el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
Im getting my smoked meats closer and closer to the coals and wanted to know if anyone on here has ever smoked on a kettle direct over the coals.
Is it doable?
Is it doable?
has anyone smoked direct on a kettle?
- Thread starter el luchador
- Start date
BKING!
is Blowin Smoke!
Of course it is doable. However, as you already know I’m sure, there will be tons of radiant heat on the underside of the meat which will necessitate frequent flipping in a rotesserie fashion. I “smoke” steaks all the time when grilling them with mesquite wood. I’d maybe invest in a rotesserie for larger meats if you want that intense radiant heat.
andre2955
Knows what a fatty is.
I have done this on Weber, but it doesn't work too well with large meats like brisket or pork butt. You'll dry out a big part of the meat. I use a water pan in weber with an indirect heat set up. I even started making a thin "wall" or "curtain" with foil to keep coals from directly cooking brisket. This worked pretty. Biggest challenge is keeping fuel available and heat low in kettle.
BKING!
is Blowin Smoke!
I will also add that you should probably wrap the large cuts once the bark sets (this would come sooner than normal) and never ever put sugar in the rub. Raised direct will always be better and easier for larger cuts. Too me, all the work to try to make lowered direct work would be a headache.
el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
thanks guys.
Are all these downsides because the temp at the grate is higher?
ie, what if I was able to cook direct and still achieve 250° grate temp?
Are all these downsides because the temp at the grate is higher?
ie, what if I was able to cook direct and still achieve 250° grate temp?
BKING!
is Blowin Smoke!
No because there is a difference between 250 deg conduction, radiant, and convection heat. The extreme example would be sticking your hand into a 400 deg oven(convection) vs touching the inner walls of a 400 deg Oven (conduction). One is harmless and the other will cause severe harm. Radiant heat is somewhere between conduction and convection in intensity. You cook wilth all three forms of heat at the same time but each contributes differently depending on the scenario. In a uds, the grill grates would be a form of conduction and the heat from the coals beneath would be radiant, and the air circulating around would be convection. The closer you get to the coals the more radiant and conduction heat you will receive (convection doesn’t increase). If you had a diverter in place the heat would be mainly convection and the radiant heat would be absorbed mostly by the diverter.
el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
But but but
If you are limiting the air flow doesn't that also limit the radiant heat bring produced?
BKING!
is Blowin Smoke!
Yes I’d still use a rotesserie over the charcoal though if you are that close or flip frequently. It would work alright in that scenario. Or just use a drum
That sounds like grilling to me.
BKING!
is Blowin Smoke!
You know what you need el luchador? A Santa Maria Grill. They’re not too bad expensive and I believe it would be up your alley since I know you like the simplicity of a drum. You can actually buy a gabby’s Grill attachment for a kettle and save more money.
el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
Yes I’d still use a rotesserie over the charcoal though if you are that close or flip frequently. It would work alright in that scenario. Or just use a drum
lol. I like my drum but now my fire is 12" below the meat. If I can get it to about 7" below on a kettle, and have it work, then I wouldn't need two cookers. Just one. and the kettle would be easier to maintain since it is smaller overall.
hmm. I'll have to try grilling at 250 degrees sometime.
"If you are limiting the air flow doesn't that also limit the radiant heat bring produced?"
The radiant heat is a function of the temperature of the source (coals) and the inverse square of the distance from the source. Since the (intake) air flow effects the coal temperature you are not wrong.
Physics is a bitch. Sometimes friendly, sometimes mean, but always a bitch.
The radiant heat is a function of the temperature of the source (coals) and the inverse square of the distance from the source. Since the (intake) air flow effects the coal temperature you are not wrong.
Physics is a bitch. Sometimes friendly, sometimes mean, but always a bitch.
BKING!
is Blowin Smoke!
Pig_Farmer
is Blowin Smoke!
El Luchador, it seems to me that you keep thinning out your outdoor cooking arsenal. Pretty soon you will be asking how you can get that great smokey flavor in the oven.:heh:
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2014
- Location
- Detroit...
A kettle needs a riser to be a good raised direct cooker. Heats too close. Kamado styles too this well.
You could cut a raiser from your drum.
You could cut a raiser from your drum.
I'll bite. Why do you want to smoke with direct heat applied to the meat in close proximity to the heat source (ie, grilling)? There are lots of way to smoke in a kettle without using direct heat. Will your UDS be angry that you are cheating on it with a kettle?
el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
I was thinking of raising the cooking grate 2 or so inches and dropping the charcoal grate about an inch.
el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
Because if it's possible then you have a fully built cooker that can cook direct over the coals (imo the best flavor) for $100 and requires no work on your part
bam
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2008
- Location
- Philly, PA
Put meat on one side and charcoal on the other side.
