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help: bbq fire not hot enough?

L

LordSnailz

Diamond Member
okay, I'm a total noob here ... so how do you get the metal rack on top really really hot? I have a basic weber grill but the rack doesn't get hot enough that when I put the meat on it, it doesn't sizzle ... this is what I did.

Put a bunch of coals in pyramid form into the grill, spray some lighter fluid on it, wait 2-3 mins so that it soaks through the coals. Throw a match at it. So the fire starts and I wait about 30-40mins, and the coal start turning into a ash color ... some are still black. There is a red glow on the bottom. Now what? It seems like it's only warming the rack ... any suggestions?

TIA!
 
That sounds like it should work - are you stacking the coals high enough? 30-40 minutes is plenty - my dad used to only wait 20-25 min.
 
close the top and use more charcoal. Do not spread it out, put it all in one spot.
 
I always start with 5-7 lbs. of charcoal. I use a lot of charcoal lighter fluid and wait about 30 minutes. I never have a problem with it not being hot enough. If you are grilling, you shouldn't be closing the cover. I don't know what these other people are talking about..
 
You're joking right? How do you expect any heat to build up with the cover open? For that matter why do you think it even has a cover, and some have a thermometer built into it?
 
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
I always start with 5-7 lbs. of charcoal. I use a lot of charcoal lighter fluid and wait about 30 minutes. I never have a problem with it not being hot enough. If you are grilling, you shouldn't be closing the cover. I don't know what these other people are talking about..
Click to expand...

I close it so it warms up. I take off the cover when the grate is good and toasty.
 
I suggest you use lump charcoal which is far far hotter than briquettes. Ditch the lighter fluid BTW. You want to cook over diesel fumes? Naaa.. Get a flue type starter (walmart carries them, maybe the charcoal too). Get 4 or so paper towels and drizzle cooking oil over them. A flue starter is like a piece of flue pipe with a metal plate divider providing upper and lower chambers. The plate has holes in it. Put it in the grill over the coal rack. Put the paper towels into the bottom chamber and drizzle a tablespoonful or so of the oil through the holes in the plate to soak the paper. Fill to the brim with lump charcoal. The bottom of the starter has holes in the side wall to admit air and a match. Once lit, the oil is a source of fuel which burns much hotter and longer than just paper alone. That's it. The flue causes a draft just like a chimney, and causes the heat to be drawn through the charcoal. In 15 minutes you have a fire hot enough to melt some metals. I absolutely guarantee this will be hot enough, and be free from funny chemicals. Give it a try.

PS, I usually get my charcoal through Ace Hardware. It's in bigger bags and cheaper than most places, including Walmart when they had it.

The only disadvantage is that it although it burns hotter, it goes more quickly. Use half again as much volume wise as the square stuff.

It is suited for grilling, but for BBQ proper, use briquettes, but still use the flue.
 
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