# Weber kettle



## dv242 (Jan 15, 2016)

My charcoal grill needs to be replaced and I'm looking at a Weber Kettle as a dual purpose unit. Can't afford the BGE or I would get one. Want to do some grilling yet be able to load it up for a smoke now and then. Is anyone else using the Weber kettle grill for smoking? Is it hard to control the temp or maintain it for a long smoke?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.


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## tropics (Jan 15, 2016)

DV242 said:


> My charcoal grill needs to be replaced and I'm looking at a Weber Kettle as a dual purpose unit. Can't afford the BGE or I would get one. Want to do some grilling yet be able to load it up for a smoke now and then. Is anyone else using the Weber kettle grill for smoking? Is it hard to control the temp or maintain it for a long smoke?
> 
> Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.


I have a weber 18" kettle I made a mini for it smokes great and I use it as a grill.Just smoked a 8 lb. hotel style Turkey breast 3.5 hrs.

Richie

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/240932/first-turkey-for-2016-in-the-mini


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## SmokinAl (Jan 15, 2016)

I've used a Weber kettle to smoke just about everything. I did it just to see if it could be done. I even put a port in the side for a BBQ Guru.

Al


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## bluewhisper (Jan 15, 2016)

I learned to smoke on a Weber with no legs.

With a Weber you can simply pour charcoal and grill, or carefully arrange fuel to get an offset effect. You can spike the charcoal with wood and blur the line between grilling and smoking.

The Weber is expensive, but an excellent return on investment.


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## dv242 (Jan 15, 2016)

Thinking about adding this to the kettle. Anyone have experience with this accessory?


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## drewed (Jan 15, 2016)

I smoked on a Weber kettle.  It works just fine.  

If I didn't get a WSM from the wife for a birthday present ( so you can up your volume!) I would still be happily smoking away on it.


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## mike5051 (Jan 15, 2016)

I've got a 22.5 kettle and an 18.5 WSM, the best of both worlds.  I've smoked successfully on the kettle, and I've grilled on the WSM.  However...the kettle grills effortlessly and the WSM smokes along without any drama.  These were less than 500 bucks total and I can cook anything I want.  JMHO

Mike


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## ak1 (Jan 15, 2016)

Yeah, you can smoke on a Weber kettle with no problems. It's all about controlling the heat & smoke.

To a point. Would I want to smoke a 18lb brisket on a 18" or 22" kettle? No. On a 26" maybe, on the Ranch? No problem. Basically, there is a Weber kettle grill that will fit your purpose. It just may require more effort on your part.


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## sauced (Jan 22, 2016)

DV242 said:


> Thinking about adding this to the kettle. Anyone have experience with this accessory?
> http://www.amazon.com/Adrenaline-Barbecue-Company-SNS1000-Slow/dp/B014O9YB6G


Just got a sins for birthday. Excellent addition to a weber kettle! Keeps heat constant for a 8 hour smoke before need to add more coals.


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## wade (Jan 23, 2016)

When it comes to low and slow on the Weber Kettle you need to ignore what they tell you in the Weber manual. By using good quality briquettes in a minion or snake arrangement you can keep the cooking temperature at a steady 110-120 C (230 - 250 F) for 6 or 7 hours with minimum attention. 

Below are photos from a comparison I did recently between different types of briquettes.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/171812/coconut-briquettes













Snakes1.jpg



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HB Snake2.jpg



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Nature Pork1.jpg



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Weber Vents.jpg



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By keeping tho top vent 3/4 closed and the bottom vent slightly cracked open you can keep the internal temperature very low and stable. Here is the heat profiles taken with my temperature logger for the 6+ hours of the test.













Temperature Profile.JPG



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You can also use an automatic temperature controller to take away the manual maintenance. I use an IQ-110 when I want to be completely hands-off













FattyIQ110.jpg



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The Weber Kettle is a very versatile unit.


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## bluewhisper (Jan 23, 2016)

Wade, those shots are Weber porn with a twins fetish. Sick.

It's funny, I learned to smoke on a Weber, by controlling the air flow through the top vent, with the bottom vents wide open. The fuel was all maple and if I removed the lid it would become a campfire.

But the offset is the other way around; the exhaust runs wide open and control is at the intake.


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## wade (Jan 23, 2016)

BlueWhisper said:


> It's funny, I learned to smoke on a Weber, by controlling the air flow through the top vent, with the bottom vents wide open. The fuel was all maple and if I removed the lid it would become a campfire.
> 
> But the offset is the other way around; the exhaust runs wide open and control is at the intake.


I find that it needs a combination of both to achieve fine tuning. As you know the temperature control is all about finely managing the flow of air (oxygen) over the fuel. With the top vent 3/4 closed you still get plenty of air/smoke flow through the Weber cooking chamber but it makes the control through the bottom vents much more responsive.


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