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Shopping for a new grill

I have had several grills over the years and the last gas one is a Weber. Worth every penny.

But, the one grill that gave me most satisfaction and best tasting food is the Weber charcoal. Absolutely outstanding and very versatile, once you discover how to grill with direct/indirect heat and that the grate can be easily rotated so to control heat.

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and its smaller brother, portable and used while car camping

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I have had several grills over the years and the last gas one is a Weber. Worth every penny.

But, the one grill that gave me most satisfaction and best tasting food is the Weber charcoal. Absolutely outstanding and very versatile, once you discover how to grill with direct/indirect heat and that the grate can be easily rotated so to control heat.

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and its smaller brother, portable and used while car camping

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I have had several grills over the years and the last gas one is a Weber. Worth every penny.

But, the one grill that gave me most satisfaction and best tasting food is the Weber charcoal. Absolutely outstanding and very versatile, once you discover how to grill with direct/indirect heat and that the grate can be easily rotated so to control heat.

View attachment 1616846

View attachment 1616847

View attachment 1616850

and its smaller brother, portable and used while car camping

View attachment 1616852
I agree with you 100% on Weber. Someone, anyone, tell us, what beats a Weber? Maybe if you spend upwards of $1,000, but why go that gaga when Weber will have a grill which will retail for much less money, and provide splendid results and a positive ownership experience. The current Weber roster at our house...Genesis Silver two-burner gas, Q1200 portable gas, Performer 22" charcoal kettle, 18" Smokey Joe charcoal kettle, and a 14" Smokey Joe charcoal kettle.
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
Save some money & get a charcoal chimney - near as quick as gassing your weiner, and saves some $$ as well 🔥

Absolutely. I give the same advice even over a propane starter. I'll take the chimney starter over the propane starter nearly every time (unless you're using a pear burner to start 🔥).
 
So here she is. Picked up and put together last night. I like the other colours I’ve seen but this was available at my local hardware store for a few bucks less.

Going to have her maiden voyage tomorrow with some St. Louis style side ribs from Costco, done low and slow over kingsford briquettes and apple wood chunks. Dry rub then glazed with BBQ sauce towards the end. Indirect heat, charcoal baskets on both sides with a drip pan between. Never done ribs like this but I’ve seen a few recipes and I feel fairly confident I can make something decent out of it.

I think I’m going to enjoy this new rabbit hole (charcoal bbqing/smoking).

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Sorry, I don’t know why my pictures turn sideways when I upload them here
 
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These turned out better then expected. Considering it’s my first go with the kettle, I really impressed myself. And the Weber didn’t disappoint at all.

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Moderate amount of dry rub so I can still taste the pork

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Here they are at 2 hours

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And done. 3hrs 20 mins total. Wrapped at 2 hours with a bit of butter and brown sugar sprinkled on top. Glazed with bbq sauce just a few minutes before pulling them off. Everyone loved them. Montana’s has nothing on me lol.
 
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So here she is. Picked up and put together last night. I like the other colours I’ve seen but this was available at my local hardware store for a few bucks less.

Going to have her maiden voyage tomorrow with some St. Louis style side ribs from Costco, done low and slow over kingsford briquettes and apple wood chunks. Dry rub then glazed with BBQ sauce towards the end. Indirect heat, charcoal baskets on both sides with a drip pan between. Never done ribs like this but I’ve seen a few recipes and I feel fairly confident I can make something decent out of it.

I think I’m going to enjoy this new rabbit hole (charcoal bbqing/smoking).

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Sorry, I don’t know why my pictures turn sideways when I upload them here
Congrats, excellent choice! This beauty will give you many years of use and cook lots of tasty food for you. I think you will find out why some of us on this thread speak so highly of Weber grills.
 
These turned out better then expected. Considering it’s my first go with the kettle, I really impressed myself. And the Weber didn’t disappoint at all.
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Moderate amount of dry rub so I can still taste the pork
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Here they are at 2 hours
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And done. 3hrs 20 mins total. Wrapped at 2 hours with a bit of butter and brown sugar sprinkled on top. Glazed with bbq sauce just a few minutes before pulling them off. Everyone loved them. Montana’s has nothing on me lol.
Those look very tasty. As your time with this new cooker goes by, you will surprise yourself at how wonderful food tastes. Be sure to direct heat some thick ribeyes soon. And ground chuck burgers, chicken thighs, too. Even the humble beef hot dog will impress. Good eats await you.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Looked at the price of new grills, and used sandpaper/black spray paint - and a saw for that one rusty leg.

It now sits 6" lower, but is good for another season, anyway. Hey, all three burners/ignitors work perfect.


AA
 
I’ve had my kettle for a couple of weeks now and have had a few chances to use it. So far I have done ribs, pizza, a whole chicken, and ribeye steaks.
I’m really impressed with this thing. I’m still just learning how to use it but everything I have made so far has come out either very good or amazing. And it is a lot of fun to cook on.
Shout out to everyone who recommended the kettle. I’m so glad I asked around and went down this route, rather then paying $500+ for another propane bbq that is boring to use, produces mediocre results, and rusts to bits after a few years.
 
We have the same one, It replaced a natural gas grill. Should have gone to charcoal a lot sooner, food tastes so much better. We add wet wood chips before throwing the food on and man, is it good.

PK Grill

Oh, and it lives outside. It’s all aluminum. It is charcoal fired but nearly indestructible.
 
Love our PK.

I really want a PK. The problem is I have a Weber that Just Won’t Die. I’ve left it out in the rain and snow for 9yrs and it still looks great. I’ve replaced the grill grate itself a few times but that the only maintenance I’ve ever had to do to it.
 
Looks like I’m too late to add a +1 to the PK list. Love both of mine though. Just picked up a Hasty Bake and boy, that is fun to toy around with.

As for the OP: now that he has switched from gas to charcoal… time to start sampling the different (lump) charcoal brands out there, to really dial in the nuances for heat, coal longevity and flavor :laugh::laugh: . I’m personally partial to FOGO.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
Changing to "natural charcoal" was one of the biggest changes for us.... no chemical taste like when we used briquettes.
 
I've always used Webber kettles and briquettes. I can say this: they seem near indestructable.

I left one outside, year round and uncovered, in Michigan over 10 years and the worst that happened was that the plating peeled off the grilling grate and it rusted. A replacement was $20US, and now the grill spends winters in a shed.

If it had a stainless steel grate it would be perfect. I'm guessing there may be an aftermarket grate, which I will look into if (when?) my current one needs replacement.

Anyway, you said Webber, though you may have been referring to a gas model, but if you are considering briquettes, the kettle is a great griller.
Yep- for most two zone grilling a Weber is hard to beat. I occasionally fire up a large Kamado for smoking or longer/larger cooks, but a good old Weber is my preferred “go to” 95% of the time. Check Kick Ash Baskets, Slow and Sear, Cortex- the after,Ariel toys for a 22” Kettle are practically unlimited- and try lump charcoal in It. With the correct accessories you can do anything in them.
 
Weber Genesis! Mine is 13 years old and it is still like brand new. If you upgrade the flavorizer bars and grill grate to stainless steel right off the bat, you won’t have to replace those either.

I had to replace my regulator last year and when I called Weber they sent me a new one for free. I was amazed.
 
Well if you’re young and have bucks, Tregger Smoker/Grill or Big Green Egg. Both yield awesome results.


As kid growing up in Miami me and Pops use to venture into North Miami to get Ribs when family had extra bucks.

Families would turn 55 gallon drums into smokers, love, time, and knowledge produced great ribs.

It was cool, not tool that made them yummy ribs.
 
I have a cheap Walmart charcoal grill that I use when I want to grill over direct heat like when I cook steaks, fajitas and hamburgers but now I mostly smoke on a Traeger pellet grill. I just used it Sunday to smoke a 12 lb beef brisket for 11 hours. I have a small Timberline model that connects to wifi and I can control it with an APP on my phone. It has probe for the meat and a temperature sensor so I can raise or lower the temp while I am out shopping or watching a football game etc. I always hated being tied to a stick burning smoker all day. When my cheap charcoal grill gives out I will just go get another cheap charcoal grill. I have had a Weber grill and they work very well. I used to know a lady that would smoke her Thanksgiving turkey in one. She would put a metal pan in the center of the charcoal grate with wood chips that she had soaked in water and put the charcoal around the outside rim of the pan. Her family raved about her smoked turkeys.
 
I have a cheap Walmart charcoal grill that I use when I want to grill over direct heat like when I cook steaks, fajitas and hamburgers but now I mostly smoke on a Traeger pellet grill. I just used it Sunday to smoke a 12 lb beef brisket for 11 hours. I have a small Timberline model that connects to wifi and I can control it with an APP on my phone. It has probe for the meat and a temperature sensor so I can raise or lower the temp while I am out shopping or watching a football game etc. I always hated being tied to a stick burning smoker all day. When my cheap charcoal grill gives out I will just go get another cheap charcoal grill. I have had a Weber grill and they work very well. I used to know a lady that would smoke her Thanksgiving turkey in one. She would put a metal pan in the center of the charcoal grate with wood chips that she had soaked in water and put the charcoal around the outside rim of the pan. Her family raved about her smoked turkeys.
Smoked turkey on the kettle seems to be a lot more common then I would have imagined. The pictures that people post of their results look absolutely unreal. I’m looking forward to try it.
 
Smoked turkey on the kettle seems to be a lot more common then I would have imagined. The pictures that people post of their results look absolutely unreal. I’m looking forward to try it.

No final pics.

First pic was after just added, 2nd pic after an hour and just before butter basted. I stopped taking pics after that.

This is on a Kamado, 10lb, spatchcocked, about 350* for 2 hours.

Not really smoked but over lump. Turkey takes in a lot of smoke flavour, so be careful and warn any potential guests about the pinkish colored white meat. It does throw some people off not seeing a dry, white meat.

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