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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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07-01-2009, 01:34 PM | #1 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 06-22-09
Location: Eastpointe, Mi
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Building the proper fire...
I know this is pretty basic, but how do you guys build your fire for smoking? I have a chargrill with the offset fire box, and have had pretty good results in the past, but had a real problem last weekend. Got thru about 3-3.5 hours on the ribs ok, but then the temp dropped to 150 and I had a hard time bringing it back up. I used a lump charcoal and hickory chunks for smoke.
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Craig...Chief cook and pot washer, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (LCMS) |
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07-01-2009, 01:40 PM | #2 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 03-07-05
Location: the best day ever
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did you check under the fire to make sure you had good air-flow, because based on what you've described that's the first thing i'd check. even if you are using a low ash lump
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if you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him Live every week like it's shark week |
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07-01-2009, 01:41 PM | #3 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 05-03-06
Location: Ventura, CA
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^^^^^what he said!
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Peace and Smoke, BBS Powered by the West Coast Offense: Big Poppa Smokers and Simply Marvelous BBQ - "Walk with Us" My weapons: Humphrey's Smokers |
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07-01-2009, 01:41 PM | #4 | |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 05-09-07
Location: Shreveport, LA
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Quote:
Did you clean the ash out between the grate and the bottom of your side fire box? I've got a char griller off set that if you do not keep the area below the grate and the bottom of the fire box "clean" or "clear" your temps will drastically drop due to lack of airflow. **Though you didn't ask I'll give you my unsolicited advice. If you're serious about getting into smoking meat, save up some money and buy a unit that is specifically built for smoking. I own a char griller offset and 'bout went nuts baby sitting it and dealing with the temp fluctuations. I now use it strictly for grilling and that's really what it does best.** Hope I didn't "get in yo business" too much just offering some advice based on experience.
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Checkout our Original BBQ Sauce & Cajun Pickles www.doubledsbbq.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Double...12864168786570 Stumps Baby Gravity Feed Smoker Backwoods Patio Unit Char Griller Offset for grilling |
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07-01-2009, 01:57 PM | #5 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 03-07-06
Location: St. Q'ouis
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do you have a charcoal basket? i used to be able to get about 4-5 hours on a basket. some fluctuations but not too bad
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22-1/2 Weber Kettle with Rotisserie Weber Performer WSM 30 qt outdoor cooker Blue Drum Smoker Red Drum Smoker Orange Drum Smoker Weber Smokey Joe - my 3 yr olds pit Blue Thermopen Harbor Freight Weed Burner Tired, but wiser for the time |
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07-01-2009, 02:15 PM | #6 | |
On the road to being a farker
Join Date: 04-12-07
Location: New Jersey
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Quote:
The CG still needs some tending to in maintaining long burn times. If the temp drops like it did on you, to raise the temps quicker, slightly open the SFB's charcoal drawer to allow more oxygen into it. Monitor your main chamber therm and when it gets to 225-250, close the SFB charcoal drawer and use the SFB's intake vent to stabilize the temp in your main chamber. Always worked for me if I wasn't paying attention and the temp dropped too much and I wanted to raise the temp quicker. Also, give a little shake to the charcoal basket to loosen any ash just in case, every couple of hours. One other bit of advise, don't use the OEM therm on the upper lid of the main chamber. It sits too high and won't provide you an accurate temp at the food grate level. I placed a therm on my CG on the left side, as shown here: Here is the charcoal basket I made quite a while ago when I used to do the smoking using my CG --- I made my charcoal basket with expanded metal and it measures 12"x12"x6" deep. Here's a closer view of my charcoal basket and angle iron pieces for its support: Angle iron in the SFB for support of the basket. No drilling required and the charcoal drawer can be removed without needing to remove or mess with the charcoal basket: Charcoal basket seated on the lips of the angle iron in the SFB:
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[FONT=Comic Sans MS]BDS - Deluxe 2343 Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Cookshack Super Smoker 50 Exceptionally Accurate and Fast Red Thermapen [/FONT] Last edited by jazzspot; 07-01-2009 at 02:36 PM.. |
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07-01-2009, 02:31 PM | #7 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 05-09-07
Location: Shreveport, LA
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What did y'all do about the heat being lost through the metal once it got in the cooking chamber? That was the problem I kept having when I exclusively smoked on my CG. The metal is 1/8" thick and I was having heat not only escape through the gaps in the chamber but through the metal. How do y'all remedy that?
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Checkout our Original BBQ Sauce & Cajun Pickles www.doubledsbbq.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Double...12864168786570 Stumps Baby Gravity Feed Smoker Backwoods Patio Unit Char Griller Offset for grilling |
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07-01-2009, 02:43 PM | #8 | |
On the road to being a farker
Join Date: 04-12-07
Location: New Jersey
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Quote:
Some folks would use stove gasket material to assist with the sealing.
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[FONT=Comic Sans MS]BDS - Deluxe 2343 Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Cookshack Super Smoker 50 Exceptionally Accurate and Fast Red Thermapen [/FONT] |
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07-01-2009, 02:46 PM | #9 | |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 03-07-06
Location: St. Q'ouis
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Quote:
Do you see the chargriller listed in my signature? Thats how I remedy it.
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22-1/2 Weber Kettle with Rotisserie Weber Performer WSM 30 qt outdoor cooker Blue Drum Smoker Red Drum Smoker Orange Drum Smoker Weber Smokey Joe - my 3 yr olds pit Blue Thermopen Harbor Freight Weed Burner Tired, but wiser for the time |
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07-01-2009, 02:48 PM | #10 | |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 05-09-07
Location: Shreveport, LA
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LOL!!!! You got rid of the SOB?! Is that what you're saying?
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Checkout our Original BBQ Sauce & Cajun Pickles www.doubledsbbq.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Double...12864168786570 Stumps Baby Gravity Feed Smoker Backwoods Patio Unit Char Griller Offset for grilling |
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07-01-2009, 02:51 PM | #11 |
On the road to being a farker
Join Date: 04-12-07
Location: New Jersey
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I still have my CG... I love it for grilling!! Nothing like grilling on nicely seasoned cast iron grates!!! I don't use it much now days for smoking.
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[FONT=Comic Sans MS]BDS - Deluxe 2343 Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Cookshack Super Smoker 50 Exceptionally Accurate and Fast Red Thermapen [/FONT] |
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07-01-2009, 02:53 PM | #12 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 05-09-07
Location: Shreveport, LA
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I still got mine as well. Great for grilling. Like I said to the original poster to me that's what it does best.
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Checkout our Original BBQ Sauce & Cajun Pickles www.doubledsbbq.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Double...12864168786570 Stumps Baby Gravity Feed Smoker Backwoods Patio Unit Char Griller Offset for grilling |
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07-01-2009, 03:04 PM | #13 | |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 12-16-07
Location: south central,ky.
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Quote:
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Blues_n_Cues BBQ Concessions & Catering |
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07-01-2009, 03:10 PM | #14 | |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 03-07-05
Location: the best day ever
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Quote:
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if you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him Live every week like it's shark week |
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07-01-2009, 09:16 PM | #15 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 08-03-08
Location: Mesa, AZ Not exactly hell, but the zip code is very close...
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I placed a grate from an ECB inside the fire box of my similar to your New Braunfels offset, supported the grate by the curve of the firebox. Added another grate at 90 degrees to shrink the space between grate rails to get more buring time b4 the coals fall through. Took the fire ring out of my WSM and can get over 8 hours cooking time from a full basket started minion methed. Mix a few (3-4) chunks of wood at different depths and distances from center of ring to get some smoke throughout the cook, or add a small split every 60-90 minutes. Just my .02 worth...
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[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Bo Compton in Mesa, AZ, KCBS CBJ[/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]Weber Ranch Kettle, BDS Mega, OTS x 2, Weber Platinum[/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]18.5 WSM w/Stacker from ProQ, 22.5 WSM, Reverse Flow Lang Clone 80 butt capacity mounted on 25 foot trailer with attached awnings[/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=#ff0000]LFSA RED Thermapen,[/COLOR] [/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]And 1 2010 Victor brand Hot Dog Cart[/FONT] |
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