Kettle Questions

[raynchk]

I've got a Hunsaker drum and a Weber Genesis II gasser (eerm.. and a PBJ and Smokey Joe).

The Hunsaker is a great pit, but it's not good for searing. The gasser doesn't sear as well as I would like, it's convenient though.

I'm thinking of adding a kettle just for searing stuff and maybe for doing 1 rack of ribs or a small brisket or chicken thighs. Mostly for searing tho as the Hunsaker works well for smoking. It's just a pain in the a** to clean. I've had a weber kettle before and with the charcoal baskets it was good for steaks and beer can chicken and thighs.

Recently I came across the SnS kettle deluxe and I'm really tempted. I think it would sear well and be easy to clean.

What do you guys think? Am I missing something obvious here?

 

[Aegis]

Most often, I’m cooking for two these days and would not be without a kettle. The 22” Weber is perfect for a rack of ribs or a whole chicken with the coals banked via an SNS or the Weber baskets.

 

[thirdeye]

I have an SNS Deluxe but have only been cooking on it for about a month. I have the charcoal basket with the removable water reservoir. I plan on doing a full review in the coming months after more cooks. So far I only done about 15 cooks. I just don't get in a rush on product reviews.

I can tell you my first observations are that SNS solves some of the issues folks have with a Weber kettle and improved them. The most noticeable is the thermometer is on the same side of the lid as the vent, so when you position your vent above the meat.... you measure temps in that area instead of 180° from that area.

The temperature control, especially in the 225° to 275° range using the SNS basket is almost too good to believe. I can easily dial in 250° pit temp and it will stay there as long as I want it. At 200° I close the bottom vent, choke the lid vent, then open the 'smoke hole'. Using the smoke hole and lid vent I can pick any temp I want.

 

[Smoke on Badger Mountain]

The answer to most of life's questions is to buy a Weber Kettle.

 

[raynchk]

Well, after hours and hours of searching through posts, reviews, etc., I decided to buy a set of grill grates for the weber gasser :grin:. I'll try them and see if it boosts temp enough for a good sear, but I see and S&S Kettle in my future..

 

[mike243]

Been told go 26" or stay home lol , have had a performer with gas assist for 10-11 years , it will be the last grill/cooker to leave my home

 

[ssv3]

26" kettle with SnS brother. Done and Done!

 

[kevinstaggs]

Impossible to go wrong with a 26er.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Dweverett]

When you decide to get one, if you think the 22” is the right size then the S&S is a nice upgrade over the original kettle. The extra room on the 26” is really nice though so my recommendation would be that and a slow and sear insert if you can afford it.

 

[Sid Post]

Weber Kettles are nice. The PK Grill is worth consideration as well if you are looking at kettles.

I have the 26" Kettle so, the little PK Grill is in my sights! :grin:

 

[Curt.P]

I bought a M-Grills C4 just for searing.

 

[1MoreFord]

You could get some Grill Grates for your gasser.

 

[raynchk]

Joe, I took your advice and ordered a set of grill grates. I'm curious to see if they boost the temp. I think they're a good addition for the gasser. That said I think the SnS kettle is looming in the future. I did run across a primo lg 300 on FB marketplace. SS cart, cast divider, OEM cover and accessories for $600. Gave it some serious thought and then decided I didn't want to do another ceramic. Somehow the kettle is more appealing.

 

[Fishwater2002]

Joe, I took your advice and ordered a set of grill grates. I'm curious to see if they boost the temp. I think they're a good addition for the gasser. That said I think the SnS kettle is looming in the future. I did run across a primo lg 300 on FB marketplace. SS cart, cast divider, OEM cover and accessories for $600. Gave it some serious thought and then decided I didn't want to do another ceramic. Somehow the kettle is more appealing.

How about something totally different, the Weber Summit E6 Kamado. Someone suggested it to to me in recent search for a new cooker, I skipped their advice & purchased something else but couldn’t stop thinking about the Summit. Did a ton of research, watched a bunch of videos & now I own one. I wish I would have skipped the other cooker & bought the Summit first.

Does everything that a kettle does, does everything a Kamado does but with Weber quality so no cracked fire box to worry about, crazed ceramics, heavy weight or worry of moving & tipping over. It’s 24” in diameter, has multiple charcoal grate levels, responds almost instantly to temp adjustments, miserly on charcoal & is cooled down so I can cover it in a little less than an hour. Love mine like everyone else that owns one.

 

[raynchk]

<<does everything a Kamado does but with Weber quality so no cracked fire box to worry about, crazed ceramics, heavy weight or worry of moving & tipping over. It’s 24” in diameter, has multiple charcoal grate levels, responds almost instantly to temp adjustments, miserly on charcoal & is cooled down so I can cover it in a little less than an hour>>

Yeah, I was looking at the Weber kamado. It looks good and you're right about all the pluses. It isn't calling me, though.

I'm not sure what it is, but the idea of a heavy ceramic just doesn't do it for me, either. I had one a few years ago and used it alot -- thought it put out some good food. But now, for some reason I've got it in my head that there's not enough air moving through the chamber to give it a clean smoke taste. I'm probably full of sh*t -- maybe watched to many Mad Scientist videos on YouTube with his stick burner. No desire for a stick burner either, seems like too much work.

 

[Fishwater2002]

<<does everything a Kamado does but with Weber quality so no cracked fire box to worry about, crazed ceramics, heavy weight or worry of moving & tipping over. It’s 24” in diameter, has multiple charcoal grate levels, responds almost instantly to temp adjustments, miserly on charcoal & is cooled down so I can cover it in a little less than an hour>>

Yeah, I was looking at the Weber kamado. It looks good and you're right about all the pluses. It isn't calling me, though.

I'm not sure what it is, but the idea of a heavy ceramic just doesn't do it for me, either. I had one a few years ago and used it alot -- thought it put out some good food. But now, for some reason I've got it in my head that there's not enough air moving through the chamber to give it a clean smoke taste. I'm probably full of sh*t -- maybe watched to many Mad Scientist videos on YouTube with his stick burner. No desire for a stick burner either, seems like too much work.

I felt the same, it wasn’t calling me until I watched a few videos. I also felt the same way & worried about the dirty smoke but unlike an insulated Kamado you don’t need to run a low smoldering fire, you can run it like a glorified kettle using the Minion method or even a SnS, it’s really just a bad ass kettle on steroids. The video below shows the inside really well & sold me on the flexibility of the Summit.

https://youtu.be/2q4x88UnlAc

 

[raynchk]

It's a good video and Kelsey definitely has the brisket process down. I'm still mastering the Hunsaker and tho I doubt I'll ever go to bed and not monitor it, it can do great with the smoking aspect.


Lately, steak is my favorite. Buddy of mine talked me into a Cinder grill, electric that will bring meat to temp, hold it until ready, then give it a good sear. It worked, but like sous vide, I think it takes the fun out of cooking. I ended up giving it to his dad. I'm looking more now at 2 zone steak cooking, low and slow to temp, that searing hot for the crust. I'm even liking thinner steaks now and to get a good crust on a 1/2" steak you need a HOT fire


How does the Summit do on 2 zone cooks? I imagine it would work the same as a kettle and either use the baskets closer to the grate or just bank the coals on the side.

 

[Fishwater2002]

How does the Summit do on 2 zone cooks? I imagine it would work the same as a kettle and either use the baskets closer to the grate or just bank the coals on the side.

Yes, it's just like a kettle in that regard except when the charcoal grate is in the upper position it places the baskets directly under the cooking grate for an even better sear plus I've already brought mine well over 600 degrees which is something I was never able to do with my kettles. The distance between the charcoal grate in the upper position & the cooking grate is less than a kettle, the SnS won't fit without lifting the cooking grate, they had a low profile SnS that's been discontinued. What all this means IMO is that the SnS is completely un necessary (even though I own 2 of them) with the Summit since using the basic baskets that Weber provides places the coals directly under the meat you want to sear. I just did marinated steak tips this week & got a great sear with the fire on the bottom grate running around 650, I was worried if I moved the charcoal grate up it would have burnt the protein. Next time I will try charcoal grate in the upper position with baskets on either side, cook them indirect for a little then sear them over the baskets. Again, the Summit has more versatility than any other cooker that I've owned.

 

[Fishwater2002]

Harry Soo does a low & slow cook as well as an indirect hot & fast cook that shows the process better than I explained....

https://youtu.be/ANO6Anc9XwQ

https://youtu.be/FVrikWhJIYA

 

[raynchk]

Looks good!



One thing from the video Kelsey talked about.. was using briquets rather than lump. I've been using lump forever, she said the briquets were better for low and slow and lump for hot sear. Might have to try some hardwood briquets one of these days.



Funny, it seems whenever I take something as 'gospel' in bbq/smoke it eventually changes. I remember the old days when nobody cooked over 250 for ribs or brisket.