FAQ - Weber Charcoal Kettle

FAQ - Weber Charcoal Kettle

What can I cook on my Weber kettle?
The Weber Kettle is extremely versatile and by using both the direct and indirect cooking methods, you can cook a huge variety of food on your kettle. Anything from delicious outdoor roasts, barbecued chops, sausages and steaks, smoked fish and poultry and even pizzas, desserts and bread. The Complete Australian Barbecue Kettle Cookbook is a great comprehensive guide and will teach you how to use your kettle to cook all these things and more.

Should I have my vents open or closed when cooking?
When cooking on your Weber Kettle you should always have the vents open. By closing the vents, you starve the fire of oxygen, slowing the rate of burning and ultimately putting the fire out. Your vents should only be closed when you’re trying to extinguish the fire.

What fuel do you recommend I use on my Weber Kettle?
There are a number of different fuels available for kettle barbecues in Australia and, in our experience, some are easier to use than others. We recommend that you use Heat Bead brand barbecue briquettes. They are long burning and consistent so you can cook a whole turkey or Christmas ham without having to replenish the fuel. Try to stay away from self-lighting fuels; we’ve found they can leave your food with a strange taste.

How do I smoke food on my Weber Kettle?
Hot smoking food adds a beautiful flavour and aroma to your food. A normal indirect fire can be transformed into a hot smoking fire by adding one or two chunks of hickory wood (or other smoking wood) to the coals on either side of the barbecue. The more smoke flavour you want, the more hickory chunks you add. We recommend wood chunks rather than chips or sawdust when using a Weber Kettle – the chunks smoke for longer and require less attention. If you are going to use wood chips, make sure you soak them in water for about an hour before you put them on.


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