Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Charcoal Grills
I see what I think is peeling paint inside the lid of my barbecue! What should I do?
Don’t worry, it is not paint; the inside surfaces of our barbecue lids are not painted, they are coated with baked-on porcelain enamel—a glass finish which cannot peel. What you are noticing is a deposit of grease and smoke that collects during normal use. During use, the grease and smoke vapours slowly oxidise into carbon and collect on the inside of your lid. This deposit will eventually peel, and looks very similar to paint. The peeling grease normally starts in the centre of the lid and spreads outward. It may come off in sheets or flakes, and is shiny on one side and dull on the other. These carbon deposits are non-toxic, but you might want to regularly remove the build-up. Fortunately, the peeling is easy to remove. Simply brush off all loose particles with a brass brush or crumpled aluminium foil before you start grilling. To prevent future build-up, after every grilling session, while the barbecue lid is warm-not hot-wipe it with paper towels or a mild soap-and-water solution.
Is there an easy way to get the coals started?
Actually there are a few tricks, and any one of them will help: using the right charcoal, using Weber’s special Fire Lighter Cubes, and using a "chimney starter." You can get the following accessories at your local Weber® dealer or by contacting Weber’s local distributor.
Charcoal: First, start with good, dry charcoal briquettes or Weber® Heat beads. We recommend using briquettes rather than lump charcoal (lump charcoal is raw charcoal or natural charcoal). Lump charcoal tends to burn very hot and too quickly. Briquettes will perform better in your Weber® charcoal barbecue for superior cooking results. You may not think there’s a difference between briquettes, but there is! Our Weber® briquettes are made of premium hardwoods, light easily, maintain a steady cooking temperature, and burn longer than other brands. Other brands contain fillers that make lighting difficult, then burn out quickly to gritty ash.
Lighter cubes: Second, to light briquettes safely and with minimum hassle, try Weber® fire lighter cubes. These solid fuel cubes light as easily as a birthday candle (even when wet!) and are odourless and non-toxic, leaving no residue to mar the flavour of your delicious grilled meal.
Chimney Starter: Another handy tool is our Chimney Starter, which holds the coals in a cylinder for fast, easy lighting. Fill the canister-shaped starter with the proper amount of charcoal, place on the charcoal grate over two or three fire lighter cubes or crumpled newspaper, ignite the cubes or paper, and let the coals burn until they have a coating of light grey ash (about 25 to 30 minutes). Pour the hot coals onto the charcoal grate and arrange for Direct or Indirect cooking with long-handled tongs. For safety’s sake, wear Weber® barbecue mitts.
What is the proper setting for the air vents on my kettle?
Your charcoal fire needs adequate airflow to burn properly. Fully open the top and bottom vents on the barbecue while you are grilling. Close them only when you are finished grilling and ready to extinguish the flames. Remember to sift out the ashes and remove them from the ash catcher when they are cool.
How do I use the thermometer that came with my Weber® barbecue? Can I leave it in the food while grilling?
Because your thermometer is an instant-read, you cannot leave it in food while it’s cooking; the glass face could shatter. It is a dual purpose thermometer designed to be used as a probe to quickly gauge the internal temperature of cooking meats and to monitor the cooking temperatures inside the barbecue. Allow a few seconds for the temperature to register; the needle will slow and stop briefly at the correct reading. After each reading, return the thermometer to its place in the lid.
Here’s how to get an accurate read on different foods:
Steaks and chops: Insert probe through side of meat so that tip is in the centre of meat.
Roasts: Insert probe so tip is in centre of meat but not touching fat or bone.
Turkey breast: Insert probe so tip is in thickest part of breast.
Whole turkey: Insert probe so tip is in thickest part of thigh but not touching bone.
What’s the difference between Direct and Indirect cooking?
Direct cooking is simply grilling foods directly over the heat source. For Indirect cooking the heat source is placed to the side of the food, not directly under it. As a general rule, foods that take less than 25 minutes to cook, like boneless chicken breasts, pork chops, and steak are barbecued by the ‘Grill’ or Direct Method.
Foods that require longer cooking times at lower temperatures like whole chicken and roasts, should be barbecued by the ‘Roast’ or Indirect Method. You can use either method on both Weber® charcoal barbecues and Weber® gas barbecues.