Buckeye Mountain Barbeque Newsletter
I’m Dave, the Buckeye Mountain repair guy. I’ve been a member of the Kansas City BBQ Society and have competed on the barbeque competition circuit for over 20 years. I’ve cooked on just about every kind of smoker there is over the years and would like to share a few BBQ tips with you. Here are a few of my better finishes at some of the contests I’ve competed in.
1st Place tie Ribs - World Championship Lebanon Tennessee (180 score)
1st Place Brisket - The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle
1st Place Ribs - Raytown State Championship (180 score)
1st Place Brisket - Paola
1st Place Ribs - Smokin' in the Ozarks
1st Place Pork - Smokin' in the Ozarks
1st Place Misc - Butler Beefathon
1st Place Brisket - Pleasant Hill (180 score)
1st Place Chicken - Louisburg Ks
1st Place Chicken - Blue Springs
1st Place Ribs - Last Fling til Spring
1st Place Brisket - Smoke Off at the Hill
1st Place Chicken - Wellsville Mo
We’re headed for the bbq season again so I thought we’d take a look at the old standard, the Weber kettle.
If you have any questions about these methods or smoking, bbqing, or grilling general, just send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I might be able to help.
This first setup can be used to grill thin foods such as burgers, chops, hotdogs etc.
side view cutaway top view
One layer of hot coals spread evenly across the charcoal grate will give you about 30 minutes of grilling. A Weber charcoal chimney is a good way to start your fuel. It holds about 90 briquettes, which will give you a single layer in the bottom of your kettle.
There are quite a few ways to get the charcoal started in a chimney.
- Crumple two sheets of newspaper and stuff them in the bottom section, then light the newspaper. The coals will be ready in 20 to 30 minutes.
- Roll up the newspapers and form them into a circle (like a doughnut). Put the paper into the bottom section and light. The airflow in the center will make the charcoal light quicker. Add a little cooking oil to the paper to speed things up even more.
- Place a Weber starting cube under the chimney to eliminate the need for paper.
4. Add a few handfuls of wood chips in with the charcoal and you’ll be cooking in
even less time.
How hot is the fire? The best way to tell how hot the fire is at the cooking grate is with an accurate thermometer. If you want a quick check without one, hold your hand five inches above the cooking grate. If you have to pull it away after 9 seconds, the fire is around 300 deg, if you pull away after 6 seconds, the fire is around 400 deg, and after 3 seconds, the fire is around 500 deg.
To put a nice sear on thicker cuts like steaks, use this two-tier method:
side view top view
Build a pile of coals on one side of the kettle, sear the meat until browned on both sides, and then place the meat over the single layer side of the kettle and cook until done.
This next setup is for indirect cooking of large cuts of meat: Place the meat away from the coals.
side view top view
The lid should be used with this setup with the vent above the meat. The vents on the bottom should be wide open and the top vent closed about halfway. A wood chunk can be placed on top of the coals to provide smoke flavor. Using a charcoal chimney about ¾ full, the temperature will be around 350 degrees, dropping to 250 degrees in about 2 hours. An additional 10 coals can be added from then on every 30 minutes or so to keep cooking at 250 degrees. The number of coals will depend on the type of charcoal, outdoor temperatures, wind, etc. Turn the meat, one-quarter turn every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking. An aluminum foil pan can be placed under the meat to catch drippings.
side view top view
This setup can be used for another indirect method. An aluminum pan is used to catch drippings or it can have water in it to add moisture during the cooking process. Turn the meat 180 degrees halfway through the cook. The top vent should be centered between the coals and open less than half way.
Charcoal Briquettes or Lump?
Wood that has been partially burned, long enough to burn off the moisture and other unwanted substances is called lump or hardwood charcoal. It is almost pure carbon and produces very little ash. Charcoal briquettes are lump charcoal that had been pulverized and has other types of coal and binders added, then shaped in molds to be uniform in shape and size. It leaves quite a bit of ash when burned. Briquettes will burn longer and cooler than lump and gives a light smoke flavor. They are more suited to longer cooking sessions like ribs or turkeys. Lump will burn a little hotter, light quicker, and have very little smoke flavor. It is primarily used for high heat grilling though it can be used for extended cooks.
Is It Done?
These temps are my own personal preference. If you want to be “officially safe” go to the USDA website and look up USDA Meat Temperature Chart.
Steaks - Rare 125 to 135, Med rare 135 to 140, Med 140 to 150, Well done – you should be ashamed of yourself
Poultry - White meat 160 to 170, Dark meat 170 to 180
Burgers - Med 145 to 155, Well 155 to 165
Fish - Tuna, Marlin, Swordfish 125 to 130 other fish 145
Pork loin - 145 to 165
Flare Ups
Flare ups can occur when grilling meat with a high fat content. There a several way to deal with this.
1. Grill with the lid on. This will limit the amount of oxygen and keep the flames to a minimum.
2. Set up a “safe zone” in your grill. If you like to grill without a lid like I do, layer the coals on one half of the coal grate and spread out a few coals on the other half. If you get a flare up, grab your tongs and rotate the grate 180 degrees so that the meat is over the safe zone if you have a round cooking grate. If you don't, just move the meat. The flare ups will not last long. When the flames are out, spin or move the meat back over the hot zone.
3. As a last resort, some people keep a spray bottle of water handy. It may kick up a little ash, but it does work.
Cooking Grates
Some like to clean the cooking grate soon after pulling the meat off. I like to leave the grate alone until the next cooking session. I heat up the grate for a few minutes, brush them with a brass bristle brush, wipe them off with a paper towel, and then apply a little oil with a paper towel. A steel brush works well for cast iron and expanded metal grates. For stainless steel and porcelain enameled grates, use a brass bristled brush. If your grate has been sitting a long time and it looks hopeless, spray it down with oven cleaner, put it in a plastic trash bag overnight, and then, try cleaning it.
