Question for OTG Kettle folks...

Happy Hapgood · 07-15-2018, 05:17 PM

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.

Lighter-Fluid · 07-15-2018, 05:32 PM

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)

70monte · 07-15-2018, 05:32 PM

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.

dadsr4 · 07-15-2018, 05:44 PM

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.

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.

Happy Hapgood · 07-15-2018, 05:48 PM

Thanks everyone!

Burnt at Both Endz · 07-15-2018, 05:49 PM

Lump will be hotter!

Happy Hapgood · 07-15-2018, 06:06 PM

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.

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

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

Thanks again everyone!

bucko · 07-15-2018, 07:08 PM

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

Happy Hapgood · 07-15-2018, 07:13 PM

Takeaways from this cook...

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

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!

Thanks again for everyone's help. That's what makes this the best site on the net!

dadsr4 · 07-15-2018, 07:41 PM

Imagine how easy it will be after 38 years.

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.

ironmanerik · 07-15-2018, 08:08 PM

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

kevinstaggs · 07-15-2018, 09:11 PM

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

Happy Hapgood · 07-15-2018, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmanerik

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

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.

Smoke Dawg · 07-15-2018, 10:14 PM

Enjoy your kettle

top vents open 100% and control temps with bottom vents. Never close the top vents unless you are ****ting down.

SlickRockStones · 07-15-2018, 10:34 PM

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.

07-15-2018, 05:17 PM	#1
Happy Hapgood somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Name/Nickname : Mike	Question for OTG Kettle folks... 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. __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM, Weber GA, Weber Spirit E-310, Weber 22" OTG Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Ink Bird IBBQ 4T Wi-Fi Temp Monitor, Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen & ThermaPop, Party Q Ink Bird Sous Vide, HF Flame Thower My Motto these days is "Low Stress, Low Drag". The Artist Formally Known as Toast

07-15-2018, 05:32 PM	#2
Lighter-Fluid is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-26-14 Location: Sycamore, GA Name/Nickname : Bill	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) __________________ Bill, BBQer since birth!
	1 members found this post helpful.

07-15-2018, 05:32 PM	#3
70monte is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-29-17 Location: Aurora, Mo	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. __________________ Good One Marshall, Open Range, HB 357 Pro, HB Legacy, M1, Weber Performer, PBC & PBJ. PK360.
	1 members found this post helpful.

07-15-2018, 05:44 PM	#4
dadsr4 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 02-08-10 Location: Howell, MI	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. 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. __________________ Two Weber daisy wheel kettles A: 1979 P: 1993, and an unused ECB
	1 members found this post helpful.

07-15-2018, 05:48 PM	#5
Happy Hapgood somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Name/Nickname : Mike	Thanks everyone! __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM, Weber GA, Weber Spirit E-310, Weber 22" OTG Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Ink Bird IBBQ 4T Wi-Fi Temp Monitor, Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen & ThermaPop, Party Q Ink Bird Sous Vide, HF Flame Thower My Motto these days is "Low Stress, Low Drag". The Artist Formally Known as Toast

07-15-2018, 05:49 PM	#6
Burnt at Both Endz Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-14-13 Location: freeman,mo Name/Nickname : Calvin	Lump will be hotter!

07-15-2018, 06:06 PM	#7
Happy Hapgood somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Name/Nickname : Mike	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. Got another almost full chimney of coal out of the WSM after a recent rib cook over the 4th. Plan to do them with an 80/20 coal spread like Dads recommended. Will post more pic's later. Thanks again everyone! __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM, Weber GA, Weber Spirit E-310, Weber 22" OTG Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Ink Bird IBBQ 4T Wi-Fi Temp Monitor, Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen & ThermaPop, Party Q Ink Bird Sous Vide, HF Flame Thower My Motto these days is "Low Stress, Low Drag". The Artist Formally Known as Toast

07-15-2018, 07:08 PM	#8
bucko is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-09-16 Location: Ohio	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

07-15-2018, 07:13 PM	#9
Happy Hapgood somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Name/Nickname : Mike	Takeaways from this cook... Once you get an idea of how this rig works, it's very friendly. Only about my 3rd try. 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! Thanks again for everyone's help. That's what makes this the best site on the net! __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM, Weber GA, Weber Spirit E-310, Weber 22" OTG Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Ink Bird IBBQ 4T Wi-Fi Temp Monitor, Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen & ThermaPop, Party Q Ink Bird Sous Vide, HF Flame Thower My Motto these days is "Low Stress, Low Drag". The Artist Formally Known as Toast

07-15-2018, 07:41 PM	#10
dadsr4 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 02-08-10 Location: Howell, MI	Imagine how easy it will be after 38 years. 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. __________________ Two Weber daisy wheel kettles A: 1979 P: 1993, and an unused ECB

07-15-2018, 08:08 PM	#11
ironmanerik is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-19-13 Location: melbourne fl, adirondack native	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 __________________ [FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][COLOR=green]Smoke Shack, Lang 48 patio, weber 26, weber chimney, thermoworks rt600c, mav et-732[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

07-15-2018, 09:11 PM	#12
kevinstaggs Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-16-17 Location: Davis, OK Name/Nickname : Kevin	Question for OTG Kettle folks... 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 __________________ “We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others.”― John Wesley Dad of 3, Husband of 1, Sooners fan, Hopeless golfer, Pretty good hunter and fisherman MAK 2 Star, Custom Stickburner, WSM 22, Weber 26, Camp Chef flattop

07-15-2018, 10:14 PM	#14
Smoke Dawg Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-22-13 Location: Montana Name/Nickname : IMF	Enjoy your kettle top vents open 100% and control temps with bottom vents. Never close the top vents unless you are ****ting down. __________________ A bunch of stuff to build a Fire so I can hang out and Smoke, Grill, or cook with! More stuff for Cutting, Grinding, Stuffing, Canning and so on! Double down Zero Club Champion Only Brethren to win a TD with all the votes! IMBAS Certified Moink Baller

07-15-2018, 10:34 PM	#15
SlickRockStones Take a breath! Join Date: 10-19-17 Location: Knoxville,Tn. Name/Nickname : Gary	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.