New member from North Shore of Boston MA.

[ducs4rs]

I am new to smoking. I got intrigued when watching America's Test Kitchen on PBS when they were using a 22" Webber Kettle grill to smoke. I tried their technique of using a charcoal snake mixed in with your wood of choice. It worked well. But now I want to go further. I have a HS friend who is big into smoking and has a SmokinTex who has been giving me some tips and recopies. I was researching smokers and ran across this site.

I was doing searches on smokers and the consensus was take Jeff's 5 day course then ask questions. I am wondering if the course is still available. I signed up, and dropped the $19.00 for the site (I try to support content creators), I got the temp chart but not the course. Anyway Hello and I am looking forward to learning this cooking art.

 

[bmudd14474]

Welcome to SMF from Florida. The free ecourse that you signed up for you should receive day 1 tomorrow. If you do not send me a private message all ill make sure you get it.

As for the Weber research the minion method on here. That works really well also.

Please ask any question you need or use the search and advanced search functions.

Again Welcome

 

[JLinza]

Welcome, from Colorado. Lots of good knowledge in here for sure. Ask away... and someone will be sure to point you in the right direction.

 

[ducs4rs]

Welcome to SMF from Florida. The free ecourse that you signed up for you should receive day 1 tomorrow. If you do not send me a private message all ill make sure you get it.

As for the Weber research the minion method on here. That works really well also.

Please ask any question you need or use the search and advanced search functions.

Again Welcome

From what I can gather the minion method works well for Webber Smokey Mountain and not for the kettle. At least I haven't found any howto's using minion with a Webber kettle.

 

[02ebz06]

Howdy, and welcome to the group from New Mexico.

 

[chopsaw]

From what I can gather the minion method works well for Webber Smokey Mountain and not for the kettle. At least I haven't found any howto's using minion with a Webber kettle.

Get a set of charcoal baskets if you don't already have them . You can see them under the grate .

Most times I just pile raw charcoal on one side . Then dump a small amount of lit charcoal to one side of the pile , or in the middle . Like this . You can see the fire burning from the middle out . Middle gives a little higher temp and faster cook time , one side , lower and slower .


Like you said already , Snake method works great for long cooks .

using a 22" Webber Kettle grill to smoke. I tried their technique of using a charcoal snake mixed in with your wood of choice. It worked well. But now I want to go further.

That kettle will put out as good of smoked food as anything . I have several different types of cookers , but that kettle is tried and true .
They do some awesome kettle cooks on Test kitchen / Cooks country .

Learn where your kettle likes to run . Mine likes 260 . So that's where I cook . There's info on vent adjustment around here also .

 

[indaswamp]

Welcome to SMF!

 

[ducs4rs]

Thanks, this makes more sense. I have no idea what accessories there are with these things. Another question, what is the tray called at the start of your snake?

 

[chopsaw]

what is the tray called at the start of your snake?

I made that out of some scrap metal to hold the start of the snake , because I'll dump a small amount of fully lit charcoal away from the snake when I put the cold meat on . That way I don't lose my temp with a cold mass of meat , and the 2 don't mix together and over run .

I have no idea what accessories there are with these things.

Well , you're getting ready to find out . All sorts of things you didn't know you needed .
I personally don't use them , but a lot of guys like the vortex , and the slow n sear .

Several guys in here can help you with kettle cooks . Like Chris gmc2003 and others .

 

[ducs4rs]

Looks like I have another time suck on my hands learning all this. Between computers, boats, motorcycles, grandchildren, house work, and now this I might have to retire soon.

 

[JLeonard]

Welcome from Mississippi! You have fallen into a rabbit hole that your family/friends will love you for…I know mine does.
Look forward to more posts and pics. We like show and tell around here.

Jim

 

[chopsaw]

I might have to retire soon.

I just turned 63 . Been retired 6 years . What the heck you waiting for .
There's a whole world out there .

 

[ducs4rs]

I just turned 63 . Been retired 6 years . What the heck you waiting for .
There's a whole world out there .

My brother retired when he was 45, my sister just retired this year at 70. I am pushing for 70. I have a good job that pays well and a lot of flexibility. Plus I have too many toys to support :-)..

 

[gmc2003]

Welcome aboard from Vermont fellow New Englander. As Rich chopsaw demonstrated above the kettle is extremely versatile, and if you have any questions at all feel free to ask away.

One toy that I use often that Rich mentioned is the Vortex. It make indirect high heat cooking a snap.

Heck you can even do a blooming onion using the Vortex

Reverse it so the wide side is up, and viola!!! You've got a perfect tool for making Beer-can chicken.

I also use my charcoal baskets a lot with my 22" Kettle. I love cooking the bacon for BLTs this way.

BLT with a quarter pound of bacon - ummm ummm good.

I do have a Slow-n-sear that gets used a ton, but I use that in my 26" kettle. It's a fantastic tool for longer cooks. Like brisket.

again welcome aboard, and sorry for the picture overload.

Chris

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Welcome from SC. I originally bought my weber just for vortex chicken and searing. Now if I had to git rid all my cooker but one. I'd keep the kettle!