Gentlemen...start...your ...Webers

[ModelMaker]

OK I'll admit being a relative neewb to Weberism, I'm not sue I'm starting the most bestest way.
I have a Performer platinum with the two little half baskets. My cook method is to light a 2/3 full of the baskets side X side for 10 - 15 min. until it's looking like it's hot and ready to spread. My goal is to spread the baskets to each side and place the steaks etc. in the middle of the grate until around 130-35
and then move over the coals to sear for a couple mins.
So my question is this, while running the gas starter, lid open or closed. Vents full open in bottom? Then shut off gas and wait till fire is ready. While waiting do you close the lid and run full open vents top & bottom or just leave the lid open while it's reaching full hot?
To keep temps lower I set bottom vent about 1/8" open and full open top vent. Will closing the top vent down to 1/2 or less reduce heat level without chocking the fire or causing crappy smoke inside?
Any long time Weber cook hints will be read with enthusiasm.
Ed

[food4thot]

Leave all the vents wide open. Fill a charcoal chimney and put that over the gas burner. You can turn the gas off after 5 minutes. The rest of the coals should be ready in about 10 minutes after which you can dump them in the center for steaks. Add more lump as needed. Leave the outside basket areas as your indirect spots.

Steaks are done perfectly medium rare at 120-125 before resting so your reverse sear should start when they are at about 110

[landarc]

On any gas grill, keep the lid closed and all vents open and unblocked when lighting. Otherwise you can create problems.

[1buckie]

Usually best to cook with the top vent all open, but in some setups, you can pinch it down a bit......

I don't have the gas start, but have seen a bunch of discussion on this......best I recall, set baskets together over the burner, leave lid open until it gets going pretty good (might be a little different depending on what you're cooking, like a longer cook, start in before all of them are completely lit & starting to ash up & reduce)

Once you're close to where you want to be for lighting, close the lid to heat the general area & the lid / bowl a little better.....

If you're cooking basically higher heat, yes, leave the bottom vents wide......you can pinch them a little if it seems you're too hot, maybe right when you close the lid to heat up.....
That way it starts to stabilize right then.....

They'll probably be some PerformerHeads show up here with some more fine-tuned insight.....I'm also kind of going by what i would do with a normal free-standing kettle to mimic that type of startup...........

[smoke ninja]

Ditch the baskets, the dont work so well. For most cookin on a kettle i use a divider (bricks) searing on one side indirect cooking on the other. You can also pile coals inthe middle and use outer edges as a safe zone. Kettles are so versatile.

[Tiger862]

Ditch the baskets, the dont work so well. For most cookin on a kettle i use a divider (bricks) searing on one side indirect cooking on the other. You can also pile coals inthe middle and use outer edges as a safe zone. Kettles are so versatile.

+1 I have found the baskets seem to choke the coals. I put glowing red coals in 1 basket for ribs and within 1.5 fire is almost out. I add coals at 1 hr. mark but seems to choke it down as when temp is down I look and have plenty of coals with not much flame. Empty basket on grate with lid off half way so it gets started. No more problems after that. Close lid and continue cooking at 250 for rest of cook almost 3 hrs later. Vents are open top and bottom.

[siMON STERn]

This is how I do it.

Fill both baskets, mounded in middle, with KBB. Ignite gas starter position under both baskets. Bottom vents wide open. Lid off.

Once it produces smoke, the coals are lit and gas can be shut off. Coals should burn white in about 20 minutes. Spread the coals evenly in baskets.

For two zone cooking, but both baskets on one side. For three zone(two hot, one not) spread baskets apart to both sides with drip pan in between. For more consentraited heat, put both baskets together in center. For quick grilling leave bottom and top vents wide open.

For longer cooks, adjust bottom vents. I always leave top vent wide open, except to shut down coals after cook.

For smoking more than a couple hours, I'll use the fuse/snake method. Light coals in basket and pour them at the lead of the snake. 2x2 half round will go for five hours or so.

SS

[2dumb2kwit]

It looks like your questions were answered, but i just have to add this.......Look up "snake method" (which has been mentioned.) and also look up caveman steaks. I think you will be glad you did.:yo:

[Zin]

Modelmaker, if you are going to reverse sear steaks let steaks cool down before searing...after the steaks reach your desired internal temp set steaks aside and let steaks cool down before searing.