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Made a 'Charcoal Basket' for the Weber Kettle

w_r_ranch

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As I mentioned earlier, I brought our old, semi-retired kettle home from our deer camp due to the fire ban. She was 'tired' when I brought her down there, although she has always refused to die... but this burn ban is really cramping you cooking, so she is back and ready for a retro.

Yesterday I gave her a very thorough cleaning & oiled her all up (as the vents were rusted & would not function). In addition, I wire brushed & the seasoned both the grates & fixed the dry-rotted wood handles... I do believe she will live with us for at least another couple of years!!!

Now the reason I really brought her back is because our gasser (Weber 320), as good as it is, does not give our food the smoked flavor that we have become accustomed to... even with our big smoke bombs, so I'm going to have to do some Jerry-rigging... I'm not going to pay $80 for a fancy accessory that I can actually improvise for the cost of my time (which is free in this case)!!!

So I built a charcoal/wood basket out of a small piece of expanded metal that I had laying around... I started by building a cardboard template & then used it to mark & cut the pieces. After wiring it together, we are almost there. I will go pick up a couple of thin firebricks to act as heat sink & use an old loaf pan for holding water (humidifier) and we are good to go for a test run tomorrow.
 
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ErnieCopp

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Sounds like the Old Days. "Make Do, or Do Without". I am always spending a fifty dollars worth of my time to save five dollars. And i only value my time at about a dollar an hour.

I was putting some tool pockets on my tool carrier box today, and working with some Oil Tanned Rawhide, that i bought in Mexico back in the Sixties. Still as good and flexible as it was the day i bought it. Very satisfying to do things your self.

Ernie
 

w_r_ranch

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Sounds like the Old Days. "Make Do, or Do Without". Very satisfying to do things your self.

2X, Ernie!!! Just like growing our own food...

This old girl is about 15 years old & has spent most of her time exposed to the elements, yet she is still quite usable... hopefully even more so now. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have picked up a inexpensive temperature gauge when I was in town. I'll add one to her on my next trip.


Weber_1.jpg

Weber_2.jpg
 

w_r_ranch

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Well, after overcooking the roast yesterday, I figured I'd better get a gauge on it so I don't repeat that lil' screwup again...

I went & got one this morning & it is now installed...


Gauge_In.jpg
 

Mike

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Where did you get the gauge from? I have a Weber grill that looks just like the one you have now and it doesn't have a gauge at all and would like to add one.
 

w_r_ranch

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Mike

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That's perfect, I'll order the 475F gauge this week. Thanks!
 
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Mr_Yan

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I like the idea. I'll see how I can copy this - metal is in short supply around here.

I'm a big fan of the weber kettles and have used mine for about 15 years now - since I was in high school. We typically go thru about 100 pounds of kingsford briquettes a year. Mine has also spent its life in the elements at has been completely buried in snow at times. I just noticed that the grill will have to be replaced this season as the rods are almost rusted / burnt out in the center but the kettle still looks great.

I swapped out the ash tray in mine for a galvanized bucket so I only have to clean it out two or three times a year.

The new plastic handles will collect heat badly so watch it. I replaced some (mine, my neighbors) with wood that I milled to shape.

Another weber hack to try is the kettle pizza oven. I want to make my own but project time is short right now so I'll do without - www.kettlepizza.com/
 
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