How to cool a Kettle?

[Burntfood]

My kettle runs a little hot. I've got a 22" Weber, a Fireboard and a SnS. I'm trying to smoke with my kettle after using a PBC for a few years.

With 12 coals as per SnS, I break 300 after awhile with no meat on the pit.

I only lit 6 coals today and I had bottom vent as close to closed as I could get it and I still ran 230 to 270 after 4.5 hours (and still rising) doing 2 hamburgers. Top vent 1/3 open.

I like this range BUT I don't have any brakes. I would like to be able to cool the temp a bit by closing a vent if needed.

Questions for you smart folks out there:

1. Is this normal? Or do I have too much air leaking in. I see a lot of smoke around the lid. I'm also wondering if my sweepers are letting air in. This was a used unit when I bought it so not sure of history. Just FYI, if I close the top and bottom vent, I get enough of a seal to put the fire out.
2. I've got a fan for my Fireboard controller. I know it will help keep the temp up and constant but that isn't my problem. Will it help keep it lower?
3. Should I try it with even fewer lit coals?

Thanks all for you comments

[Mosca]

When my kettle was new it ran 245-250 with all vents completely shut, even with clips holding the lid shut. I ran a gasket around the rim and now it holds 225 easily. I haven’t tried to go lower, but it probably would do it.

[RonB]

If ya have smoke leaking around the lid, the top may be out of round allowing air to escape from the gap(s). That will, indeed, allow the kettle to run hotter. Try to figure exactly on the lid where the smoke is escaping. Then try hugging the lid tightly to your body with the worst of the leak(s) at your chest. If this doesn't fix the problem, try adding binder clips around the edge to help seal.

Does the lid look like it's been dropped? That can easily take it out of round.

BTW - I leave the bottom vent fully open and use the top vent to control temps. 225° is about 1/8 to 3/16" for me. And some people leave the top vent open and control temps with the bottom vent. Some others use both vents. I like using just the top vent as that seems easier to monitor to me.

[HawkerXP]

I leave to bottom vent full open. I use a SnS, also use 10 to 12 Kingsford to start. I leave the top vent full open until pit temp is over 200* using a Thermoworks temp probe on the grate. I'll shut the top to about half closed and this gives me around the 250* range for the rest of the cook. Long cooks I use those large binder clips to make sure any leaks arounf the lid are sealed.

[HawkerXP]

It’s better to catch the the rising temp early than try to cool it down.

[Burntfood]

HawkerXP - I did try the 3 big clips today but no luck. I think my problem is more serious. I am going to try controlling with the top vent instead of the bottom though.

[RichieB]

I'm not sure I understand. You're using the SnS to cook 2 hamburgers, what am I missing?

[Burntfood]

RichieB - I'm going to do a brisket on the Kettle because me and my smoker aren't getting along. Before I invest the time and money in another brisket I want to know I can control my pit so I'm doing multiple dry runs so to speak.

Mosca - I had a bent lid on my PBC and did a gasket a while back and it made a significant difference. Still not where I need it though. What type of gasket did you use on the kettle? I used a heavier duty one on the PBC and I'm not sure it would fit the kettle.

Ok, the plan is find a gasket for the kettle or true it up manually if possible.

Assuming that makes it manageable, I'm putting my controller/fan in one of them or maybe use it in both depending on the cook.

[Mosca]

I don’t remember, just Google “gasket for Weber Kettle”. It was cheap and fit perfectly.

[Smoker_Boy]

A cheap thing you can try is this:
Flip the kettle over and cover 2 of the bottom vents with foil and hold it in place with magnets.
Works for me.

[TripleB]

Don't know why you'd use the Kettle over the PBC, apart from that you can. I did some briskets on my PBC that were quite tasty. Always do butts on my PBC.

[Burntfood]

I'm giving Sous Vide Que a try on my next brisket. I just need a few hours of smoke at the end and I want to try this on the kettle. Less coals, more convenient and of course, I always like to try something new.

I do love the PBC, I picked it up a few years ago used, and it turned out it had a leaky lid. The temps were all over the pIace. I've got a gasket on it now and a couple of bricks so I think that is solved. Earlier this year the fire was going out, but I think that was old charcoal

[TripleB]

Burntfood Ah, the SV brisket. I did SV short beef ribs a couple of months ago. Tender and delicious. Was really surprised. However, I did put some smoke on it for a couple of hours and did get some nice carmelization, but no smoke flavor and this was from an offset. Also did a SV chuck roast. The recipe touted it to be like a filet mignon, but it wasn't. Still it was very tender, good beefy flavor and perfectly cooked (for me). I'd do that again. Very inexpensive.

[jfmorris]

I think as others have mentioned your lid is slightly out of round - or the body of the kettle is, and you are leaking air. Also look closely at your bottom vent and see if it is sealing tight to the body of the kettle. I can shut down my kettle with both vents to the point it snuffs the fire and I can have charcoal to reuse on the next cook.

Spin the lid while on the kettle and see if you can feel it tighter or looser in different orientations. My lid leaks slightly if I turn it 90 degrees from what I consider normal (thermometer in front, vent in back). It seals tightly with the lid at 0 degrees or 180 degrees rotation, but not at 90 and 270, if you follow me.

If you think you need a gasket, I've used Lavalock gaskets from these folks for 5-6 years, and they have a kit for the weber kettle:

https://bbqgaskets.com/kits-by-brand/weber.html

More specifically, this one:

https://bbqgaskets.com/kits-by-brand/weber/fireblackr-gasket-kit-for-wsm-self-stick-weber-smokey-mountain-kettle.html

You might find it cheaper on Amazon as well. Just clean VERY well with mineral spirits or something to degrease and clean the surface before applying the self stick gasket material, and I think on a kettle you would want to put it on the lip on the bottom side of the lid.

[Burntfood]

Thank you so much. I've ordered something similar that should be here tomorrow.

[jecucolo]

If you go to Lowe’s or Home Depot you can purchase fire caulk. It much cheaper and does the same thing. Run a bead around the lid but a little oil on the lip of the kettle and press it on lightly.

[Donw]

Just check the product’s SDS before using. There is no food safe fire barrier caulk and depending on the brand some ingredients do have carcinogenic warnings or other ingredients that have health warnings.

[Burntfood]

TripleB - Sous Vide Que Chuck is on my list but I wanna make one good brisket flat. Just one! I'm wondering about the smoke flavour. The PBC gets its smoke from drippings falling into the coals. Not sure if there will be much of that from a SV flat? I'll play around with adding wood to which ever cooker I use, kettle or PBC. I'm separating the brisket into flat and point and then cutting the flat in half. My lovely bride isn't a smoke fan, so this first flat is for her! I'm also going to throw half of the flat on my gasser to see if she prefers that. But I get the smoked point all to myself!

[TripleB]

It's gonna be delicious. Look forward to seeing the pics.