heat control with a weber charcoal.

[NKLCOLT1911]

i have a 18" weber charcoal and i prefer to cook on it rather than my gas grill but for some reason heat control is a bit of a issue, if i have the bottom and top vent all the way open it will snuff out the coals, i was always under the assumption that more air ment higher heat but it dosent seem thats the case, does anyone have any tips for using that grill.

[toughguy]

I use a chimney to start my coals. I let them warm up for about 20-30 min. until the tips of the coals on the top of the chimney are just starting to turn white on the corners. Then I pour the coals out of the chimney keeping them under one half of the grill. Now you have a hot side and a cold side of the grill. I start my meat of choice out on the hot side of the grill and eventually move it off to the cold side if need be. I always keep all of the vents wide open. I highly recommend getting a chimney starter. Everyone that I've shown mine to loves it.

More air does = more heat and a faster burn.

here is an example of how I set it up:

[NKLCOLT1911]

that is how i start my coal too, i also make a hot side and a cold side, but it never fails if i put that lid on it will put out the coals.

[McGurk]

That is weird. I have a 22" Weber that I use in this same manner, and keep the vents wide open top and bottom and have never had a problem. I use a chimney starter, and let those things burn for a long time to make sure they are all going strong before dumping them in. Might be worth letting them burn longer in the chimney or switch to a different bag of charcoal. Try some "lump", as it burns hotter but shorter, and cost a bit more than KF briquettes. Lump has a bit of smoke flavor built in as it is natural hunks of charcoal and not preformed briquettes with fillers and ad-mixtures, but the pieces aren't uniform and you might need to bust up some bigger stuff (I like some big pieces in the mix). You can get an 8lb bag of Royal Oak from Menards (green and tan bag) for less than $6 as something to try, if you've never used lump before. There are lots to try at different hardware stores and bix box stores if you look.

[BLACKJACK]

Are you cleaning the ash out of the bottom of the grill so that the bottom vents are not plugged? Are you using enough charcoal briquets? 10 is not enough!! Are you giving them enough time to get hot?? I mean glowing red hot??!! If you've got a big hot fire when you start, it should give you plenty of heat when the cover gets put on with the vents open.

I have two Weber kettles, an 18 inch like you have and a bigger one, once I get my fire going good on one side, I spread the coals out on that half of the grill, leaving the other side as the cool side. I have enough charcoal in there so that when I put the grate on, the hot side is only about 1 inch from the charcoal. When I start cooking, I close all the bottom vents and just leave the top vent open, that gives me plenty of heat, plus I can monitor the amount of smoke coming out, which tells me whether I need to flip or move food to the hotter or cooler part. Later on I might open some of the bottom vents if I need heat, a lot depends on the day, windy vs. calm.

[Grainbelt]

You must have got a bad bag of charcoal or it's somewhat wet.

With the vents wide open you should be seeing about a 450 degree heat. With the top and bottom vents half closed around 350 degrees. When smoking ribs or roast when it's warm out I have the bottom vent half to 3/4 open and the top just cracked open or closed to maintain 250 -275 degrees.

I prefer Kingsford to any lump charcoal because of the consistent size and that it always lights with just two sheets of newspaper in a chimney. I add chunk wood for the smoke flavor. I don't soak the wood, having the cover on keeps it from flaming.

[bak2MN]

Grainbelt, I agree bad charcoal. I never have had a issue as well. Kingsford is all I use.

[MNHunter65]

I have two 22" kettles. One has the old style ash pan and the other has the newer style pot as the ash catcher. I have trouble with the pot style getting enough air flow when slow cooking and the coals want to go out, so I end up taking it off. Never had a problem with the old style ash pan.

[Farley]

I have both the chimney starter and electric starter. The electric starter is one less step and I think it gets the coals burning faster.

[NKLCOLT1911]

Are you cleaning the ash out of the bottom of the grill so that the bottom vents are not plugged? Are you using enough charcoal briquets? 10 is not enough!! Are you giving them enough time to get hot?? I mean glowing red hot??!! If you've got a big hot fire when you start, it should give you plenty of heat when the cover gets put on with the vents open.

I have two Weber kettles, an 18 inch like you have and a bigger one, once I get my fire going good on one side, I spread the coals out on that half of the grill, leaving the other side as the cool side. I have enough charcoal in there so that when I put the grate on, the hot side is only about 1 inch from the charcoal. When I start cooking, I close all the bottom vents and just leave the top vent open, that gives me plenty of heat, plus I can monitor the amount of smoke coming out, which tells me whether I need to flip or move food to the hotter or cooler part. Later on I might open some of the bottom vents if I need heat, a lot depends on the day, windy vs. calm.

yes i always clean it out before i start and i will use a full chimney of charcoal, to comment on the bad coal statement it has always happened i have had it for 6 years now, one thing though is when i dump the coal out of the chimney i spread it out across the grate should i be leaving a gap around the outside edge for air flow? i might cook with it tonight ill take a temp reading with the vents wide open after the lid has been on for a bit.

[atvlaska]

is yours the 18.5 kettle?(good design)...or the short smoke'e joe ?(bad vent design).... old charcoal sucks up water/damp from the air ....with the weather u've had i'd change the storage location of the charcoal........even new charcoal can be bad > i've seen hom-depot with pallets sitting in the rain!.........i burn 2-3 pallets worth of charcoal a year ...my .02cent

[atvlaska]

i can add ,that if u have a electic range ...(and mama aint home) u can lay the coals on the rack and dry them out.... not to hot thou

[McGurk]

Try dumping it on one half of the coal grate in a heap instead of spreading it out thinly over the whole grate. Refer to the earlier picture; might be worth a shot.

[NKLCOLT1911]

ok cool ill try that, im also going to get a 5 gallon bucket with a sealed lid for storing the charcoal, and yes it is the 18.5"

[BLACKJACK]

Try dumping it on one half of the coal grate in a heap instead of spreading it out thinly over the whole grate. Refer to the earlier picture; might be worth a shot.

This. If you're spreading them too thin heat would be a problem.

Also I don't think its bad charcoal. The original post was a concern about not enough heat, not that the charcoal wouldn't start. Whether you use the chimney or lighter fluid, the lid shouldn't go on until the charcoal is glowing red and all have a grey coat on them. Always easier to dampen down a fire than it is to revive it.