Spicewine charcoal basket

[MrSmoker]

Yesterday i put the Spicewine basket from my 'Dera in the med Spicewine.I started one corner with the brush burner at 4am, 5am it's at 225* i did not add charcoal or remove any ash and at 1pm it was down to 200*. It did peak at 250* mid way thru the experiment. I have another basket in the Dually so the Twins are set for the Labor day contest.

 

[MilitantSquatter]

I had a strange experience at this weekends contest. Here's what happened :

Second time using the charcoal maze basket, first time using the Guru.

Had pit pre-heated to 260 with no meats and the Guru had it running steady with exhaust choked down most of the way. At 9:45PM I put on two briskets & two butts (about 45-50 lbs of fairly cold meat). Pit temps dropped as expected due to cold meat. I reset Guru to desired cook temp of 240.

When I put the meat in, I loaded the maze with unlit charcoal all the way around (filled up fairly high in each compartment) I then put some of the remaining pre-lit charcoal in the first compartment.

Took about 45-1hr to get it back up to 240. I dampered down both the Guru fan and exhaust as it approached 200. No big deal. It's 10:45 and pit is now at 240... Thought I was golden for the night.

Here's what went wrong. Temps kept climbing !! Within another hour the temp kept rising up to 305 (Guru chamber reading not door temp) on the rack at the door thermometer level. I kept opening the cooking chamber door to let the temps drop. But when the door was closed it climbed back up. The Guru was not pushing air any more so it was not the cause.

At this point, two hours in, I open up the firebox and to my shock, nearly 2/3's of the compartments of the maze basket are lit with only the last 1/3 of the maze still all black charcoal.

There was just too much charcoal on fire all at once. I ended up taking the maze out figuring that was very hot and scooping out a lot of lit charcoal. It's practically impossible to remove enough lit charcoal with tongs.

Finally it cooled down after removing the maze basket and much of the excess lit charcoal. At 12:45 the temps were good with just smaller load of remaining lit charcoal. For the next six hours Guru worked perfectly and kept it at 230 until not enough charcoal in the AM. I had to add another chimney (1/2 lit and 1/2 unlit) at that point. This worked for the rest of the contest with the Guru continuing to keep the fire steady.

The maze lighting all the way around in two hours shocked me. I think the problem with the maze was that I just loaded too much charcoal in each compartment with caused the trail to ingnite all the way around much sooner than expected.

Based on the above, I'm afraid to use the maze again.

I'm thinking about trying to use the charcoal ring from a WSM and do a standard Minion Method burn with a ring filled with unlit with some lit on top and then use the Guru as normal to fuel it with the vents dampered down.

 

[Markbb]

Spicewine

I had the same problem this weekend but I don't use a guru, also the only way I could maintain a 250 box was to charge the water pan, after that I didn't have anymore problems of maintaining the temp. just adjusting the shudder. Question I know some of you spicewine owner don't put water in the pan why???

 

[ZBQ]

I'm thinking about trying to use the charcoal ring from a WSM and do a standard Minion Method burn with a ring filled with unlit with some lit on top and then use the Guru as normal to fuel it with the vents dampered down.

This is exactly what I have been thinking about doing Vinny.

Keep us posted on the WSM ring experiment.

Inquiring minds want to know!!:-D

 

[MilitantSquatter]

Markbb - Just a preference to not use water. I knew going it was built with a water pan and Jay designed it to be used as such, but after trial , I prefer cooking it dry. I don't believe the water is necessary to regulate temps. I also like seeing little whisps of sweet blue rather than white steam. So far, results have been very good in four competitions plus personal use. No complaints and no desire to switch. Cleanup is also a pleasure.

ZBQ - If I try the WSM ring w/Guru, I know I will need to preheat the cooker first with the usual full chimney to get it up temp and then just use the WSM ring and a few lit on top of the unlit for the rest of the cook.

Without preheating, I don't think one ring of unlit is going to last long as it would take a lot of charcoal and time using Minion Method to bring it up to temp like a WSM based on the amount of steel compared to a WSM.

Right now I'm just trying to think what approach I will try. Good news is, I know how to adjust quickly if whatever option I try does not work. It is quite easy to just go back to standard lit chimney every few hours by taking out the ring and repositioning the charcoal.

 

[Mo-Dave]

I had the same problem this weekend but I don't use a guru, also the only way I could maintain a 250 box was to charge the water pan, after that I didn't have anymore problems of maintaining the temp. just adjusting the shudder. Question I know some of you spicewine owner don't put water in the pan why???

I don't use water often because of the mess it makes and I like the burnt flavor I get from drippings falling on the hot metal. Plus it takes forever and a day to get it up to temp using water especially if you can't preheat it. When I get it home I throw some floor dry in the water pan let it sit a couple days and scrap it out, I find it a whole lot easier than dealing with the water especially at cookoffs.
Dave

 

[Mo-Dave]

Markbb - Just a preference to not use water. I knew going it was built with a water pan and Jay designed it to be used as such, but after trial , I prefer cooking it dry. I don't believe the water is necessary to regulate temps. I also like seeing little whisps of sweet blue rather than white steam. So far, results have been very good in four competitions plus personal use. No complaints and no desire to switch. Cleanup is also a pleasure.

ZBQ - If I try the WSM ring w/Guru, I know I will need to preheat the cooker first with the usual full chimney to get it up temp and then just use the WSM ring and a few lit on top of the unlit for the rest of the cook.

Without preheating, I don't think one ring of unlit is going to last long as it would take a lot of charcoal and time using Minion Method to bring it up to temp like a WSM based on the amount of steel compared to a WSM.

Right now I'm just trying to think what approach I will try. Good news is, I know how to adjust quickly if whatever option I try does not work. It is quite easy to just go back to standard lit chimney every few hours by taking out the ring and repositioning the charcoal.

I have a large sw and in my experience, I have to shut everything down as soon as it gets around 200 with the exhaust only open up a crack or it will get out of control and if it does, it will eat up your charcoal real quick. I would use the maze again just don't load so much in it. My large my basket is about 6in high and I think 6 or 7in wide all the way around but I only use an 18 or 21lb bag of kingsford with several chunks of wood. The only way I can control the temp is with the exhaust and until I can get it a little more air tight I wont put my guru on it, even though Jay states its not built to be airtight, I still think mine draws to much air but I am learning to deal with it.
Dave

 

[ique]

Had pit pre-heated to 260 with no meats and the Guru had it running steady with exhaust choked down most of the way.

When I put the meat in, I loaded the maze with unlit charcoal all the way around (filled up fairly high in each compartment) I then put some of the remaining pre-lit charcoal in the first compartment.

Vinny,

The WSM charcoal ring sounds like a good idea.

One thought is when you re-loaded the ring after bringing the cooker up to temp, did you put the new charcoal in an area of the maze you had burned through during the pre-heat? The maze could have been very hot or have small pieces of lit coal that caused more charocal to ignite than intended.

I remember talking to Jack McDavid about his Jedmaster and he said it was great but he couldnt re-load the ring without lots of charcoal igniting. Usually wasnt a problem because a full ring would go for 12-18hrs.

You might want to try again and load up the maze, add a 1/2 chimney of lit coal, turn on the guru and let it slowly bring the cooker up to temp.

Chris

 

[Solidkick]

Where do you get one and what does a WSM charcoal ring look like?

I do use water in my Spicewine, but I heat it up dry, then add the water, cuts the time in half.

 

[ique]

Where do you get one and what does a WSM charcoal ring look like?

I do use water in my Spicewine, but I heat it up dry, then add the water, cuts the time in half.

You can order the part directly from Weber

[FONT=Verdana,Helvetica,Arial] Charcoal Chamber
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Helvetica,Arial]Part #861601

[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Helvetica,Arial]800-446-1071
or [email protected][/FONT]

 

[MilitantSquatter]

Vinny,

The WSM charcoal ring sounds like a good idea.

One thought is when you re-loaded the ring after bringing the cooker up to temp, did you put the new charcoal in an area of the maze you had burned through during the pre-heat? The maze could have been very hot or have small pieces of lit coal that caused more charocal to ignite than intended.

I remember talking to Jack McDavid about his Jedmaster and he said it was great but he couldnt re-load the ring without lots of charcoal igniting. Usually wasnt a problem because a full ring would go for 12-18hrs.

You might want to try again and load up the maze, add a 1/2 chimney of lit coal, turn on the guru and let it slowly bring the cooker up to temp.

Chris

Thanks Chris... Your last point may be a good option to try the maze a different way if I don't try the WSM charcoal ring.

The initial lit load was placed in the center of the maze. So the maze was hot steel throughout since it was in during the pre-heat portion. I then loaded the unlit into all compartments and took the remaining lit and dumped it on top of the first comparment.

It is possible that the hot maze walls as well as parts of the hot charcoal grate bottom ignited the unlit throughout the various compartments.

 

[Muzzlebrake]

Thanks Chris... Your last point may be a good option to try the maze a different way if I don't try the WSM charcoal ring.

The initial lit load was placed in the center of the maze. So the maze was hot steel throughout since it was in during the pre-heat portion. I then loaded the unlit into all compartments and took the remaining lit and dumped it on top of the first comparment.

It is possible that the hot maze walls as well as parts of the hot charcoal grate bottom ignited the unlit throughout the various compartments.

Vinny,

my thought after I saw it, was that the guru had blown lit embers across and lit the top of the charcoal on the other side.
It looked to me like it was burning from the top down, so I dont think the basket caused the charcoal to light.

 

[Sawdustguy]

With our new charcoal basket and the Guru in our Large Spicewine we held 225* from 10AM on Saturday morning until 8AM on Sunday morning. We reloaded and then cooked at 275* until noon. One thing we cannot complain about is the performance of the Spicewine/Guru/Charcoal Basket combination. I will have a picture of our Charcoal basket in another post.

 

[MilitantSquatter]

The results are in..

A WSM charcoal ring works great on a medium Spicewine.... ( did not use the maze I originally noted above at all during the contest).

One lit chimney to pre-heat the pit around 9PM. Around 10PM, pit is at desired temp. I then open the firebox door, push lit charcoal to the front of the grate. I put the WSM ring near the front center of it. I fill the ring with unlit Kingsford and a few nice sized wood chunks. Next, I added the remaining pre-lit charcoal used during the pre-heat phase and add it on top of the unlit ring like a standard Minion Method and dampered down the exhaust and guru fan adjustment slider (I also used a BBQ Guru)

So from 10PM to approx 11AM I maintained temps of approx 240 degrees without needing to add anymore charcoal until I wanted to raise temps much higher at 11AM for chicken and there was just too little charcoal left for BBQ Guru to push it up with the forced air.