My beautiful Weber!
 

In these times of excess frivolity, not taking it seriously, ridiculing the system (JPA etc), I thought a little dose of good old fashioned, spirited military banter might be in order ...............

HOW GOOD DOES YOUR WEBER BARBEQUE LOOK ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I bought my Weber home from Florida in 1992 and it's still going great (no I'm not a pikey and yes I could afford another one if I really wanted to) and I'm desperate to know how many others out there have the same feelings of joy when it gets rolled out of the shed (a bit like a fat WAAF - oops!).

I'd love to know who of you have a Weber in great condition, that has survived the storms, the drunken saturday afternoons (enjoy your alcohol responsibly) and maybe has a tale or two of its own to tell. To qualify, it (you can submit it's name if necessary) must be a three wheeled 22.5 inch kettle BBQ and must have been used .... yes, and maybe abused .... in a temperate climate, so none of your stories from hot places saying 'mine has no rust' (Charlie Luncher).

For the record, my old girl has more than a few knocks and bruises, the spot welds on the top handle are about to expire and the sockets where the legs attach (oo-er missus) have seen better days. On a positive note, her red enamel finish is still gorgeous, and she cooks a mean burger (shame about the dusting, ironing and balancing the cheque book!)

Go on, you know you want to, tell us a story, I'm a doctor etc .........

Here's one for starters - Beags, using your powers of deductive reasoning, how many wheeled 22.5 inch kettle BBQs do you reckon the VC10 fleet has bought home from places overseas??

SB





(To coin a phrase - all typing incidents are alcohol induced)

A little known fact is that the basic mass (APS) of a VC10 actually includes 2 Webers I'll have you know.

Just updated and moded mine for the summer. Tried to persuade the wife into procuring a Tranche 2 gas version but she capped the budget and only allowed me to buy a new grill (57 cm) instead

:D

Weber
 

My mini-Weber is a relative babe in comparison. Bought on det in '98 and still providing a robust contribution to my expanding waist line. Fond memories of it being bodged to the back of my bicycle for the summer mess livers-in cycling trips to the beach.....1/2 hour there.....3 hours and a MT call out to get back.
It was deployed to London for Proms in the Park last year but sadly was left behind in favour of a tuck hamper from F&M.
All sounds a bit Enid Blyton with hindsight but definitely helped underpin my effects based barbecuing

I turned to the dark side and bought a char broil. It's big, black and beautiful (the BBQ that is). 0 to hamburger in 5 mins flat !

:} :}

Got a new Weber (tm) from USA delivered to RAFLO who popped it on passing plane Brize bound. Arrived last week.

Ordered on t'internet with free delivery (WTF is shipping when it is nowhere near water?).

Turns perfectly good food into a briquette and dark clouds threaten at approx half the UK price.

Blessed is my Weber (tm)

Well, I bought my Weber in late 1988 and it has had a busy life. When I was doing my CFS course in 1989, every summer weekend when I bailed out from Scampers it was merrily cooking one, if not two meals.

Last year the propellor thing which wiggles out the cack from its bowels finally died - but I found a supplier of new bits on the Interweb and now she's as good as ever!

Top tip to save the coals is to use the wire bits which clip to the main grid thing for roasting chooks and just put the coals in the middle. Also close everything off as soon as you've finished cooking and there should be a goodly number of reusable bricquettes still usable!

Should you choose to use the rip-off 'Jack Daniels' wood chips to add a smoky flavour to your snorkers, just use a SMALL quantity and soak them first! The first time I gave that a whirl, the neighbourhood went IMC!

Don't buy the 26" unless you regularly feed the 5000 as the volume of coals needed is proportional to the cube of the diameter! Thus a 26 uses huge amounts more than a 22".

The record I've seen in the back of the VC10K was 8 x 22" - plus one smoking thing which looked like an Atlas missile silo. The proud owner's wife was NOT impressed!

Gas is good
 

After 18 years of Webering, both of my beloved smoke generators which were transported courtesy of Albert Airways have now gone. My 1st one lasted about 14 years and I gave my second one to a neighbours relative. Went over to gas last year, the way ahead, also purely by coincidence I went from K to J. Maybe its time to move on son. (Burnt Biscuits to Burgers). However for all you flare up fanatics and smoke gets in your eyes peeps you can prolong the life of of your old faithful by going on the web and getting some spare parts.

Gas is bloody cheating!

Man - make fire, kill dinosaur, cook same! Drink beer. Woman do salady stuff!

Once ran out of the approved firelighters and that squirty gunge which is supposed to help the coals to light...

Hmm, thought I. What do I have in the garage which might work? Ah-ha - a jamjar full of 100LL left over from the daily water sample at the flying club. A little of that should work, so pour it on.... But can be explosive, so let it soak into the bricquettes. Small snag - how to light it? Spot bottle of industrial spirit....a little of that should do the trick! Wrap bit of paper towel around end of garden rake, light towel and wave hopefully over coals from a safe distance......






WHOOMPH!!


Yes, well top marks for ingenuity, that got the coals going. NOT to be recommended though!

I'd like to express similar sentiments - the male owners of all gas bbq's are gay beyond the pale ..... FIRE ..... here endeth the sermon. Blokes, pay attention!

BEags - that's not what I asked - we need stats, gross tonnage etc.

Top tip about closing everything off as soon as you've finished cooking to save coals. Unfortunately I'm normally completely w*nkered at this stage so tip of no use! Mrs stbd beam no use for salad either unless 'tis Smirnoff cucumber or white wine potato salad.

Tried petrol too once - oops!

GAS???

You might as well drag your oven out of the kitchen!

It's obscene man!!

Blessed is the charcoal.

Very true.

I was encouraged to buy a Weber on my first Stateside detachment in 1986. Duly bought 22" Weber, one of 4 on that flight back to ISK IIRC, and wondered "why?" as I lived in the Mess at the time!! Still it got good use in the Mess and has served well ever since. It does have a few dents, but little rust, the biggest problem now is the foreleg tends to fall off everytime I wheel it over my somewhat uneven patio. New Patio? New Weber? New patio - obviously!!!

Gas? Cheating!!

The wooden handle on mine has a very nice charcoal finish (all the way through) after being too enthusiastic once with an unidentified starter fluid that smelled as if it might burn ok. It went up like avpin.

Under the afluence of incahol of course!

I got my first Webber (22" kettle) on a trip to Sig in 93 and, showing the true singly desire to get rid of all my allowances bought another one; the little shoe box size. Still use them both.

kipper

Outside deep fryer
 

Dude
You forget my old girl was exposed to the delights of the ISK and UK summer seasons, had to convert her to gas as they are scared of me torching the state, converted back now only used in winter. But just like me she gets the wobbly leg going after a bit of a sess. Set fire to me lawn at easter due wobbly leg and only minor burns to me though.:sad:

Charlie sends

Bought my first 22 incher in 1987 for $35 at a labor (sic) day sale. Replaced it in 1998 with a new one and gave the old one to the inlaws. Both look the same and both are going well. Also bought the smaller Smokey Joe which now has a bit of rust on the bottom and also kills any grass underneath it.

All were bought back to the UK in a VC10!

However, I'm ashamed to say that I have now bought a gay gas model. This is because I now live in the Far East where the local charcoal doesn't light at all or burns to white dust in 10 seconds flat. (I mention just to desperately justify my purchase!). However, the results aren't as good as a Weber, it burns the food too easily and it doesn't taste the same. Perhaps this is due to the fact that despite having bought it in China, I later discovered it was made in Kidderminster!

Hey BEagle. I remember the 8 weber States trainer. My second Weber was one of those 8! And the minuteman silo was purchased by an ex shopping command Nav who tried to explain to his Mrs how they were going to cook the Christmas turkey in it!!!!

Beags
Don't knock the Atlas silo smoker
USN exchange mate cooked a 25lb Thanksgiving bird overnight in his garage
(about 10 hours)
Best I've ever tasted - certainly beats cold turkey mid week!:ok:

Fellow Weberites,

My first was a tricycle 22.5" red enamelled basic-as-you-like job. Still had it up til last year when the (now ex-)wife decided that being married wasn't a good thing. It would have had its tenth birthday this year.

It was so good, I augmented it with a 22.5" Platinum, that had a much better ash receiver and a four wheeled cart attached, with work surface. Fantastic.

Also got a Smokey Joe for $hits and giggles at the beach.

However, now I actually live in the land of their provenance, I am fortunate enough to own the "Performer". This is is the crowning glory of all Webers. The BEST ever. Basically it is the same 22.5" kettle, charcoal burning man-toy as previously. HOWEVER, the clever chaps in Palatine, IL, have incorporated a gas ignition system for the charcoal. The gas burner is lit for 5 mins or so, which gets the coals good and red, then just shut off the gas system and then leave the coals to go white. 20 mins later, ready to go. The Dog's Bollocks.

BEagle- RTFM. Coals go OUTSIDE the wire retainers for indirect cooking, does a great job of ribs, whole poultry etc, and uses even fewer coals. Some models have baskets the coals go in, and can be moved about. Tends to avoid burger>briquette syndrome.

Original Kingsford briquettes also the best. Would they be DAC?

The only bad thing is I can't get Walls' sausages!!

Yes, for indirect cookng that's very true. However, I just leave the chook wirejobbers in and put the charcoal inside for direct cooking. You can then move some food to the cooler edges to keep it hot without turning to carbon if other stuff is still a bit pink.

Moist and pink is OK for some things, not so for chook or pork!

Sorry, Roadster280, but gas is gay!!

Next thing you'll be admitting to owning a Porsche Boxter :yuk: !

Bunchapoofs.

Get a 45gal oil drum, cut in half lengthways, cook over oak/beech logs.:p :)

3 Webers in the family now. A 22 in kettle, a Smokey Joe (Baby) plus as a result of a Stateside tour a gas Weber 'Q' for those times when I have forgotten to get the charcoal! Also got a monster gas Charbroil.....we eat alfresco alot!

Original Kettle now 15 yrs old and still going strong, had to fix that wonky foreleg that falls out though!!

This is incredibly timely as todays top job for me is to source a BBQ..

Cheers!

WWW

Weber handles
 

Bought mine in the 80's at Bruggen. Couldn't squeeze it onto the removals van so left it with a mate who got it on a herc to Lyneham and I collected it from there. It had the old wooden handles which finally fell apart so I knitted some new ones from an old broom handle. I'm not pikey and would have bought replacements if I could but the new ones are bakelite and don't fit. Would have got it's LSGM by now if I hadn't burnt my hand during the last moments of the handles life.
Gas be bu****ed!

Picked up 4 webers from BX in Osan on a VC10 Gurkah rotation to their cerimonial duties at Panmunjom. One had been purchased specifically for use on unit BBQs - unit had the task of hosting many Senior Officers (and their indulgence wifes) from UK, who just happen to have a requirement to visit HKG as part of their 'Official' duties, and getting nearer to 97, the visits picked up somewhat. Upshot was that with such heavy usage, Webber gave up the ghost within a year..., mind you, the 80%+ humidity, and the beating it took getting blown around the unit car park in a category 4 typhoon did play a part in its demise.

We picked up a replacement and some additional Webbers for our local Army mess on a trip to Okinawa - we had chartered a Heavy Lift Belfast as the load out was such that it would not fit into anything we had available at the time, and as the a/c was empty on the return leg, decided that a dozen or so webbers would make no difference.

The best laid plans o' mice and men....

The movers got delayed at the BX which we found out later, was about 5 miles from the isolated pan we were allocated. After off-load, Capt of Belfast decided to depart early, received clearance, refused to wait for Movers, and started engines for early departure...., the rest as they say is history - but history that is known to a select few!!!!

Suffice to say that the Okinawa Webber run (as it became known locally),
was the talking point around many BBQs in the colony for some time after.

GengisK :ok:

You charcoaleers are all stuck in the rut of yesteryear. Gas is the way ahead! I got me an Optimus 24" Firerite with auto-ignition, twin-swirl combustion chambers, 360 castoring rollers and side hung foldaway stove. It's the Typhoon of the Saturday afternoon patio scene. Anybody who slags me off is a technophobic caveman (or lady) who fears change!

OK, I'll say it,"Jehovah!" :)

I fully agree, grilling on gas is as gay as it comes. I only use it to start the coals. No mess/difficulty, no paraffin taste, less oily residue on the grill, it's the way ahead.

As for what I drive, certainly not a Boxster. Good ole' American 250hp V6 19mpg thingy. No shortage of testosterone at my house. I wrote my last post shortly after the pink and moist thing had left...

And grilling inch thick steak tonight....

Gas v Charcoal
 

My limited experience is that gas does not heat nearly as well as charcoal and with gas one needs a few wood chips to create the flavoursome and carcinogenic smoke! The first time I cooked on a charcoal BBQ, after years with a gas one, I burned everything to crisp due to the amazing temp difference.

gas v charcoal
 

Horses for courses really. I used to be a complete charcoal snob and scoffed at the gay gas users. Now, having the benefit of both I can appreciate the pluses and minuses. For example trying to cook a Beer Butt Chicken on a charcoal grill is a real faf and often the lack of heat control means the outside of the bird is burned or the beer boils over and puts the charcoal out! That said you can't beat a charcoal grill for burgers and bangers that need that carbon taste! Use both I say, just for different stuff!:=

Smudge

Wber Q gives me all the fire power I need to grill big and it comes with a set of wheels to drag it down the beach. Last time I flew it, I loaded it up with two 1 inch thick porterhouses and two 1 1/2 pound lobsters..plenty of room. No mess, no cleaning = more time playing! Not burning my eyebrows off every time I try to light it helps too!!
Aloha!

Top accessory is the tin tube with a handle on it and a metal grill near the bottom - fill with charcoal/briquettes with a firelighter at the bottom, stand tube on lower BBQ grill on top of second (lit) firelighter. Leave for 25 mins and then pour grey, ready to cook charcoal either on inside or outside of wire restrainer thingies and crack on. Made by Weber, about £8 in the shops.
Have done 16lb Christmas Turkey using indirect cooking - fabulous but don't forget to use a foil tray full of water to help steam it and keep it moist.

WEBF - you could make one out of a SHAR for posterity

:E

My father-in-law bought me one of these gadgets for Christmas, undoubtedly the best present I have ever had from him!!:ok: Light to cooking in about 15 mins I find. I have also done the Christmas turkey on the bbq (indirect method), and a 4 rib of beef and legs of lamb. All come out 'bootiful', perfectly cooked with just a hint of a smoked favour. Roll on the bank holiday weekend, now if I could only use my pressure washer to give the Weber a clean - b:mad:y Thames Water!!

Roly, was it this thing:


They cost about £18 from the place which supplied me with the hardware kit to unbugger my Weber, http://www.supergreenthumb.com

They also provide spare bits for gas gays.

On a totally different note, to petrolheads of a certain age, 'Weber' means twin fortys! As in 2 x 40DCOE carbs, the RR of bolt-on performance before the days of chavs 'n chips!

Beags

phew, I thought all this BBQ talk was getting a bit surreal there, but then we got onto carbs and I feel a whole lot better. Makes me want to go and start mine up and make lots of noise. Nice photo tho matey - that you? Dodgy looking gloves - no pretending it is an advert, we know the truth!

No - I'm not sensible enough to use gloves or that complicated fire lighter thing! Just the barbi'-gloop from Waitrose plus some firelighters and supermarket sharkhole, light, watch the flames blaze merrily and wait for a beer or few......30-ish minutes seems about right.

Always wanted a GT6 with the full-Monte SAH-tuning triple 40DCOEs and tuned twin exhaust. Cash never met desire though.....

A Confession
 

I had a 22" Weber for years - obtained in the US of course. Me and Mrs Max spent many happy evenings lighting it, eventually cooking on it and then sitting around it on pleasant but chilly UK summer evenings. But all good things must pass and a couple of years ago we invested in a - yes - gas Weber. It's brilliant. It lights instantly. The food tastes EXACTLY the same as from the old charcoal thingy. Does that make me gay? If so, I'm the only one in this village! No, I prefer to think that it shows I'm ready to adapt to the 21st century. So guys, give up the old charcoal monsters and move with the times. By the way, what's wrong with a Boxster?

Happy cooking everyone.:ok:

My first Webber cost £18 (US $ conversion in BX early '80s blah blah) - I aint gonna spend same on a device that starts it!.

Broken leg fixed by drill hole across leg and leg mounting with 6p bolt through entire thing. - Needs tightening annually.

Got an all black one - yep.... still black today!

I'm glad someone mentioned Rolls-Royce. My father-in-law gets a far-off look in his eyes, goes a bit misty and mutters something about 'Rolls-Royce of barbeques' when he lights his.

The boys got me one as a wedding present on the basis that i'd have no excuses not to lay on a barbeque when they Taceval me.

BEags

That's the gadget, it's ace at getting charcoal from cold to cooking hot in minutes. One match and some rolled up newspaper (I find that the Sunday Times works best) so no need for firelighters and a slow build up.

I too am too stupid to wear those dodgy looking gloves, but then I haven't burned myself yet (occasional smell of singeing hair though)!:ouch:

Just be careful...........

The Boss of a local AEF is currently ground-bound as a result of a self-inflicted burn.

Take care, out there.