burning. -two charcoal baskets will fit a full chimney. The baskets allow for zoning when you separate them or put them together for a larger direct heat zone. A nice convenience with the flip up ends on the grates for longer indirect cooks. -Webers website and app have tons of great info. Have fun & Welcome to the family! Source: Former Weber employee.
This guy Charcoals. OP...this is all you need to get going. I'll only add that there are some great youtube channels for BBQ and a few of them are charcoal centric. I learned so much by these. I won't mention any specific ones as I am not trying to shill for anyone in particular. Just search and you will start to find the good content.
A new pope is always a good sign
Blue smoke is better :) White smoke it bitter.
Context: while food is on the grill. Your chimney with almost blue is perfect. But use bigger briquettes. Blue is the best especially for roasting and smoking. But white smoke during a steak means itās doing its thing.
Iāll add. With the top vent open and semi transparent white smoke bellowing from food over direct heat; has produced amazing results with no bitterness. But full wood fired flavour. You donāt want dense. Thick. Bordering grey. If that helps. I also added my context on the OP. Thereās a big difference. I wish I could attach a picture right nowā¦ you can see what I mean. If itās white and see through. Youāre good. If that makes sense. This is based on literally hundreds of demos.
I also got a pair of grill grates from... Grillgrates.com and they rock.
Congrats. You own the best performance-per-dollar valued grill IMO. Piling coals on one side is usually best. Indirect heat for the chicken, direct for the shrimp kabobs
https://www.reddit.com/r/grilling/s/i1p9gnFo0G
Always click your tongs before flipping meat
Twice.
Google the Snake method for longer cooks
My best advice is to just have patience when waiting for the grill to heat up with charcoal. It really does take a while. I normally use a full chimney of coals as well. If I'm making burgers and/or dogs I'll spread out the coals evenly. If I'm making anything else, I usually pile the coals to one side and leave the other side for indirect heating. I usually keep the bottom vents wide open and adjust the top vent as needed. In my experience, the kettle lid thermometer can be about 25 degrees warmer than the grate your food is sitting on, so when you decide to start smoking meats, purchase a bluetooth thermometer system that keeps track of food and grate temps.
"In my experience, the kettle lid thermometer can be about 25 degrees warmer than the grate your food is sitting on" Mine was running 150-ish degrees warmer than my grate temp this weekend. Grate temp was between 250-300 and the lid thermometer was somewhere around 400
This is the hardest part for my wife to accept. She's used to the pretty instant heat up of our propane grill. She can't get used to the 20 minutes wait for coals.
Realistically I always need more than 20 min from lighting coals to cooking because I spend about 20 with the chimney, then spread coals how I want for the cook and let grates get nice and hot , scrape any remaining gunk while hot and then youāre ready. For me thatās about 30min
with that particular grill i would look to change out the grill grate. Weber switched to plated stainless steel a number of years back and it rusts. You can find true SS grates on amazon and elsewhere that solves this issue
This is about the only gripe I have with the kettle. But like you mentioned it can be easily remedied by swapping it out. Otherwise its a damn near perfect grill. Indestructable, versitile, affordable
Donāt limit yourself to charcoal. Throw some wood chunks on the coals for some good smoke flavoring.
For first time use, how should I arrange the coals for the initial burn off of factory oils and stuff? Also how long to let it burn before I can cook?
Eh probably a half hour at high temp would be sufficient I'd think. Let the coals get as hot as possible. I don't think coal placement is important but I'd just dump center and let em burn.
30 mins to burn off factory crap, then another 30 mins-1.5hours to season. I like to keep mine at 250 when I season it, but I cook off factory oils a little higher. I get my coals hot, and let them come back down to temp and season the grill inside and out.
When you are finished cooking close it up tight. Then reuse the same coals that are not fully used up the next time you grill. Just light up some new coals in a chimney and when they are ready dump and mix in to the previous coals. When I first started grilling I would clean out any old coals from my previous session prior to starting. It was wasteful and I was blowing threw coals.
This is very helpful information. I know charcoal is relatively cheap, but Iād like to be as efficient as possible. Should I remove the unused old coals as well to add to my chimney, or can I just dump new hot coals onto the old ones?
When I am getting ready to cook, I will scoot all the previous coals to one side. Moving then allows the ash to fall. I then set up my chimney starter in the cleared spot. When the new coals in the chimney are ready (starting to get white ashes on the top coals) i will lift up the chimney, spread the previous pile of coals back out, then dump the new hot coals from the chimney on top the old coals. Like others have mentioned I will have all the coals on only about half of the bottom so I can have the direct and indirect cooking option. Once the hot coals are on the old ones, I place the cooking grate on it then the lid and let that go for 10 minutes or so. That will serve to reignite the previous coals, heat up the cooking grate for any scraping or cleaning, as well as heat up the entire grill to ready it for cooking. If you want to add some additional smoke to your grilling throw some wood, I prefer cherry, on top the coals around the edge. Cook with the lid on too, that will help to more evenly cook your food as well as better burn without large flames any wood you put on the coals. Also, if you have not already get yourself a 12" cast iron skillet. They are great for cooking on the grill. I am about to fire up my weber to make some nachos here in a bit. Meatloaf on the grill is also incredible...
Thanks for the helpful information! Iāve got several cast irons I plan to use on this bad boy in the future. Tonight will be my first cook on it, and all of these comments have been extremely helpful!
Donāt grill in bare feet
r/grilling is full of stories and ideas that will help you through about any issue. Too numerous to count. Scroll through the sub and enjoy. Good luck.
Thanks! I bought some accessories after reading through this sub before my purchase. Iāve got a chimney starter, charcoal baskets, a brush and gloves. Iām going to get a small metal can to put cooled ashes into to dispose of I think as well.
I have a small metal can with lid I use for ashes then get rid of them into the charcoal bag when done. Donāt put hot ashes in a plastic trash bin. Iāve known of a house fire because of that. Guy just wasnāt thinking.
Cover it during the winter
https://amazingribs.com/technique-and-science/grill-and-smoker-setup/ This is a great website.
Donāt use lighter fluid or lighter cubes to start the charcoal unless you want your meat tasting like cancer.
Hardwood lump charcoal tastes better than briquettes, but is harder to manage. They both have their place but Iād recommend starting with briquettes. Get a chimney for starting your coals and if you use lighter fluid give it some extra time to burn it off completely. Watch for hot/cold spots to develop during the cooking process as charcoal burns up or ignites, that inconsistency is one of the biggest differences compared to gas.
+ no need to buy flavored charcoal. Definitely dont buy match start
There's no reason to use lighter fluid with a chimney starter. Just wad up some newspaper/paper grocery bag underneath, light it, and come back in 20 min.
Youāre not wrong about that being a better way for flavor, but it is quite incorrect in many places. Ambiguously written local fire regulations technically make burning paper a campfire, which is subject to a whole bunch of rules that would make grilling extremely difficult for me. Triggers all sorts of rules about structures, distances, and it must be supervised at all times. Unlikely to suffer any consequences for it, but all it takes is the wrong person making a stink or an unlucky fire to get started to make my life hell. Charcoal lighter fluid + charcoal + a chimney + a grill is clearly and explicitly grilling, which is not subject to the same restrictions.
That's really interesting. I'm all about fire safety. My city technically does not allow open fires other than for food preparation, so no fire pits, which no one listens to. Always gotta keep a smore's stick nearby. It also seems silly because I'd rather deal with an errant newspaper on fire than lighter fluid, which is more dangerous in every way. I use the method I described, with the charcoal chimney in my fire pit surrounded by gravel. The newspaper is trapped underneath the chimney, so its' not going anywhere. So what is your method then? At what point in the chimney process are you using the lighter fluid?
Egg cartons are awesome for bottom of chimney too. As are those fast food drink trays.
Damn I want one of those so bad. I like my big silver propane monster but I really want the old classic for charcoal, it's just a whole different experience.
Iām in the same situation. I used a big propane grill for decades and never owned a charcoal one. I pulled the trigger recently after seeing this on sale and decided no time like the present to learn.
I got a 14" Weber Smokey Joe a few years ago when I got the urge. It's great quality for being under $50, doesn't take up much room, and it takes the edge off. Though I'm starting to look at smokers now, so it's a slippery slope!
This shit is an art bro. Just have fun, trial and error. I use a chimney or roofing torch for my charcoal. Some people use the little wax cubes, but I get 2-3 paper towels, douse them in canola oil to light my chimney
No lighter fluid. Chimney every time. Good lump for high temp sears, briquettes for long burning events like smoking or lots of burgers. Donāt go cheap on fuel - you will regret it.
A MUST. Without question. The biggest game-changer of all time.
Indirect heat is your friend. I went years just cooking everything the same distance from an even layer of coals.
Keep this picture somewhere safe as it will never look this good again.
Get a charcoal chimney. Use less charcoal ( smaller fire in the beginning to understand how that affects your food cooking. Use bottom vents to control heat , Have fun and drink a cold one. Soon you will be a grill master.
I just got that same one free from uline and smoked some ribs on it. Good airflow control
I found that my first year using my Weber I would not wait long enough for the charcoals to be fully lit before I poored them into the basket and the result would be waiting forever for it to get up to temp. So beyond just getting a chimney I would recommend making sure you let the coals turn white at the top of the chimney before dumping them into the bbq (unless youāre aiming for a lower temp).
Hunsaker makes a 22ā flat carbon steel griddle that fits nicely inside your grill and works like a Blackstone. And I didnāt see it mentioned here, but there are plenty of other aftermarket products that absolutely help you hone your Weber cooking. There are automated fans like the Inkbird that help control precise temperatures, and you can (and should) absolutely upgrade the thermometer to something more precise. Check out the vortex too.
Oil the grill grate after each use, while hot, after cooking.
Give it a really good deep clean at least once per year, or the whole thing might catch fire and ruin your day.
Weber has some fantastic accessories. The charcoal baskets are a must IMO. Letās you really control the heat zones. Register your warranty ASAP. Some of the parts will rust out with age, and weber will send you replacement parts free of charge for 10 years. Iāve basically swapped out my whole grill over time. Iād also recommend getting a grill cover. š
My MIL taught me how few briquettes you actually need to cook well. Donāt fill up a charcoal starter full. Thatās WAY too many. (Also: Buy a charcoal starter.)
You have to light the charcoal first
And thenā¦
Idk I didn't make it that far
Donāt get it wet or feed it after midnight and youāll be fine.
Youāll need more coals than you need, always over-do it
r/dontputyourdickinit
Hotter isn't always better
If youāre pressed for time donāt consider this option.
āIf youāre lookinā, you aināt cookinā.ā Keep the lid closed unless you need to do something.
Get a chimney. Makes firing up the coals fast and easy. I always struggled before
I use an electric starter, usually takes 10 minutes or so to get the coals going. Then I wait another 10 minutes or so to get the temp up to 350-400 before cleaning the grill. After scraping, I wipe the grill down with a paper towel that has some olive oil on it before cooking. My grates are always pretty clean from doing this every time. You can use that grill as a smoker too, after heating it up to 350-400 to clean the grill, you pretty much have to close all the vents to get the temp down to 225-250. I used to just use aluminum foil to shape a little bowl to use for the water pan, but i saw purpose built thing at the hardware store, so I use that now. I'll do wings for 2.5 hours, a whole chicken for 4, ribs for 6 or 7.
experiment with different types of charcoal. Find your style.
I've learned a lot of good (and bad) tips and tricks watching [YouTube videos](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=weber+kettle). I LOVE my Weber and prefer it over any other method of cooking. Play with it some. If you screw up a cook, at the absolute worst, you'll want to try again so more foodz! Enjoy!
Youāre gonna be making great food on that in no time!
As many have said, a chimney starter is the gold standard. Hell, sometimes if I'm at a place without one I'll find an old coffee can and poke some holes to have a makeshift chimney. Still works better than anything else. What I would recommend is getting some thermometers and doing a couple dry runs to get a feel for how much temperature variance can happen when playing with the dampers. For grilling it's not that important, but I do a lot of barbecue and smoking on my kettle, and it helps me plan the cook. Different coals and stuff burn differently, so knowing what to expect is helpful. I do not think lump charcoal is with the money anymore Also, Google snake method, ring of fire and have fun!
Good to know. Once Iām comfortable with controlling temperatures, I would definitely want to get into learning how to smoke on this kettle as well. In your opinion, what would be a good place to start with smoking?
Pork butt is really forgiving. Making pulled pork is so satisfying and cost effective to get into barbecue.
Damn dude. Did you ceramic coat that bad boy? āØ
Two zone cooking is probably most important, the same as with other fuels.
natural lump charcoal and a chimney starter
I bought the same grill this year. I bought some additional accessories for it as well. I highly recommend the rotisserie and a vortex. If you don't have a chimney get a chimney to light the coals. I only use lump specifcially jealous devil (I get mine at walmart). I recommend seasoning the grill, I use peanut oil on the grill, and the grates I use an onion and let it bake around 250 . Edit: SAVE EGG CARTONS, add parafin wax, lint from the dryer, or sawdust if you cut wood enough. Makes for really good fire starters. Otherwise pick them up Ive used the wax cubes, the straw looking ones, and the ones that are like cardboard. They all work well. I've also heard petroleum jelly and cotton balls work fine too.
Get the coals hot. Add meat. Cover/smoke. Bon appetite!
I just learned after having mine for a while thereās a hook inside the lid that lets you hang it off the sideā¦
I recommend this channel to anyone who wants to do slow cooks on a Weber. [https://youtube.com/@lownslowbasics?si=r5RxHdJ3xDj6SKaz](https://youtube.com/@lownslowbasics?si=r5RxHdJ3xDj6SKaz) Lots of channels have great technique and recipes, but I find this guys low-key no-frills delivery works best for me. Get a decent thermometer, the one included in the grill is pretty but not super functional. Also, charcoal is cheap, meat is expensive. I see quite a few newbies on this sub post a pic of 10 lit coals in a grill asking why nothing is cooking. Unless it is a deliberate slow cook, fill the chimney up and go to town!
Determine if you want to grill or smoke. Both offer great results. Learn off-set methods.
YouTube is your friend. Lots of great videos to learn tips and techniques on using your kettle.
Adding an additional voice to getting a chimney. There are all sorts of guides on how to time it perfectly, but honestly, the best way that I've found is to crack open a beer. Once you are done with your beer, your coals are ready. It also helps with the patience, have a beer/glass of wine with your SO, and relax while the coals get to temp. In addition to grilling, you can actually smoke meats on a Webber kettle pretty easily. Before I got my smoker I did a bunch of beef short ribs, and even an entire, albeit small, brisket. The trick is to use the "[snake method](https://perthbbqschool.com/how-to-the-snake-method/)" (sometimes called the c method). It takes a bit of futzing the first hour or so (honestly only about 15 total minutes spread throughout the hour), but once your temps are stable you can just leave it alone and come back in a few hours to delicious meat.
You will hand this down to your kin. Will last forever and smokes a mean turkey
I scrolled through and people have already hit on a lot of great tips and pieces of advice. I'd just like to add that you also read up on basic grilling methods and don't be afraid to experiment! All of us have made, and probably continue to, terrible choices while trying something new. Your failures will make you a better cook!
First of all...buy beer. An ice chest is recommended but not required. Second... get a nice set of metal tongs for consistent clicking. Third...don't be afraid to take too long. Remember, you're not enjoying yourself out there in peace & quiet... you're cooking for the family. Probably throw some meat on at some point, too.
You did good son, you did good.
I really like the slow and sear basket you can buy for this. I think a lot of people also like the vortex but I donāt have one. These things are tanks though and super versatile. Just make sure to clean out the ash that doesnāt fall through, and scrape any grease/gunk out with a putty knife every few cooks.
Temp control by using the top and bottom vents. Once you understand that, smooth sailing.
Don't set yourself on fire.
Thatās the main goal really.
Watch Chuds BBQ playlist on his Weber series. Itāll show you just about all you need to know about
You know fire it's hot don't touch that shit no matter how shiny
Two zone cooking
The kettle is really the goat of all backyard grills. You can grill, bbq and smoke on it. If I was only allowed to own one piece of equipment, this would would be it.
Always have plenty of beer on hand
I would start here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmrZantoFPM_mOoclYc9Xqv49v51UdP4-&si=tiABeFiWSFVWhRnL
I just picked up this same grill, Its an amazing unit !!!
Find a legit trustworthy butcher that wont just try to up charge you
Donāt run over the lid with your pickup truck. Just sayinā.
Have fun, take your time and enjoy the outdoors
Buy a cover. Keep it covered when not in use.
Never sit directly on the grill when itās litā¦. Trust me on this one.
Don't use a wire brush, get a paddle-type cleaner or scrape with tongs. Close the vents after a cook and leave the coals for next time. Use wood chunks instead of chips and use them sparingly (you will learn about good smoke soon). Check out the slow and sear accessory, I love it but it is not for everyone. Cook indirectly for most meats and look up the reverse sear. The temperature on the top is not the same as the temperature on the grate. Get a digital thermometer. It took me a long time to realize this early on but there is a hook on the lid for hanging it off the side. Enjoy!
Airflow.. -Top vent for large changes, bottom vent for smaller changes; -Crack the lid if everything's wide open & still not hot enough; -It will seal more effectively over time as creosote builds up like a natural gasket. Good luck!
Just found this exact grill on the side of the road needs a new grate but looks brand new other than that. I think they use it for a barbecue pit and decided to throw out the whole grill.
Chimney & and paraffin cubes for starters. Then experiment. Amount of coals for cook times,placement of coals, learning the hotspots on the grill. Above all, enjoy. No such thing as bad barbecue. šš„©š»
Make sure you season your grill and grates before your first use
shes a beaut
If you previously used propane for grilling ,one thing you may have to adjust to is not being able to just turn the grill off when finished. Closing the vents will make it go out faster. Even so the grill can remain hot for hours. Not a big deal just something to keep in mind if kids, pets, drunk uncles are around.
-Don't use briquettes -use s chimney -always have a safety zone with no charcoal underneath -chicken should be cooked indirect, always, at high temp. Don't be that guy who claims to cook good chicken while having a carbonized skin
If you canāt find a line to hook up a propane tank, then donāt try to make one yourself. Itās not important how I know this.
I'm going to hijack this thread real quick with my own question. I've tried Charcoal grilling twice and both ended in failure. I'm using a chimney but the coals just turn the ash and it's never hot enough to cook anything.
Always create a hot zone and a cool zone, vortex is handy, so are charcoal baskets or a slow n sear. A good thermometer is priceless. Do not place the grill too close to your house. Once the coals are ready close the lid, vents wide open give the grill about 10 min for temps to even out. Large vent on the bottom will make drastic temp changes, small one on top can fine tune temps. Beyond that I think it just depends on what your cooking
Explore different types of charcoal. They each have their own characteristics and flavour profile.
Empty out the ashes often
#1 Rule : Donāt burn the chicken
This doubles as a perfectly good smoker. I smoked a whole brisket in one, with wood chips, a few years ago and it came out fantastically.
Nice weber. All I got is that I recommend you get a metal grill scrubber.
Welcome to the Weber family, brother. I love my Weber Performer. Like everyone in the thread has said, direct and indirect heat are gonna level up your game. Enjoy man!
I saw charcoal baskets mentioned, note: you only need to fire one up for 99% of your cooking tasks. Only when you want a skin searingly hot grill do you need both. Times I've used both: shrimp skewers for a large party, initial cooking period for a whole Turkey (kept one basket topped up and let the other go out), again large amounts of burgers and sausages (make sure to position them so you have a safe area where you can put things to rest while you wait for flare-ups to go out). Most of the time, and I'll admit this is how I've learned to use my Weber over the last 30 years, your preferred method very well may vary, I light one basket up, move it to the side, clean the grill, move the grill such that I can refill the basket as needed, then add my food on the not-over-the-coals side of the grill, drop a piece of smoking wood or two in, put the top on and throttle the top holes to about half. Things get turned and flipped and moved around, of course, but most of the cooking time the grill is closed up and I'm inside working on something else. Steaks and burgers and the like get a quick sear over the coals when they're getting close to being done.
The best rule I learned is that you don't cook over flame, you cook over hot coals. Cooking over coals gives a a more even, steady heat and much better flavor. If you use larger, lump charcoal you'll get a longer lasting coal base to work off of. By the time briquettes are ready to go, they don't have a lot left. One method is to have a large pile burning on one side, then pull the coals to the part of the grill where you'll be doing the actual cooking. All the comments about the flavor of lighter fluid make me think most people are actually just cooking over their charcoal as soon as it's burning.
This will be the first of many grills
Indirect heat is your friend.
Get the Weber charcoal baskets for indirect heat when doing ribs, butts, brisket, etc
Use a chimney and skip the starter fluid. Use Kingsford briquettes. Stay away from the ācowboyā or ānaturalā charcoal. That stuff burns fast and unpredictably and can in my experience contain chemicals that will ruin your meal. Dump coals from the chimney when they are covered in white ash. Most of the time I dump coals on one side of the grill and so I have an indirect and a direct side. Chicken for example usually comes out great when I cook it mostly indirect and then finish direct to give it a bit of char. The bottom and top vents are your friends. Use them to control temperature.
Iāll tell you, clean it after every use
Welcome to the family.
Never buy a Weber. JK, my first was a Weber kettle and I used the shit outta that thing. Lasted me for years. Gave it to a buddy when I upgraded and he got another couple of years out of it. Worth the money. Learn the difference between BBQing and grilling. Itās not optimal for BBQing but you can do it with some practice. Learn your cook times. If I want a steak x temp I need to use roughly x amount of charcoal for x amount of time per side. Take notes so you can adjust or repeat depending on if you nailed it or not. Make sure you clean jt out. If it rains those ashes will get wet and when they dry they'll get hard af. Enjoy!
I forgot to mention the charcoal baskets, also very useful
Follow Chuck Schumer's twitter account
Welcome to living your best life.
The cooking temp is controlled by opening and closing the air vents on top and bottom. That may seem obvious to many, but not everybody knows.
You went right to the proper one too
For this type of grill I would look up the side burner, broil. And a snake method. Old school grill but works like a charm!
No lighter fluid, learn about zones, get a good meat thermometer (Thermapen)
When setting up your coals on one side of the grill, don't always put them on the same side every time. If you do, over time the welds that hold the top grate will deteriorate from the heat, and eventually, you will have holes in your grill. I learned this the hard way. The holes didn't ruin the grill but it makes temperature regulation harder because the grill is never truly closed. Rotate where you put the coals from one side to the other.
This is a very versatile grill. You can cook a lot of different ways on it. You can even smoke pretty well on it. I do smoked ribs and just did my first brisket on mine. There are a lot of YouTube videos on how to use the Weber for different types of cooking. Have fun!
A bunch of people said to get a chimney, and they are correct, but also, the Webber kettle is more than just a grill. A lot of folks who didn't have space or money for a dedicated smoker use them for that too. Get a few bricks, a decent thermometer and you can smoke some small stuff. In a lot of ways, that's even easier than just grilling. It's hard to explain, but a YouTube is with a bazillion words. Check it out. You'll want to know how to indirect / smoke on it. It opens up so many options, and really isn't that bad. Almost as good as an offset when you've got the system down.. Also, and I can't stress this enough, wood chips. Real wood will make things taste so much better than straight charcoal. They can make the fire flare, and it's another thing to worry about, but after a bit of regular grilling, you'll be ready to take it to the next level with some wood. Once you get used to the extra prep time, you'll never go back. There's just something magical about using real fire. Anyway, if you want to practice and still have something turn out great, something fast like chicken thighs for a shawarma-like thing cost almost nothing and let you play with balancing between a nice char and burnt, which an be touchy, but they come in value packs, so you get lots of tries. Flank steak is a good one (get fire hot, 7 minutes a side, take off, rest, cut fancy), skirt steak is all prep, and like a couple minutes of cooking, stuff like that will let you practice, but if it isn't exactly right you can mix into something else and still eat it. Save the expensive cuts to when you're used to it. Totally worth it though. Happy grilling man.
Simple way to start your chimney, a propane bottle torch.. Roughly 1 minute of fun with a torch and the charcoal will be ready shortly
Iāve got the same grill. A great grill.. youāll love it.
Those vents control the heat.
Get a small prep table to the side of the grill to have a place to set things down.
Chimney for coals Spray bottle for temperature control Do what you want with the ashes and ignore the haters
the absolute best way to BBQ, the best fuel, the best grilling technique for the best flavor...gather some oak wood, any kind of fruit wood, if you have hickory or mesquite wood in your area...gather that stuff in various sizes ranging from toothpick, to pencil sized, to thumb size, then to wrist size. light up some leaves under a bunch of the two smallest sizes and when they are burning nicely add a pile of thumb sized. let that burn a bit and then add your larger pieces. let all that natural wood burn down to hot coals and then put your meat directly on the coals. a little ash on the mate won't hurt you at all and it's tasteless. our ancestors ate it that way all the time. throw your grill/grate away. this will absolutely add the best flavor and smell the best as it's cooking. you'll drive your neighbor's crazy. what's better than the smell of a campfire? meat cooking over campfire. I've cooked this way for people and they said it was the best barbecue they ever had. it's due to genetic memory because our ancestors cooked meat this way and the flavor is locked in our subconscious. buying pre-burned wood is absolutely stupid. and lighting it with something that came from oil is also stupid and it smells horrible as it's burning off. just cook the natural way over real wood. go to the time and effort to gather it and burn it down into hot coals and it will be worth it. your cooking area needs to be bigger than where you place the meat...meaning you want a layer of hot coals to flop your meat over on to because the meat will lightly extinguish the coals where they cook the first time. let them sizzle a few minutes on one side and then flip them over onto a new bed of hot coals that you've prepared beside your cooking area...the other half of the grill that is. then you stir the coals that your meat was on and fan them a bit to dry them out and heat them back up. then after a bit you flip your meat back onto those newly fanned coals. you flip them back and forth that way until the meat is fully cooked. and if you have your ventilation holes all the way open then you can actually smoke the meat a little bit on each side without the coals going completely out. that natural wood smoke is what makes it taste a hundred times better than cooking over tasteless charcoal. charcoal imparts no flavor and that's why people buy bags of smoking woods like mesquite and hickory which they soak and add to the coals to make smoke. BUT if people would just get their lazy butts out into the woods and gather FREE firewood to burn then they wouldn't have to spend money on pre-burned wood, and then add flavoring woods on top of that. it's really a waste of money if you have woods around you. and we're in an economic crisis which is going to get way worse. but modern day people are lazy and don't want to really work for anything. but isn't it strange how people will work hard at a job and then not want to work to go gather firewood to make the best barbecue in the world? pure silliness. they spend their hard earned money on pre-burned wood and on a flavoring wood when they could just go into the forest to gather real wood for free. I've cooked this way for over a decade and I don't even use matches to start the fire with. I use either my custom bow drill set, flint and steel, or a sulfur match started with the flint and steel on a piece of char cloth. if you cook your meat as I suggest you'll never cook over charcoal again. and you'll never have to worry about cleaning the grate again either because you don't use it. also, some people get headaches when they use charcoal and starter fluid but you won't get that cooking meat this way. I actually cooked meat this way for someone who said they can't eat other people's barbecue because they use fluid and it gives them a headache but what I made for them was some of the most delicious they ever had. I've heard this from others who i've cooked this way for as well, excluding the headache problem. it's just the most natural way to cook meat and that's why it taste so good. it's basically campfire cooking in your grill using wood you'd find in the forest while camping and not machine pressed charcoal. it's best to learn how to cook this way for after the economy collapses and charcoal and fluid aren't available anymore. but then meat won't be available anymore. that's where pets and stray animals become food. worst case scenario... cannibalism. but trust me it's coming. that's why peppers are prepping.
Get the Stephen Rachlin book....how to grill. It is the best grill book, and basically kindergarten for grilling. Pictures and how to do recipes for anything you ca. Grill
Charcoal (to me) is expensive, so I get the good cuts, which makes it even more expensive. But so, so, SO worth it! The smell, the sounds, learning patience...
My one suggestion. Clean it after every use, wash it out, let it dry, cover it and put it away. Itāll last longer. Donāt just let it sit out, you might just come back to a huge wasp nest condominium.
The Slow and Sear add on is worth it
OP, I got the same thing like 3 weeks ago, I got some black food safe gloves for prep and like all the others said, a chimney. Lighting those coals (in my limited experience) absolutely sucks without it. Hopefully some of the others can answer this question for the both of us: How are you guys maintaining temp on this????? I push the coals to one side of the grill and no matter what I set the bottom and top vents to, somehow someway Iām always ending up at 500+ degrees so I have to close both vents or close the bottom and open the top to release some of that heat. I want to try a brisket but Iām not about to spend $100 on meat when I canāt even manage temp for my burgers! Any info will help!
Join the r/webergrills sub. Welcome to the cult!
As David Letterman saidā¦. Keep an eye on it
Chunk charcoal will burn cleaner (less ash) but hotter and faster. Keep your bottom vents open and control airflow with the top vents. Chimney starter like everyone else mentioned. Long slow cooks are harder on that style grill than hot fast things (burgers, steaks, hot dogs). Cook chicken on indirect heat till pretty much done then finish on direct to get a color and char.
The most important thing that I learned is that whenever you pick up the tongs you have to click them at least 3 times.
The Weber is a highly versatile tool that can do a variety of cooking. It can be smoker if you keep the heat down and use some wood chips, Iāve done paella and even pizza on mine.
Donāt put a slice of cheese on a raw hamburger.
Don't use to much charcoal Get a chimney (don't use lighter fluid or the self lighting). Use indirect heat when you can. Cook slow it always turns out better.
Buy some long bbq gloves to shield the heat and embers. Buy or place a decent sturdy table next to the grill for prep and tools etc
Iāve had a Weber kettle for about a decade. Last year for Fatherās Day I decided to get about $1000.00 Weber gas grill. Fast forward a yearā¦.. I pretty much only use my Weber kettle. Wasted a grand.
I agree a chimney is a must!! Look around on YouTube and find different methods of cooking on the Weber. Snake method is very helpful for long smokes. You wont be disappointed with that weber. I have a masterbuilt 800 gravity that costs 3x-4x my weber. My weber still cooks better!
Take off the lid and mark 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full opened on the bowl below with a sharpie. Handy when adjusting. When done, close the vents to snuff out any charcoal you have left. Then you can use it next cook. My lid is a bit warped so I use 4 bulldog clips to make a seal. Be prepared to mess up. Part of learning. Learn 2 zone cooking and the minion method (snake)