We always BBQ in the winter. Up until recently we BBQed with the top
down for everything. Then I saw a TV show and they cooked without a
top, probably for the camera view and if the top is down, you're sort
of roasting.

Now that we are cooking on an open grill, it takes forever to cook
through. The is running at optimum, since I cleaned out the burners
and the valves. A top round london broil takes about 45 minutes for
medium rare. I assume that's because of the cold air temperature
outside. What's your experience with cooking times?

> wrote in message
...
> We always BBQ in the winter. Up until recently we BBQed with the top
> down for everything. Then I saw a TV show and they cooked without a
> top, probably for the camera view and if the top is down, you're sort
> of roasting.
>

So put the top down. There is probably a 60 to 80 degree temperature
differential compared to the summer. While it is generally correct to grill
thin cuts, and other fast cooking things top up, you have to make allowance
for the winter.

wrote:
[snip]
> What's your experience with cooking times?

Not much mystery here, is there? Lid down, higher temp, shorter
cooking time. Lid up, lower temp, longer cooking temp. Especially in
cold winter air. What am I missing?

Don't worry that somehow you're 'roasting' rather than 'grilling.' Top
up or down you're getting that smoky feedback from the coals that makes
grilling a Good Thing.

-aem

put the top down

--
rosie





> wrote in message
...
: We always BBQ in the winter. Up until recently we BBQed with the
top
: down for everything. Then I saw a TV show and they cooked without
a
: top, probably for the camera view and if the top is down, you're
sort
: of roasting.
:
: Now that we are cooking on an open grill, it takes forever to cook
: through. The is running at optimum, since I cleaned out the
burners
: and the valves. A top round london broil takes about 45 minutes
for
: medium rare. I assume that's because of the cold air temperature
: outside. What's your experience with cooking times?

In rec.food.cooking, aem > wrote:

> Not much mystery here, is there? Lid down, higher temp, shorter
> cooking time. Lid up, lower temp, longer cooking temp. Especially in
> cold winter air. What am I missing?

Things are not always as simple as they seem. Using a weber kettle, the
coals radiate much less heat, at a lower temperature, with the top on.
This is because the top severely restricts the airflow.

When I want HOT coals, I leave the top off. When I want moderate (pretty
much perfect for most stuff) coals, I put the top on for a while.

Note that I am talking about the radiant heat from the coals. Obviously,
the top increases the trapped heat, and therefore the amount of
convective heat surrounding the food.

So for searing, or for thin cuts, top off. For thicker cuts, top on.

--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought,
by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower

wrote:
>
> Things are not always as simple as they seem. Using a weber kettle,
the
> coals radiate much less heat, at a lower temperature, with the top
on.
> This is because the top severely restricts the airflow.
>
> When I want HOT coals, I leave the top off. When I want moderate
(pretty
> much perfect for most stuff) coals, I put the top on for a while.
>
> Note that I am talking about the radiant heat from the coals.
Obviously,
> the top increases the trapped heat, and therefore the amount of
> convective heat surrounding the food.
>
> So for searing, or for thin cuts, top off. For thicker cuts, top on.

>
Well said and quite right for the versatile Weber. The OP spoke about
maintenance on her grill's jets so I assumed some form of gas, which is
not affected the way the coals in the kettle are.

-aem

"aem" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> wrote:
>>
>> Things are not always as simple as they seem. Using a weber kettle,
> the
>> coals radiate much less heat, at a lower temperature, with the top
> on.
>> This is because the top severely restricts the airflow.
>>
>> When I want HOT coals, I leave the top off. When I want moderate
> (pretty
>> much perfect for most stuff) coals, I put the top on for a while.
>>
>> Note that I am talking about the radiant heat from the coals.
> Obviously,
>> the top increases the trapped heat, and therefore the amount of
>> convective heat surrounding the food.
>>
>> So for searing, or for thin cuts, top off. For thicker cuts, top on.
>
>>
> Well said and quite right for the versatile Weber. The OP spoke about
> maintenance on her grill's jets so I assumed some form of gas, which is
> not affected the way the coals in the kettle are.
>
> -aem

But, the same still holds true to the ambient air temp. Living in the
panhandle of Nebraska, I've noticed that the colder it is outside, the
longer it has taken me to grill things. I use a propane grill, FYI.

Even grilling with the lid down, it takes longer in colder temps I've
noticed. I don't see how leaving the lid up will improve that though and
when I'm heating the grill up, I usually have the side dishes in foil
packets on the grill.

I like to grill and usually try to make everything for the meal cookable on
the grill. I will admit to being a shitty griller at hamburgers and hotdogs
though.

Bret



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I don't think beef tastes as good if it is roasted. I think the
flavor is actually more intense with the top up, because as it is
cooking the beef looses more, consequently, more flavorful beef. I
think that's true for steak as well as hamburgers. Haven't you ever
noticed that real intense beef flavor in some burgers that are made on
an open grill that you just don't get when they are semi-roasted?

Only problem is, you have to start the BBQ a lot earlier.

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 22:07:11 -0700, "Maverick"
> wrote:

>"aem" > wrote in message
roups.com...
>>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Things are not always as simple as they seem. Using a weber kettle,
>> the
>>> coals radiate much less heat, at a lower temperature, with the top
>> on.
>>> This is because the top severely restricts the airflow.
>>>
>>> When I want HOT coals, I leave the top off. When I want moderate
>> (pretty
>>> much perfect for most stuff) coals, I put the top on for a while.
>>>
>>> Note that I am talking about the radiant heat from the coals.
>> Obviously,
>>> the top increases the trapped heat, and therefore the amount of
>>> convective heat surrounding the food.
>>>
>>> So for searing, or for thin cuts, top off. For thicker cuts, top on.
>>
>>>
>> Well said and quite right for the versatile Weber. The OP spoke about
>> maintenance on her grill's jets so I assumed some form of gas, which is
>> not affected the way the coals in the kettle are.
>>
>> -aem
>
>But, the same still holds true to the ambient air temp. Living in the
>panhandle of Nebraska, I've noticed that the colder it is outside, the
>longer it has taken me to grill things. I use a propane grill, FYI.
>
>Even grilling with the lid down, it takes longer in colder temps I've
>noticed. I don't see how leaving the lid up will improve that though and
>when I'm heating the grill up, I usually have the side dishes in foil
>packets on the grill.
>
>I like to grill and usually try to make everything for the meal cookable on
>the grill. I will admit to being a shitty griller at hamburgers and hotdogs
>though.
>
>Bret
>
>
>
>----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
>http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
>----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

In rec.food.cooking, aem > wrote:
> >
> Well said and quite right for the versatile Weber. The OP spoke about
> maintenance on her grill's jets so I assumed some form of gas, which is
> not affected the way the coals in the kettle are.

Oops.

--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought,
by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower

In > rosie readandpost
wrote:
> put the top down


I never bbq in the Winter and when I do in Summer yes, I always have the
top down too. Think it's partly because of the wind factor to keep the
heat in. Normally the bbq is in the garage and I have the overhead door
open when using it, but wind still seems to affect the cooking.

So yes, put the top down, depending what you're wearing of course ;-)


--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

wrote:
> We always BBQ in the winter. Up until recently we BBQed with the top
> down for everything. Then I saw a TV show and they cooked without a
> top, probably for the camera view and if the top is down, you're sort
> of roasting.
>
> Now that we are cooking on an open grill, it takes forever to cook
> through. The is running at optimum, since I cleaned out the burners
> and the valves. A top round london broil takes about 45 minutes for
> medium rare. I assume that's because of the cold air temperature
> outside. What's your experience with cooking times?

I grill on my Weber gas grill often, all year... this past January the
temps plunged to -20dF... that's *minus* 20, and I still grilled a
couple of times each week. For cold weather grilling thicker cuts like
london broil are preferred... the thicker the cut the slower it should
be cooked. For london broil I crank her up and sear over direct heat
with the lid down, about 3 minutes per side, then lower to medium and
finish grill over indirect heat with lid down, 10-15 minutes per
side... this with a two inch thick london broil. Thicker cuts during
frigid weather permit me to duck back indoors between flipping. Save
grilling the items that cook quickly and/or need constant attention for
warmer weather. I grill everything with the lid down, otherwise what's
the point of a lidded grill.

> wrote in message
...
> We always BBQ in the winter. Up until recently we BBQed with the top
> down for everything. Then I saw a TV show and they cooked without a
> top, probably for the camera view and if the top is down, you're sort
> of roasting.
>
> Now that we are cooking on an open grill, it takes forever to cook
> through. The is running at optimum, since I cleaned out the burners
> and the valves. A top round london broil takes about 45 minutes for
> medium rare. I assume that's because of the cold air temperature
> outside. What's your experience with cooking times?

Cover the unused portion of the grill with heavy duty foil. You'll have to
experiment a little with the amount of space you allow.

That should speed up the process quite a bit.

Dimitri