Weber Kettle: greatest simple BBQ device?

[Mosca]

I'm not turning away from my BGE. It's not a matter of switching tools, it's a matter of having more than one tool and maximizing the efficiency of each.

My earliest BBQ memory is from the mid '60s, going over to my cousin's house and his dad made burgers and dogs on a Weber kettle. Of course we doused the coals with lighter fluid and waited forever for the charcoal to heat up, but still those were burgers that live in memory forever. Whenever I've thought of Weber kettles, I've thought of hamburgers and hot dogs.

So my first cook on the new Weber, I made cheeseburgers. (Sorry about no photo, but they looked like all the other cheeseburgers.) It was straight up stuff: half a chimney, some starter cubes (I like those starter cubes, a lot), spread them in the middle of the grill, and on with the burgers. I did it simple: no slow & sear, no char baskets, just coals in the middle and burgers above.

And, as you all know and as I have now experienced, that son of a gun is one burger grilling machine! I was worried about it being hot enough, about radiant vs convection, etc, but I did trust the 70 years of kettle cooking that went before me.

Today, it will be steak, and it will go Slow & Sear. It's not like the learning curve for this sucker is steep. And I will take photos this time.

I'm pleased to add this new thing. If I were to talk about trade-offs, which is kind of the way I see the world, this is a trade of space and money for the advantage of having two different tools and being able to choose the strengths of each, rather than using workarounds to make each tool more versatile. If I were to make any recommendation, it would be that since a basic Weber is about 1/10th the cost of a properly eqipeed BGE (stand, deflector, etc), go with the Weber first.

[RonB]

I've been using a Weber kettle for 30+ years and must agree. It does a great job on burgers and steaks. It also does a great rotisserie chicken too. And the SnS has added another dimension to the mix. Now I can smoke meats too. I was always happy with what the Weber does, but now I'm even happier.

[fuzzydaddy]

I love my 2 Kettles (22" & 26") and my XL BGE. Great food from all 3. It would be like choosing a favorite child and I'm not going there! I choose to see the strengths of each and they are all fantastic cookers. I just need $$ for more meat to cook. Maybe fire up all 3 at the same time would be a goal of mine....well I can't do that right now as my 22" is in FL and the other 2 in TN, but they will all be together in several months...in FL and I have a dedicated large area for all 3 and much much more. I'm thinking I'll add a PBC one of these days.

[Danjohnston949]

Mosca,@RonB,@fuzzydaddy, Boys You are Playing 2nd, third and forth Fiddle in The Choir after Me! But You are just Kids compared to Me! Eat Well and Prosper! From Fargo ND, Dan

[Breadhead]

Mosca ... I made the leap into the dark side in January when I finally decided I needed an SnS to reverse sear steaks and burgers with. That decision forced me into the Weber Kettle to have a cooker to use the SnS in.

There's nothing I can't cook on my large BGE but... Cooking some things on the kettle & SnS is just easier. I think Pit Boss' creation of the SnS was brilliant, one of the best BBQ accessories ever created. Short smoke jobs I do on the Kettle & SnS, like ribs. Long low and slow cooks I do on the BGE.

Having both was the right decision for me. I've used them together to prepare a complete dinner too. I bought the 26" which gives a lot more capacity than my large BGE, I like the extra space.

[Mosca]

I think Pit Boss' creation of the SnS was brilliant, one of the best BBQ accessories ever created.

With the S&S, the Weber Kettle becomes obvious.

[boftx]

Y'all know how much I love offsets, but that said, I also suggest newcomers to get a Weber (and nowadays include the SnS with it). I think it is one of the most versatile of all rigs at a reasonable price. I used one for many years before changing to an offset. The only reason I don't have one still is that my original offset was a CharGriller Pro that is an excellent two-zone grill. (My primary offset now is an OK Joe which is decidedly NOT a grill.)

My son-in-law got my old Weber when I made the change because he was thinking about getting a gasser and that just could not be tolerated. He now uses an offset, but fires up the Weber still.

The drawback to a Weber that one find has got to be the ash cleanup. Not a problem for you young snot-nosed brats, but it can be a pain for us wiser souls.

[Huskee]

The sweep handle on the premiums and performers makes that task dead simple. The worst part is dumping the ash bowl every few cooks.

[Dewesq55]

I was all but decided to pull the trigger on a kettle this spring, mostly so I could then buy an SnS! Then I saw the Landmann offset at BJ's and there went my cooker money for the time being.

[Huskee]

Great to see you enjoying it. I'm confident you'll appreciate what the SnS does for the kettle. Try a rack of ribs or a pork on it when the time suits you. It's a fantastic tool. Having the BGE and the kettle you have a wrench and a socket. Each tool useful and better for certain jobs, but both similar in intent.

[Wormy]

I have the SNS for my kettle to and I think it it by far the best add on for the kettle. I cooked a Boston butt the other week and it was painless. before the SNS i would bank the coals on one side for longer cooks but getting the temps dialed in took some work. With the SNS sear the temps turn on a dime and once i got it set around 250 I did not have to touch it again.

[JeffJ]

The kettle + SnS is a tremendous value and is very versatile. Can't go wrong with that combo.

[billg71]

Besides the Weber as "The Greatest Simple BBQ device", I'd like to add the PK Grill and the MECO Swinger( now marketed as the Americana Swinger): http://www.amazon.com/Americana-Swin...N%3DB0007XXNRC to that list.

I bought my first Swinger in 1982 for $39.95, dutifully replaced it every 4-5 years when it rusted out until maybe three years ago when I got my first Weber. Forget smoking on it but for a simple inexpensive grill it still rocks. Quality has steadily decreased over the years but if cleaned regularly you should be able to get 3-4 years out of one.

I just got my PK last year, it's about as simple as they come and you can smoke on it. Designed in the '50s, you can still get parts for the older grills today.

The Weber rocks, no doubt about it. But it ain't the only horse in the rodeo when it comes down to the basics.

And if you really want to get down to simple, there's always a rack of green tree limbs propped up over a fire.

[Mosca]

You can get the Swinger as the Backyard Grill for as little as $30 at Walmart, with one shelf. It is the Aussie Walkabout at Home Depot for $40, shelves extra. I had someone give me one last year, but it was too flimsy to use on my deck, I thought it might blow over!