Bbq
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 0
From: Princeton, MN
Pretty darn high depending on how close you get the coals to the cooking surface. Practice a bit with that, the amount of charcoal you add, the type of coal, and the amount of air you let through. Practice makes perfect. On mine you can't keep the lid on too long even with the vents wide open or it cools off too much. I have to crack the lid open too to keep it hot enough.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Yeah charcoal can go from luke warm to nuclear meltdown. All depends on the grill design(you never said) how much charcoal and what kind, and weather.
Get yourself a grill cook book for advice on how to smoke, grille, direct cooking, indirect cooking etc. Also check out this webpage, they have lots of advice sections.
http://www.barbecuen.com/newsletters/october-2004.htm
and... http://www.barbecuen.com/
Charcoal is my favorite grilling technique but you can have a fire that is too hot. So learn how to judge the heat, the old hand test comes to mind.
Good Luck and invite everyone over when you get some good recipies.
Jim Henderson
Get yourself a grill cook book for advice on how to smoke, grille, direct cooking, indirect cooking etc. Also check out this webpage, they have lots of advice sections.
http://www.barbecuen.com/newsletters/october-2004.htm
and... http://www.barbecuen.com/
Charcoal is my favorite grilling technique but you can have a fire that is too hot. So learn how to judge the heat, the old hand test comes to mind.
Good Luck and invite everyone over when you get some good recipies.
Jim Henderson
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,292
Likes: 0
grr its cold here so i wont be barbecuing anytime soon my personal favorite is BBQ chicken or ribs better take pics to post if ya make any
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
From: Zimmerman, MN
Are you wanting to grill or BBQ? There is a huge difference.
A regular kettle grill will be fine for grilling, but for true BBQ, all depends. There are techniques out there to accomplish this with a kettle. Holding low temps in a kettle is harder than running hot. Do a google search for the differences or kettle smoking and you'll find a ton of info out there. When you get the knack down, you'll smoke or grill everything.
That's why I have 3 different cookers on the deck. Gas grill for quick and easy. Charcoal kettle for that true taste of a grill on steak or shrimp. And a true smoker with a side box to contain the heat and a large surface for the smoking meats.
Hey Ranger Bob, I've been outside manning my BBQ smoker in February, so it's all a state of mind
Sometimes I cannot make it through a whole winter without having some slow smoked ribs or a brisket (weather permitting of course).
Good luck to ya
A regular kettle grill will be fine for grilling, but for true BBQ, all depends. There are techniques out there to accomplish this with a kettle. Holding low temps in a kettle is harder than running hot. Do a google search for the differences or kettle smoking and you'll find a ton of info out there. When you get the knack down, you'll smoke or grill everything.
That's why I have 3 different cookers on the deck. Gas grill for quick and easy. Charcoal kettle for that true taste of a grill on steak or shrimp. And a true smoker with a side box to contain the heat and a large surface for the smoking meats.
Hey Ranger Bob, I've been outside manning my BBQ smoker in February, so it's all a state of mind
Sometimes I cannot make it through a whole winter without having some slow smoked ribs or a brisket (weather permitting of course). Good luck to ya
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Alamogordo, New Mexico
Woooooooo doggy, getting hungry I am. Practice, practice, practice. And if the Mrs wants to know why you are spending so much time and money on the grill, just tell her it's because you want to make sure you don't give her anything less than perfection.
I'll be smoking a turkey and possibly a ham for Thanksgiving again. Man is it ever good. Charcoal, mesquite wood, water, ouch stomach is starting to hurt!
Rich
I'll be smoking a turkey and possibly a ham for Thanksgiving again. Man is it ever good. Charcoal, mesquite wood, water, ouch stomach is starting to hurt!
Rich
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 0
From: Clarksburg WV
Originally Posted by Buckarcher
On mine you can't keep the lid on too long even with the vents wide open or it cools off too much. I have to crack the lid open too to keep it hot enough.
Cooks best with the lid off, coals stay nice and hot. Lid on and they practically go out. Doesn't matter if the vents are open or not.
It's a small round table top grill and kind of a cheap one, so I don't expect too much of it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 24,418
Likes: 3
From: San Francisco, Ca.
Originally Posted by ghunt
Mine is like that too.
Cooks best with the lid off, coals stay nice and hot. Lid on and they practically go out. Doesn't matter if the vents are open or not.
It's a small round table top grill and kind of a cheap one, so I don't expect too much of it.
Cooks best with the lid off, coals stay nice and hot. Lid on and they practically go out. Doesn't matter if the vents are open or not.
It's a small round table top grill and kind of a cheap one, so I don't expect too much of it.
frontyard, sideyard, camping, picnic, at the beach, tailgate party, etc.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,724
Likes: 0
From: Clarksburg WV
It is pretty handy. My current apartment doesn't really have a porch (upstairs apartment), but it has a small landing, I strapped the grill to the railing with bungee cords a couple times and grilled on it 
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Unless you have a hurricane or twister going on, weather is no excuse. Hurricane force winds and extreme rain are the only dampers I have to think about before firing up the ol grill.
I have BBQ'd with snow falling, pouring rain, hail etc. You just have to learn to compensate for the amount of heat that you lose and be quick about it so you don't get your food soaked. Sometimes my smoker works better in cold weather since the heat is gentler for long smoking. Of course the grill has to have a lid and you have to cook things that work with that.
Helps if you have a patio cover overhead, but other than a downpour you can do it.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
I have BBQ'd with snow falling, pouring rain, hail etc. You just have to learn to compensate for the amount of heat that you lose and be quick about it so you don't get your food soaked. Sometimes my smoker works better in cold weather since the heat is gentler for long smoking. Of course the grill has to have a lid and you have to cook things that work with that.
Helps if you have a patio cover overhead, but other than a downpour you can do it.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 24,418
Likes: 3
From: San Francisco, Ca.
Originally Posted by jim henderson
Unless you have a hurricane or twister going on, weather is no excuse. Hurricane force winds and extreme rain are the only dampers I have to think about before firing up the ol grill.
I have BBQ'd with snow falling, pouring rain, hail etc. You just have to learn to compensate for the amount of heat that you lose and be quick about it so you don't get your food soaked. Sometimes my smoker works better in cold weather since the heat is gentler for long smoking. Of course the grill has to have a lid and you have to cook things that work with that.
Helps if you have a patio cover overhead, but other than a downpour you can do it.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
I have BBQ'd with snow falling, pouring rain, hail etc. You just have to learn to compensate for the amount of heat that you lose and be quick about it so you don't get your food soaked. Sometimes my smoker works better in cold weather since the heat is gentler for long smoking. Of course the grill has to have a lid and you have to cook things that work with that.
Helps if you have a patio cover overhead, but other than a downpour you can do it.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
