Charcoal bbq lid open or closed
Discussion
Got myself a cheap barrel bbq. Stuck a bag of lump wood charcoal in it, lit it with a firefighter, let it burn for a while until the flames died down, shut the lid with the vents closed. 30 mins or so later coals are white and start cooking. But temp gauge was only reading 150 and frankly it was cold food was barely cooking.
Just started again with another bag of charcoal but where did I go wrong? I'm fairly sure the vents should have been open not closed, but when do you close the lid?
Just started again with another bag of charcoal but where did I go wrong? I'm fairly sure the vents should have been open not closed, but when do you close the lid?
Dogwatch said:
Use a starter chimney, when going well pour onto grate, add more charcoal, close lid, open vents, wait for heat to build up.
This. Vents should always be open. Maybe half close the top ones to moderate temperature but nothing more.You can light the coals in the bbq but it’s nowhere near as good as a chimney.
Today for example I was eating some kofta kebabs inside of 20 minutes start to finish using a chimney starter.
You shut the lid with the vents closed. You killed the fire.
I see loads of people asking the same q’s about these lid cookers.
Please watch some content on YT. It will blow tour mins.
Fire needs air to breath hence why the vents need to be open to a certain degree.
Lid open and coals directly under food is regular bbq’ing.
Lid down, coats set to one side and the food to the other side turns the bbq into an oven.
Never have the coal under the food with the lid down as you can’t see the food burning.
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If you want to cook like an oven then put coal to one side and food to the other side, shut lid, open vents fully.
When the temp gets to 20deg under your desired temp, shut the bottom vent almost all the way. This will slow the heat rising.
Then fine tune it with the top vent.
I see loads of people asking the same q’s about these lid cookers.
Please watch some content on YT. It will blow tour mins.
Fire needs air to breath hence why the vents need to be open to a certain degree.
Lid open and coals directly under food is regular bbq’ing.
Lid down, coats set to one side and the food to the other side turns the bbq into an oven.
Never have the coal under the food with the lid down as you can’t see the food burning.
—
If you want to cook like an oven then put coal to one side and food to the other side, shut lid, open vents fully.
When the temp gets to 20deg under your desired temp, shut the bottom vent almost all the way. This will slow the heat rising.
Then fine tune it with the top vent.
You want to wait until they start to ash/ go grey.
Sometimes I might start a little earlier if I want the fat from some meat to drip off and add flame grilled effect, but that’s just my preference and even then you don’t want too much as it just gives the meat a nasty taste and you need to have the space to move it to the side of the bbq with no coals ( indirect cooking)
https://www.charbroil.com/learn/charcoal-ready-gri...
Everyone is different though
Sometimes I might start a little earlier if I want the fat from some meat to drip off and add flame grilled effect, but that’s just my preference and even then you don’t want too much as it just gives the meat a nasty taste and you need to have the space to move it to the side of the bbq with no coals ( indirect cooking)
https://www.charbroil.com/learn/charcoal-ready-gri...
Everyone is different though
PrinceRupert said:
Brilliant! Food over coals - lid up
Food opposite side to coals - lid down
Those self lighting bags don’t last long enough for lid down cooking, alright for a burnt burger but that’s about it.
Proper lump wood, full chimney starter until flames have died down.
Indirect cooking at 200ish until foods cooked through and then direct to get some colour on the outsides will see standard BBQ affair - burgers/sausages/kebabs etc - well cooked within 30 minutes or so once the flames have died down.
bristolbaron said:
Brilliant! Food over coals - lid up
Food opposite side to coals - lid down
Those self lighting bags don’t last long enough for lid down cooking, alright for a burnt burger but that’s about it.
Proper lump wood, full chimney starter until flames have died down.
Indirect cooking at 200ish until foods cooked through and then direct to get some colour on the outsides will see standard BBQ affair - burgers/sausages/kebabs etc - well cooked within 30 minutes or so once the flames have died down.
Dont buy any of the easylight stuff, it taints the food.
Im using Green Olive briquettes and a chimney - I can get at least 2/3 burns form the charcoal and its very low smoke.....
https://www.greenolivefirewood.co.uk/barbecue-outd...
Im using Green Olive briquettes and a chimney - I can get at least 2/3 burns form the charcoal and its very low smoke.....
https://www.greenolivefirewood.co.uk/barbecue-outd...
I always leave the lid up until the coals have gone white, well after the flames have gone, and after a few generous wafts of air to get the coals glowing and burnt down a bit more.
Not sure if it's right but ive never had a problem cooking on the barbeque, even just using a self lighter bag of charcoal.
Not sure if it's right but ive never had a problem cooking on the barbeque, even just using a self lighter bag of charcoal.
Okay thanks, got it - lid up until coals are white, lid down when cooking most things, don't put food directly on coals with lid down, if cooking something like steaks fine to cook directly on coals with lid up.
Think the second attempt last night we didn't leave coals long enough (still a bit black), and then didn't pay enough attention, hence burning.
Will try beer can chicken next week, indirect with lid down, after coals have gone white!
Think the second attempt last night we didn't leave coals long enough (still a bit black), and then didn't pay enough attention, hence burning.
Will try beer can chicken next week, indirect with lid down, after coals have gone white!
Personally I don't see the need for a chimney starter when using lumpwood. They're great for briquettes, but not needed with lumpwood. I generally light a couple of firelighters, pile a small pyramid of charcoal on top of them, wait until that's fully alight (about 10 minutes) then put the rest of the charcoal on top. It's pretty foolproof.
Secondly, the vents in the bottom of the BBQ (assuming you have them), are the primary method of controlling the heat - that's the primary control for how much air gets to the charcoal.
Then comes the lid - this has two real uses - either to make the inside of the BBQ more like an oven - i.e. create all round heat, or to control flare-ups by reducing the total amount of oxygen available to the fire.
You can cook on direct heat with the lid down, when cooking fatty steaks or pork chops it's an ideal way to control flare ups. But you need to remember you're still grilling - so turn them over every couple of minutes.
You can't really do the opposite though - cook on indirect heat with the lid up - that doesn't work.
You should only totally close the lower vents on your BBQ if you want the fire to go out.
Secondly, the vents in the bottom of the BBQ (assuming you have them), are the primary method of controlling the heat - that's the primary control for how much air gets to the charcoal.
Then comes the lid - this has two real uses - either to make the inside of the BBQ more like an oven - i.e. create all round heat, or to control flare-ups by reducing the total amount of oxygen available to the fire.
You can cook on direct heat with the lid down, when cooking fatty steaks or pork chops it's an ideal way to control flare ups. But you need to remember you're still grilling - so turn them over every couple of minutes.
You can't really do the opposite though - cook on indirect heat with the lid up - that doesn't work.
You should only totally close the lower vents on your BBQ if you want the fire to go out.
PrinceRupert said:
Okay thanks, got it - lid up until coals are white, lid down when cooking most things, don't put food directly on coals with lid down, if cooking something like steaks fine to cook directly on coals with lid up.
Think the second attempt last night we didn't leave coals long enough (still a bit black), and then didn't pay enough attention, hence burning.
Will try beer can chicken next week, indirect with lid down, after coals have gone white!
Get decent coal or lump wood. Not the instant light stuff.Think the second attempt last night we didn't leave coals long enough (still a bit black), and then didn't pay enough attention, hence burning.
Will try beer can chicken next week, indirect with lid down, after coals have gone white!
Hi Lads
Need your help - I have a similar BBQ to this at the mo - https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3451113?clickSR=sl...
It's been OK but i'm finding that the coals are just not staying not long . Is it worth me getting a chimney to start it better or worth sacking it off and getting a new BBQ ? with at least a lid ?
I don't know whether to stay coal/lump wood or go for gas or a hybrid ?
Need your help - I have a similar BBQ to this at the mo - https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3451113?clickSR=sl...
It's been OK but i'm finding that the coals are just not staying not long . Is it worth me getting a chimney to start it better or worth sacking it off and getting a new BBQ ? with at least a lid ?
I don't know whether to stay coal/lump wood or go for gas or a hybrid ?
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