Help with Weber Kettle Charcoal Setup
 

Happy Friday everybody! I'm looking for some tips/info with pics hopefully showing me your typical charcoal/wood setup for your 4-6 hour smokes.

I usually fire almost 1 full chimney full of either lump or kingsford until ashed, pour into one side of the kettle, set a water pan on the opposite (indirect) side of the grill, choke down intake vent and wait for the temp to stabalize where I want it and go from there; however, I always have to add more fuel and I have to constantly monitor/adjust vents to keep a consistent temp. Don't get me wrong, I love doing that....that is part of the que'ing experience, but there are times (like this weekend) where I wish I could leave for about 3 hours if I need to and know that my fire doesn't need more fuel while I'm gone.

Is it a modified minion method or something? Thanks in advance for any info and/or pics that you can provide!!!!!

When I'm feeling lazy - :becky: - I use a disposable lasagna pan shoved up against a side of the kettle directly on the coal grate. This leaves about a third of the volume for fuel. I load that with unlit briquettes leaving a depression on one side, add a couple chunks of wood and place about 10 to 15 fully lit in the depression and adjust my vents for the target temp accordingly. Here's a pic where you can sorta see what I'm describing. You can put a steel can or two of water in the pan if you so desire.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/at...1&d=1275940661

You're adding too much lit coal to the kettle. Make a two zone set up with mostly unlit charcoal on one side banked up the side, use a coal divider if you have one. Then pour about 10 lit coals on top of the unlit (minion method). Leave the top and bottom vents open 100% until you start to reach your desired temp. Start closing the bottom vent until the temp stabilizes at the temp you want. I leave the top vent open 100% but I know some people like to close it down to retain more of the smoke. Regulate the temp with the lower vent not the top. On my kettle when I do that mine run for 5-6 hours with the bottom vent only open about 1/2 inch. I don't use an aluminum pan.

Thanks Dequerre and Turkey!!!! That is exactly what I was looking for. I will give it a shot this weekend!! :thumb:

I use 2 bricks as dividers on my Kingsford Oval for long reverse sear cooks, also using a similar minion type method. On about 1.5 layer of unlit coals, I add anywhere from 5-12+ lit coals depending on if I'm cooking slow (around 250, or hot, around 350) For slower cooks I easily can get 2.5 hours out of this. If you're looking for 4 hours plus without having to refuel, you also might want to look into the Smokenator for Weber kettles.

Thanks Moose....I will look into the Smokenator some more. Have you or do you use one?

I used to have one when I had my Performer. It worked great!

I haven't smoked 4-6 hours on a kettle bePhore but a Phull large chimney of hot coals is way too much to use I think.
When I'm cooking on my Padawan's kettle I use about 18 lit bricks or less on top of the unlit coals...sort of minion method I guess.

The others above me have given the correct info allready.


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7QEisuv4WKA/TS...0/IMG_0003.JPG

Thanks Phubar, I appreciate it!