Running low on fuel

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ColdFusion71

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Morning all, coming up on 5am here on the east coast and I'm about 6 hours into a cook of 2 beautiful pork butts totaling around 18lb. Temps are great, smoke is great, basically everything is running right except that I'm running low on charcoal.

I'm smoking on the tried and true weber kettle and set up a snake a little over halfway around the grill. Lit it with about 4 briqs from the chimney got the temp right, got the boiling water in and laid the big suckers down. My most recent check showed great grill Temps and an internal temp of around 115. However I'm more than 3/4 through the snake. I'm using the kingsford long burning stuff.

I wanted to know the best way to restart this thing when it burns through the fuel and starts to bleed heat.
 
Well, don't use that method, but just offering some possibles here. Maybe start another snake starting where the fresh coals are at so it continues through. Normally I bank coals on one end and add as needed via the flip grate. Also, I put the lid vents over the meat or opposite the coals to make for some convection but exhaust as well.

Also, that boiling water may be acting as a heat sink. Honesltly, no need for water pan in a kettle. Removing it will increase temps and make for a quicker cook. Butts have enough fat to make for a moist end product. Water is not needed. A pic of your set up will help us help u.

Bob
 
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LAgP8dOl.jpg

The coals started all the way to the left and you can see the end of the snake on the right near the 2nd shoulder.
 
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Scrape the coals away and add to the snake mate, just shut the lid as fast as you can
 
Only way to extend your cook time on a kettle using the ring of fire or snake method, is to extend the ring or snake.

You don't have a hinged grate so adding coals will be risky. I've successfully done it before. There are two options - remove meat, remove grill, add coals, replace grill, replace meat OR remove grill with meat in place add coals and replace grill with meat in place.

Option two is faster and doesn't disturb the meat, if you have two people (with heat resistant gloves) to lift the grill but you run the risk of dropping the meat.

If you're on your own - go with the first option, take your time, and don't drop the meat.

Remove the water pan while you have the grill off and replace with a drip pan to catch the delicious drippings.

I can see the pic if I right click and open in a new tab...
 
MisplacedTexan said:
Only way to extend your cook time on a kettle using the ring of fire or snake method, is to extend the ring or snake.

You don't have a hinged grate so adding coals will be risky. I've successfully done it before. There are two options - remove meat, remove grill, add coals, replace grill, replace meat OR remove grill with meat in place add coals and replace grill with meat in place.

Option two is faster and doesn't disturb the meat, if you have two people (with heat resistant gloves) to lift the grill but you run the risk of dropping the meat.

If you're on your own - go with the first option, take your time, and don't drop the meat.

Remove the water pan while you have the grill off and replace with a drip pan to catch the delicious drippings.

I can see the pic if I right click and open in a new tab...
Click to expand...

Actually that grate does have hinges. Not very big ones but they are there. Though I think I will have my brother help me when he gets here to lift the grates off and rebuild the snake, also replace water pan with drip pan. Thanks for the advice.
 
Yeah, just tap the ash down and remove if possible. And add to the end of the snake. Personally, I'd just add some coal on one end or bank them and put the butts on opposite end. If the pan is just catching drippings, then good. If full of water, it is acting as a heat sink and zapping lots of the heat. Plus, it is keeping heat from hitting the meat from underside for a faster cook.

Bob
 
For that amount of time and coal, they should have more color on em. Maybe pic is off, but they look plenty raw still. How are you running intakes and exhaust?
 
BobBrisket said:
For that amount of time and coal, they should have move color on em. Maybe pic is off, but they look plenty raw still. How are you running intakes and exhaust?
Click to expand...

Yeah that picture isn't a great representation. Old porch lights+old camera phone=bad picture.

I'm reading an internal temp of 115 on the left and 119 on the right.
 
How long have they been on? You said those are 6 hours in, right! They shouldn't be reading that temp. They should be done already.
 
Just me. I'd ditch the pan. Flip the grate opposite of meat, dump in coals. Then get 10 plus going in the chimney and get that kettle hotter. You shouldn't bet at 115 or so after 6 hours of cooking.
 
BobBrisket said:
How long have they been on? You said those are 6 hours in, right! They shouldn't be reading that temp. They should be done already.
Click to expand...

Uh oh then I guess i'm in trouble. I read somewhere that it's 1.5 hours per pound so I don't know if it should be done that soon or not. Still new to smoking. Did a shoulder a few weeks back and turned out pretty solid using the same method. Was a 5 pounder and finished in about 7 hours.
 
Nope the bottom is open and the top is about halfway closed. I'm reading constant dome temps between 245-270. I'm going to check the meat temps again with a different thermometer.
 
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