From the great white north!

[rbrtvarley]

Hey guys,

My name is Rob Varley and I'm from Alberta, Canada. I just became firefighter and work a 15 on 6 off schedule. I used to smoke with a friend back in Ontario and have missed it. I thought "Hey what a better way to spend my days off then gettin' my smoke on". I just bought a Weber Kettle 22.5". I like it so far as we used to smoke on a barrel charcoal grill and I always thought it was too hot. On the weekend i smoked up some ribs for some friends and me. 2 hours at 225(I think) 1 hour foil wrapped and a half hour back on the grill. They were really good and had a gorgeous smoke ring. I did this without a temperature gauge. I couldnt find one at our hardware store.

That bring me to the list of things I need and feel free to add things to help me out

Wireless gauge

Smokenator

Another steel grate for the coals, i find the one on the weber is too wide and i loose charcoals

I'd like to get a better steel grate for the top for searing meat and cooking meat on the top. Any advice? Maybe a weber accessory?

Any other items you think i would need to make my grill great? I'm looking to smoke bacon, brisket, maybe some pork shoulder etc.

Anyways its been about 7 years since I've been an active member of a forum. I hope i can have a great experience here!

Take care,

Rob

 

[Dutch]

Rob-glad to have you onboard with us here at SMF. As for trying to get a temp reading on ribs-don't worrry about it-there's not enough meat between the bones to get an accurate reading and if you go for the meat between the bones; the heat coming off the bones will give you a false reading. Most of us use the bend test or probe the meat with a tooth pick-if the tooth pick slides right in then you're god to go. The bend test is best used for full racks of ribs - check out this article to see how it's done: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/the-bend-test-for-ribs

As for getting a smokenator- check out Todd Johnsons Amazing Pellet Smoker; he is a forum member here as well as a Sponsor. I have one that I use and I love the Pitmaster blend of pellets.

Enjoy the Smoke!

 

[gary s]

[h3]

 Hello Rob, and welcome from East Texas. This is a great site, lots of information and great people that are willing to throw in their two cents worth on about anything.   [/h3][h3]  [/h3][h3]Gary[/h3]

 

[GaryHibbert]

Hey Rob

Welcome to the Smoking  forum.   You’ll find great , friendly people here, all more than willing to answer any question you may have.  Just ask and you’ll get about 10 different answers—all right.  LOL.   Don’t forget to post qviews.

Gary

 

[maple sticks]

 
Hey guys,

My name is Rob Varley and I'm from Alberta, Canada. I just became firefighter and work a 15 on 6 off schedule. I used to smoke with a friend back in Ontario and have missed it. I thought "Hey what a better way to spend my days off then gettin' my smoke on". I just bought a Weber Kettle 22.5". I like it so far as we used to smoke on a barrel charcoal grill and I always thought it was too hot. On the weekend i smoked up some ribs for some friends and me. 2 hours at 225(I think) 1 hour foil wrapped and a half hour back on the grill. They were really good and had a gorgeous smoke ring. I did this without a temperature gauge. I couldnt find one at our hardware store.

That bring me to the list of things I need and feel free to add things to help me out

Wireless gauge

Smokenator

Another steel grate for the coals, i find the one on the weber is too wide and i loose charcoals

I'd like to get a better steel grate for the top for searing meat and cooking meat on the top. Any advice? Maybe a weber accessory?

Any other items you think i would need to make my grill great? I'm looking to smoke bacon, brisket, maybe some pork shoulder etc.

Anyways its been about 7 years since I've been an active member of a forum. I hope i can have a great experience here!

Take care,

Rob

Welcome Rob, You wouldn't find a better bunch than here. We may not always be right but we always have an opinion. 

I use a Weber most of the time. The wireless gauge I think you should look at is a Maverick Et 732. I'm sure they are available from one of the sponsors of this site which helps keeps it running. 

Next on your list is a Smokenator. I have one and never use it. Instead I use a piece of expanded metal bent up 2 in. along one side with the opposite side corners bent up allowing it to sit along the side of the bowl. This is so you can drop charcoal and wood chunks through the hinged access on the grate and drop them onto the expanded. Keeps charcoal on 1/3 of the kettle.

Your next concern was just taken care of with the expanded metal. I had the same problem especially with lump.

IMG_0835.JPG

• maple sticks
• Mar 19, 2014

Weber sells a stainless cooking grate on their web site, its not cheap. Other than that its something like this which is also not cheap.


Good Luck and welcome.

 

[rbrtvarley]

wow thanks guys for all the quick responses! I finally found some time to hit the forum while I'm at this camp job.

@Dutch  I've never heard of pellet smoking. I browsed his website and it looks great. Do you still use charcoals with this type of smoking? And it looks like they are more designed for a colder smoke? 

@Maple Sticks  I'm definitely getting the wireless thermometer thats seems like a great tool to use. The grate is a great(no pun intended) idea too, and a lot cheaper to do. I think ill be looking at getting a searing grate for when i do up some steaks maybe? What are your thoughts on that?

 

[maple sticks]

When doing steaks I start a pile of lump charcoal with a small hand torch and they sear to my satisfaction. Lump burns hotter than briquets. Briquets are better for long smokes at lower temps. If you want cast iron to cook on I would find one from any grill that fits inside the weber on top of the existing steel grate. People throw them away all the time.

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Welcome, see ya around the forum !