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Question for OTG Kettle folks...

Happy Hapgood

Happy Hapgood

somebody shut me the fark up.

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If I want to fast sear steaks, Should I have the dome vent over the caols to induce more heat across the steaks? I plan on doing 3 over the coal then maybe alittle indirect to finish. Trying to get better on this Kettle style cooker.


Thanks in advance for any and all input. :thumb:
 
I cook with the bottom vents wide open, top closed, full chimney of Stubbs. I put the charcoal in the little side charcoal thingys ( I don't remember what they are called) Temps usually get 450-500, steaks indirect then over the coals to sear. I've usually had a beer or 12 so I can't really recall which way the vent is pointing (I'm usually lucky to get the lid on)
 
Yes, if you want to sear over the coals, have your top vent over the fire. If you cook indirect, have the top vent away from where your fire is if possible.

When I cook on my kettle, I usually position the coals to one side so that I have an indirect side.
 
I always put the upper vent down wind. Pulling the intake air through the coals and the meat might cause you to do otherwise with an One Touch.
This diagram seems to hold true for what ever cooking situation you face.
picture.php

When cooking steaks, I spread the coals evenly across the charcoal grate, leaving a "cool" area just in case one of them cooks faster. Kind of like second on the top row, with the coals spread about 80/20.
 
I'm a KKB guy. Got 3 boneless ribeyes cheap the Wife picked up on sale.


Using Suckle Busters SPG for the 1st time since the N. Texas Bash.


pqBj7dE.jpg



Got another almost full chimney of coal out of the WSM after a recent rib cook over the 4th.


1XPKzlo.jpg



Plan to do them with an 80/20 coal spread like Dads recommended. Will post more pic's later.


Thanks again everyone!
 
Just throw in a chimney full of coals and spread them out and place directly over coals place lif back on and sear on each side then they fenish no need to indirect a good steak
 
Takeaways from this cook...


Once you get an idea of how this rig works, it's very friendly. Only about my 3rd try.


DP5g8K6.jpg



No real grill marks as it's a SS rack but I may look into the accessories built for it. Used a chunk of pecan which tasted Great!


YizPOq6.jpg



Thanks again for everyone's help. That's what makes this the best site on the net! :thumb:
 
Imagine how easy it will be after 38 years.:-D
Any after market CI grate that will sit on top of the food grate will give sear marks. Or you can set the CI grate on top of the charcoal chimney. I never bother.
 
Be careful starting the chimney on concrete, someone posted a pic/story about concrete exploding from the heat. Left a 1/2 basketball crater in their driveway, shrapnel and hot coals in a 30 ft circle.

steaks look great
 
My simple rule - top vent over the food. Should add that I always have coals on 1 side. .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
ironmanerik said:
Be careful starting the chimney on concrete, someone posted a pic/story about concrete exploding from the heat. Left a 1/2 basketball crater in their driveway, shrapnel and hot coals in a 30 ft circle.

steaks look great
Click to expand...


No disrespect meant but I'm so tired of hearing that gig about lighting a chimney on concrete here. I've seen entire threads devoted to it.



Here is the read deal. I do temps for a living and have for 40 years. It's not the concrete that explodes when lighting a fire on concrete. It's the gravel rocks mixed into the concrete. I use ONE Weber starter cube under a charcoal chimney. This is a paraffin cube that burns hot for approxi. 20 mins. Max temp does not rise above 1000*F. No problem. Now if something like Sack-Crete is used, it's full of little gravel rocks that may pop.


I too have seen rocks explode when I used and Oxy/Act rig to cut down a steel tube basketball goal at 1500*F +.



A newspaper with some oil on it or a starer cube is not going to put anybody's eye out.


I love you Man but that myth is BS. :thumb:
 
Enjoy your kettle

top vents open 100% and control temps with bottom vents. Never close the top vents unless you are ****ting down.
 
I’m with SD. For lower temp smokes using minion or snake method coal burns, you should make reference marks on the ring above the lower vent handle to easily tell when half or quarter open.
 
Toast said:
No disrespect meant but I'm so tired of hearing that gig about lighting a chimney on concrete here. I've seen entire threads devoted to it.



Here is the read deal. I do temps for a living and have for 40 years. It's not the concrete that explodes when lighting a fire on concrete. It's the gravel rocks mixed into the concrete. I use ONE Weber starter cube under a charcoal chimney. This is a paraffin cube that burns hot for approxi. 20 mins. Max temp does not rise above 1000*F. No problem. Now if something like Sack-Crete is used, it's full of little gravel rocks that may pop.


I too have seen rocks explode when I used and Oxy/Act rig to cut down a steel tube basketball goal at 1500*F +.



A newspaper with some oil on it or a starer cube is not going to put anybody's eye out.


I love you Man but that myth is BS. :thumb:
Click to expand...

Toast, you an experienced and learned man, but this is neither myth nor BS. This happened on my own side porch a few years back. I lit a chimney of KBB with newspaper starter, then walked up the street to visit my Mom for a bit. When I returned, the chimney was in the yard with smoldering coals strewn everywhere. I thought nosy dogs were the culprits, but I was wrong. The concrete blew up. This not uncured, either. My house was built in the late 50's.
 
Last edited:
Toast for cheap supermarket steaks that are not super thick I've been recommending dad's 7 minute steak method

Light off a charcoal chimney and dump it on one side of the kettle. Vents all WFO

Cook the steaks for 3 and a half minutes, give it a quarter rotation for even cooking and sear marks.

Flip steak and repeat repeat. This should give you rare. For more doneness slide to the cool side and cook lid on for 30-60 seconds for med rare, 1-2 minutes for medium or ruined....I'm mean medium well

DDZJ8xRh.jpg






 
LloydQ said:
Toast, you an experienced and learned man, but this is neither myth nor BS. This happened on my own side porch a few years back. I lit a chimney of KBB with newspaper starter, then walked up the street to visit my Mom for a bit. When I returned, the chimney was in the yard with smoldering coals strewn everywhere. I thought nosy dogs were the culprits, but I was wrong. The concrete blew up. This not uncured, either. My house was built in the late 50's.
Click to expand...


I get what you are saying but it looks like alot of gravel/rock was used in that mixture regardless of the year it was poured. Rocks are cheaper than cement depending on what part of the country you live in.


I am going to stick by this one because I've seen it happen first hand. My patio is almost full concrete without any full rocks or substrate. And I'm not saying don't worry about it, I'm just saying it's not the same for all. I've started maybe 100 chimneys of coal in the same spot for years with no problem. I certainly see your point though.


689fm0.jpg
 
Just curious, why don't you remove the cooking grate, set it aside, and start the chimney on the charcoal grate inside the kettle? I have been grilling on a OTG or Performer for 15 years and have always started the chimney (I also use the cubes) on the grate. Seriously, just wondering if maybe I shouldn't be doing that.
 
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