Trying To Figure It Out

275* is the PERFECT Everything temp for Smoking.......

look at this: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81499

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=168240

Howdy Neighbor....welcome to best source of BBQ and COOKING info from great people on the net....

I would highly recommend a chiminey..(arnt your power rates going thru roof....lol)
I always light with same amount of charcoal (I use about 3/4 full of lump) in chimminey....Bonus with chiminney is you can do small cooks directly over it.

Do a search for minion method .....pack coal to whatever variant makes sense to you.

TOP vent wide open always!!!! and use bottom vent to control temps. When done shut both vents and fire will go out....I use what coal remains unburnt to start next ccok in chiminey

I use lump cause there is a lot less ash....it will take a few(ish) cooks to get her dialed in but when you do it is easy peasy... I also find it easier to throttle back air intake before it approaches target temp rather than after it overshoots.

you will mess up a coupla cooks but I find my screw-ups MUCH better que than can be found around here.

Good luck, have fun and I hope you are high and dry

Rob

Learn the snake, aka the fuse method, of controlling low and slow temps on a Weber kettle. It can also be used for higher temps by adding more coals to each row.

There are as many opinions on using the vents to control the temp as there are people giving opinions. I prefer to leave the top vent (exhaust) 100% open, 50% at a minimum. Then, control the air intake that fuels the fire using the bottom vents. Moving the top and bottom vents at the same time is like using the accelerator and brakes at the same time. While learning, set the top vent to 100% open and make adjustments with the bottom vents only. Wait 10-15 minutes to see the changes in temp. Vent changes will be different when the kettle is empty as opposed to when food is cooking. I placed a cast iron skillet on the grate while practicing to allow it to function as a heat sink to simulate heat absorption while food is being cooked. I also started with hamburgers because they are cheap if ruined. Once the hamburgers were done I practiced temp control with the remaining fire. All of the vents can be closed to save the unburned charcoal to use for the next cook. The kettle will probably leak some air while new. It will gunk up over time from cooking which will fill the leaks. Wind can be helpful or a hindrance. You will need to determine if and when a wind break is needed. Something as simple as a partial sheet of plywood can serve as an effective wind break.

Below are a few links to get you started.
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?44798-How-to-maintain-250-275-with-Weber-Kettle
http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/controlling_temperature_with_vents.html

No reflection on the Brethren which is one of the great BBQ sites but the virtual weber bulletin board and the weber kettle club are dedicated to Weber cooking. TVWBB has been in existence for at least 10 years. It is a wealth of all things Weber. It is more G-rated, family oriented than some of the other BBQ sites. Knowledgeable, friendly people who are ready and willing to help. The WKC is relatively new. 18 months, I think. It is more of an anything goes site. Lots of interest in collecting Weber kettles. Search both forums for info on the snake method. There is a pic of the snake method on the tvwbb by Jim Lampe that is the best I have seen. Of course, I can't find it now. I'll keep looking.
http://tvwbb.com/forum.php
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/

The kettle thermometer is notoriously inaccurate. There can be a 30-50 degree difference in the grate and dome temps. Get a Maverick ET-732 or ET-733 wireless thermometer. You will read a lot of reviews with complaints about the product. There are legions of users who have never had a problem. Be gentle with the cable and probes. Do not get the probe connection wet. The kettle lid can be placed gently on the cable without harm but the best solution is the notch, also called the slot. Below is a link with info. The info is related to the WSM but applies to the kettle also. Chad Bman's post #12 has the best pic I have seen of the notch.
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?37566-Cutting-Notch-in-18-5-WSM/page2

Link to snake method pic. See post #4.
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?45514-How-do-you-maintain-150-160-temps

1st Welcome to the brethren, enjoy your stay and get all the info you want, need from here!

2nd BBQ does not have to be done at 225-235. That is a myth. You can do bbq low and slow (225-235), what I call medium and medium (250-275), or hot and fast (300-350+) All it takes is knowing rough time lines for your cook, different techniques for each cook, and how to test for doneness (since bbq can't be cooked strictly by time or internal temperature)

3rd Here are cookie methods for you to use to get the most of your kettle.

The snake/ fuse method is the way for success!
I got up to 18 h of 225ish with my 26.75 OTG using this set up


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I think it was Landarc who had a really detailed post about using the minion method, but I can't seem to find it right now. It looks a bit like Enrico's, and without meaning to hijack, Enrico where did you get that insert to hold the charcoal like that, it is awesome! The thing I have found with mine when doing low and slow is that when I get to within about 25 degrees of my target temperature, I close the bottom vent until it is only open enough to slide a hangar through the opening. I always leave top vent wide open and on the opposite side of your fire to draw smoke and heat across your meat as it exits.

Hitman