For those that have used one, I’m curious to how heavy that lid is, and how awkward would it be to do it from the side, where I could lift and the wheel it open. I would really like to get my hands on one of these, not to own, "yet". But to look at and imagine possible set ups that will fix my problem. I need more grate space. I feel this could be more dual purpose than getting another wsm. A lot more money of course.
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Not too heavy. Next time I'm at the ranch (yes the ranch lives at the ranch) I'll try to remember er to weigh the lid. I didn't understand the 2nd part of your question though. Could you rephrase please? -
Product InformationAccording to Weber, it weighs 50 lbs! Wow!Manufacturer: Weber Product Number: 90062 Classification: Part Weight: 50.00 lbs. Shipping: Ships Worldwide
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I like the part where it says "There are no tools required for this part, however, you will need a screwdriver to install the handles on the lid" (pssst, hey weber, a screwdriver is a tool. unless you're saying to make a vodka/orange juice cocktail before assembling the lid....) -
Just having a little fun with the words and the oxymoronic sentence.
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I'm trying to envision how some sort of cantilever system would work to assist in opening, but that keeps getting in the way of the second part of the issue. If the lid is somewhat attached and tilted back, chair access would be partially blocked and reaching the entire grate surface could be tough unless the grate can be rigged to rotate.Comment
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I had one for a few years and used it mostly for low and slow. I could fit 6, maybe 7 butts in there at a time, and it was my go-to cooker for brisket at the time.
The lid is pretty heavy, as you might imagine. But the lid holder allows you to open it almost like it is on a hinge, hence the handle in the very front. An additional handle could be added 90 degrees from the front one pretty easily. The grate is also hefty, and the whole thing is a bear to clean.
Temperature control is similar to the WSM that you have been using, just not quite as rock solid. I fixed that with a BBQ Guru PartyQ.Comment
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Thank you. And HawkerXP, I have a handle on the front of my 26, it is the ticket.I saw @Attjack’s and did it right away.Last edited by Richard Chrz; October 1, 2022, 09:46 AM.
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I think the 20222 model comes with lights and a horn.....................Comment
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If indeed you're worried about physically handling the Ranch, why not consider a pair of 26" kettles? They are less than half the price and have a nearly-as-large total cooking area within 9% of a ranch and are apparently easy to modify with added handle(s).Comment
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I guess I’d lean towards a cabinet here.Comment
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Well, the Masterbuilt Gravity cabinet is pretty cheap.
I have never heard any complaints about the Backwoods ones and they can be reasonably priced.
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Problem with cabinet smoker in my needs. Although I need more smoking space, I truly do, the 22 wsm will hold 8 butts, my 26 can hold 2 maybe 3. But if I’m going for a huge chicken cook (not smoke), which is what I’m mostly needing space for, planning 2023 offerings. Cabinet does very little for me I way I cook yardbird, considering larger offering,yet a ranch could possibly act as a second 22Wsm when in need.Last edited by Richard Chrz; October 1, 2022, 01:08 PM.
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Lifting the cooking grate while in a chair will not be easy. You could slide it off onto a table instead. The Ranch is a good smoker and you can set up multiple heat zones if you’re looking for some fun!Attached FilesComment
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Richard Chrz , the best way I found was to scoop out the ashes with a plastic dust pan and then vacuum out what wa left using a Shopvac or something similar. The vents in the bottom are the three small ones like a WSM, so getting a lot of ashes out that way is problematic.
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I use a 2â€plastic putty knife first, a corn husk whisk broom, and a Weber ash shovel to clean out the Ranch. I’m not sure what the real name for the shovel is, but it’s easy to bend to the contour of the bowl. I also find a twig to poke through the vent holes.
The charcoal grate gets a good scrub down with a painter’s prep brush. It all takes about 5 minutes.Attached FilesComment
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Richard, if you can manage the size of the grill from your chair in various positions, it would not be hard at all to fabricate a pulley setup for the lid. Go cheap with wood until it's 100% perfect for you, then have someone bolt or weld some stainless square stock and a pulley up for you.
I wonder if someone in your area might be using a ranch that you could check out in person? Maybe a restaurant?Comment
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If you’re after capacity for your sales, maybe you should think different and look into a IVC or gravity feed. Old Country has a fairly affordable gravity smoker the sell through Academy.
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Richard Chrz I've only seen the Ranch kettle once in person, but unless you do like ItsAllGoneToTheDogs suggests and rig some kind of pully system, it sure seems it would be hard to manage that lid while seated. Once its stood up in the holder, assuming that is at the back, it might be kinda hard to get it back down without something rigged to help.
Also, ash cleanup on the Ranch is like the older kettles. There are no ash sweeps, and it has 3 vents around the bottom, just like your WSM. The pan beneath is really just to catch stray ash and embers, and I imagine most ash cleanup would involve scraping/sweeping and shoveling it into a bucket for disposal, or vacuuming it out the next day with a shop vac.
I used to have an old 1990's model kettle with the 3 vents, and I hated the thing. I always found myself picking the kettle up and dumping the ashes out into a trash bag. I ended up taking it to work, where we used it for bi-weekly cookouts for company lunches, and I would dump the ashes from the prior cook out in the field behind the warehouse. When I left that job, I gave ownership of the kettle to one of the warehouse workers... I love the ash sweeps and bucket on my Performer, and would never go back to the old 3 vent system on a kettle.
So those are the reasons I would suggest going with additional 26" inch kettles versus the Ranch - cleanup, and ease of manipulating the lid.
That said, I think some of the suggestions to look at a cabinet smoker of some sort have merit. You can open a door and access all the food on removable racks, from the front. And on many, all the fueling and ash removal would also be from the front. And some of them have great capacity.
What is different in how you cook yardbird, that a cabinet smoker won't work, assuming it can reach 350F for cooking chicken with crisp skin?Comment
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