Weber Grill Problems

Weber grills famously burn charcoal, cooking food in a metal kettle with a cooking grate. Cooking on a Weber charcoal grill presents various challenges and problems in meal timing and safety. Avoid issues with a Weber charcoal grill by following all safety precautions and cooking instructions, and care for the grill properly.

Safety

Burn charcoal in your Weber grill outdoors only. Burning charcoal produces toxic gases, and the grill can only be adequately ventilated outdoors. For indoor grilling, use an electric grill made for indoor use.

Always keep the Weber grill level. If a Weber grill sits on an uneven surface, it risks tipping and causing injury to people or damage to property. Keep a Weber grill far away from anything combustible. Never leave children unattended around a burning or hot Weber grill. Wear insulated oven mitts when cooking or adjusting the vents. Control fire flares using the lid and do not use water on a hot or burning grill.

Meal Timing

Weber grills using charcoal take a longer time to heat than a push-button gas grill. The charcoal in the kettle grill takes between 45 minutes to an hour to heat to a desired cooking temperature, delaying a meal. Bring the charcoal to the desired temperature more quickly by using a chimney charcoal starter, manufactured by Weber or others. Load the charcoal into the chimney starter and light the charcoal. Remove the charcoal from the starter into the Weber grill when ash covers the charcoal. Spread the charcoal evenly on the charcoal grate. As an alternative, use quick-lighting charcoal containing lighter fluid to speed up the process.

Charcoal briquette fires lose about 100 degrees Fahrenheit of heat every 30 to 40 minutes. Maintain optimal temperature by adding new charcoal briquettes every 30 minutes during cooking. Open the bottom vent to increase the temperature of the fire, but close it to keep from burning the coals too quickly. Keep ash from blocking the vent.

Weber Grill Care

Extinguish the coals by closing the lid on the fire and closing all vents to deprive the fire completely of the air that fuels it. Never pour water on the Weber grill, to avoid damaging its porcelain finish. Remove ash after each use. Wipe any remaining lighter fluid that drained from the bottom vents before using the grill again to avoid injury from inadvertently lighting the leftover fluid. Check the grill to make sure all parts are properly attached before using the grill, including the ash catcher.

References

• "Weber's Charcoal Grilling: The Art of Cooking with Live Fire;" Jamie Purviance; 2007

Resources

• Charcoal Grill Cooking Recipes

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