The temperature of the upper cooking surfaces is determined by the amount of heat generated by the burning coals at the bottom of the cooker.
Airflow to the coals is managed via the vents. The tandoor oven bottom piece has three vents that regulate the airflow that supplies the coals with oxygen to burn.
The temperature within the cooker will increase as more air is drawn in and decrease as less air is allowed in through the vents.
The air vents are manually adjusted by trial and error; the procedure is not mechanical. It takes some time to gradually raise the temperature while waiting for the thermometer reading to stabilise.
Setting the temperature requires time and effort, but once it is constant, it may be kept at
Two critical elements for ensuring a consistent heat supply
An ongoing heat source
Since this Weber was made to work best at controlled temperatures, without a consistent heat source, all cooking methods will be prone to changing heat and produce poor results.
*An enclosed cooking space to keep the heat inside.
To maintain a constant heat at any given temperature, the cooker should be airtight and kept closed as much as feasible.
Cooking times and temperature settings are crucial and shouldn't be left to chance or educated guesswork.
The cooker's owner's manual is a gold mine of knowledge. It comprises comprehensive time- and temperature charts as well as complete instructions for use. There is plenty of helpful information and cooking advice in the recipe sections as well.
Smoking
Weber describes this smoker as "low and slow." The only way to obtain consistently satisfactory results is to smoke slowly at a constant, low temperature.
The primary determinant of successful smoking is the mechanism of temperature regulation, where vents are controlled to sustain the heat for however long is necessary.
It can take up to 10 hours or longer to cook large chunks of meat to completion. Continuous smoke and constant heat between 225 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit are necessary for proper smoking.
Grilling
When all vents are open, combustion accelerates, producing more heat for grilling, which requires a much higher temperature, again managed by the vents.
The cooker is kept shut until the food is halfway cooked before being rotated through the open door, as opposed to rotating the food regularly.
Steaming
The dome vent is closed while the bottom vents are left open to create the necessary heat and humidity for steaming. Clams, prawns and lobster tails can all be properly steamed. Cooking durations should typically be brief and the heat level in the cooker should be high.
Due to its integrated vent system, the Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker is able to manage temperature to fulfil its three very diverse purposes.