Square vs round basket

1911, 8x8 is too small IMO. I have both square and round baskets and can't tell much difference in the burn but they are all 16-17 inches across. I see some brethren here use the small diameter like you described for a short burn cook. I would suggest going bigger in diameter and keep the heighth what you have. Why did you do only 8 x 8?

You should keep the 8"x8" basket you have and use it for short cooks like chicken, ribs, etc. and build another one on an 18" Weber charcoal grate platform 8-13" deep for longer cooks. I have some that are built on a 22", 18" and 14" charcoal grate frames and a 12"x12x12 perf steel basket and all are ideal. For the larger baskets I have some rings of expando I just set inside them and use less fuel for short cooks.

















I measured 12 pounds of briqs and made a mark on the bucket so I know how much to use for a long cook, and I'll tell you that my heavy meats are done and in the cambro long before that amount is used up. Figure @ 1 lb. of BBK per cook hour minimum, and that is cooking direct. YMMV.

I must be sleepy. I read the title as "Square or Round BRISKET" and wondered what the hell you were talking about.

Bigmista said:

I must be sleepy. I read the title as "Square or Round BRISKET" and wondered what the hell you were talking about.

Click to expand...

I did the same!! I was thinking WTF!!!! I'm bout learn something.

I doubt that square or round will make much difference. Here's the latest basket I made:
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=59512

Not everyone has access to a roll that can roll 3/4-9 expando, though. Mine can just barely do it.

In my drum smoker this basket works just great. I dump in maybe 10 pounds of lump and start four or five fist-size chunks in a starter chimney over an outdoor propane burner and then dump the hot ones on top and put the drum all together. I can cook all day with that setup and only use maybe half the charcoal.

Thinking a little more, it might be that you're using Kingsford type fuel. When those bricquets get heavily ashed over they do cool down quite a bit. I tried cooking with those a couple times a few years ago on a different cooker. Back then I used to try to get them going again by blowing on them with pure oxygen from my cutting torch. Even doing that a surprising amount didn't work out well. I gave up on bricquets, especially when I saw the enormous volume of ash they leave behind.

seattlepitboss

It's not the shape. It's how you use it.

We have been using 10X10X9 square baskets for a year and doing fine. Just last week my BBQ partner made round ones that we were about 16 inches across. I was afraid they'd be too big, but man am I a believer now. I was able to hold temps for a very long time and go hot N fast like I've never done.