how much lump charcoal to use in weber kettle
But keep your hand going on top of the grate to make sure its not too hot. The cooking temperatures are assessed once the coals are spread out and have mostly ashed over. I have a smoky Joe but see no reason to use more charcoal than necessary. Of course, the first choice you need to make when smoking a turkey is the kind of turkey you plan to use. Yep, I'm guessing the whites of his eyes had turned brown Like many others here, I use it or sometimes mix it. This method should give you an 8-12 hour burn. Place the lit coal into middle of the donut hole. BENEFIT: Lights quickly and produces aromatic smoke that Also, try to raise the bowl so its not sitting on the ground. Bags contain uneven pieces of charcoal that can make it hard to grill. Learn More. If you do the twitter thing let me know how it turns out (@grilling24x7) or post back here. The ThermoPro TP20 is an Amazon Best Seller because its the easiest thermometer to operate, is durable, highly accurate, and comes with pre-programmed meat settings. If you spread this 50% full chimney out over the whole grill area your heat will drop because the coals are more spread out. In fact, for lighting this arrangement, I would place about 1/2 the bag of coal on the cold grill with more of it stacked towards your high heat side (less towards your cool side), then light a full charcoal chimney and let it fully engulf. BUT and to me this is MOO i like the Bricketts better,and now use the new Kings Competion Bricketts.The lump gets hotter but doesn't last long as the Bricketts. Well run through the differences between each fuel source. How to add more charcoal. Example today ribeyes on the 20 inch grill and mashed potatoes, shrimp and Texas toast on 18 inch. They are a quick-and-easy side dish, and can be smoked so many ways. If the temp is not stabilized you will not be able to target a new temp accurately (see the home page for info on how I get the kettle to stabilize at a targeted temp). I hope that you will find useful information to help you choose wisely. However, coming in, Theres no great accomplishment in barbecue than smoking a whole brisket. Charcoal How many briquettes can I put in my Chimney Starter? That's a total of 20,000 BTU, which, if spread out over an entire 20-inch Weber kettle grill, is only about 64 BTU/square inch. Behold! In the end, choosing your charcoal fuel source is really a matter of preference. Thanks for this useful & informative article. Look for a type of wood that you like (for example, mesquite, oak, or a combination) and choose bags filled with big lumps, about the size of your fist, that clearly show real wood grain. The Weber kettle is often the grill of choice when utilizing the snake method. Once you have a good foundation for your cook, you shouldnt need to add any more charcoals. Then he makes a crater in the middle and pours hot coals into the crater. Thanks in advance! Search Brinkman Mods on forums, Reddit and YouTube and you will find dozens of ideas. When to Use Charcoal Baskets, and When to Skip Them Get BBQ guides, recipes, and our free digital cookbook sent straight to your inbox. How Much Charcoal Should You Use? - Smoked BBQ Source How much charcoal do you think I will need to maintain this configuration for about an hour? Pour out your hot coals on one side or use a spatula or tongs to carefully move all the coals to cover half of the lower grill grate. Around 10-12 briquettes need to suffice to barbecue some hamburgers and hotdogs no problem. When using the Weber Performer (which has the small propane ignition feature to light charcoal) I fill my chimney either , , or totally full depending on the application. For instance, Kingsford, the largest producer of charcoal in the U.S., rarely talk about what their briquettes include. This page contains ads and links that earn commissions for TVWBB.The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. These numbers and times are an estimate only, because there are so many variables at play such as wind, vent adjustments and the quality of the kettle grill. Pour in 3/4 of a 7.7 lbs bag of unlit briquettes into your smoker. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Its also important for us to be on the same page with methodology. Using the Vents to Control Temperature on Charcoal and Wood Burning JavaScript is disabled. The Minion Method is simply a pile of unlit charcoal with a hole in the middle. Ive watched dozens of Harrys cooks, and he has several methods and recipes, but he always uses his donut method when laying out coal. Then using tongs or something metal to move coal, slowly spread out the lit coal to let the rest of it catch. 4. You are using an out of date browser. Smoked Honey Old Bay Wings-Pellet Grill Recipe, Candied Barbecue Chicken Drumstick Lollipops, Low heat (think tender white fish, or for using the coals to light a smoker) fill the chimney 25% full, Medium heat (burgers, bratsetc.) Generally, this is a difficult thing to grill correctly. Count how many seconds you can hold your hand over the coals before you are in pain. If you open the vents all the way, more oxygen will flow through the fire and burn the charcoal much faster. Here is the Minion Method all Broken Down for You: 1. There are a few steps that you have to take to keep your temperature consistent. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Uncover The Secrets Of Weber: What Type Of Charcoal Do Weber Grills Use The Minion method involves piling your charcoal into the Weber Kettle, but leaving a gap in the middle, almost like a crater. These methods involve pouring a small amount of lit charcoal into the middle crater of a pile of unlit charcoal. Using the bottom grate (charcoal grate), place 2 lighter cubes under the chimney starter and light them. You can go ahead and leave a comment to add any important information you think I may have left out. The guy is full of crap. My favorite charcoal is Royal Oak lump. However, these amounts/settings will get you in the ball park then you can experiment and see what works best for your kettle grill. Truth be told, there are many charcoal brands out there in the market but choosing the best brand can sometimes be confusing. It also contains no fillers or additives which makes it one of the cleanest ways to barbecue. Carol. The minus is that while caste iron it is ceramic coated. Yes he is full of "it". Well the cost of a good, Charcoal smokers have developed a bit of a reputation, perhaps unfairly so, for being a challenging type of smoker to use successfully. Having to constantly throw lump on prolongs your cook and fumigates your meat with more carbon monoxide. *. 18 inch Smokey Joe and 20 Weber. It also takes a bit more effort to cook with the, But that shouldnt discourage you from using briquettes so long as you stock up on a reputable brand like Kingsford. A very simplistic way to discuss how much charcoal to add is based on how much you fill the charcoal chimney. The type of smoker can impact the amount of charcoal needed. Are you sure you want to remove the following product from the cart. I will be hosting a family reunion of approximately 100 people. Meathead goes on to point out that claims of chemicals affecting the taste of your food are overblown. Traeger Pro 34 - In-Depth Review And Comparison. This way once the temp stabilizes I can fine tune using the top vent. Then place the water pan in the middle of the semicircle of your snake and close the lid. While they dont produce quite as much heat as lump charcoal or hardwood charcoal, these briquettes do very well at holding a steady temperature. The type of charcoal used can also affect the amount needed. However, be aware that not all lump charcoal is the same. Step 3. Mixing charcoal - lump and briquette? - Smoking Meat Forums In this no coal area (if its windy or cool out) you could always put about 5-10 lit coals spaced out just for some light heat. You'll require more charcoal on cold, windy or rainy days. No harm in starting with whatever and yes, add a few small chunks of wood. This is one of the most advanced meat thermometers on the market. One thing that can make a big difference in flavor is how much you use. In general, a charcoal smoker will use approximately 80-100 briquettes when using the Snake Method, 3/4 of a 7.7 lbs bag of briquettes if using the Minion Method, and a full 15.4 lbs bag of briquettes in a large Weber Smokey Mountain. In many cases the smokiness emanates from one kind of wood only, such as mesquite or oak. The logs are lit at one end of the pile and the wood smolders for a few days. It comes with a circular cooking grate with a monster 452 square inches of grilling . Use a match to light it. Using the bottom grate (charcoal grate), place 2 lighter cubes under the chimney starter and light them. The modified Minion Method involves adding lit briquettes to the center of the smoker as needed to maintain temperature. Lump charcoal also responds accordingly to oxygen, hence you can easily control the level of heat if your grill features adjustable air vents. Roughly speaking, the above percentages will work out well for you if you follow this rule. Its intense heat can sear food in seconds, browning the surface and scenting it with pure wood smoke aromas. Light the bigger pieces or light quarter of a chimney and place it on top. Sign up to receive new product news, exclusive offers, grilling tips & recipes, and more from Weber and its affiliates / subsidiaries! TemperatureLit CoalCharcoalbriquettesCookingTimeTopVentBottomVent225-250F6-7906 hours1/8 to 1/4 open1/8 to 1/4 open225-250F6-712012 hours1/8 to 1/4 open1/8 to 1/4 open275F35702-3 hours1/2 open1/2 open325F45702-3 hours1/2 open1/2 open350F65952-3 hours1/2 open1/2-3/4 open400F751152 hours1/2 to 3/4 openCompletelyopen. Top #10 Best Lump Charcoal For Weber Kettle in January 2023 Grilling over a lump charcoal fire is a dynamic experience. Here is what experts had to say against using lump charcoal. Coal produces around 10,000 BTU per pound, and I'll typically burn around two pounds of coal for a short cooking session. Less oxygen means lower overall temperature therefore prolonged burn time. Note: The setup for this cook is different than the rest because its a much longer cook. You can roughly approximate the temperature by how many seconds you can hold your hand over the coals. The Snake Method is also a great opportunity to use charcoal starter sticks. So thats my 2 cents worth lol. So to begin answering the question of how much charcoal to add we need to establish a few basics: The easiest and cheapest way to light your chimney is to ball up some newspaper and drizzle a few drops of cooking oil on it. 2023 All Rights Reserved | Smoked BBQ Source. A well-insulated smoker like the Weber Smokey Mountain, a kamado or a drum smoker can keep the heat locked inside, and therefore use less coal.