Webber BBQ questions

[s_morrison57]

Hi
I'm going to get a webber after a lot of thought and when I was looking I saw the holders for the briquettes and was wondering if you guys used the holders or piled the coals like the old days. Does it distribute the heat evenly?
Thanks
Finn

[jhynesrockmtn]

I used the starter holder tube thing to get them going. They burn more evenly that way and you can start them without fluid or use less. The other holders that keep the briquets to the side for indirect cooking are a must. My Dad was a Weber master. His turkeys and meatloaf were famous.

[onlycafe]

do yourself a favor, use real lump charcoal, not briquets.
it burns hotter and leaves less ash to clean up.

[vash]

only..good advice..but i use both. GOOD briquettes and great lump fuel. the lump burns too fast for long "low and slow" applications. plus lighting and putting in additional fuel..it is much easier using tongs on glowing briquettes than glowing lumps of random sizing.

as for the OP's question..naaaa. i hate those holders. i just have an old chimney shovel. i build piles. i like to stack them up the sides of my weber kettle. and for most indirect roasting..i have a disposable alum tray in the middle to catch drippings anyways..those holders would just get in the way.

[Steve Viegas]

Chimneys are great ways to start briquettes. Beyond being an easy carefree way to start them, you end up with a very similar amount of briquettes everytime so that you can learn to gauge the heat/cooking time.

[tabs]

By using a Chimney and paper to start the fire, you don't have the Lighter Fluid taste. I exclusivity use Lump Charcoal for everything except my Drum Smoker. For the Drum I use hardwood logs.

The Weber is the BEST for hot and fast grilling and with the Rotisserie Unit extends its versatility

[ronster]

Been cooking with a Weber for many years and use self starting briquettes (they have no fuel taste once they are up to temp) then switch to regular briquettes when adding. Use the retainers on each side. Makes it easy to add briquettes when cooking large objects like turkeys. This way the Weber cooks like a convection oven as it was designed. Heat regulation is done by briquettes and top and bottom vents.

[Jim Bremner]

I light my coals with a burns-o-matic propane torch.

Be carefull with LUMP it if you do this it will throw embers at you.