vents open or closed on weber kettle? (2024)

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pelez80
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2014 9:54 pm

vents open or closed on weber kettle?

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Postby pelez80 »

Hi guys

I am having trouble getting my coals to stay hot for longer. I am still new to the kettle culture so please bear with my questions

when cooking indirect do i open the vents or leave them closed? the same with cooking direct. any help would be greatly appreciated

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Burnt offerings
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Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 4:26 pm
Location: Currans Hill NSW

Re: vents open or closed on weber kettle?

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Postby Burnt offerings »

Keep them open, the fire needs air to stay alight.

Maybe not all the way open, depends on the temp your are trying to maintain.

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Gumb

Re: vents open or closed on weber kettle?

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Postby Gumb »

That's correct, you only close them to put the fire out. More air = hotter fire.

Initially, if you are just starting out, leave both top and bottom wide open. Put enough heat beads (or whatever brand) in the charcoal baskets so they are almost full. Light them using natrual lighters, like Samba from Bunnings (look like cardboard blocks) not the white type which have fuel additives in them.

Once both sides are well lit, place your roast in the middle and put a thin strip of foil along side to shield it from the direct heat of the charcoal. Shut the lid, leaving everything open and depending on the size of the meat, you'll have a great roast done in around 90 minutes. Later on, you can play with closing the vents to half etc but it's important to learn the basics first and get a feel of how long things take in fully open mode. Then you have something to compare with when you play around. You can also lower the temps by using less briquettes or add more if you want really good crackle on a pork roast. They need high heat initially.

The main secret to weber kettles is the way the fire slowly dies over time. You get high heat initially which helps seal the food and retain moisture, then as it decreases in temperature the meat cooks through without drying out on the outside.

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pelez80
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2014 9:54 pm

Re: vents open or closed on weber kettle?

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Postby pelez80 »

thanks guys awesome advice. Definitely helps me out especially someone who is new

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Davo
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Location: Albury NSW on the mighty Murray River

Re: vents open or closed on weber kettle?

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Postby Davo »

Yes Pelez, Gumb is spot on with the venting advice. Leave all vents open so the Kettle can then work as it's designed....natural convection with the cold air being drawn up from the bottom by the fire, the fire is hungry for air so it'll suck it up from the bottom vents, the air will then go through the fire giving it oxygen, swirl around the food cooking it evenly then eventually finding the escape hatch at the top.....it does this continually while the lid is on.....so if ya keep looking...you ain't cookin'!!

The closing down on the vents is a slightly advanced procedure to keep a cooler temp constant for a low and slow cook, by closing down the bottom vents to say 10-20% open, it limits the air drawn so it will slow down a fire. The Yanks like to close down the top vents but I don't like doing this too much especially if you're using firewood on the coals for smoking as it could make creosote (like a soot) on your food...you don't want that.

The Weber kettle is brilliant when it comes to closing down the fire completely...this is good because in most cases pending on how long the cook was for, you can use the coals for the next cook up and just replenish with some new ones if needed.

Best number one device for a kettle is a chimney starter for your charcoal.

Cheers

Davo

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pelez80
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2014 9:54 pm

Re: vents open or closed on weber kettle?

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Postby pelez80 »

thanks davo! yes awesome advice by both gumb and burnt. Will take into account when doing some charcoal chicken fillets this week!

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vents open or closed on weber kettle? (2024)

FAQs

Vents open or closed on weber kettle? ›

ALWAYS leave your top vents fully open whenever the grill is lit, unless your food is off and you are trying to snuff the fire out at the end of a cook. Not doing so causes creosote soot to build up on your food (and your grill) which is not only icky, but also unhealthy at best.

Should Weber vents be open or closed? ›

Make sure your lid vents are open fully. Only use good-quality fuel. Use fresh charcoal – make sure it is not damp or too old. Make sure there is no remaining ash from your previous barbecue session.

Should the Weber grill be open or closed? ›

keep the lid on your grill closed as much as possible! With the temperatures so cold, the more we open the lid, the longer our food takes to cook.

How to use the vents on a kettle barbecue? ›

Bottom vent and top vent open. This option allows a lot of oxygen into the BBQ. The lower vent is open and draws in as much oxygen as possible and feeds it to the fire. The top vent is open and vents the burned hot gases so they aren't absorbed by the meat.

Is it better to keep vents open or closed? ›

Closing HVAC vents in unused rooms may damage your system, leading to costly repairs. Your heater or air conditioner produces the same amount of air regardless of how many open or closed vents you have. To keep air flowing through your home and save on electricity bills, you shouldn't close more than 75% of your vents.

Do you leave the lid open or closed when heating charcoal? ›

DO I OPEN THE VENTS OR CLOSE THEM WHEN LIGHTING CHARCOAL? As we said above, fire needs oxygen to burn. So, open the lid, lid vent and vents on the bottom of the grill to let in air to fuel the flames. This will help oxygen reach the coals once they're lit so they can burn hotter.

Should the holes on a Weber grill be open or closed? ›

ALWAYS leave your top vents fully open whenever the grill is lit, unless your food is off and you are trying to snuff the fire out at the end of a cook. Not doing so causes creosote soot to build up on your food (and your grill) which is not only icky, but also unhealthy at best.

How to get a Weber kettle hotter? ›

Many people think it's the amount of charcoal you use, but the answer lies with the air dampers. Adjusting the air dampers will increase or decrease your temperature. The more air going into the grill, the hotter the grill will get. The less air going into your grill, the cooler it will get.

How long do I let charcoal burn before cooking? ›

Depending on how much charcoal you're using, make sure to allow 15 to 20 minutes to let your charcoal properly heat up before pouring it into the base of your grill.

Does a grill get hotter with the vents open? ›

Regardless of which vent you're messing with, remember that open vents mean hotter and faster-burning charcoal. Closed vents mean less oxygen, which in turn means less heat and slower-burning charcoal.

Can you BBQ on a Weber with the lid open? ›

Did you know that all Weber barbecues have been specifically designed to cook with the lid down? If you are a Weber owner, and are cooking with the lid open, read on to find out why you should close that lid.

Is it better to grill with lid open or closed? ›

The heat doesn't build up and intensify the way it would if the lid was down. Thin pork chops, shrimp, and burgers tend to cook quickly. Leaving the grill lid up will slow the cooking process by reducing the temperature around the meat. For thicker cuts, you want to close the lid to keep the temperature high and even.

Do you close vents on a charcoal grill? ›

To reduce heat, slow down the cooking process or increase your cooking time, close down your vents. Always leave the vents partially open so the fire doesn't completely suffocate.

What are the vent settings for smoking on a Weber kettle? ›

The temperature of the kettle needs to be around 250°F. This is done by controlling the top and bottom vents of the grill to restrict the flow of oxygen. To start out, move the bottom vent, so it is half closed and close the top vent almost all of the way.

Should vents be open when lighting BBQ? ›

For extra air flow, keep the vents open when lighting and preheating the grill. If it seems like your food is cooking too quickly, try closing the vents a bit to lower the temperature. Or if you want to raise the heat, try opening the vents a bit.

Should the vent valve be open or closed? ›

The canister vent solenoid is normally open, and is closed only when the evap system is undergoing a leak check monitor. A vent valve that's stuck closed will cause refueling problems.

Is the vent supposed to be open or closed? ›

If you want a healthy AC, a comfortable home and reasonable energy bills, you should always leave your AC vents open (even in unused rooms).

Do you smoke with the vent open or closed? ›

KEEP THE AIR MOVING: Keep the vents on your charcoal grill open and position the vent on the lid on the side opposite the coals.

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