Backwoods help needed

[WineMaster]

Start a full chimney on a turkey cooker or however ya want. Dump said chimney into a 1/2 sheet pan. Pull the fire tray out of your cooker and set the 1/2 sheet of lit coals on the ash pan and close it up. Set the guru to your desired temp. While the cooker heats up, get your fire tray filled with coals and wood leaving a void in the corner where the fan blows. When the cooker reaches 200 Add hot tap water. At 220 replace 1/2 sheet pan of lit coals with your fire tray putting 10-15 hot coals in the void. When the cooker gets to within 10 degrees of your cooking temp. Damper down the guru.
I do it this way cause I dont have to use my cooking fuel to heat up the cooker then.
I also use Briquettes as I think lump burns too hot and less consistant.

[rxcellentq]

We use a fatboy. I always load the coal basket full leaving only a well in the front right corner for a well lit chimney load. then I bring the cooker up to temp with the right side vent about 1/2" open. once up to temp I close down the vent and switch to the guru

[sdbbq1234]

Originally Posted by WineMaster

Start a full chimney on a turkey cooker or however ya want. Dump said chimney into a 1/2 sheet pan. Pull the fire tray out of your cooker and set the 1/2 sheet of lit coals on the ash pan and close it up. Set the guru to your desired temp. While the cooker heats up, get your fire tray filled with coals and wood leaving a void in the corner where the fan blows. When the cooker reaches 200 Add hot tap water. At 220 replace 1/2 sheet pan of lit coals with your fire tray putting 10-15 hot coals in the void. When the cooker gets to within 10 degrees of your cooking temp. Damper down the guru.
I do it this way cause I dont have to use my cooking fuel to heat up the cooker then.
I also use Briquettes as I think lump burns too hot and less consistant.

I think I read your comments on another thread and forgot about it.

However, I am making a written note of this! This seems like a great idea and I gotta give it a try. I really like the idea of getting the smoker body itself up to temp and then adding hot water, then, putting the fuel basket in with a full load.

It usually takes me about 2 hours to get up to stable cooking temps (no big hurry) and by then, have used a lot of fuel. This should give me a bunch of extra time as well as not having to replenish the water any sooner.

Thanks!!

wallace

[Big Ugly's BBQ]

Originally Posted by sdbbq1234

Another thing I learned, is to bring the unit up to temp slowly.. Get it up to 150, then 180, then 200, then 225-235 which is where I try to cook at.

wallace

Gee, I wonder where you learned that???

Seriously though, that will help you, also take a looks at your charcoal. Depending on the brand, it may burn faster than necessary.....

[sdbbq1234]

Originally Posted by Big Ugly's BBQ

Gee, I wonder where you learned that???

Seriously though, that will help you, also take a looks at your charcoal. Depending on the brand, it may burn faster than necessary.....

Oh, fark!!!

wallace

[sdbbq1234]

Originally Posted by Big Ugly's BBQ

Gee, I wonder where you learned that???

Seriously though, that will help you, also take a looks at your charcoal. Depending on the brand, it may burn faster than necessary.....

Notice I did say, "I learned"........

wallace

[Q-Dat]

I'm still fairly new to running a Backwoods, but am I the only one letting thr pit come up to temp with the meat in it?

[coondogbbq]

I don't. I let it come up to temp and line out a little while first.

[Big Ugly's BBQ]

No worries Don, its all good!

[Mad About Que]

bricks? on the brethren? prepare yourself for excommunication.

Originally Posted by Kit R

about 10 lb. of charcoal and light an absolute minimum number of briquettes, about 10 in a chimney (yes I use briquettes and this isn't intended to be a discussion on briquettes vs. lump).

[Mad About Que]

I run guru'd G2 Party and Chubby. My set up is lump charcoal with a couple of those weber starter cubes in the front right corner. get that going for a few minutes, then slide it in and shut the door. guru on for 250 (or 275) top vent wide open, side vent about 1/2. when I hit 200, I start bumping the side closed every few minutes. when I hit 230-240, side vent is cracked, exhaust gets closed to halfway. on the party, the highest i'll get on setting of 250 is 260. that's close enough for BBQ. could get it closer if I cared to manage the exhaust more.. oh, empty water pan until it hits 200. then warm water if I can. i'm usually up to temp in 45-60 minutes. my stickburner could take 2 hours to settle in. so i'm not complaining.

[Hot Wachulas]

right after I light the corner of the charcoal I'll take the torch and burn off the grates inside the smoker. Give them a good scrub and heat up the cook chamber in the process. Cooker is up to temp in 10 minutes.

[musicmanryann]

Originally Posted by Mad About Que

bricks? on the brethren? prepare yourself for excommunication.

An all-natural briquette is great for an even, steady burn. Best of both worlds, imo.

[BigBellyBBQ]

I run my fan about 1/2, exhaust wide open always...watch for too much burn, over shoot temps then, so warm box with water 25 * below your cooking temp..once reached load up and re-set your temp to cooking temp..the guru learns your box...dont mess with you vents, the only vent used is the fans..keep it simple as once I load with meat about 11 pm, I will have another beer and climb in my camper...check on it about 3 or 4 am

[smokeisgood]

Sounds like a lot of work Tom...I dunno, maybe you should go back to the Jambo. I'll be over to pick up the Backwoods and get it out of your hair...