firing up the drum question

[motley que]

I read about people only having 1 or 2 vents open. I seem to need 3 plus my ball valve partially open when cooking. I am curious if its how i am firing it up.

I start a small fire and let it come up to about 200. At that point i put the food on, knowing when i take the lid off the temps will spike. i then can usually get between 215-250

Is this how most are doing it, or are ya firing the sucka up and closing vents to bring the temp down.

 

[tntitan]

ball valve open 250 ,ball valve and one hole 300 i put charcoil in leave just enough room for my hot coils out of my chemeny it will go to about 300 then start putting your plugs in that is with the lid on

 

[biffleg]

ball valve open 250 ,ball valve and one hole 300 i put charcoil in leave just enough room for my hot coils out of my chemeny it will go to about 300 then start putting your plugs in that is with the lid on

I'll be giving this a try on Saturday. My experience last weekend was more like what motley mentioned.

 

[motley que]

so start hot, and go down seems to be the way to do it. my concern is sometimes I want to crank it up at the end and if most plugs are off there isnt a whole lot you can do.

 

[thirdeye]

I'm just the opposite in both my BDS and my Eggs, but I burn lump.
Lump is really hard to get back down. Both cookers being vertical designs are similar to operate. I start it with all vents open and catch the temperature on the way up, shutting down vents at about 225°. I let the fire stabilize and the smoke settle down for about 45 minutes. My BDS likes to cruise at 240°.

Mesquite lump burns hotter than lump like Royal Oak and when using it after about 2 or 3 hours the temps will try to sneak up. I will close down the vents more. Usually that adjustment is all I need for the next 4 hours or so. Then I use the wiggle rod to shake the ash and adjust vents as needed. Not sure if you are familiar with the lower vent on an Egg, but when burning lump it will only be open about the thickness of a nickel.

 

[Smokin Gator]

I put in the briqs and then take some back out of the middle to start about 3/4 of a chimney. After the chimney briqs are grey I put them back in the middle and add my smoking wood. For the next 30-45 minutes I play with the vents to get the temps stable at 220-240 and to get the smoke sweet. Then I put the food on. After the food is on and the temps restabalize I usually have 2 vents open and the ball valve about 1/2 open. Then she just rocks along (usually).

The only time I have had problems holding temps is when I really load it up with meat. A couple of times I have done 4-5 butts and a brisket. Then I had to open all the vents and still struggled the first couple of hours. I think it was all the moisture was keeping the briqs from continuing to light off of each other.

 

[DeezQ]

I basically start mine out the same as Gator with a load of lit in the chimney. Then dump it into the center that has been pushed back a little to make room for the lit. I only have three ball vents for my intake and I keep them open or half shut. She cooks unattended once temp is stable. Usually 225 - 240*. Did 6 Beer Can chickens this past weekend with no problems keeping heat. And that was after it did a brisket all night.

 

[keale]

Ditto to what Smokin and Deez said, they helped me out a bunch!
In retrospect, the "too much" meat thing is key... I stuggled to maintain temps when I did 3 big butts and 2 chuckies, last week did one butt and 2 beercan chickens after the butt was done, temps were great (even too good ) temps held 12 hours and could have gone way longer, after closing it down, I still had about 1/3 of the charcoal left.
I also made a smaller and little taller basket...
hope it works out!

 

[Bottles 'n Bones BBQ]

I let it go straight to 225* and close the vent and keep it at 225*...

A few weeks ago, the oldest stepped on, not one, but two small little pieces of hot coal that fell out the chimney. Yep, you know it...Momma not real happy. Kid not farkin' happy at all!

Hung the chimney in the garage and ever since used 3 briqs of store brand instant light to get the basket going (lid off, wide open). From start to stabilized temp & clean smoke, it's probably the same amount of time, if not quicker. By the time the smoke cleans up, the cheater briqs have burned up & gone...

Ehhhh, the wife was getting pissed about all the miniature crop circles in the yard from that damn chimney anyway. :shock:

Brett