BBQ on Weber Spirit E310 seems to take way too long

[WhiskyBadger]

Hey folks,

Wondering if anyone else has had this experience. I've got a Weber Spirit E310 that I use to BBQ because I live in an area where charcoal is forbidden. And this thing can't seem to BBQ at a reasonable rate even while monitoring the temp.

My technique is as follows: I take the left grate section off entirely to allow for easy adding of wood chunks, put wood chunks atop the 1st and 2nd flavorizer bars from the left, light the far left burner and use the Weber iGrill 2.0 ambient probe to keep the ambient temp on the indirect side at 225-230.

Yesterday I tried with 8 beef ribs 1" at the thickest parts from up by the chuck so a bit short as well. I cut them into 2 bone slabs and started them at 9am. 14 hours later, they still weren't even close to probe tender throughout. Some places on the absolute smallest ribs at their thinnest points, but we're at nearly 3x the rough estimate by Meathead in his Smoked Texas-Style BBQ Beef ribs recipe. This seems crazy.

I've got to test my thermometer tonight, I know that's one likely culprit, but other than that has anyone experienced something similar? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here trying to cook BBQ. Other thoughts is overcrowding the grill, but the meats aren't touching eachother so I don't suspect that's it, and poor air circulation on the grill? Any help would be appreciated!

[fuzzydaddy]

I'd say you were not cooking at 225-230, so yes, probably your thermometer / probe.

[jfmorris]

My dad has the Spirit E330 - same as yours, plus a sear burner and side burner, and it seems to get plenty hot throughout. That said, he does some smoking, and usually preheats with all 3 burners plus the sear on, then drops it to the left burner, and sometimes the sear burner, with a foil pouch of wood chips on top of the flavorizer bars. He puts whatever he is smoking on the right side of the grill, as far from the fire as he can go.

Since he often has to have more than one burner on to get 225 to 250 to the far right, I think with just a single burner you may not have been as hot as you thought you were, or had cold spots around the food.

Try and place your probe about an inch above the grate where you are putting the meat, but an inch or two away from the meat. I am not familiar with the iGriill 2, but most probe type thermometers have a grate clip.

[Red Man]

Where is charcoal not allowed? I need to know to be sure I never move there!

[WhiskyBadger]

Tested the iGrill tonight in boiling water. It read 207 where the ThermaPen read 211, so I’m at least 4 degrees colder than I thought. It is attached via a grate clip, about 2-3 inches further back than the meat.

Red Man in southern Californian apartments

[jfmorris]

Most apartments around here (Alabama) don’t like charcoal grills either. The ones with private patios and balconies often allow gas grills though. My daughter’s fiancé moved into the apartment they will share, upscale downtown one, and it has community grills. I bought him a set of Grillgrates to carry down and set on top, so he doesn’t have to worry about cleaning up someone else’s mess.

[jfmorris]

Sadly such rules are ignorant, as most grill related building fires are caused by gas grill grease fires, or so I’ve read. I’ve never had a grease fire on my kettle. I guess idiots with lighter fluid could be a problem though...

[WhiskyBadger]

I think here it comes down to insurance companies not trusting people to properly dispose of coals. there's way to have stray fires on a gas or charcoal grill, but only charcoal grills require disposal of coals. I wish it were different, but I don't set the rules unfortunately.