# Weber Kettle Generic Slow & Sear



## BandCollector (Feb 26, 2018)

For the life of me I cannot remember who posted a thread showing his home made Slow & Sear made from a large cookie sheet (did a search and everything) but it inspired me to make one for my Weber 22.5 Kettle.  Needed something to direct the heat more efficiently for my indirect heating and this fit the bill perfectly!  Whoever it was thanks for the idea.

I had some scrap sheet metal lying around and nothing to do today so here it is:



















Maiden voyage may be this weekend,

John


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## tropics (Feb 26, 2018)

John That looks good I don't think you need that extra basket. Lamar made one I did a copy here is a link to both and my first cook on mine.LIKES
Richie
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...on-the-18-5-weber-kettle.257214/#post_1653967


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## normonster (Feb 26, 2018)

Nice. That will do it.


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## BandCollector (Feb 26, 2018)

Thanks Lamar & Richie!  That was a great idea.  I love this place!

John


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## Phil Chart (Feb 26, 2018)

Looks great John should work fine.


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## tropics (Feb 26, 2018)

John when you use it plug those little holes with foil,it will make keeping the temp easier also clean up
Richie


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## BandCollector (Feb 26, 2018)

tropics said:


> John when you use it plug those little holes with foil,it will make keeping the temp easier also clean up
> Richie



Thanks Richie,
However what appears to be little holes in the sheet metal are actually dimples in the metal.  Fortunately no holes.

Doing a burn out tomorrow and I should be ready to go after that.

John


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## chopsaw (Feb 26, 2018)

BC , did you take the lower grate out ?


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## tropics (Feb 26, 2018)

Sorry I said that wrong.I tried to put arrows were you may have an air leak





Richie
You are going to love how little fuel you use & the temp control.Looking forward to your smoke


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## BandCollector (Feb 26, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> BC , did you take the lower grate out ?



No, the lower grate is in place to support the charcoal basket and sheet metal.



tropics said:


> Sorry I said that wrong.I tried to put arrows were you may have an air leak
> View attachment 355489
> 
> Richie
> You are going to love how little fuel you use & the temp control.Looking forward to your smoke



Oh, I see now what you were referring to.  Thanks.  How did you insert those little arrows?  That's pretty neat!

John


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## tropics (Feb 26, 2018)

BandCollector said:


> No, the lower grate is in place to support the charcoal basket and sheet metal.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


John I did right click on the mouse.A drop down window opened it had EDIT so I try that and it worked.


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## BandCollector (Feb 26, 2018)

tropics said:


> John I did right click on the mouse.A drop down window opened it had EDIT so I try that and it worked.
> View attachment 355490



You my friend are a computer Ninja!

Thanks,

John


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## SmokinAl (Feb 27, 2018)

Nice work, can't wait to see how it works for you!
Al


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## gmc2003 (Feb 27, 2018)

Looks like a nice fit. You'll get plenty use out of that. 

Point for sure

Chris


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## yankee2bbq (Feb 27, 2018)

I am interested in this.  How exactly does this work?  Food directly on the sheet metal?


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## gmc2003 (Feb 27, 2018)

Yankee, no the meat still goes on the grate. The sheet metal helps protect the meat from direct heat. 

Chris


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## BandCollector (Feb 27, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> Yankee, no the meat still goes on the grate. The sheet metal helps protect the meat from direct heat.
> 
> Chris



Yes Yankee,

What Chris said.  The sheet metal sits directly on the charcoal grate and the charcoal is placed in the basket on the side (the basket is also sitting on the charcoal grate).  A drip pan can be placed on the sheet metal under whatever it is you are cooking/smoking away from the charcoal (thus the vertical barrier).  The cooking grate still sits where it always does above the sheet metal which is now protecting the meat from any direct heat.  Basically the same thing one always does when indirect cooking but now you can't see the charcoal grate and all the heat is directed up the opening where the charcoal basket is.  If you need more pictures I would be happy to send them to you via text or email.

I hope this helps,

John


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## BandCollector (Feb 27, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Nice work, can't wait to see how it works for you!
> Al



Thanks Al,

I've learned a great deal from you as well!



gmc2003 said:


> Looks like a nice fit. You'll get plenty use out of that.
> 
> Point for sure
> 
> Chris



Thanks Chris,

Appreciate the Point (ops, Like).  The fitting was my greatest challenge.  I fitted a piece of cardboard to the side of the kettle until I got the correct radius and then transposed that pattern to the vertical portion of the sheet metal.  For the the round portion,  I just simply used the charcoal grate as my tracing guide.  Tried to cut the sheet metal with a saber saw but the metal was vibrating all over the place so I used a good pair of tin snips.

Thanks again,

John


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## yankee2bbq (Feb 27, 2018)

Ohhh!  I understand now!  That’s pretty cool.  What gauge sheet metal did you use?


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## BandCollector (Feb 27, 2018)

yankee2bbq said:


> Ohhh!  I understand now!  That’s pretty cool.  What gauge sheet metal did you use?



LOL!  I honestly do not know what the gauge was but it was thin enough to cut with tin snips but not too thin as to not have any backbone.  If you wish I could check with my calipers and get back to you. 

John


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## cmayna (Feb 27, 2018)

John,
Very creative!!   You might consider lining your large cookie sheet with foil and curling the edge upwards to catch the drippings of whatever you are smoking.  It also makes the cleaning up, much easier.

I used the Sear N  Slow basket in my weber as well as their drip N griddle which is basically the same shape as what you have created but with a raised edge all the way around to catch all the drippings.

Still for a homemade job, you da man!   Now get it working!!


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## BandCollector (Feb 27, 2018)

yankee2bbq said:


> Ohhh!  I understand now!  That’s pretty cool.  What gauge sheet metal did you use?



Yankee,

The thickness according to my dial calipers is:  .025

Whatever .025 translates into gauge, well, that's what it is.  I would like to know also.

Any machinist could tell us.

John



cmayna said:


> John,
> Very creative!!   You might consider lining your large cookie sheet with foil and curling the edge upwards to catch the drippings of whatever you are smoking.  It also makes the cleaning up, much easier.
> 
> I used the Sear N  Slow basket in my weber as well as their drip N griddle which is basically the same shape as what you have created but with a raised edge all the way around to catch all the drippings.
> ...



Thanks man,  appreciate the tip and the compliment.

John


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## Smoke23 (Feb 27, 2018)

That should work out quite nice for you. Before I got my WSM I made a version of the Smokenator with another piece of stainless steel to cover the charcoal grate like you. It works great. I still use it for smaller smokes.


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## noboundaries (Feb 27, 2018)

Great job! POINT! LIKE! YEAH!

You inspired me. I haven't used my Kettle for slow smoking in a LONG time. Pulled my old, neglected Smokenator out this morning and fired up the Kettle for 4 lbs of short ribs at 250F.


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## yankee2bbq (Feb 27, 2018)

John,  
.025 is almost 24 gauge sheet metal, maybe even 22 gauge.


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## BandCollector (Feb 27, 2018)

yankee2bbq said:


> John,
> .025 is almost 24 gauge sheet metal, maybe even 22 gauge.



Thanks Yankee,

Now we know.  Wasn't too hard to cut with hand shears so have at it!

John


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