Direct, indirect and the snake

Direct heat

The manual's direct method. Charcoal for the 57 cm kettle: 30 Weber briquettes, 40 other briquettes or 0.87 kg lumpwood.

1. Spread the lit charcoal evenly over the charcoal grate.
2. Fit the cooking grate.
3. Close the lid, vents fully open, and preheat 10 to 15 minutes to about 260 °C.
4. Brush the hot grate with a stainless-bristle brush.
5. Cook with the lid closed.
6. Open by sliding the lid sideways into the Tuck-Away: lifting straight up can draw ash onto the food.

Indirect heat with the Char-Rails

The manual's indirect method.

1. Hook the Char-Rails on the outer charcoal grate wires and push the front down until it slips over the 4th wire and snaps into place.
2. Pour lit charcoal behind both rails. For the first hour, per side: 15 Weber briquettes, 20 others or 0.36 kg lumpwood.
3. Set a drip pan between the rails.
4. Fit the cooking grate with its hinged flaps over the coals.
5. Put the food in the middle and close the lid, damper opposite the coals.
6. For each extra hour, add 4 Weber briquettes, 7 others or 0.12 kg lumpwood per side through the flaps.

A Weber collector on Weber's blog: banking coals in the same place every time can damage the enamel, so change where they sit from cook to cook.

Two zones and the snake

Two set-ups from Weber UK's temperature guide and how to use a charcoal barbecue.

1. Pour all the lit charcoal onto one side for two zones.
2. Sear over the coals, then slide the food to the cool side to finish.
3. For the snake, lay unlit briquettes in a curved line round the edge of the charcoal grate.
4. Add a small number of lit briquettes at one end. They light the line little by little over several hours.
5. Set the lid damper an eighth to a quarter open, bowl vents open.
6. Put a thermometer's air probe near the food: the lid dial reads the dome, not the grate (Weber UK).