Indirect Cooking

The Indirect Cooking Method

Indirect cooking is the cooking method that transforms your barbecue into an oven, using convection heat to roast or bake. The food is placed on the cooking grill, with fire either side, evenly cooking the food with indirect heat.

Preparing the Barbecue for Indirect Cooking

Open the top and bottom vents on the barbecue and remove the lid. Place 4 firelighters (2 on each side) in the cavities provided in your charcoal ‘V’ grate. Place the Char-Baskets™ on the charcoal grate and fill them with the required number of briquettes (for quantities, see table below).

Light the firelighters, and using a pair of tongs, move the filled Char-Baskets over the firelighters. Make sure that all of the firelighters are burning well before leaving the barbecue, as a strong wind can blow them out if they‘re not burning properly.

The barbecue can now be left until the briquettes are ready to cook. It will take about 25-30 minutes for the fire to establish itself. During this time, ensure that the lid is left off the barbecue and all vents are open. This allows more oxygen to reach the briquettes, helping to establish the fire faster.

Once the briquettes have mostly (at least 80%) ashed over, you can move the Char-Baskets to the rim of the charcoal grate and place a drip pan between them.

Place the cooking grill on the barbecue with the grill handles directly over the fires. The hinged sides are designed to facilitate the addition of smoking wood chunks or, if needed, extra barbecue fuel.

Place the lid on the barbecue. Let the cooking grill preheat for 5 minutes, then brush it clean. Now, place your food in the centre of the cooking grill, between the fires. For best results, keep the lid on the barbecue as much as possible.

Fuel Quantities

The temperature of an indirect cooking fire is determined by the amount of fuel used. In a 57cm (22”) barbecue kettle, these temperatures are achieved by using the Weber® BBQ Briquette quantities listed below.

Hot Tips

• Ensure the top vent on the lid is centred in the indirect cooking zone. If you place the lid with the vent over one of the Char-Baskets, it will create additional airflow to that side, making the fire burn hotter and burn out more quickly on that side.
• We highly recommended placing a disposable drip pan between your Char-Baskets and underneath the roast. This not only  keeps your barbecue cleaner but also allows you to catch those delicious drippings from your roast.