How much can you fit on a 22" Weber?

[Chiefsilverback]

Just curious about what combinations folks are able to squeeze into a 22" with SnS? 1 butt/shoulder/brisket, no issue, 1 rack of ribs, flat across the grate, no issue, 1 spatchcocked chicken, no issue. What about when you want to cook for larger groups? Can you do two full racks + brisket? What about with the hover grill?

[Spinaker]

You would be hard pressed to get a Packer and two full racks. But you can always use rib racks to stack the ribs up and squeeze them in. I have done a smallish packer with one rack of ribs before. It came out great. Others with more experience with the SNS may be able to help you more than me.

[Thunder77]

I turn to my second kettle for help! I don't own a Hovergrill, but I am told they really help out. You will probably have to switch the food around with a Hovergrill, since the top grate will be at a higher temp than the lower one. Or just put the ribs on top, and take them off when done, since they will be done before brisket.
I have never cooked brisket, but I have fit a 14 Lb spatchcocked turkey on the Weber/SnS combo. I believe that Breadhead has a hovergrill, perhaps he will chime in.

[RonB]

If you de-bone the ribs, cut everything into cubes, put it through a grinder, and make a giant semi-circular meatloaf 3 or 4 inches tall, I bet you could get a couple of racks of ribs plus a full packer and a butt in there. If you want more, make sure you slope the circular side inwards so that the meat doesn't contact the lid. And I suggest placing a crushed clove of garlic on top for flavor.

If that's not your cup of tea, you can probably get one rack of baby backs laying flat, (maybe St Louis), and a smaller hunk of butt. I don't think a regular rib rack will allow you to fit much else in the kettle, but Weber's charcoal rails might work for two racks. I did use the AR link for the rails.

EDIT TO ADD: Those rails might work for brisket too Has anyone tried standing a brisket on edge in a kettle?

[OneEyedJack]

I do two racks of baby backs all the time. I fit a 13 lb. (before trimming) packer easily. Two 5 lb. butts will fit, too. I have had very good experience freezing well wrapped ribs, and then reheating (thawed) with or without glaze over direct heat for about 3 - 5 minutes per side. So, maybe do a rib cook one day, then butts for the day of your party. It's good to know, too, that following Meat Head's advice on freezing pulled pork works well. Another answer for cooking big, is the PBC.

[Chiefsilverback]

I turn to my second kettle for help!

In the last 2 months I've purchased 22" premium, slow n sear, all the toys (thermometers, timers, tongs, gloves etc...) and then a Q1000 for those quick week night cooks. I'm not sure I'll get a pass on a second kettle!!!

I think my next purchase will be a WSM...

[ecowper]

If you add a WSM to the mix, you will be able to cook very large quantities of food all at once.

[billg71]

If you get the WSM get the 22" version.

[Breadhead]

I have a 26" Weber kettle/SnS and the Hovergrill. A brisket and 2 racks of ribs would work just fine. I would put the brisket on the regular grate and start smoking it all alone at 225°. I would add the Hovergrill & ribs 6 or 7 hours before I want to serve them. I've not cooked on a 22" kettle/SnS but I could do that same cook on my large BGE (19") with the Hovergrill.

[Baker Dan]

I have fit two 8# butts on. If you use webers stack method you can get 4 slabs of baby backs on.

[Chiefsilverback]

I have a 26" Weber kettle/SnS and the Hovergrill. A brisket and 2 racks of ribs would work just fine. I would put the brisket on the regular grate and start smoking it all alone at 225°. I would add the Hovergrill & ribs 6 or 7 hours before I want to serve them. I've not cooked on a 22" kettle/SnS but I could do that same cook on my large BGE (19") with the Hovergrill.

I was thinking that might be the best route. When you're using the hover grill what do you do about covering the lower cook to stop it getting hit by drippings from the upper rack?

[billg71]

I'd just put the upper-level meat on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Rib drippings on a pork butt might be OK but I don't know about pork drippings on a brisket.

[Lost in China]

I have the hovergrill and I was able to fit 30 boneless chicken thighs on both floors. This was enough to feed 10 people. I don't have any good photos because the second floor obscures the first floor.

For any groups over 10 people, you need a giant offset smoker or a big-ass gas grill. The Weber 22" just wasn't designed for crowds. Ribs especially take a ton of room, even with a vertical rib rack. This is why I don't do ribs, a grown man can easily eat a whole rack himself and ten people means ten racks. Even without talking about the space on the grill, the cost alone is prohibitive.

[billg71]

Just curious about what combinations folks are able to squeeze into a 22" with SnS? 1 butt/shoulder/brisket, no issue, 1 rack of ribs, flat across the grate, no issue, 1 spatchcocked chicken, no issue. What about when you want to cook for larger groups? Can you do two full racks + brisket? What about with the hover grill?

With the SNS you can do two full racks flat on a 22 but you really need to cut them in half and move them around for an even cook. Anything in addition and you'll have to go up. Keep in mind that the SNS will take up 1/4 of the grill space, you can't put anything over it(or maybe you could, I never tried) and you want to give a little clearance between the edge of the SNS and the meat or you'll possibly steam the near edge of the meat. You can get more ribs in with a rack but then you'll never get a Hovergrill above, they'll be too tall.

I suggest you get 2 racks of ribs and see how you can fit them in your grill. Then figure out how you'd add a brisket or butt. Experience is the best teacher.

[JeffJ]

Don't forget, with the SnS you can use the charcoal grate for food as well. An 8 pound butt will fit nicely under there. If you are doing racks of ribs up top they'll get done first and then the butt can be moved up (It is about 50 degrees cooler at the charcoal grate). The hover grill is great and can add nice capacity. The primary issue with the hover grill is the lid of the kettle - it's not all that domed in the first place so it's difficult to put something like a butt on it, a chuck roast will fit nicely though.

[Chiefsilverback]

I'm assuming if you're doing pulled pork and thighs, one option is to run the grill low and slow for the first 5 - 6 hours for the pork, then drop it down to the lower grate as you crank the heat up to 325 for the thighs?

[JeffJ]

That would definitely work, @Chiefsliverback

[boftx]

I think the most appropriate answer would be "Not enough!"

[emil.glatz]

Similar to the responses, I can cook for 14 peeps with my 22 weber and a hover grill. Although if I go off topic and cook, say salmon, I can only feed 6 at a time. So what do I do? I call my family and have them bring more Webers! + Appetizers!

[JeffJ]

Last year I reached a cross-road - my 22 Performer didn't always have the capacity to do what I needed it to do. With the SnS it is perfectly sized to pump out a ton of pork butt. It had ample capacity for brisket, chuck roast, short ribs, etc. It lacked in the baby-back/St Louis cut ribs though. I debated heavily between the 22 WSM and the 26 kettle. I ultimately went with the 26 kettle. Yes, I sacrificed my rib capacity but certain weeknight dinners for my family of 4 sometimes involves a meat, a starch and a veggie, all cooked at the same time in the grill. The 22 struggled with that task but the 26 handles it well. For me, the versatility that the 26 + SnS offered proved more useful than what the big WSM (or PBC) had to offer. I would steer any first-time kettle buyer to the 26.