14
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BARBECUING AND SMOKING SUCCESS
Wear Gloves
Always wear barbecue mitts or gloves conforming
to EN 407 (Contact Heat rating level 2 or greater)
when using your charcoal barbecue. Vents,
dampers, handles, and the bowl will all get hot
during the barbecuing process, so be sure to keep
your hands and forearms protected.
Skip the Lighter Fluid
Avoid using lighter fluid, as it can impart a
chemical taste to your food. Chimney starters (sold
separately) and lighter cubes (sold separately) are
much cleaner and much more effective ways of
lighting charcoal.
Preheat the Barbecue
Preheating your barbecue with the lid closed for
10 to 15 minutes prepares the cooking grate. With
all of the charcoal glowing red, the temperature
under the lid should reach 260˚C (500˚F). The heat
loosens any bits and pieces of food hanging onto
the grate, making it easy to brush them off with a
stainless steel bristle barbecue brush. Preheating
your barbecue gets the grate hot enough to sear or
brown properly and also helps prevent food from
sticking to the grate.
Note: Use a stainless steel bristle barbecue brush. Replace
brush if any loose bristles are found on the cooking grate or
brush.
Oil the Food, Not the Grate
Oil prevents food from sticking and also adds
flavour and moisture. Lightly brushing or spraying
the food with oil works better than brushing the
grate.
Keep the Air Flowing
A charcoal fire needs air. The lid should be closed
as much as possible, but keep the lid damper and
bowl vent open. Remove the ashes on the bottom
of the barbecue regularly to prevent them from
blocking the vents.
Put a Lid on It
For four important reasons, the lid should be
closed as much as possible.
1. Keeps the grate hot enough to sear or brown the
food.
2. Speeds up the cooking time and prevents the
food from drying out.
3. Traps the smokiness that develops when fat and
juices vaporise in the barbecue.
4. Prevents flare-ups by limiting oxygen.
Tame the Flame
Flare-ups happen, which is good because they sear
or brown the surface of what you are barbecuing;
however, too many flare-ups can burn your food.
Keep the lid on as much as possible. This limits
the amount of oxygen inside the barbecue, which
will help extinguish any flare-ups. If the flames are
getting out of control, move the food over indirect
heat temporarily, until they die down.
Watch the Time and Temperature
If you are barbecuing in a colder climate or in a
higher altitude, the cooking times will be longer.
If the wind is blowing hard, it will raise a charcoal
barbecue’s temperature, so always keep close to
your barbecue and remember to keep the lid on as
much as possible so that the heat does not escape.
Frozen or Fresh
Whether you are barbecuing frozen or fresh
food, follow the safety guidelines on the package
and always cook it to the recommended internal
temperature. Frozen food will take longer to
barbecue and may need more fuel to be added
depending on the type of food.
Keeping it Clean
Follow a few basic maintenance instructions to
keep your barbecue looking and barbecuing better
for years to come!
• For proper air flow and better barbecuing,
remove accumulated ashes and old charcoal
from the bottom of the kettle and the ash
catcher before use. Make sure that all of the
charcoal is fully extinguished and the barbecue
is cool before doing so.
• You may notice “paint-like” flakes on the inside
of the lid. During use, grease and smoke vapours
slowly oxidise into carbon and deposit on the
inside of your lid. Brush the carbonised grease
from the inside of the lid with a stainless steel
bristle barbecue brush. To minimise further
build-up, the inside of the lid can be wiped with
a paper towel after cooking while the barbecue
is still warm (not hot).
• If your barbecue is subject to a particularly
harsh environment, you will want to clean the
outside more often. Acid rain, chemicals, and
salt water can cause surface rusting to appear.
WEBER recommends wiping down the outside of
your barbecue with warm soapy water. Follow
up with a rinse and thorough drying.
• Do not use sharp objects or abrasive cleaners to
clean the surfaces of your barbecue.
Smoking with Wood
Experimenting with different woods while smoking
is encouraged to find the perfect balance of sweet
and savoury. While smoking over long periods of
time, be sure to always use wood chunks instead of
wood chips. Chunks allow for a longer smoke that
penetrates slowly over a long cooking time. Wood
chips work best for a shorter cooking time because
they do not last as long during a long smoke.
