All,
I had much better luck lighting/using the smoker this weeking.

I used the chimney starter saturday with the newspaper drizzled with
corn oil (the can of PAM was near empty so I used in on the grates)
and it looked like a blow torch going up. Lots of black smoke from
the newpaper and corn oil, and it lit the ROC hardwood quite nicely.
I used mostly that with some of my cowboy charcoal to get rid of it.

The thermometer I placed in the dome is a farse - the water pan was
boiling before it read 200 degrees. It looks like I will be placing
one at each grill level. The fire however seemed to be snuffed when I
started getting some ash built up - so I think I need to work on the
ash drains a little more.

I drilled some holes in the sides of the ask pan and it seemed to help
some. When stirring the coal with fresh charcoal didn't work too
well, I put the blow gun of my air compressor through their and it
caused a nice whirlwind which got the coals lit.

All in all, it worked better than before. Like I said I had trouble
keeping it lit with the ash building up so I could not get the pork
butt above 165. I placed it in foil in the oven until the meat
thermometer read above 190, and the meat opened up almost pushing the
bone out. I sliced some and shredded some and ate it for dinner on
buns, with nothing but the best on the side - JD #7 Barbecue Sauce.

Thanks for all the advice - happy Qing!

On Apr 16, 7:01 am, "skeeter" wrote:
All,
I had much better luck lighting/using the smoker this weeking.

The thermometer I placed in the dome is a farse - the water pan was
boiling before it read 200 degrees. It looks like I will be placing
one at each grill level. The fire however seemed to be snuffed when I
started getting some ash built up - so I think I need to work on the

Water in the water pan? You using a WSM? Check out the WSM message
board or google this group about using sand instead.

Glad things are going better for you, but will admit I scratched my
head at using forced air during a cook. But hell, if it works for you,
more power to ya ............

The compressed air would most likely give the meat a coating of ashes,
IMHO. I'm assuming your smoker is an R2D2-type. Consider going to the
store and getting a piece of 1/4" hardware cloth. Folded and placed in
the bottom of your fire pan, it will hold the coals up and let air
circulate beneath them. A gentle tap occasionally will dislodge ashes
and they will fall through the cloth. I'd burn it well first to get rid
of the zinc coating, but after one fire, it should be fine.

For holes in that type of metal, consider getting what electricians use
to punch holes for conduit in electrical boxes. It's called a knockout
punch
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91201
The Harbor Freight version is cheap, cheap, cheap, but will work for
the thin metal in an R2D2 or fire pan.

For the temperature, I personally consider 165 to be on the very done
side for pork, and would not enjoy it cooked much beyond that.

All that aside, doing 'Q is kinda fun, isn't it, Skeeter?

Nonny

skeeter wrote:
All,
I had much better luck lighting/using the smoker this weeking.

I used the chimney starter saturday with the newspaper drizzled with
corn oil (the can of PAM was near empty so I used in on the grates)
and it looked like a blow torch going up. Lots of black smoke from
the newpaper and corn oil, and it lit the ROC hardwood quite nicely.
I used mostly that with some of my cowboy charcoal to get rid of it.

The thermometer I placed in the dome is a farse - the water pan was
boiling before it read 200 degrees. It looks like I will be placing
one at each grill level. The fire however seemed to be snuffed when I
started getting some ash built up - so I think I need to work on the
ash drains a little more.

I drilled some holes in the sides of the ask pan and it seemed to help
some. When stirring the coal with fresh charcoal didn't work too
well, I put the blow gun of my air compressor through their and it
caused a nice whirlwind which got the coals lit.

All in all, it worked better than before. Like I said I had trouble
keeping it lit with the ash building up so I could not get the pork
butt above 165. I placed it in foil in the oven until the meat
thermometer read above 190, and the meat opened up almost pushing the
bone out. I sliced some and shredded some and ate it for dinner on
buns, with nothing but the best on the side - JD #7 Barbecue Sauce.

Thanks for all the advice - happy Qing!


--
---Nonnymus---
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

On Apr 16, 12:20 pm, Nonnymus wrote:
The compressed air would most likely give the meat a coating of ashes,
IMHO. I'm assuming your smoker is an R2D2-type. Consider going to the
store and getting a piece of 1/4" hardware cloth. Folded and placed in
the bottom of your fire pan, it will hold the coals up and let air
circulate beneath them. A gentle tap occasionally will dislodge ashes
and they will fall through the cloth. I'd burn it well first to get rid
of the zinc coating, but after one fire, it should be fine.

For holes in that type of metal, consider getting what electricians use
to punch holes for conduit in electrical boxes. It's called a knockout
punchhttp://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91201
The Harbor Freight version is cheap, cheap, cheap, but will work for
the thin metal in an R2D2 or fire pan.

For the temperature, I personally consider 165 to be on the very done
side for pork, and would not enjoy it cooked much beyond that.

All that aside, doing 'Q is kinda fun, isn't it, Skeeter?

Nonny





skeeter wrote:
All,
I had much better luck lighting/using the smoker this weeking.

I used the chimney starter saturday with the newspaper drizzled with
corn oil (the can of PAM was near empty so I used in on the grates)
and it looked like a blow torch going up. Lots of black smoke from
the newpaper and corn oil, and it lit the ROC hardwood quite nicely.
I used mostly that with some of my cowboy charcoal to get rid of it.

The thermometer I placed in the dome is a farse - the water pan was
boiling before it read 200 degrees. It looks like I will be placing
one at each grill level. The fire however seemed to be snuffed when I
started getting some ash built up - so I think I need to work on the
ash drains a little more.

I drilled some holes in the sides of the ask pan and it seemed to help
some. When stirring the coal with fresh charcoal didn't work too
well, I put the blow gun of my air compressor through their and it
caused a nice whirlwind which got the coals lit.

All in all, it worked better than before. Like I said I had trouble
keeping it lit with the ash building up so I could not get the pork
butt above 165. I placed it in foil in the oven until the meat
thermometer read above 190, and the meat opened up almost pushing the
bone out. I sliced some and shredded some and ate it for dinner on
buns, with nothing but the best on the side - JD #7 Barbecue Sauce.

Thanks for all the advice - happy Qing!

--
---Nonnymus---
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes Q'ing is very fun - I told the wife Id try to make jerky before I
knew what all that would involve (I won't go there).
The air is actually being blown in the pocket between the ash pan and
the fire pan, and the fire pan has 6 holes in its sides
to let air in through the previously poorly ventelated ash pan (only
had 1 hold in the bottom). The heat in this pocket would cause the
blown air to ignite through these holes, or it would blow up through
the bottom of the coals and ignite them from the bottom up.
fortunately since I was indirectly blowing on the coals I was not
causing to much ash to be blown up, and of course made a very cool
blast furnace type of ignition. It also helped when I put my very dry
1/4" slices of box elder on the coals, and of course the sawdust from
it made instant flame (I nicknamed it magic fairy dust).

I'll try the 1/4" machine cloth and see if i can do a better job with
the ash problem -thanks!

I used the chimney starter saturday with the newspaper drizzled with
corn oil (the can of PAM was near empty so I used in on the grates)

Just curious, why the corn oil? Couple of sheets waded up
(not to tightly) and my lump starts fine with no additional
fuel other than a match.

The thermometer I placed in the dome is a farse - the water pan was
boiling before it read 200 degrees. It looks like I will be placing
one at each grill level.

I "think" you're talking about a WSM. If you are, that's a
good move. Weber sells 'em for ten bucks if I recall
correctly. Drill a hole at each grate level and mount 'em
on. You can see mine after the mod at:
http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL413.../103771621.jpg

The fire however seemed to be snuffed when I
started getting some ash built up - so I think I need to work on the
ash drains a little more.

hm... you do have the coals on top of the grate and not
under it right? I've never had that problem at all. It's
probably a dumb question, but ya never know:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/assembly.html

I usually use a variation of the Minion method. I put unlit
lump on the grate with a pocket in the center (not all the
way to the bottom) and then just dump the burning lump from
the chimney in.



I drilled some holes in the sides of the ask pan and it seemed to help
some. When stirring the coal with fresh charcoal didn't work too
well, I put the blow gun of my air compressor through their and it
caused a nice whirlwind which got the coals lit.

You're looking for q'ing temps, not grilling right? I would
never "stir". Try the Minion method, it works very well.


I believe you said you were running water in the pan. I'd
change that to clean sandbox sand covered with aluminum foil.

--
Steve
http://adirondackoutdoors.forumcircle.com

"Nonnymus" wrote in message
...

All that aside, doing 'Q is kinda fun, isn't it, Skeeter?

Nonny

After a pathetic attempt at trolling, you subsequently **** up by top
posting.

You ain't no good on usenet, pal.

PLONK

Graeme

Steve Wertz wrote:
On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:55:01 -0400, Steve Calvin wrote:

I used the chimney starter saturday with the newspaper drizzled with
corn oil (the can of PAM was near empty so I used in on the grates)
Just curious, why the corn oil? Couple of sheets waded up
(not to tightly) and my lump starts fine with no additional
fuel other than a match.

I've never had luck with the unfortified newspaper thing. Maybe
it's the humidity in Texas, even though I keep my B&B lump inside.

-sw

hm, that's bizarre 'cause we get some brutal humidity here
in the summer. I keep my RO lump in the garage which
certainly isn't air conditioned and I've not had any
problem. I usually use two full sheets of the paper. You
know, the sheets that are the entire paper width wide.

Sometimes it doesn't look like it "took" but I go back in 10
minutes or so and that puppies crankin'. shrug

--
Steve
http://adirondackoutdoors.forumcircle.com

"skeeter" wrote:
All,
I had much better luck lighting/using the smoker this weeking.

[ . . . ]The fire however seemed to be snuffed when I
started getting some ash built up - so I think I need to work on the
ash drains a little more. [ . . . ]

Glad ta hear yer gettin' better results. I put a grate under my coals. It
lets air flow up through the coals snd leaves room for the ashes to fall
through.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

Nick Cramer wrote:
Steve Wertz wrote:
On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:55:01 -0400, Steve Calvin wrote:

I used the chimney starter saturday with the newspaper drizzled with
corn oil (the can of PAM was near empty so I used in on the grates)
Just curious, why the corn oil? Couple of sheets waded up
(not to tightly) and my lump starts fine with no additional
fuel other than a match.
I've never had luck with the unfortified newspaper thing. Maybe
it's the humidity in Texas, even though I keep my B&B lump inside.

I had the same problem here in SoCal, Steve. I use the Minion method, but I
took the grate out of the bottom of my chimney, so I can just lift the
chimney and my smoldering coals are in place. After putting in some paper
and filling the chimney with lump, I pour some JD on it before lighting,
enough to get the paper wet, too. Works for me.


I modded my chimney that way too Nick. But, but, but, isn't
using JD for that sacrilege?

I dunno, maybe it's the kind of lump? I usually use Royal
Oak although a dealer close by sells BGE now and I'm going
to try that soon.

--
Steve
http://adirondackoutdoors.forumcircle.com

Steve Calvin wrote:
Nick Cramer wrote:
Steve Wertz wrote:
On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:55:01 -0400, Steve Calvin wrote:
[. . . ]
I use the Minion method,
but I took the grate out of the bottom of my chimney, so I can just
lift the chimney and my smoldering coals are in place. After putting in
some paper and filling the chimney with lump, I pour some JD on it
before lighting, enough to get the paper wet, too. Works for me.


I modded my chimney that way too Nick. But, but, but, isn't
using JD for that sacrilege?

Burning JD smells a lot better than 'Charcoal Lighter', and it smells
better than it tastes. My kid brother drank JD for years, 'til I turned him
on to Wild Turkey. He's been converted!

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

Nick Cramer wrote:


Burning JD smells a lot better than 'Charcoal Lighter', and it smells
better than it tastes. My kid brother drank JD for years, 'til I turned him
on to Wild Turkey. He's been converted!


Good point but I'll pass on the CL too. I don't think I
even have any. Actually, I know I don't. Gave it away with
the bags is shitettes years ago. ;-)

Personally, I'm partial to Chevis but not for any dang fire.

--
Steve
http://adirondackoutdoors.forumcircle.com

On Apr 16, 6:51 pm, Steve Calvin wrote:
Nick Cramer wrote:

Burning JD smells a lot better than 'Charcoal Lighter', and it smells
better than it tastes. My kid brother drank JD for years, 'til I turned him
on to Wild Turkey. He's been converted!

Good point but I'll pass on the CL too. I don't think I
even have any. Actually, I know I don't. Gave it away with
the bags is shitettes years ago. ;-)

Personally, I'm partial to Chevis but not for any dang fire.

--
Stevehttp://adirondackoutdoors.forumcircle.com

Hi from Chicago! Get a weed burner torch. It runs on propane and
lights coals very quickly and gives you control over the burn since
you can light selective areas of the briquets!

On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:55:01 -0400, Steve Calvin
wrote:

I "think" you're talking about a WSM.

IIRC, Skeeter mentioned its being something more like an ECB.
Anyway, a bullet that is *not* a WSM.

-denny-
--

The test of courage comes when we are in the minority.
The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.

wrote:


Hi from Chicago! Get a weed burner torch. It runs on propane and
lights coals very quickly and gives you control over the burn since
you can light selective areas of the briquets!


Briquettes? Say you meant lump please...

--
Steve
http://adirondackoutdoors.forumcircle.com

"Nick Cramer" wrote
Burning JD smells a lot better than 'Charcoal Lighter', and it smells
better than it tastes.

Isn't that considered alcohol abuse?

BOB