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View Full Version : First smoke, temp problems, need help.


Patrice
08-20-2011, 11:07 AM
I am trying to smoke my first ribs today on the kettle but the temp won't settle down. Using Landarc's posts, I filled my two charcoal baskets with unlit lump on one side and put 10 pieces of lit one on it. Top vents wide open, bottom vents, almost closed. The temp climbed slowly, I was waiting for it to settle but it never did. It just went straight passed 300F. I opened the lid lots of charcoal was lit now. I took some out, replaced with unlit charcoal, went back over 300F. Now I just choked it down so that it would get a bit cooler and because I was pi**ed.

So any advice on getting about 250F on it, the meat is still sitting in the fridge waiting for the good moment to jump in.

Thanks!

Chef Jim
08-20-2011, 11:11 AM
Partice, I had the same problem so now I only use one basket. I choke the lower and try to leave top open but sometimes I have to shut that down just a little.

Are you going by the temp on the lid? sometimes that reads higher then the grate.

I also put a can of water somewhere on the grate.

Patrice
08-20-2011, 11:17 AM
I have a probe at grill level and I just thought about adding a water pan.

blues_n_cues
08-20-2011, 11:18 AM
I have a probe at grill level and I just thought about adding a water pan.
that works.

Patrice
08-20-2011, 12:48 PM
I got my temp to stabilize at 262F but when I opened the lid to put the meat on, it fed too much air to the fire and climbed to 280F. I had to close the bottom vent and at least half the top vent to get it down. But eventually, the temp starts falling because I'm probably killing the fire that way. Which brings me to my two questions.

1. Is it okay to totally close and slightly open the bottom vent intermittently (close when going too high, open when going too low not to kill the fire.) or is this asking for trouble? For now, the smoke has always been nice, pretty much invisible, slight blue smoke at times.

2. Is it possible that the bottom vent isn't that air tight and that enough air can get in even if I close it completely?

El Ropo
08-20-2011, 12:58 PM
Why not just do hot and fast at whatever temp the kettle settles into?

You get more sleep with better results IMO (shorter cook times = less chance for a dry result).

Patrice
08-20-2011, 02:21 PM
Honestly, because I want to try smoking low and slow on my kettle. I know it could turn out good either way but that's just not what I'm trying to do. I finally got the kettle to settle around 250 anyway. Well, as long as I play with it regularly.

Chef Jim
08-20-2011, 07:40 PM
It just takes a little time to figure out your kettle, and just when you think you got it. Well you can guess what happens.

How did the ribs come out?

tmehlhorn
08-20-2011, 08:23 PM
When i did a butt here recently i had to use a thermo through my lid hole. Your setup in a kettle near the lid will always read considerably higher. I hahad my top vent squezed down onto the stem of the thermo- not much of a gap there. The bottom i had about 3/4s closed and more sometimes, slight adjustments on my top vent, varied the temp quit a bit. My thermo through my dome read 300-350 think grate level was more like 275. 8 lb but took just over 8 hours, came out wonderful. Dont sweat those kinds of temps too much. meat will cook a little faster but will be just fine.

boogiesnap
08-20-2011, 11:06 PM
smoking on a kettle takes a bit of practice. but you'll get the curve after a couple times.

it'll start out slow and low when you first put the lit coals on. go ahead and put your meat on. then, once the unlit catch itll climb quickly. maybe 2 hours in? shut the bottom vents to slivers and the top @ 1/2. still climbing? close the bottoms down. once the fire quiets down inside you can re-open the top all the way crack the bottoms to slivers again, maybe 1/2 hour?

sorry i missed your question during the cook.

Callahan-que
08-20-2011, 11:18 PM
Why not use briquettes instead of lump? When I do ribs on my kettle that's what I use and I get better temp control using the minion method. Also lump burns hotter than briquettes.

QansasjayhawQ
08-20-2011, 11:33 PM
I also use lump when going low and slow on the kettle. Works great. I also use a stainless steel cookie sheet that I bought at a yard sale for $.50 as a heat deflector / shield thingy. I bought another, larger one (also at a yard sale, also $.50) that I use on the UDS as a deflector shield, resting on top of the expanded metal firebox.

Normally on the kettle I run wide open on the bottom and choke it down using the top vents. The lowest I've been able to go on the kettle is 244F - but it ran for over 10 hours with almost no variance in temperature.

By the way - how's the wind up there in Montréal, Québec? Any wind above 5mph or so can really mess with your setup.

Also, excellent choice to delay putting the meat on until you KNOW you have the temperature under control. No use wasting meat when you know your target is far below where you are.

smokeyokie
08-21-2011, 12:59 AM
low and slow on a kettle is a hard thing to harness.... you can really get a medium type heat... I use my kettle all the time to smoke ribs and chicken when I am doing a small cook just work with it and you will become accustomed to how it goes..... Smoke on Brother!!

Patrice
08-21-2011, 09:39 PM
Why not use briquettes instead of lump? When I do ribs on my kettle that's what I use and I get better temp control using the minion method. Also lump burns hotter than briquettes.

Honestly, I thought about using briquettes but I just like the aroma and taste of lump better. Especially since I had sugar maple lump which I thought would be a nice mix with the cherry wood chunk. I might try briquettes on my next smoke but I'm not sure yet. Is there a BIG difference in temp control and burn time?

DevineSwine
08-22-2011, 12:23 AM
I seriously think your over thinking it, Whenever you open the lid its gonna spike for a few no biggie if its rolling to hot back off on your air supply. We all suffer with this at one time or another but i dont think there is any one " special " setting for one of these they are all special in there own little way good luck and keep at it you will get it.

Callahan-que
08-22-2011, 12:50 AM
Honestly, I thought about using briquettes but I just like the aroma and taste of lump better. Especially since I had sugar maple lump which I thought would be a nice mix with the cherry wood chunk. I might try briquettes on my next smoke but I'm not sure yet. Is there a BIG difference in temp control and burn time?

It wouldn't hurt to give it a try. Briquettes burn longer and not as hot as lump. If you want to keep it natural give Stumps a try. Use the Minion method and start out with about 4 or 5 lit coals per basket. Don't get too wrapped up in steady temps, you will have some variations. And try not to open the lid unless necessary. It's going to take several cooks for you to get comfortable with you kettle, hang in there.