Does anyone know of a way to get more btu out of my mini Weber?

I just bought a Weber 200 and am unstisfied with the amount of btu. I
quickly purchased a hose which connects the grill to a 20 lb propane
tank and, to my surprise, got even less heat than before.

Is there a valve that can be loosened safely or a different fuel option
than regular propane that can provide more power?

I need my steaks more charred on the outside and fear that I've thrown
away $180!

"akimtwbta" > wrote in message
>
> I need my steaks more charred on the outside and fear that I've thrown
> away $180!

Yep

There's nothing safe that can be done with that grill that'll sear
steak. Forget the modifications and buy a $35 charcoal grill and
you'll be much happier. If you live in a condo/apartment and can't
have a charcoal grill then buy a cast iron skillet, put it in the oven
until it becomes branding iron hot and sear your stak on it.

To put it into perspective, steakhouses will sear steak at close to
2000*F. One can get a backyard grill that goes that high but you can
eat out for the rest of your life on what those babies cost. But you
can still get a good sear 5~600*. The cheapest (both fuel and cost of
the grill) and the easiest way to do this is with a charcoal grill and
good lump. Even a high end $1500 propane grill will have trouble
reaching 500* on a cool windy day.

"eelhc" > wrote in message

> . Even a high end $1500 propane grill will have trouble
> reaching 500* on a cool windy day.
>

Really? 500 is a dot my grill thermometer passes on the way to 700

"akimtwbta" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Does anyone know of a way to get more btu out of my mini Weber?
>
> I just bought a Weber 200 and am unstisfied with the amount of btu. I
> quickly purchased a hose which connects the grill to a 20 lb propane
> tank and, to my surprise, got even less heat than before.
>
> Is there a valve that can be loosened safely or a different fuel option
> than regular propane that can provide more power?
>
> I need my steaks more charred on the outside and fear that I've thrown
> away $180!
>

The only way to get a char-rare steak is with charcoal. You can, on an
infrared gas grill, at $3000 +/- but not below anything less than that, and
particularly with a semiportable gas grill like the one you bought.
Kent

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
et...

> Really? 500 is a dot my grill thermometer passes on the way to 700


Mine too on a warm windless day, but even 50,000 btu has trouble with
keeping 500 degrees when the wind is gusting to 80km/h and the temps are 50
degrees and below. Seems to have more to do with the wind than the outside
temps though. Winter grilling is fine if there's no wind. I see a lot of
these higher end Webers are lower btu ratings and that just don't make sense
up here.>

D. Winsor wrote:
> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
> et...
>
> > Really? 500 is a dot my grill thermometer passes on the way to 700
>
>
> Mine too on a warm windless day, but even 50,000 btu has trouble with
> keeping 500 degrees when the wind is gusting to 80km/h and the temps are 50
> degrees and below. Seems to have more to do with the wind than the outside
> temps though. Winter grilling is fine if there's no wind. I see a lot of
> these higher end Webers are lower btu ratings and that just don't make sense
> up here.>

I think their BTU estimate is either closer to "actual ratings" and
other companies bs their numbers with perfect lab-simulated weather
conditions. BTU isn't everything. Heat distribution and consistency in
temperature is.

If wind is a problem, you can build a windshield around your vents. I
do that when its windy and it helps stabalize the internal temp. in the
grill.

Thanks.

So how hot can charocal grills get: 500 degrees? 300 degrees? 1000
degrees?

a propane weber silver i used recently read 420 on the thermometer at
full force. i suspect my weber 200 is nowhere close.


Kent wrote:
> "akimtwbta" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > Does anyone know of a way to get more btu out of my mini Weber?
> >
> > I just bought a Weber 200 and am unstisfied with the amount of btu. I
> > quickly purchased a hose which connects the grill to a 20 lb propane
> > tank and, to my surprise, got even less heat than before.
> >
> > Is there a valve that can be loosened safely or a different fuel option
> > than regular propane that can provide more power?
> >
> > I need my steaks more charred on the outside and fear that I've thrown
> > away $180!
> >
>
> The only way to get a char-rare steak is with charcoal. You can, on an
> infrared gas grill, at $3000 +/- but not below anything less than that, and
> particularly with a semiportable gas grill like the one you bought.
> Kent

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> "eelhc" > wrote in message
>
> > . Even a high end $1500 propane grill will have trouble
> > reaching 500* on a cool windy day.
> >
>
> Really? 500 is a dot my grill thermometer passes on the way to 700

I guess it depends on the grill... My old propane (A high end members
mark from sam's club... forget the specs but I paid ~$800 for it) did
pass the 500* dot and got to 700* but it took 15~20 minutes on even
warm summer days. In the late fall/winter/early spring months here in
upstate, NY...if there was any wind at all, I could never reach 500*.
I went through a LOT of propane just getting the grill to temperature.

IMHO... the best/cheapest way to sear and cook steak is charcoal, which
I think gets a bum rap as being too inconvenient. Good quality lump
lights fast, burns hot and produces very little ash. Check your local
Craigslist, weber kettles can be had for as low as $10. I picked up 2
perfectly good Weber Kettles for $25 to compliment my KomodoKamado OTB
Supreme. I may add a inexpensive propane grill to do hot dogs for the
kids but most of my "serious cooking" will be done on the KomodoKamado
or the Weber's.

In oups.com,
akimtwbta > top-posted (maybe he didn't know any
better?):
> Thanks.
>
> So how hot can charocal grills get: 500 degrees? 300 degrees? 1000
> degrees?

1000+ depending on your grill. I think I registered close to 1200
(using a Fluke meter with the thermocouple) once in my Kamado. I
don't think I'll be trying it any time soon.

BOB

Even with the cheapest charcoal grills one can pile up the coals so the
heat is closer to the meat. You can easily sear steak at well above
6~700*+ this way. Charcoal will burn hot enough to smelt iron
(~1100*C! I believe). With propane, you're limited to what the burner
will put out. I have a friend who drilled bigger holes in his burner
the day he bought a new gas grill.

If I'm doing steaks, I build a mound so the center of the grill is the
hottest and the edges are cooler. I sear the two sides in the center,
then move the meat to the edges to cook some more at a lower heat.
With Filet's I sear all 6 sides.

BTW... I have nothing against gas grills, in fact I may just purchase
an inexpensive one. (there are times one doesn't want to load up a
chimney starter just to heat a couple of hot dogs for the kids). Gas
grills can get much hotter than charcoal grills too. There are gas
grills like the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet's capable of going to 2000*+
.. But 4 digit temperatures cooks at home are just plain silly and
perhaps a bit dangerous (gar or charcoal).

Again... look at craigslist for your area... there are sure to be at
least a couple of charcoal grills that are at almost free.

In article .com>,
says...
> So how hot can charocal grills get: 500 degrees? 300 degrees? 1000
> degrees?
>

I managed to hit 1000 deg completely by accident with a Weber Kettle.
Wasn't shooting for it, just had way too much charcoal going.

It was measured with a thermocouple and meter, so I have confidence in
the measurement.

Mike