How To Set Up A Charcoal Grill For Smoking

You’ve probably heard me say this before, but I use my Weber Kettle grill more than any other smoker I own. I’ve owned at least three 22.5” Webers over the years and I imagine that there will always be one sitting on my patio. The Weber Kettle is my go-to grill for quick and easy cooking. In a matter of minutes I can have a chimney of charcoal glowing hot and ready to cook and the Weber never lets me down. The Weber is great for general grilling and with the addition of a good set of grill grates you can turn out restaurant quality steaks, but today I want to share with you how I set the Weber Kettle up for indirect smoking.
With this set up you can smoke just about anything on the Weber as long as it fits on the rack above the drip pan. Malcom Reed Connect on Facebook Follow me on Twitter Subscribe to my YouTube Channel Find me on Google+ Follow me on Instagram Buy Killer Hogs Products Here

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22 responses to “How To Set Up A Charcoal Grill For Smoking”

  1. Jason says:

    Love your videos. Your food is amazing.
    Can you please tell me what you used to heat the briskets in please. That looked like a great simple device to use.

    Thank you and keep up the great videos.

  2. Skip Ballard says:

    What brand pellets do you use in your pellet smokers. I have a Traeger and have used B&B and Traeger pellets and get absolutely no smoke flavor in the meat. I do follow the Traeger instructions for smoking. I also have a Weber 22″ and am wondering how many wood chunks to use for ribs? I appreciate your input on these two points. Thanx.

    • Malcom Reed says:

      Those pellets are good – just need to get more smoke on it. If you put the meat on while the cooker is low and let the meat stay on the cooker while it comes up to temp you will get more smoke. And you can also keep the temp lower for a longer amount of time to get more smoke flavor.

  3. MIKE POFF says:

    you r the best on youtube on BBQ and make it easy to follow THANKS MIKE FROM MISSOURI

  4. Leo Fanny says:

    Malcom,

    You are the best on YT. I have tried your products your shipping is quick and products are high quality. I just recently retired and have more time to cook. I treated myself to a retirement gift, YS480 to be delivered next week. Do you have any cleaning & maintenence tips and recomended accessories that are worth adding? Thanks and keep the videos comming.

    • Malcom Reed says:

      With the Yoder, you don’t have a lot of maintenance. I did buy a small shop vac to make cleaning out the hopper and the ash easier. And the shelf is a nice accessory to have – but it’s really only for connivence. If you don’t have the smoker on a covered patio, I would buy a cover to keep it protected for the sun.

  5. Anthony Ciampa says:

    What are your thoughts on using a rib rack to where the ribs are not flat on the grill grate?

  6. Montgomery D. Proffit says:

    Do you ever soak the wood chips/chunks?

  7. Kipp says:

    Question,
    Where do you get the plates at that you use in your videos. I can’t hardly find platters that big.

    By the way, I asked you about the Yoder last year and I bought it. I love my YS640. I use it more than my oven inside.

  8. Derrick says:

    Thanks for the videos and tips. Definitely the best BBQ advice on the web, with easy instructions, using your recipes and techniques the food turns out amazing. I bought some of your Killer Hogs “The BBQ Rub” to put on ribs and they were great with the perfect amount of kick in each bite.

  9. David says:

    Hey Malcom

    Love your videos I am new to smoking and I have a Weber Kettle. I have heard you say that you can run into problems if you try to put too much meat on one grill. So would I be able to smoke a 14lb Turkey or a Boston Butt on it with out a problem?? Is it possible to smoke a Brisket on one?

  10. Joel Howard says:

    Just did my first brisket on my kettle. I split the point from the flat and trimmed it per your video. It was great. My family tore through it like you wouldn’t believe. I have been doing chicken and pork butts for years having always been afraid of the brisket. Thank you for the videos and the advice. Nothing more satisfying than feeding the family with smiles and thumbs ups.

  11. brian macdonald says:

    Malcom: Just found your videos and YT channel and can’t stop watching, and trying your recipes and techniques out here in rainy Seattle! Thanks for all that you do! Question: What are your thoughts on peach/butcher paper for wrap compared to tin foil? I followed your basic pork butt video and see you use tinfoil for the wrap at 160 degrees, and how well that catches the au jus. I also have peach butcher paper as I heard that was better than tinfoil to keep the meet from getting soggy from trapped moisture. What do you think? Thanks again.

  12. L. Morrisey says:

    Hi Malcom, I’m trying to find the tumble weed to start the fire. Is it available on your website? Thank you.

  13. JB says:

    Always great videos and recipes – seriously thank you for sharing with us. I did have a charcoal question for you. When my first chimney starts burning low and I need to add more charcoal to the offset firebox, can I throw the charcoal directly on the fire or do I need to let the new charcoal gray over in the chimney before throwing it on fire. Thx!

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