The best way is to splurge and get the Performer Platinum:
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Blasphemy. Pork chops just don’t taste right without some combustion products from over-used lighter fluid being baked in at the start of the process.
Not gasoline combustion products, though. That would be gross. Always use about a pint of lighter fluid for that neighbourhood-scaring ten-foot tower of flame.
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I have one of those. I used it a lot. But then I backed this bad boy’s Kickstarter.
Of course, the best way is still
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Boiled? Everyone knows that good hot dogs should be steamed.
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The weber one is better made than many generics, and only around $20-25. Right around what I paid for a generic one.
It’s also slightly larger than a lot of other brands, and when recipes/technique articles call for “one chimney” they’re usually basing that on the Weber. It’s something of the standard measure for loads of charcoal. Down to the point where the number of briquettes that fit in there is a known standard.
Usually quoted as 80, most other brands being around 60. Has an impact on fire duration and temp. That kind of consistency and known quantities can be important with stuff like barbeque.
There are plenty of charcoal barbecue pits in the world. Coal for heat wood for smoke is standard in competition barbecue.
I live in NY and I do all my smoked ribs, brisket and what have in a Weber Kettle, with charcoal as fuel.
It’s just about the cheapest entry point for a quality smoking set up.
Have you ever seen that old school open pit on branches barbeque made?
It’s done uncovered, over direct heat, the branches arranged like a gridiron.
The close pit kind where you bury it in the ground involves very little smoke.
And then there’s Asado, probably the closest thing to it still going.
And it makes your food taste like lighter fluid.
Lighter fluid itself is fine if you let it burn off properly before cooking. But the match light stuff has it straight through, and the flavor will stick around as long as the fire.
Generally you use different charcoal for very high heat. Lump will burn very hot, if dust and small chunks don’t choke the fire. And it burns down very fast.
Kingston Competition uses fewer binders and burns hotter. Stubbs burns very hot but is difficult to light some times. As it’s very dense and almost binderless.
Asian style charcoals tend to burn very hot and very consistently. I’ve heard very good things about Pok Pok. But it’s expensive.
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I’ve had one of these for probably 15 years. Well worth the cost at the time. I have a combo gas/charcoal grill and usually use the charcoal side.
Once the coals are hot enough, I put them in the grill then toss some hardwood logs in on top of them.
I have even been known to cook pizza on my grill.
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My dad used to make them out of those big cans of Juicy Juice they used to have. Cut the end off poke a bunch of holes with a can opener.
God, yes, stick with the Weber chimney. Generics, in addition to never quite working right without additional fuel, never lasted more than a season, always rusting, losing welds, or my personal favorite, having the wooden handle pop out of the tiny tip of metal holding it in place while carrying a full load of hot coals across a drought-dried lawn. I’ve had the same Weber for six years now and it’s still in great condition. Five or ten bucks more than a generic and worth every penny.
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While this may be true, thank freaking goodness I have family a few minutes from…
Worth hitting up if passing through the Pioneer Valley and hankering for some real BBQ!
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Meat in space (pre-cooked)
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I just use a regular old hot air gun. Works great. No need for lighter fluid, or paper, or small dry wood, or waxy stuff, or specialised equipment. The hot air lights it on fire and adds air to speed up the burning. And I have the gun anyway, for other purposes. Only negative, I suppose, is that you need a mains connection.
Just add the briquettes
Done!
put two crumpled sheets of newspaper … in the bottom
Dagnabbit…
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Or a #10 can with holes punched around the bottom with a can opener key, and a loop of wire protruding out of a hole near the top so you can whip it away. Light it IN the BBQ, then when hot, yank it out and then put more charcoal on. My solution is free if you first eat the contents of said #10 can.
??? Why would anybody do that?!? Light the damn thing IN the BBQ ffs. Never carry coals anywhere.
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Texas taught you what words mean in Texas.
Nobody else has to use Texas meanings. And they don’t.
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The picture (don’t know if it’s actually Frauenfelder or a stock photo) shows someone putting the lit coals into a coals basket on the bottom level of a Weber kettle.
Add a small, deep pan of water to help maintain temperature level and this is a perfectly adequate setup for low and slow BBq’ing. I’ve done very nice pork shoulders, ribs, and briskets with a rig that’s pretty much the same thing.
There are some brand names which are not worth the money. Weber products are not in that category.
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My dad had me make one which had the handle rotated 90 degrees for ease of pouring, we also tried one that had a flap at the base but that turned into a problem as the metal expanded.
Purists are so cute.
An Ontario tradition for generations. Always a lineup of weekenders on their way to ski/cottage country.
They’re on the northbound side of a busy divided highway. Southbound burger lovers used to sprint across four lanes of fast traffic to get their fix, until the provincial government put a fence in the median. Finally Webers put up the pedestrian bridge seen in the background, allowing them to take down their sign, “[__] Days Without a Flattened Customer”.
Burgers are OK. I wouldn’t risk my life for one.
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