SmittyJonz
somebody shut me the fark up.
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2013
- Location
- Burleson Tx
Lighter Fluid
THE BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS
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peeps
somebody shut me the fark up.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2013
- Location
- Round Rock, TX
Another vote for Craycort grates and a thermometer.
tb80
Take a breath!
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2012
- Location
- San Antonio tx
No need. Just use Match Light charcoal.
Carbon
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2008
- Location
- Los Angeles
I also vote for 2 bricks, fire or clay.
First, I would buy the OTG. It comes with the hinged cooking grate as well as a pot to catch the charcoal ashes. That makes it much easier to clean out ashes and less messy.
I recently bought my OTG and after using it quite a bit I see the need for a side table. I plan to use fire bricks for banking and smoking but I've smoked and cooked indirectly a few times by just banking coals without anything holding them.
You may find use in the coal baskets but I think you can fab something better and cheaper which is what I plan to do. I've seen folks here make a ring out of expanded metal that you can pile coals in the center for searing or around the outside of the ring forming a "snake ring" for long smokes (say 8-12 hrs).
I wouldn't get a wire brush to clean your cooking grates with. Those send too many people to the hospital when they accidentally eat one of the bristles that usually fall out. Just use crumpled heavy duty aluminum foil.
Just my opinions....Hope this was helpful
I recently bought my OTG and after using it quite a bit I see the need for a side table. I plan to use fire bricks for banking and smoking but I've smoked and cooked indirectly a few times by just banking coals without anything holding them.
You may find use in the coal baskets but I think you can fab something better and cheaper which is what I plan to do. I've seen folks here make a ring out of expanded metal that you can pile coals in the center for searing or around the outside of the ring forming a "snake ring" for long smokes (say 8-12 hrs).
I wouldn't get a wire brush to clean your cooking grates with. Those send too many people to the hospital when they accidentally eat one of the bristles that usually fall out. Just use crumpled heavy duty aluminum foil.
Just my opinions....Hope this was helpful
1buckie
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Sacramento CA
The "MacGyver Upper Deck Smoking Rack"
.....utilizes flip grate & small dimension firebrick to hold it in place.....
I milk this for all it's worth.......
People make up these kind of things out of an 18" grate or by carving up an old 22" (photos from some of my Weber Kettle Club buddies) :
Adjustable, too....
The MaGyver dealie has a flip up feature that comes in handy sometimes.................
just a chapo disposable beach grate, bent to fit..............
I haven't used baskets too much as I just started getting them with older decent shape kettles, but have found they concentrate the heat nicely for a few applications.....another thing I see people use them for is upside down on the cooking grate to elevate baking or pizza stones.............or firebrick.........
The baskets allow more airflow, but I can't find a pic of that.............
1buckie
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Sacramento CA
"Necessity is the MOTHER of Invention......"
~~~~> Angus MacGyver
~~~~> Angus MacGyver
clifford.hubbard
Got rid of the matchlight.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
- Location
- North East, MD
cajun stacker...
dadsr4
somebody shut me the fark up.
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
- Location
- Howell, MI
dadsr4
somebody shut me the fark up.
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
- Location
- Howell, MI
The chimney starter, hinged grates, and two fire bricks for most people.
1buckie
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Sacramento CA
Haven't found the need for a Cajun or Weber stacker, as turkeys go down in.........
that may change if a rotisserie pops up for cheap............
that may change if a rotisserie pops up for cheap............
Grimm5577
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2012
- Location
- Bucks County, PA
Side table, rotisserie ring, welders gloves.
Ag76
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2005
- Location
- Tyler, Texas
Thingfish
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- May 5, 2014
- Location
- Winter Park, FL
The link above to the hinged grate is dead. Here's a Home Depot link.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Weber-Plated-Steel-Hinged-Cooking-Grate-7436/100044914
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Weber-Plated-Steel-Hinged-Cooking-Grate-7436/100044914
Mikeinctown
Full Fledged Farker
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2013
- Location
- Strongsville, OH
Hinged grates are standard on the OTG but not on the silver. Once you see the two different ones side by side you will realize why people recommend them. they also have the appearance at least of providing a tad more cooking area because of how the handles are designed. (useful because food cannot fall as easily)
The charcoal baskets work great and Weber sometimes has deals where you can get free shipping. I paid $3.99 each when I bought mine last year. Needed 6 for the grills I have. they work nice because the ashes do not fall through as easily and everything stays where you put it.
Weber also now sells some charcoal grates with the removable center circle so you can cook on the grill or add a cast iron center for searing stakes. good idea if the price is right. Otherwise those craycort grates are nice.
personally, if I was buying a NEW grill vs just getting them of Craigslist like I do, I would spend the $$ and get the 26" grill.
The charcoal baskets work great and Weber sometimes has deals where you can get free shipping. I paid $3.99 each when I bought mine last year. Needed 6 for the grills I have. they work nice because the ashes do not fall through as easily and everything stays where you put it.
Weber also now sells some charcoal grates with the removable center circle so you can cook on the grill or add a cast iron center for searing stakes. good idea if the price is right. Otherwise those craycort grates are nice.
personally, if I was buying a NEW grill vs just getting them of Craigslist like I do, I would spend the $$ and get the 26" grill.
1buckie
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Sacramento CA
Get a good pair (or more than one) of tongs....preferably ones as long as your arm..........
I use these giant salad tongs & really like them.....will pick up 12# of meat (or vegetables), no problem.........
good for the "Bend Test"....................
I use these giant salad tongs & really like them.....will pick up 12# of meat (or vegetables), no problem.........
good for the "Bend Test"....................
CyberdineX
Knows what WELOCME spells.
- Joined
- May 27, 2014
- Location
- Oakville
Buckey +1 that is awesome.
For anyonw getting a kettle, you should get the GOLD, for nothing other then the proper ash catcher. Or get a cheap copycat but be sure it has an ash bucket of some type.
I have a cheap Terra Nova copycat, works great and has the ash bucket for $80 rather then 170 for the Weber OTG.
The Weber certanly has better air control and you can use the air control to help clean out some of the ash. If you arn't cheap like me you should get the Weber, but either way be sure you have the ash bucket. I did a few racks of beef ribs and when I was done saw a hot burning coal in the bucket, I would have been very upset if that had fallen on my deck...
Yesterday I did 8 racks of pork ribs in the kettle (fake smokanator style) i had the coal on the side with a wall to keep it contained. I had ribs on both the bottom grate and the top grate (with water over the fire side).
After the cook my ash bucket was full of water and oil. (FULL)
Becasue I was cooking on both levels I didn't have a drip pan and wow did it give off a lot of water. If I had a silver with that stupid little tray it would have been a disaster.
If you do get a silver be sure to get a pot or something to go on the tray and catch the ash or any drippings.
As for starting the fire I am a big believer in a chiminy. no match light, no starter fluid, no starter sticks. A chiminy with a piece of paper is all you need. I also use the chiminy with my gasser's side burner to stare the coals without the paper but I highly recomend staying away from pretrolium products to light your coals. (More important if you are smoking rather then grilling but still, that stuff is POISON)
If you get the Gold you get the grate with the foldup sides, if not buy one. Even a cheap o like me has spent the money on that. Access to the coals without removing the whole grill is great.
If you want to smoke (the kettle is great for low and slow cooking) the the smokanator is is highly recomended. You can certainly do low and slow without this but most people who have it and use it correctly speak very highly of it.
Also get you self a cheap pack of large and small disposable aluminum trays for drip trays and water pans.
You need a good thermometer - digital fast read. Instent read are great if you are willing to spend the money, but the fast read will do for most of us mortals. also remember that any thermomiter that comes with the grill is essentialy usless. you need a high quality oven thermometer that goes on the grill with the meat to tell you the temp the meat is cooking at. the top of the dome is not the same. I currently have a oven dial thermometer that goes on you grills, but I am saving for a good remote digital oven thermometer. You need at least those 2 thermometers.
As for Fuel, I personally recomend kingsford Bricquettes. I know a lot of people talk about the LUMP, but really charcoal is for heat, and briquettes give you consisten, even measured heat. When the LUMP crowd talks about better smoke from lump that is because some of the lump is not properly converted to charcoal, so when the bigger lumps burn you are actualy burring some wood. But I want to controll the wood, not hope that this bag of lump has the right amount of wood in the charcoal.
I go for consistency, then add the lumps of wood that I want.
Also some people will claim that lump burn hotter, this is misconseption that arised from more surface area. if you want heat you light mor charcoal. When you have a chiminy of lump, there are some big pieces and lots of small peices, this gives more surface area then you get with standard briquettes, so more heat untill the small pieces burn up, then less heat, and more work to keep everything consistent.
Others will point to less ash in lump, but for me the inconsistency is worse.
A Kettle is a great tool, and you can do so much.
Best of luck
For anyonw getting a kettle, you should get the GOLD, for nothing other then the proper ash catcher. Or get a cheap copycat but be sure it has an ash bucket of some type.
I have a cheap Terra Nova copycat, works great and has the ash bucket for $80 rather then 170 for the Weber OTG.
The Weber certanly has better air control and you can use the air control to help clean out some of the ash. If you arn't cheap like me you should get the Weber, but either way be sure you have the ash bucket. I did a few racks of beef ribs and when I was done saw a hot burning coal in the bucket, I would have been very upset if that had fallen on my deck...
Yesterday I did 8 racks of pork ribs in the kettle (fake smokanator style) i had the coal on the side with a wall to keep it contained. I had ribs on both the bottom grate and the top grate (with water over the fire side).
After the cook my ash bucket was full of water and oil. (FULL)
Becasue I was cooking on both levels I didn't have a drip pan and wow did it give off a lot of water. If I had a silver with that stupid little tray it would have been a disaster.
If you do get a silver be sure to get a pot or something to go on the tray and catch the ash or any drippings.
As for starting the fire I am a big believer in a chiminy. no match light, no starter fluid, no starter sticks. A chiminy with a piece of paper is all you need. I also use the chiminy with my gasser's side burner to stare the coals without the paper but I highly recomend staying away from pretrolium products to light your coals. (More important if you are smoking rather then grilling but still, that stuff is POISON)
If you get the Gold you get the grate with the foldup sides, if not buy one. Even a cheap o like me has spent the money on that. Access to the coals without removing the whole grill is great.
If you want to smoke (the kettle is great for low and slow cooking) the the smokanator is is highly recomended. You can certainly do low and slow without this but most people who have it and use it correctly speak very highly of it.
Also get you self a cheap pack of large and small disposable aluminum trays for drip trays and water pans.
You need a good thermometer - digital fast read. Instent read are great if you are willing to spend the money, but the fast read will do for most of us mortals. also remember that any thermomiter that comes with the grill is essentialy usless. you need a high quality oven thermometer that goes on the grill with the meat to tell you the temp the meat is cooking at. the top of the dome is not the same. I currently have a oven dial thermometer that goes on you grills, but I am saving for a good remote digital oven thermometer. You need at least those 2 thermometers.
As for Fuel, I personally recomend kingsford Bricquettes. I know a lot of people talk about the LUMP, but really charcoal is for heat, and briquettes give you consisten, even measured heat. When the LUMP crowd talks about better smoke from lump that is because some of the lump is not properly converted to charcoal, so when the bigger lumps burn you are actualy burring some wood. But I want to controll the wood, not hope that this bag of lump has the right amount of wood in the charcoal.
I go for consistency, then add the lumps of wood that I want.
Also some people will claim that lump burn hotter, this is misconseption that arised from more surface area. if you want heat you light mor charcoal. When you have a chiminy of lump, there are some big pieces and lots of small peices, this gives more surface area then you get with standard briquettes, so more heat untill the small pieces burn up, then less heat, and more work to keep everything consistent.
Others will point to less ash in lump, but for me the inconsistency is worse.
A Kettle is a great tool, and you can do so much.
Best of luck
Wickedcajun
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2014
- Location
- Charenton, La
I like the coal baskets, hinged grate, lid holder, prep table and the kettle pizza attachment... all work great for me
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