smokers vs kettles

[easyrub]

What can a smoker such as a wsm do that a weber kettle can't do or do very well.
I see all types of meat recipes for a kettle cooker.

chuck

 

[peculiarmike]

A kettle can't do a long, low & slow smoke. It's a GRILL. Nothing wrong with grilling, some of my favorite eats come off a grill. But it ain't smoking.

The rest of my favorite eats come off smokers, slowly.

 

[deejaydebi]

You can smoke in a kettle it's just limited you have to put a small amount of the fuel and wood to one side and food on the other. It's not easy but it can be done. It's esier to control a cold smoke in one than a hot smoke.

 

[lauragoodin]

A kettle and a tiny hibachi-with-a-lid are all I have, and I've smoked some mighty nice barbecue in them. I can't argue with results.

-- Laura

 

[gooose53]

Right now a 22 1/5 inch kettle is all I have for smoking (I have gas grill but that doesn't count) and it does a great job smoking meat. I added the Smokenator (if you look at some of my ribs pics you can see it) and I've cooked 4 or 5 hours without adding anything and able to keep the temp at anywhere between 220 and 250 degrees. My ribs look as good as anything that comes off those expensive cookers. You can also buy addons that will increase the capacity of the weber kettle as well. Just because it's small doesn't mean it can't smoke some outstanding meat!

 

[fatback joe]

It is pretty much the pain in the *** factor IMO. Like has already been mentioned, you can smoke on a grill (with good results even)..........but that is not what it is designed for. I smoked on a grill for a long time.........and didn't and don't miss it when I went to having a dedicated smoker.

 

[hawgheaven]

...for those with Weber kettle grills that want to smoke with them. I was going to do this before I got my CG, but never got around to it.

The idea is to cut a piece of sheet metal to conform to the radius of the kettle body inner surface, notch the bottom to slip into the coal grate, and have the top edge almost at cooking grate level. Basically, it is a wall between the coals and the cooking area, that would help keep the immediate heat on the opposite side of the food area.

I figured I'd cut a template out of cardboard first, then use that as a pattern...

 

[smokin for life]

I think it's all a matter of making due with what you have, I smoked ribs for a while on my grill. They weren't THAT bad, and that's what got me thinking. How good would they be if I got a smoker. " Hook set... start reeling me in" It does make a difference. Now I'm hooked!~!!!!!! My name is Michael and I'm a smoke addict.

 

[fatback joe]

.........then it is bigger, nicer, better, smoker.....or just more of them......one smoker for butts, one for brisket. LOL From one addict to another, Smoke On.

 

[gooose53]

Phil, that's what I talked about with the Smokenator. You can get them on ebay for about $40 for those that don't have a way to cut metal or don't want to bother with it. It also includes a water pan. Works really good with the kettle.

 

[easyrub]

Thanks --good information.
chuck

 

[hawgheaven]

Ohhhh, okay... I guess great minds think alike!

Ebay, huh? I never saw anything like that on there...

 

[gooose53]

I got mine off of ebay.....I think. Ok, maybe I got it from the web site www.smokenator.com But I agree that great minds think alike.

 

[crewdawg52]

A WSM can do a long, slow cook without much fuss and it can hold alot, while a Kettle needs to be tended to about every hr or so, and you're limited to the amount that can be smoked. I have an old kettle I do all my small smokes on and it does a great job, but I cant leave it for long. Got a grate that opens on opposite sides so I can have charcoal on both sides of the kettle and the meat in the center, over a drip pan.

With the kettle, you can have a whole rack of ribs without having to roll or cut it in two.