This brings about more smoke flavor in barbecue meat like pork ribs, pork butt and beef brisket. Our experiments ran the gamut from grilling burgers to smoking . All of our tests were designed and run by Wirecutter senior writer Lesley Stockton, who has over a decade of experience in professional kitchens, many of them spent on the grill station. Lesley conducted the testing with senior staff writer Tim Heffernan, who wrote this guide, and Michael Sullivan, a senior writer on the kitchen team.
We moved the remaining coals to one side of the coal grate and added half a chimney’s worth of freshly lit coals. In effect we were testing whether the grills could function as ovens—a really nice feature in the hot summer months, when you may not want to warm up your kitchen. The first bite of tender, fall-off-the-bone meat makes taking it low-and-slow worth every moment. The Smokey Mountain Cooker™ smoker has two cooking grates for smoking multiple items at once, and easily adjustable dampers for precision heat control. There’s nothing quite like the smell and taste of a charcoal grill in the summer.
It’s relatively inexpensive as far as grills/smokers go and it will essentially last a decade or longer. Having said all of this, this upgrade is not necessary to smoke on the weber kettle. If you’re someone who has never smoked meat before and you look at the lid thermometer, you might panic when you see 400F on your lid thermometer. We noted similar temperature performance from the Nexgrill, along with similar rib results.
From burgers to chicken to slow-smoked ribs, this Weber model’s time-tested design produces great results—at a terrific price. SAVE TIME WITH LESS SCRUBBING- No one likes cleaning up, but it’s a fact of life. Luckily, stainless steel is much easier to clean and maintain than nickel weber charcoal grill plated steel. This means you spend more time chillin’ and grillin’ than cleaning the grill grate. The Slow N Sear from SnS Grills converts a Weber kettle into a slow smoking machine. You can hold “Low and Slow” barbecue temps for about 10 hours on a single load of charcoal.
A Probe Port for Your Meat Probe – Most probes have flexible wires that can go under the lid while maintaining a tight seal; They are also heat resistant. The only reason I say that is because if you’re like me, you may enjoy experimenting with different add-ons and accessories. However, if you’re someone who is interested in smoking meat, it’s definitely worthy of consideration.
Our experts provide the recipes and skills you need to be a grill master. Our customer service reps are real people offering great service, backed by 8 weeks of hands-on training with all of our products. The lifespan of any grill is affected by several factors including cleaning frequency, maintenance, amount of use, weather, and the overall environment where the grill is located. There is an abundance of Weber owners who have been using the same grill for decades. Your mileage may vary, but with proper care and maintenance you can expect your Weber grill to last for many years.
Wake up and light the smoker, because succulent pulled pork and fall-off-the-bone ribs come to those who wait. The Smokey Mountain Cooker™ smoker has two cooking grates for smoking multiple items at once, and dampers that adjust easily so that you’re always in control of the heat—and your feast. To my childhood mind, firing up a weber q had existential significance. It felt like an important, manly task because in my home, like I’m sure in many homes across America, my dad was in charge of it.
This grill offers a rust-resistant aluminum damper and 2 glass-reinforced nylon handles with tool hooks. This grill is made from cast aluminum for superior heat conduction, and its unique shape and four-point venting system make it ideal for both grilling and smoking foods. It has over 305 square inches of cooking surface—that’s big enough for a whole turkey! Plus, it’s lightweight and easy to set up if you need a portable option for outdoor parties or tailgating.