GRILLING METHODS - INDIRECT HEAT
A
Grilling With Indirect Heat
Use the indirect method for larger cuts of meat
that require 20 minutes or more of grilling time,
or for foods so delicate that direct exposure to the
heat would dry them out or scorch them, such as:
• Roasts
• Bone-in poultry pieces
• Whole fish
• Delicate fish fillets
• Whole chickens
• Turkeys
• Ribs
Indirect heat can also be used for finishing thicker
foods or bone-in cuts that have been seared
or browned first over direct heat. With indirect
heat, the heat is on one or both sides of the grill.
The food sits on the portion of the cooking grate
without charcoal directly below it (A).
The radiant and conductive heat are still factors,
but they are not as intense while indirect cooking.
However, if the lid of the grill is closed, as it
should be, there is another kind of heat generated:
convection heat. Heat rises, reflects off the lid and
inside surfaces of the grill, and circulates to slowly
cook the food evenly on all sides.
Convection heat doesn't sear the surface of the
food the way radiant and conductive heat do. It
cooks it more gently all the way to the center, like
the heat in an oven.
When using the indirect grilling method, you have
the option to spread the coals directly on the
charcoal (bottom) grate on opposite sides of the
bowl, or make use of the WEBER CHAR-BASKETS
(sold separately). Some grill models will not
include CHAR-BASKETS.
Charcoal Quantity for Indirect Heat
Roasts, bone-in poultry pieces, whole fish, delicate fish fillets, whole chickens or turkeys, ribs
WEBER
Briquettes
Needed for
Grill Diameter
First Hour
18" (47 cm)
10 per side
22" (57 cm)
15 per side
26" (67 cm)
25 per side
37" (95 cm)
45 per side
Arranging the Charcoal for
Indirect Heat
1. Put on barbecue mitts or gloves.
CAUTION: The grill, including the handles, lid damper
and bowl vents, will become hot. Make sure that you are
wearing barbecue mitts or gloves to avoid burning your
hands.
2. Once the charcoal is fully lit using your
preferred indirect grilling method (refer to
"Lighting Charcoal" section), using barbeque
mitts or gloves and long handle tongs, be sure
that the charcoal is properly positioned on
opposite sides of the bowl. Avoid positioning the
charcoal next to the bowl handles, or directly
beneath the thermometer and lid damper (B). A
drip pan may be placed between the charcoal to
collect food drippings.
3. Make sure the ONE-TOUCH cleaning system
handle and lid damper are in the fully open
position (C), (D).
4. Once the charcoal has ashed over, replace the
cooking grate inside the bowl. If your cooking
grate has hinged sides, make sure that they
are directly above the charcoal inside the bowl.
This will make it easy to add more charcoal if
needed.
5. Close the grill lid.
6. Preheat the grate for approximately 10 to 15
minutes.
7. Once the cooking grate is preheated, open the
lid. Using a grill brush, scrub the cooking grate
clean (E).
Note: When using a stainless steel bristle grill brush,
replace the brush if any loose bristles are found on the
cooking grate or brush.
8. Place your food in the center of the cooking
grate, above a drip pan if using one.
9. Close the lid. Consult recipe for recommended
cooking times. Adjust the lid and bowl damper
positions to lower the interior grill temperature
if needed.
Note: Rotate the lid damper fully open to raise the
temperature and close it more to lower the temperature.
When finished cooking...
Close the lid damper and bowl vents to extinguish
the charcoal (F).
WEBER
Charcoal
Briquettes Added
Briquettes
for Each Additional
Needed for
Hour
First Hour
5 per side
20 per side
7 per side
25 per side
8 per side
40 per side
18 per side
75 per side
Charcoal
Briquettes
Added for Each
Additional Hour
7 per side
8 per side
9 per side
22 per side
B
C
D
E
F
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