# Smoking Meats on a Weber Kettle



## Andy M. (May 11, 2011)

The link below will take you to a pot is a thread from 2004.  It's a detailed post and diagram for smoking meat on a Weber.

With the summer close at hand, I thought it worthwhile to bring this to the forefront.

Raine, the woman who posted this hasn't been around for a while but was an expert on the topic.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f36/smoking-pork-spare-ribs-question-9939.html#post104837


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## justplainbill (May 11, 2011)

Thank you very much for bringing Ranie's post back to life and to our attention.


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## roadfix (May 11, 2011)

It's also important to note not to light the entire load of charcoal at once.  Not only will it be somewhat difficult to bring the kettle down to smoking temperature, but will deplete the load of charcoal quickly.....you may not get 4 or 5 hours of cooking time.
Use the Minion Method and place just a few fully lit coals on top of the larger pile of unlit coals.  This will give you a quite long, slow burn time with low enough smoking temps in the 250°F range.


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## Andy M. (May 11, 2011)

roadfix said:


> It's also important to note not to light the entire load of charcoal at once.  Not only will it be somewhat difficult to bring the kettle down to smoking temperature, but will deplete the load of charcoal quickly.....you may not get 4 or 5 hours of cooking time.
> Use the Minion Method and place just a few fully lit coals on top of the larger pile of unlit coals.  This will give you a quite long, slow burn time with low enough smoking temps in the 250°F range.




Good info, thanks for sharing.


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## Dawgluver (May 11, 2011)

Wow!  Fantastic idea, thanks for bringing it up!  Have a classic Weber, can't wait to try this!


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## Bolas De Fraile (May 12, 2011)

Thanks M, the diag is a great help, the two things that makes me  feel stupid for not using are the drip pan and the water tray
I have said it before, I first came to this board to learn BBQ/Smoking but they are so obvious its embarrassing .
I bought a 4.5lbs joint of boneless pork butt yesterday, it is quality british pork with the rind on, I thought it was very cheap at about $2.25 a lbs.
I want to slow roast it on the BBQ, so I want some tips please on, rubs, brines ect.
Ps do I take the rind/skin off?


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2011)

BDF, I use the following to 'rub my butt' 24-48 hours before cooking.

*For the Dry Rub* 

     6            Tb            Dark Brown Sugar
  5            Tb            Paprika
  4            Tb            Salt
  3            Tb            Black Pepper
  3            Tb            Cayenne
  2            Tb            Cumin
  2            Tb            Garlic powder
  1            Tb            Dry Oregano
  1            Tb            Dry Thyme
  1            Tb            Onion Powder


 I would remove the rind and leave the fat.  Rub the mixture into the flesh, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.

Remove from the fridge and allow the but to come to room temperature.  If it's boneless, you may want to tie it up to maintain a tight shape.  

No brining necessary.


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## pacanis (May 12, 2011)

That's pretty much my rub, but I substitute chile powder for paprika and don't add anything green (no herbs). I also replace the brown sugar with turbinado. I love that stuff and it doesn't clump up. I can mix up a batch of rub and keep it in a large shaker container, like what Kraft Parm cheese comes in, and don't need to worry about the brown sugar turning hard. I go a little lighter on the cumin because that's my taste.

And I have both rubbed just the butt, or slathered it with yellow mustard and sprinkled my rub on that way. I really didn't notice any difference, so skip the mustard step now because it's messy.

A lot of folks sprinkle some more rub onto the pork after it's pulled.


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2011)

I have also used a mopping liquid on the butt when cooking it in the oven but that would be counter-productive when smoking in a charcoal grill/smoker.


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## jennyema (May 12, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I have also used a mopping liquid on the butt when cooking it in the oven.


 

I usually do that in the shower.

Thanks for posting this!!


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2011)

jennyema said:


> I usually do that in the shower.
> 
> Thanks for posting this!!


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## roadfix (May 12, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> BDF, I use the following to 'rub my butt' 24-48 hours before cooking.
> 
> *For the Dry Rub*
> 
> ...



I'm smoking two slabs of spareribs this afternoon and I'm going to try this rub recipe on one of them.


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2011)

roadfix said:


> I'm smoking two slabs of spareribs this afternoon and I'm going to try this rub recipe on one of them.




Great.  Let us know how you like it.  I like to rub my ribs ahead of time so they can sit with the rub for a day.


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## taxlady (May 12, 2011)

Anything I can do with that rub recipe if I don't like sweet with my pork? Would it work if I just left out the sugar?


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2011)

taxlady said:


> Anything I can do with that rub recipe if I don't like sweet with my pork? Would it work if I just left out the sugar?




It doesn't really taste sweet.  You could leave out the sugar or reduce it. 

Actually, you can do anything you want with a rub.  It's one of those things that is wide open to personal preferences.


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## roadfix (May 12, 2011)

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the brown sugar adds much sweetness to the finished product.  I think it helps create a nice bark though.


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## roadfix (May 12, 2011)

Additionally, also paprika, I don't think it does much to the taste but it does add color to the meat.


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## taxlady (May 12, 2011)

roadfix said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the brown sugar adds much sweetness to the finished product.  I think it helps create a nice bark though.



That's why I was asking 

Not much sweetness   I *really don't like sweet* with my savoury (except unsweetened fruit). As a kid I wouldn't eat fried onions because they were too sweet.  I'm not that picky any more.

Well, I don't even have anything I can smoke food with yet. I intend to get a Weber this summer. I'm planning ahead. I guess I could try cutting the sugar in half or something.


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2011)

taxlady said:


> That's why I was asking
> 
> Not much sweetness   I *really don't like sweet* with my savoury (except unsweetened fruit). As a kid I wouldn't eat fried onions because they were too sweet.  I'm not that picky any more.
> 
> Well, I don't even have anything I can smoke food with yet. I intend to get a Weber this summer. I'm planning ahead. I guess I could try cutting the sugar in half or something.



You'll only know by experimenting.  If you're are totally against sugar, just try some of the commercial blends.  Emeril's Essence would work just fine in this type of use and has no sugar.


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## pacanis (May 12, 2011)

If I was so against a particular taste, I'd leave it out altogether. There's no sense adding even a little, because you know you're going to be thinking about it every bite.


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## taxlady (May 12, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> You'll only know by experimenting.  If you're are totally against sugar, just try some of the commercial blends.  Emeril's Essence would work just fine in this type of use and has no sugar.



I'm not totally against sugar. I sometimes use it in cooking savoury food. I just don't want it to make the food sweet.

Thanks for the tip about Emeril's Essence. I googled to see if it could be bought in Canada and found this: Emeril's Essence Recipe : Emeril Lagasse : Food Network. It looks quite similar to the recipe posted here, but minus the sugar.

Has anyone tried using fresh herbs in a rub instead of dry ones? Does it gum things up or does it work well?


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## roadfix (May 12, 2011)

I love the smell of smoking ribs in the afternoon.   I threw in chunks of cherry wood for smoke.  I've got another couple of hours to go.  )


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## Bolas De Fraile (May 13, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> BDF, I use the following to 'rub my butt' 24-48 hours before cooking.
> 
> *For the Dry Rub*
> 
> ...


Thanks M and everyone else for the comments. I aim to start to rub on Monday and cook on Wednesday. I would like to ask a supplementary. I have Thyme, Lemon Thyme and Oregano growing in the herb beds if I put them in the blender with the other ingredients and blitz will that be ok


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## Andy M. (May 13, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> Thanks M and everyone else for the comments. I aim to start to rub on Monday and cook on Wednesday. I would like to ask a supplementary. I have Thyme, Lemon Thyme and Oregano growing in the herb beds if I put them in the blender with the other ingredients and blitz will that be ok




I've never used fresh herbs in a dry rub but it should work.


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## Bolas De Fraile (May 13, 2011)

Dry herbs it is then.


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## BigAL (May 13, 2011)

I don't see the use of the water pan, but what ever floats your boat.  I'd rather mop than use a water pan.

Another way to do a rub is to apply it one at a time.  Make'n your own rub is pretty easy, there is the 8-3-1-1(sugar-salt-chili pwdr-anymix of what you want).  I'm also not a fan of sweet, maybe alittle on pork but not on beef or anything else.  K.salt, blk pepper, and some heat is hard to beat.


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## pacanis (May 13, 2011)

I don't mop or use a water pan. Well, I use the water pan, but it's filled with sand. The water is simply a heat sink to help with temperature spikes/fluxuations and sand works just as well and doesn't need replenished as the cook goes on, allowing you to keep the lid where it's supposed to be, down.
But like anything, there is more than one way to do things and get the results you're after. Probably moreso with BBQing.


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## Selkie (May 13, 2011)

pacanis said:


> I don't mop or use a water pan. Well, I use the water pan, but it's filled with sand. The water is simply a heat sink to help with temperature spikes/fluxuations and sand works just as well and doesn't need replenished as the cook goes on, allowing you to keep the lid where it's supposed to be, down.
> But like anything, there is more than one way to do things and get the results you're after. Probably moreso with BBQing.



The water pan is not simply a heat sink. No, the water in the water pan is to provide a steam-like environment to maintain moisture. In other words, it helps keep your meat and/or veggies from drying out when grilling and not necessarily barbequing.


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## Bolas De Fraile (May 13, 2011)

Pac and Al, I want to do the first Butt in a foolproof way once that is done and dusted or dusted and done I will probably tweek it to suit our tastes.
Pac opening the lid is my big problem, I just have to resist being curious, I have only slow smoked chicken, duck and belly pork  so far, I keep thinking they were going to burn


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## pacanis (May 13, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> ... Pac opening the lid is my big problem, I just have to resist being curious, I have only slow smoked chicken, duck and belly pork so far, I keep thinking they were going to burn


 
You'll have to learn to satisfy your curiosity with the smell of smoking meat wafting through the air


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## Uncle Bob (May 13, 2011)

Selkie said:


> The water pan is not simply a heat sink. No, the water in the water pan is to provide a steam-like environment to maintain moisture. In other words, it helps keep your meat and/or veggies from drying out when grilling and not necessarily barbequing.


......


but....How on earth did people BBQ/grill excellent meats in ....say 1850 or 1950 (and they did) for that matter before the Brinkmann Company came out with the ECB "Tin Can Water Smokers" in the early 70's? ~~ With no means to control the fire (air intake), they had to put a buffer/heat sink/water pan between the fire and the meat to prevent the meat from tuning into the charred remains of some dead animal...So the Company "spin" was as you stated above..."your meat and veggies want dry out" Yada Yada, Yada  ~~~~ Neither did meats cooked/BBQed (sans water pan) for many hundreds/thousands of years prior to the contraption coming on the market. ~~~ Mankind has successfully cooked meats with fire for close to a Million yeas....Yet there are modern manufacturers who have duped millions of people into believing their bull ~~ The only place water has around a BBQ pit is when it's time to wash your hands, and clean up..

Enjoy!


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## pacanis (May 13, 2011)

Uncle Bob said:


> ......
> 
> 
> ...~~ The only place water has around a BBQ pit is when it's time to wash your hands, and clean up..
> ...


 
And here I thought you were going to say frozen into cubes and placed in your bourbon glass.


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## Uncle Bob (May 13, 2011)

pacanis said:


> And here I thought you were going to say frozen into cubes and placed in your bourbon glass.



That too Fred!!


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## roadfix (May 13, 2011)

I also use sand in my water pan, then cover with foil to catch drippings.  This is on my modified Brinkman smoker which I converted from electric to charcoal.  
I've also used hot water in the past and what I've noticed with using water is that the moist environment helps keep the temps a bit more low & steady.  Dumping the  water with all that grease drippings floating on top can get a little messy during clean up though...

BTW, those cheap Brinkamn bullet type smokers you often see at Home Depot are commonly referred to as ECB (el cheapo Brinkman)


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## BigAL (May 13, 2011)

I would love to see someone dry out a boston butt. If you can do that then you should stick to take out......or just concentrate on breathing. 

Edit:  Bob, you don't need water to wash your hands......that is what jeans were made for.....wranglers to be exact.  ;-)


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## roadfix (May 13, 2011)

As far as keeping a moist environment in the cooker is concerned I think bakers benefit from this when baking batches of bread.


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## Bolas De Fraile (May 13, 2011)

Listen you lot I'm a Brit trying to learn, now I am slightly confused so I will have to rationalise the post.
The only burning question I have is for Big Al, will Levi's work as well as Wranglers, I have loads of 501's and no wranglers, the wrangler rise is a bit short for me


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## roadfix (May 13, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Great.  Let us know how you like it.  I like to rub my ribs ahead of time so they can sit with the rub for a day.



The ribs with the rub recipe you posted came out great with a touch of heat.  Those were gone in no time.  I did not sauce them.  
The other rack was just S&P and garlic for my wife.  I usually sauce those.

I did not use the Weber kettle for this cook, but instead used my brick oven as I wanted to conduct a low and slow smoking test using a wooden smoker door I made for the oven and a charcoal basket (see pic) which I fabricated for the Weber but wanted to see how it performed in the oven as well.


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## Andy M. (May 13, 2011)

roadfix said:


> The ribs with the rub recipe you posted came out great with a touch of heat.  Those were gone in no time.  I did not sauce them.
> The other rack was just S&P and garlic for my wife.  I usually sauce those.
> 
> I did not use the Weber kettle for this cook, but instead used my brick oven as I wanted to conduct a low and slow smoking test using a wooden smoker door I made for the oven and a charcoal basket which I fabricated for the Weber but wanted to see how it performed in the oven as well.




I'm glad you liked it.


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## BigAL (May 13, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> Listen you lot I'm a Brit trying to learn, now I am slightly confused so I will have to rationalise the post.
> The only burning question I have is for Big Al, will Levi's work as well as Wranglers, I have loads of 501's and no wranglers, the wrangler rise is a bit short for me


 
That will work, for now.  Just don't wear capri pants.

throw the meat on the grill indirect at 2-300* F and you'll be fine.  He!! if it was hard idiots like me couldn't do it.


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## pacanis (May 13, 2011)

All this talk of Qing... I ran to the store for some heavy cream and low and behold... pork butt was on sale for $1.29/lb


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## Uncle Bob (May 13, 2011)

roadfix said:
			
		

> I've also used hot water in the past and what I've noticed with using  water is that the moist environment helps keep the temps a bit more low  & steady.




This is exactly what the engineers knew/came up with; Since water boils  at 212* F (at sea level) the air temperature above the water pan, where  the meat racks are located, would/should not rise excessively above that  point, thereby saving the meat from being converted into a hockey puck  or something resembling a dried buffalo chip. ~ With no means to control  airflow/fire control, it was the best option. ~~ A better, more common  sense approach to fire/temperature control is through the use of air  vents located on the bottom of vertical cookers..The Weber Smoky  Mountain (WSM) is an example..The WSM with an enclosed bottom, has both  butterfly air vents and a water pan... The water pan filled with sand  still acts as a heat sink of sorts, and the butterfly vents give the  user better total temperature control. With practice the cooker can  produce very good BBQ...Ask Fred (pacanis) ~~ I'll let some rocket  scientist calculate how many BTUs (Wood/Charcoal) it takes to simmer a  gallon of water for 14 or so hours while cooking a pork butt..My Guess  would be about the same amont it takes to cook the pork butt to 190* ~~


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## niquejim (May 13, 2011)

Two discussions on smoking on a grill on 2 different foodblogs within 2 days...summer is coming isn't it
Guide to Grilling: Smoking on a Charcoal Kettle Grill | Serious Eats


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## roadfix (May 13, 2011)

You can even set up a Little Smokey Joe (smallest Weber kettle) for smoking.


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