If you are interested in using your Weber Jumbo Joe as a smoker then I recommend upgrading your grill grate. No, you don’t have too; it just makes your life a little easier.
After about three hours of going low and slow on the Jumbo Joe I need to add some more fuel. With the standard grate you have to lift the whole thing to add more charcoal. It’s very awkward, invites burns and tempts fate to have your food slide off the grill and onto your deck.
The simplest fix is to head down to Home Depot and pick up the Weber 18.5 inch hinged grate for $15. With this grate you simply use your tongs to flip a section of the grate open, drop in more fuel and close the lid. You can also pick this up from Amazon
Now the question becomes; what should you do with the grate that comes with the Jumbo?
I use the standard issue grate to increase the capacity of my grill. The technique is to turn the grate upside down and rotate it so the handles are 90 degrees away from the handles on the hinged grate. This allows the standard grate to rest on top of the hinged grate in a manner that is extremely stable.
I used this configuration to cook 20 chicken thighs at once on this little grill! I was set up for using indirect heat and had to rearrange the chicken about every 30 minutes so it would cook evenly. I had to switch the chicken between the two grates as well as move it in relation to the heat source. It really was a fun little cook and not nearly as difficult as it might sound.
Here are a few pictures to show you what I am talking about.
At $15 this upgrade provides the most bang for your buck.
Click here to buy the hinged grate from Amazon.