Weber Smokey Joe Mods
When talking a great all around grill/smoker, the lowest common denominator is the Weber Kettle. You can set it up for direct or indirect heat as well as smoke on it. It’s been the gold standard for years. You look at the universal symbol for a BBQ grill and what do you see? The lovely Weber Kettle shape.
When camping, it’s a given that there will be some grillin’. That’s just how it is in my world. The problem with camping grilling is that you still want that classic grilling experience and flavor but without all the space and weight. Enter the humble Weber Smokey Joe. Small. Lightweight. Classic kettle experience.
Grilling steaks and smoking brats are my two favorites. I’m talking REALLY smoking them brats. Indirect heat. Put some cross hatch cuts in them things, throw a chunk of hickory or mesquite on the coals, and cook them low and slow for about 45 minutes. Brats don’t get any better than that.
So why not mod this baby to make it more like it’s big brother, right? That’s exactly what I did. I saw these mods done by other YouTubers and took a page out of their playbooks. I drilled/dremelled out the rivet holding the lid vent on, widened the hole, and inserted a Lava Lock thermometer with a lock washer and wing nut. Also, added a Lava Lock lever to the vent so I don’t have to grab some gloves to adjust the airflow. Same thing on the bottom vent – drilled a hole in the small grip and added a stay-cool lever.
