Suggestions for kettle please

[ssv3]

Yup... self-fulfilling prophecy right?

Carlsbad area. I might feel differently if we were wealthy, could afford some space and elbow room on the coast & be able to travel to more preferable areas and climates frequently. I'm a teacher, so that's never going to happen.
I'll do my best by keeping myself busy fishing & cooking, till I get used to it. Fake it till you make it is all we have sometimes. Sometimes it even works.... Fingers crossed.
Thanks man,
JD

Carlsbad isn't half bad and actually decent. It's pretty nice place and you're close to San Diego and close to South OC. L.A. would be different story. :becky: You may even like it there. :thumb:

 

[snadamo]

I have been having to use my old 22 weber for the last month or so. Ive had that thing for at least 15 years now. It has always put out great food. If I had to do it again, I'd go 26 with SnS or vortex or both!

so short story long, my vote would be weber 26

 

[Shadowdog500]

I have a Weber performer 22” with gas assist and really like it. The gas assist is great for lighting charcoal on the grates, in baskets, and in a chimney. I use it to light the chimney for my WSM. The table is also handy and the cart that it is on makes it easy to move around.

The slow and sear really bought the grill to life for doing steaks, and the vortex is excellent for wings and other things. I picked up a heavy duty “killagrilla” stainless grate at the recommendation of members of this forum and it really holds up to the high temps of the SnS and vortex without rusting. It will probably last for the rest of my life. Defiantly get the Weber rotisserie. It makes excellent poultry and roasts with minimal effort.

 

[tom b]

Yup... self-fulfilling prophecy right?

Carlsbad area. I might feel differently if we were wealthy, could afford some space and elbow room on the coast & be able to travel to more preferable areas and climates frequently. I'm a teacher, so that's never going to happen.
I'll do my best by keeping myself busy fishing & cooking, till I get used to it. Fake it till you make it is all we have sometimes. Sometimes it even works.... Fingers crossed.
Thanks man,
JD

I have been working on my so cal exit plan, but if I was going to stay, Carlsbad would be at the top of my list.

 

[tom b]

Oh, and if you wait to get here, I can make you a killer deal on a 22 performer, I could throw in a rotisserie and a vortex too.

 

[Dweverett]

Weber 26 and slow n sear. Have vortex too but ever since I bought the slow n sear I haven't used the vortex. That was 3 years ago.

This has been my experience too. The 26” adds quite a bit of space vs the 22” and since getting the slow and sear the vortex just sits around. Admittedly, I’m not a huge wing guy but when I have done them I can get the same outcome with the S&S as I could with the vortex.

I find the offset positioning a lot more useful than the center position of the vortex. That also allows for drip pans under that batch of wings which is another benefit.

 

[jjdbike]

Thanks so much everyone. Great info here. Since it'll just be wife & I, son's family and two grand kids sometime, I think the 22 will most likely be enough space for us. I do like the added features of the performer. Tom B, if you're still around when I get there I'll take you up on that offer.
JD

 

[kynmo2010]

Weber 26 with a vortex.:thumb:
And get the original vortex. Not a cheap knock-off.

This is a great combination, especially for wings.

 

[tom b]

Thanks so much everyone. Great info here. Since it'll just be wife & I, son's family and two grand kids sometime, I think the 22 will most likely be enough space for us. I do like the added features of the performer. Tom B, if you're still around when I get there I'll take you up on that offer.
JD

I'll be here, got a few years to go. Just hit me with a PM, I'm here about every day. The grill is well cared for and has a cajun bandit rotisserie with one grill motor and a fairly new ss cook grate.

 

[ssv3]

This has been my experience too. The 26” adds quite a bit of space vs the 22” and since getting the slow and sear the vortex just sits around. Admittedly, I’m not a huge wing guy but when I have done them I can get the same outcome with the S&S as I could with the vortex.

I find the offset positioning a lot more useful than the center position of the vortex. That also allows for drip pans under that batch of wings which is another benefit.

Amen Bill!

My exact thoughts. SnS gets equally great results with chicken as vortex. I prefer SnS as you don't have to rotate the lid every 15 mins and most importantly with a drip pan or foil at the bottom you catch all the chicken grease. Chicken grease is as bad as it gets and I hated cleaning chicken grease glops after using the Vortex.

Killer wings with the SnS whether it's nekkid or breaded

 

[jjdbike]

Amen Bill!

My exact thoughts. SnS gets equally great results with chicken as vortex. I prefer SnS as you don't have to rotate the lid every 15 mins and most importantly with a drip pan or foil at the bottom you catch all the chicken grease. Chicken grease is as bad as it gets and I hated cleaning chicken grease glops after using the Vortex.

Killer wings with the SnS whether it's nekkid or breaded

Thanks,
those are some great looking wings from a grill!
JD

 

[jjdbike]

I'll be here, got a few years to go. Just hit me with a PM, I'm here about every day. The grill is well cared for and has a cajun bandit rotisserie with one grill motor and a fairly new ss cook grate.

Thanks Tom,
My daughter in law used to work in Temecula.
That's a beautiful patio!
Will do.
Best regards!
JD

 

[Mikhail]

As a former LA and San Diego resident, I think you will find Carlsbad a great place to live. You're close to the beach, both major cities, plus a lot of beautiful back country, both mountains and desert.

 

[ssv3]

Thanks,
those are some great looking wings from a grill!
JD

I almost exclusively do "grill" fried chicken whether it's wings, thighs, legs or half birds. High heat and let 'er rip. Nothing compared to real oil fried but I tell you it's pretty damn close as far as taste and most importantly texture go. SnS and Kettle is a match made in heaven.

 

[thirdeye]

I almost exclusively do "grill" fried chicken whether it's wings, thighs, legs or half birds. High heat and let 'er rip. Nothing compared to real oil fried but I tell you it's pretty damn close as far as taste and most importantly texture go. SnS and Kettle is a match made in heaven.

Would you share the details on the breading and pit temps? I have an SNS grill with the SnS basket but have not done chicken yet.
EDIT - I located your breaded chicken thread from February, but the post about the breading doesn't list anything....

 

[ssv3]

Would you share the details on the breading and pit temps? I have an SNS grill with the SnS basket but have not done chicken yet.
EDIT - I located your breaded chicken thread from February, but the post about the breading doesn't list anything....

I don't pay much attention to temps but my weber dial reads 600 ish right over the fire. Heaping Weber basket of coals fully lit, dumped into the SnS with chicken sitting indirect and the lid exhaust over the chicken. I take the internal temps to at least 185 on dark meats especially wings. Renders out the fat and crisps up the skin with plenty moisture in the meat.

As far as breading, I either use light season flour or Andy's, Hooters, Louisiana type fry breading by dumping chicken and breading in a bag and shaking it. Let it sweat through on a wire rack and that's it. You want just enough breading and not too much so the breading doesn't stay raw. Took me a few tries but i got it. You can coat the chicken in buttermilk for breading to tack on.

 

[edmonds]

Man you got a lot of interest with this post. I have a slowNsear with my Weber kettle. I use all the time. There's only 2 of us so I don't need the whole kettle full of charcoal; only the slowNsear with about 3/4 (or less) chimney of charcoal. I also have a smoker but usually use the slowNsear for smoking also, unless I am doing a big hunk of meat (seldom).

 

[jjdbike]

I don't pay much attention to temps but my weber dial reads 600 ish right over the fire. Heaping Weber basket of coals fully lit, dumped into the SnS with chicken sitting indirect and the lid exhaust over the chicken. I take the internal temps to at least 185 on dark meats especially wings. Renders out the fat and crisps up the skin with plenty moisture in the meat.

As far as breading, I either use light season flour or Andy's, Hooters, Louisiana type fry breading by dumping chicken and breading in a bag and shaking it. Let it sweat through on a wire rack and that's it. You want just enough breading and not too much so the breading doesn't stay raw. Took me a few tries but i got it. You can coat the chicken in buttermilk for breading to tack on.

Sounds great!

 

[jjdbike]

Man you got a lot of interest with this post. I have a slowNsear with my Weber kettle. I use all the time. There's only 2 of us so I don't need the whole kettle full of charcoal; only the slowNsear with about 3/4 (or less) chimney of charcoal. I also have a smoker but usually use the slowNsear for smoking also, unless I am doing a big hunk of meat (seldom).

Hey Edmonds, thanks. Good info there. Also, I checked out you YouTube channel. I'm going to try your pastrami. It looks really good.
JD

 

[Smoking Piney]

Now that I have the KBQ, I no longer need the smoking aspect of the BGE. I just need something to grill on. While the ceramics / kamotos can grill, I don't see the need for such a heavy and expensive unit just for grilling.
Make sense?
JD

Absolutely. :-D