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How to improve two zone grilling on Genesis E-320

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    How to improve two zone grilling on Genesis E-320

    I discovered and have been learning good grilling from Meathead/Amazing ribs for the last year or so. I came from a family that didn't believe in using a meat thermometer and so did my wife. I am cooking mostly for my wife,two kids, and myself. We typically are having burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, fish, and grill veggies. We are slowly trying to expand what our kids will try/like. My kids will not eat my mother in laws grilled food because it is all "burned".
    I have a pass down Genesis E-320 gas grill with 3 burners that are east to west from the previous owner of my house (so likely 2008). I have replaced the 3 burners and the crossover. I have been doing most if not all of the foods on the grill using the two zone grilling (burgers, hot dogs, chicken etc). I use the Smokist smoking pouch to add some smoke to the food.
    I am having a hard time getting a stable 2 zone/in direct zone on my grill. With my test the best options, are to turn the front burner all the way down, and the middle/back burner off. I can keep the temperature anywhere between 180-250 back there.
    I tried the GrillGrates which were wonderful for the direct heat, but didn't work so well for the indirect because I couldn't create a gap between the grates (since they connected/set up for front to back burners).
    My flavorizers bars are on the last leg. There are no holes, but on the edges it is become very thin.

    Is there anything else that I could do that would help with the two zone cooking?

    My thoughts
    1. Just replacing the flavorizer bar
    2. Maybe replacing the flavorizer bars vs replacing/adding ceramic bbq grill tiles so I could create a gap between the middle and back burner.
    3. Would a water pan help at all?
    4. Get a new gas grill (or pellet) that is north to south burners that is smaller (the current grill is way to big for us).

    Thank you so much!!!

    Anthony











    #2
    A 3 burner gasser is way to big for you does not compute. You really need at least 3 to get a two zone cook. You may want to consider a used gasser on something like Craig’s list or maybe an inexpensive charcoal as in a kettle to learn your way around cookin. Welcome, eat good & have fun!

    PS. Your kids are alright, they know burnt food is yuk. You will be fine with your desire to get it right!
    Last edited by FireMan; April 26, 2022, 11:06 AM.

    Comment


      #3
      Welcome to The Pit.

      I can't help as I don't have a gasser, but FireMan made some good points.

      Comment


        #4
        I have the same Weber gas grill. IMO impossible for two zone cooking. I now use it only for high heat grilling for a large amount of meat or rotisserie. I got a pellet cooker for low and slow. Also got a small one burner gas grill for the quick couple of burgers or bratwurst etc for me and wifey. If your budget allows, get either a pellet cooker or a Webber charcoal kettle with Slow and Sear insert from SnS Grills.
        Last edited by Jfrosty27; April 26, 2022, 11:18 AM.

        Comment


        #5
        I have a newer model, the Genesis II which has the front to back (or north-south) you mentioned and can smoke on it if I want to. I do this by using the right most burner only, removing the grates and adding an old tin can on the flavor bars with wood inside it to smoke. I place the meat far left and high to get the temp I want.

        But for your burner configuration I would have thought the best way might be utilize the front burner only and put the food up high at the back - you could add wood in a can method also. Do you have high racks on that model or anything to elevate the meat.

        If you have a pit probe then do a thermal survey of your grill (i.e. place it in various spots around the grill and write down the temps at those spots - along with gas knob position) - leaving each in place for a good 15-20 mins to stabilize. Then play with the gas knob until you get the 225-250 you are looking for. Mark the gas knob position somehow and you should be good. Weather and wind effect this of course, so a good dual probe setup like the thermoworks smoke would be a wise investment for future smoking endeavors.

        Comment


          #6
          Ya it's pretty difficult to do 2 zone on a gas grill no matter which way the burners are running. They just aren't meant for that type of control. Too many vent holes.

          Comment


          • Potkettleblack
            Potkettleblack commented
            Editing a comment
            My experience suggests otherwise, but our mileage may have varied.

            I got very nice results on my E-330 with N/S configuration using the setup advised on the free site.

          • Rod
            Rod commented
            Editing a comment
            Admittedly I didn't try too hard as I have plenty of other grills more suited for that.

          • MBMorgan
            MBMorgan commented
            Editing a comment
            I'll echo what Potkettleblack said. 2-zone on my EP-330 is definitely doable. It's a little fussy to maintain a relatively constant temp on a gusty, windy Colorado day ... but it can be done.

          #7
          To echo Potkettleblack , I have a "north-south" as you term it, gasser (Napoleon) as a part of my arsenal. I cook two zone on it frequently. And also to comment more on the real estate issue, you do have a fam of four. I am going to assume yer kids are young by you saying a 3 burner was two big. Wait a year or three and it will get small real fast.

          Comment


          • FireMan
            FireMan commented
            Editing a comment
            MBMorgan , hey, hey, hey, do you, you, hear, hear an echo, echo, echo, echo in here, here, here?

          • MBMorgan
            MBMorgan commented
            Editing a comment
            No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, ... ok, ok, ok ... well, well , well ... maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe ... just a little, little, little, little, little, little, little, little, little, little, little, ...

          #8
          We have all struggled using the wrong tool for the job. From cooking to car repair, sometimes you just have to work with what you have. Can you use a gasser for two zone cooking? Of course you can. Is it going to work as well as something designed for low and slow. No, it isn't. It will be fussy to control, and give sub par results. But, if the gasser you have is all the budget allows for, then do the best you can with what you have.

          In the long run, if you want to really get into low and slow cooking, even an entry level propane smoker is going to perform better then the grill you are currently using, and they are readily available on the used market via Craigslist or FB Marketplace. You can also find Weber Smokey Mountains that are in decent shape fairly regular. Watch out for the off brand bullet smokers. They tend to be far more hassle than they're worth.

          While I like to poke fun at the FGC (Flaming Garbage Can) crowd, the truth is, either the Oklahoma Joe Bronco, or the Pit Barrel Cooker are very capable cookers at reasonable prices.

          Given that you already have a gasser for hot and fast, A kettle with a SnS would not be the direction I would recommend for you, despite the fact that they are extremely versatile. I have one, and wouldn't dream of getting rid of it, but I don't own a gasser, and don't have plans of getting one. Yet.

          And now that I have all that out of the way, I just have one more thing to mention.

          Welcome for Wisconsin. Glad you could join us!
          Last edited by willxfmr; April 26, 2022, 10:44 PM.

          Comment


            #9
            I too have an east to west Weber gasser and prior to OG ownership would use the rear warming rack (above the back grill grates) as a safe spot for salmon etc while the front burner was on low, and the middle and rear burners off. I would have a smoke tube (Amazen tube or Lyzzie) burning for smoke. This worked well. It took some finesse and babysitting but that got me outside on the back deck and to peace and quiet....

            Comment


              #10
              I just re-read the original post and realized we are talking old-style Genesis with the east-west (left to right) burner tubes. I have/had a 2 burner Genesis Silver A made in 2002 (its at my daughter's house right now), and what I found worked there was to do just what you are already doing - front burner on low, back burner off. The drawback is simply that the indirect zone is not very large on those older grills when run in that mode. For indirect, I would only use the stock grates, and remove all Grillgrate panels, as they will conduct heat back to the meat. Even when I got a full set of Grillgrates for the old Genesis, I kept the stock cast iron grates on the shelf underneath for when I needed to do indirect or use a cast iron skillet.

              The other thing I did on the old 2 burner Genesis with those east-west burners to do indirect cooking of larger items like a turkey or ham, was to pull the grates off, put a sheet pan (11x17 jelly roll pan actually) on top of the flavorizer bars, then put the grates back in place. You can even pour some water into that pan if it has raised sides. I then put the STOCK grates (not Grillgrates) back in place. This gave me an indirect zone on the entire central portion of the cooking grate, with all heat just coming up around the perimeter of the grill, and I successfully cooked a number of Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys and hams on the old Genesis using this arrangement.
              Last edited by jfmorris; April 28, 2022, 10:34 AM.

              Comment


                #11
                I owned the same generation Genesis and found the "east-west" burners generally impractical. We now have a new Genesis with "north-south" burners and like it much better. It’s still not great for low/slow 2-zone cooking. We also own a Weber kettle and find it to be much more versatile.

                Our gasser is our "weeknight grill"—chicken breasts, burgers, flank steaks, some fish. The kettle is for reverse sear, smoking, whole chicken, etc.

                The kettle is relatively inexpensive. I concur with others who suggest adding one to your gasser. To quote Jacques Pepin, happy cooking!

                Comment


                  #12
                  thank you guys for all the help!!! This has given me some great ideas!!!

                  Comment

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