Charcoal trick on the Weber
I've picked up a new trick for steaks, based on my Dad's Big Green Egg. The science behind that one is the charcoal is used more like an oven, where you're going more for temp regulation that flame. When you are done grilling, you close off the vents, top and bottom, thus cutting off the oxygen and the charcoal goes out. When you want to grill again, you shake the charcoal in the grill, causing the small bits and ash to fall to the bottom, add some to the leftover charcoal if needed, then light up again.
I noticed when grilling 2-6 steaks on the Weber, I only use it for about 10 minutes (I like medium rare) and it seems like I'm lighting a whole bunch just to reach a high temp, but then don't get the full burn like you do with smoking. So... I decided to cut off the air supply by closing the top and bottom vents- IT WORKED! The fire went out and left me with about half of my original amount.
The next time I grilled, I lit a little less charcoal and dumped it on the leftover charcoal (a la Minion Method- see T-Bone post last year). Not only did I use less charcoal, but it raised the level of the charcoal, getting it closer to the meat. I had huge flames kissing my rib-eyes (no, that is not a dirty statement- I was cooking rib eyes). They truly came out restaurant style. And I still had plenty of heat to cook them indirectly for those that liked them medium. I even got "killer grill marks" like Raichlen.
I'm sure it works on other styles of grills, but what will be painful for Andy is that it would prevent him from cleaning his grill between uses. Not that you Cheeseheads have been able to grill lately.
For those considering a trip down South, it is shaping up for my class to occur on April 12, and I could use some help- I'll keep you posted.
I noticed when grilling 2-6 steaks on the Weber, I only use it for about 10 minutes (I like medium rare) and it seems like I'm lighting a whole bunch just to reach a high temp, but then don't get the full burn like you do with smoking. So... I decided to cut off the air supply by closing the top and bottom vents- IT WORKED! The fire went out and left me with about half of my original amount.
The next time I grilled, I lit a little less charcoal and dumped it on the leftover charcoal (a la Minion Method- see T-Bone post last year). Not only did I use less charcoal, but it raised the level of the charcoal, getting it closer to the meat. I had huge flames kissing my rib-eyes (no, that is not a dirty statement- I was cooking rib eyes). They truly came out restaurant style. And I still had plenty of heat to cook them indirectly for those that liked them medium. I even got "killer grill marks" like Raichlen.
I'm sure it works on other styles of grills, but what will be painful for Andy is that it would prevent him from cleaning his grill between uses. Not that you Cheeseheads have been able to grill lately.
For those considering a trip down South, it is shaping up for my class to occur on April 12, and I could use some help- I'll keep you posted.
3 Comments:
At 2/12/2008 8:08 PM,
Andakin said…
I have tried this "trick" before since I also seem to waste alot of charcoal for a 10 minute cook. However, on my grill, it does not seem to work very well. And not becuase I need to clean it between uses, smartass. Although I close the vents, I think enough oxygen still gets in to keep the charcoal going. My grill can stay hot for up to 3-4 hours after I have closed the vents. My trick has been to just use less charcoal.
At 2/12/2008 9:09 PM,
Joe-Be-Wan said…
I've also seen people use bricks to keep the charcoal close together, or even to raise it up a bit. When I did a "Day in the Kitchen" at Coquette, their flame is right below the grill and touches the meat, which is where I got the idea.
At 2/13/2008 9:32 AM,
T-Bone said…
I thought the vent "trick" was common knowledge and one of the selling points of the weber. I always recall my dad asking me to go close the vents as he carried in the spoils from his Sunday grilling session.
A real trick I learned is when I need to occasionally remove some of the buildup on my grill. Many rib smoke and sauce sessions can, over time, really build up and make scraping it off difficult. Once in a while after grilling, I cover the grill with heavy aluminum foil and leave all the vents wide open. The temp below the foil really heats up and it burns off a lot of the crap. Kind of like a self-cleaning oven concept. Try it for those of you who don't want to taste old bbq sauce leavings with your next steak.
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