Keeping coals lit a long time...?

volkanator · 05-15-2009, 02:49 PM

I'm reading a lot of posts about people getting a large cut of meat started before going to bed and waking up and it's done...

I cook on the Weber Ranch Kettle and I find that if I am not replenishing coals every 45min to an hour the fire dies on me.

What am I missing? I close the bottom vents about 3/4 closed and leave the top open. I usually use 2 chimney starters and dump one pile on each side of the grill and place the food in between.

Is that what those grill basket things are for? One reason why I'm not cooking more large cuts is because of the huge time investment. My wife won't let me spend the kind of time it takes on the grill. Especially when we're preparing for the kind of company it takes to eat a large cut of slow cooked meat.

But if I could figure out a way to do it while I sleep.....well I just don't see how on earth she could possibly be upset about that!!!

Is it just not doable on my grill?

Dale P · 05-15-2009, 02:54 PM

Might as well ask. What kind of charcoal are you burning?

The Pickled Pig · 05-15-2009, 02:59 PM

I doubt a Ranch Kettle is going to be effecient enough for a long, unattended burn. Get yourself a drum or WSM for your long cooks.

JD McGee · 05-15-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pickled Pig

I doubt a Ranch Kettle is going to be effecient enough for a long, unattended burn. Get yourself a drum or WSM for your long cooks.

Ditto...

volkanator · 05-15-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale P

Might as well ask. What kind of charcoal are you burning?

Usually lump but lately I've been playing with that Kingsford Competition stuff.

volkanator · 05-15-2009, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pickled Pig

I doubt a Ranch Kettle is going to be effecient enough for a long, unattended burn. Get yourself a drum or WSM for your long cooks.

I've actually been trying to lay the groundwork with the Mrs. that I could really use one. She's not on board yet but I'll use this to make a case.

What would you guys suggest I look at for an upright smoker? WSM I've seen but I would want something maybe that has a little more room for like a giant brisket or something. I'll show the Mrs. a picture and explain that the footprint is very small and it won't interfere with the kid's precious swing space. ;-)

Brian in Maine · 05-15-2009, 03:39 PM

Go with the 22 1/2" WSM.

Rookie'48 · 05-15-2009, 04:20 PM

How 'bout a 18.5" WSM along with a two-rack UDS?

LT72884 · 05-15-2009, 04:24 PM

I have built my UDS for roughly 130$ and it is a 55 gallon drum with two 22.5 inch cooking racks in it.

go to my thread to see pics of the UDS

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=61771

i should be done with it next week. I will be making a tutorial for online for my method. I went with the KISS design because it was way easy and effective.

EDIT

by the way, the price includes the 20$ i spent on tools

80$ for brand new drum
16$ for 3 3/4 inch x 1.5 inch pipe nipples, 3 3/4 inch pipe nipple caps, 3/4 inch ball valve
3$ for conduit 3/4 inch nuts
17$ for knock out tool
12 $ for charcoal grate

Cuelio · 05-15-2009, 04:26 PM

Lump will also tend to run hotter and burn faster than regular brickettes.

Ditto on the WSM, either size. It seems to be efficient enought ot hold temps for s few hours at a time.

LMAJ · 05-15-2009, 04:34 PM

Just start showing the Mrs. pics from this site and lure her in with the delicious morsels that she will enjoy - that's how I got my Egg(well, that and I AM the Mrs.)

jocosa · 05-15-2009, 05:12 PM

Build a UDS - and like LMAJ, I'm the Mrs. too... :)

Me and the hubby spent about $75 making our UDS, and we love it...

dbeast420 · 05-15-2009, 05:16 PM

Sounds like the UDS would be the way to go and it's also cheaper to build.

BFoster · 05-15-2009, 09:36 PM

Something I'd like to add to this discussion is... On a 22" Weber grill..I've found it acceptable in a pinch, while not quite up to par...to put an aluminum pan of water(or other liquid) in the middle of the bottom grate, coals surrounding it....with the slab of meat(usually a flat for me) directly above the water pan. Carefully place a few lit coals on each side with some wet woodchips sprinkled for smoke. It'll burn quite a bit longer. Kind of like a mini, inefficient bullet smoker. Give it a shot...you may be able to catch some z's.

BFoster · 05-15-2009, 09:40 PM

Oh, real quick. I mean one of those deep aluminum pans that you can find at any grocery store. Can't think of the size...12x9? The water will do two things...keep the meat from burning at the underside...and regulate temp a bit.

05-15-2009, 02:49 PM	#1
volkanator Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 04-17-09 Location: Lynbrook, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Keeping coals lit a long time...? I'm reading a lot of posts about people getting a large cut of meat started before going to bed and waking up and it's done... I cook on the Weber Ranch Kettle and I find that if I am not replenishing coals every 45min to an hour the fire dies on me. What am I missing? I close the bottom vents about 3/4 closed and leave the top open. I usually use 2 chimney starters and dump one pile on each side of the grill and place the food in between. Is that what those grill basket things are for? One reason why I'm not cooking more large cuts is because of the huge time investment. My wife won't let me spend the kind of time it takes on the grill. Especially when we're preparing for the kind of company it takes to eat a large cut of slow cooked meat. But if I could figure out a way to do it while I sleep.....well I just don't see how on earth she could possibly be upset about that!!! Is it just not doable on my grill?

05-15-2009, 02:54 PM	#2
Dale P is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-28-06 Location: Porkbutt Ky Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Might as well ask. What kind of charcoal are you burning? __________________ Spicewine Turbo 2007 model Perry Brothers & Sons Bar-B-Q

05-15-2009, 02:59 PM	#3
The Pickled Pig is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-21-07 Location: Overland Park, KS Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I doubt a Ranch Kettle is going to be effecient enough for a long, unattended burn. Get yourself a drum or WSM for your long cooks. __________________ Paul Ostrom The Pickled Pig Twitter - @ThePickledPig CBJ, WSM, UDS Cookers, Weber Gasser, Weber One Touch Gold Kettle,

05-15-2009, 03:39 PM	#7
Brian in Maine is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-05-07 Location: Portland Me Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Go with the 22 1/2" WSM. __________________ Brian 2 WSMs 2 OTG One red one black 22 1/2" black Bar-B-Kettle with rotisserie ring Brinkman dual zone charcoal grill Webber Silver Genises B 3 burner camp stove

05-15-2009, 04:20 PM	#8
Rookie'48 Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 11-12-06 Location: Des Moines, Iowa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How 'bout a 18.5" WSM along with a two-rack UDS? __________________ Dave Compton KCBS MasterCBJ # 22569 KCBS BoD Judges' Advocate Possibly the only judge ever to get an award from a bunch of cooks UDS 075 UCB WSM and a bunch of other stuff. The above post is only my opinion - mine & mine alone.

05-15-2009, 04:24 PM	#9
LT72884 Babbling Farker Join Date: 05-07-09 Location: Draper Utah Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have built my UDS for roughly 130$ and it is a 55 gallon drum with two 22.5 inch cooking racks in it. go to my thread to see pics of the UDS http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=61771 i should be done with it next week. I will be making a tutorial for online for my method. I went with the KISS design because it was way easy and effective. EDIT by the way, the price includes the 20$ i spent on tools 80$ for brand new drum 16$ for 3 3/4 inch x 1.5 inch pipe nipples, 3 3/4 inch pipe nipple caps, 3/4 inch ball valve 3$ for conduit 3/4 inch nuts 17$ for knock out tool 12 $ for charcoal grate __________________ http://grillofmydreams.blogspot.com http://thebreadjournal.blogspot.com

05-15-2009, 04:26 PM	#10
Cuelio is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 01-06-04 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Lump will also tend to run hotter and burn faster than regular brickettes. Ditto on the WSM, either size. It seems to be efficient enought ot hold temps for s few hours at a time. __________________ Brinkmann Cimarron (Binkie) Weber Performer (Fudo) with Smokenator 1000 Treager Texas Outers electric cold smoker Lump in the soles of my shoes My avatar is M-57 the "Smoke Ring nebula", in memory of "e".

05-15-2009, 04:34 PM	#11
LMAJ Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-01-07 Location: Southeastern Pa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Just start showing the Mrs. pics from this site and lure her in with the delicious morsels that she will enjoy - that's how I got my Egg(well, that and I AM the Mrs.) __________________ L-M Official Pennsylvania MOINK Ball maker 1 Large BGE - 7/5/08 1 Large BGE and table - 8/29/12 1 18.5 new to me WSM Super Fast BLUE and RED Thermapen 1 - The Great Outdoors Smoker Sea Bug cooker 1 - Fantastic hubby - the original Big Al _______________________________________ Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault

05-15-2009, 05:12 PM	#12
jocosa Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-01-09 Location: Douglasville, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Build a UDS - and like LMAJ, I'm the Mrs. too... :) Me and the hubby spent about $75 making our UDS, and we love it... __________________ - UDS v1.0, ECB, Blue Thermapen

05-15-2009, 05:16 PM	#13
dbeast420 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-21-07 Location: Moncks Corner S.C. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Sounds like the UDS would be the way to go and it's also cheaper to build. __________________ 1st UDS - Ugly Betty Painfully slow GRAY thermopen wannabe It's always darkest before the dawn. So,if you're going to steal your neighbors smoker,that's the time to do it [URL="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/dbeast420/CHAD.jpg"] [/URL]

05-15-2009, 09:36 PM	#14
BFoster On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-19-08 Location: Bella Vista, Ar Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Something I'd like to add to this discussion is... On a 22" Weber grill..I've found it acceptable in a pinch, while not quite up to par...to put an aluminum pan of water(or other liquid) in the middle of the bottom grate, coals surrounding it....with the slab of meat(usually a flat for me) directly above the water pan. Carefully place a few lit coals on each side with some wet woodchips sprinkled for smoke. It'll burn quite a bit longer. Kind of like a mini, inefficient bullet smoker. Give it a shot...you may be able to catch some z's. __________________ Medium Spicewine, Traeger Lil' Tex 3 WSM's 1 22.5" Weber 22.5" One-Touch Silver Smokey Joe 10898 Simpsons Anniversary Spoooon! Any time, come on down!

05-15-2009, 09:40 PM	#15
BFoster On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-19-08 Location: Bella Vista, Ar Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Oh, real quick. I mean one of those deep aluminum pans that you can find at any grocery store. Can't think of the size...12x9? The water will do two things...keep the meat from burning at the underside...and regulate temp a bit. __________________ Medium Spicewine, Traeger Lil' Tex 3 WSM's 1 22.5" Weber 22.5" One-Touch Silver Smokey Joe 10898 Simpsons Anniversary Spoooon! Any time, come on down!

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