Advice needed for smoking on a Weber Kettle Grill

I was looking through some threads here and doing some poking around on some BBQ sites and was needing some input. I never have but am wanting to try to do some smoking on my weber kettle grill. I know it can be done, I understand how to do it. However, I read on a few places that by doing so I can wreck my grill? I think one of the actual terms I saw was "Funktify". So to any of you who do use your Kettle as a smoker (I know some do, I have been reading your posts ) how bad will this Funktification be? Any other advice is welcome also. If it matters much I do have the 22.5 OTG.

I was tossing around the idea of just getting a WSM but have decided to give the whole smoking process a shot in the kettle just to make sure it is something I can see my self continuing to do before dropping the coin on one. From what I have read it would be pointless to go a cheaper smoker route as I would probably end up with a WSM after it was all said and done anyway.

I use my Weber kettle all the time as a gril and smoker. The key is to use the indirect method of loading. I soak the wood chips and add to each side of the charcoal pile after they are ready to cook. I have never noticed any funkifiedness after doing so and I've been doing it for decades.

Greyfox said:

I use my Weber kettle all the time as a gril and smoker. The key is to use the indirect method of loading. I soak the wood chips and add to each side of the charcoal pile after they are ready to cook. I have never noticed any funkifiedness after doing so and I've been doing it for decades.

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Dave, thanks for the quick reply! Out of all the sites I have read up on about doing the indirect method and smoking there was only two that stated this. So I was pretty sure something else was happening with the individual(s) grill causing the funkiness. Any advice on one water pan or two? I have seen some places recommending a second water pan above the coals on the cooking grate as well as the opposite the coals on the coal grate?

I have had excellent success using the "snake" variation on the Minion Method in my kettle.
See here:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...oke-Thread-III-BBQ-2011?p=3204267#post3204267

I post the results a couple of post down from that one. I've done this several times now this summer and I easily get 6-8 hours of very stable temperature, right around 230°F. I line up three rows of briquettes going about about 2/3 of the way around the circumference -- two rows on the bottom, the third stacked on top like a pyramid. Close the bottom vent about 1/2, leave the top open a 1/4" or so.

I have never noticed any "funkiness"

I have no idea how it would ruin your grill. I've used mine for ribs and butts, and I guess the chrome bits are kind of tarnished, but big woo. Indirect heat is the key. I put my meat over a drip pan, heat on the other side, and a pan of water over the heat. Only gripe is that it is hard to feed the fire on these, but I want to try the snake method, which looks kind of set it and forget it.