Can chimney starter damage Weber?

[FrankZ]

Thankfully this thread reminded me I needed a new grate so Amazon to the rescue!

 

[caseydog]

No. You can use the top or bottom grate if you want too. Weber sells grates if you ever need another one.
Using the bottom grate is much easier as when they are ready you can just dump them out. If you use top grate, you must remove it to dump the coals.



I never have to add coals to long cooks. I use the snake method and adjust the size of the snake to ambient temperature and cooking time. With a good charcoal, you can get several hours of cooking time. I have heard of 12 hour cooks and I'm not sure if it is true. But I got 8 hours a few weeks ago with part of the snake remaining.

Google Images

Google Images. The most comprehensive image search on the web.

www.google.com

View attachment 68918

I have used the snake method a few times, with mixed success.

Now that I have my pellet smoker, I really don't need to do long cooks on the Weber Kettle. I do still use it for smoked meatloaf (YUM!). That only takes an hour.

CD

 

[caseydog]

Thankfully this thread reminded me I needed a new grate so Amazon to the rescue!

If you ever need other parts, the Weber Customer Service line is amazing. They have everything, going back decades, and even keep your grills in their computers. All I have to do is tell them I need this or that for my Genesis, and within a week, it is on my front porch.

CD

 

[caseydog]

At the end of summer, when Target and other stores are changing their outdoor stuff out for Fall stuff, they put things like grates on clearance. A few years ago, they had 22-inch Weber grates with the hinged sides for loading charcoal on sale for 8-bucks each. They had about five of them -- I bought them all. I won't need to buy another grate for years.

CD

 

[Roll_Bones]

I have used the snake method a few times, with mixed success.

Now that I have my pellet smoker, I really don't need to do long cooks on the Weber Kettle. I do still use it for smoked meatloaf (YUM!). That only takes an hour.

CD

Building and employing the snake method takes some practice. But with the snake method, I no longer use either smoker I own. Especially now that I have the Weber kettle 26". Even a large turkey is easy enough.
I do use the charcoal baskets at times and I also use bricks.
The key to a successful snake is to take ambient temperature and cooking time into consideration before you start. The other great thing about this method is you do not need to use the vents on the bottom to control temp. With the snake you can leave them open and only make small incremental adjustments with the top vents. In my case I can usually leave the top vents open as well as long as I built my snake properly.
I never had a smoked meatloaf.

 

[caseydog]

Building and employing the snake method takes some practice. But with the snake method, I no longer use either smoker I own. Especially now that I have the Weber kettle 26". Even a large turkey is easy enough.
I do use the charcoal baskets at times and I also use bricks.
The key to a successful snake is to take ambient temperature and cooking time into consideration before you start. The other great thing about this method is you do not need to use the vents on the bottom to control temp. With the snake you can leave them open and only make small incremental adjustments with the top vents. In my case I can usually leave the top vents open as well as long as I built my snake properly.
I never had a smoked meatloaf.

Smoked meatloaf is awesome. Meatloaf soaks up smoke very well, so a one hour cook at 350F is plenty. I use a 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground pork. No pan, I make a log, firm it up in the fridge, and place it on a small square of foil on the cooking grate, so smoke can get to it from all sides but the bottom.

CD