Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Barbecue (alt.food.barbecue) Discuss barbecue and grilling--southern style "low and slow" smoking of ribs, shoulders and briskets, as well as direct heat grilling of everything from burgers to salmon to vegetables. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
I just got this thing after looking at all the reviews, I've used it a
couple of times but I am having trouble getting the unit to get above 200degF (90degF outside). I built a charcoal basket for it out of some fencing wire which I thought would help to "contain" the charcoal and get better heat control, but its not working. The only way I was able to get to the target temperature range (225-250) was with log wood. Any advice for the Smokin' n00b on fire management with charcoal? |
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
|
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
Dave Turner wrote:
> wrote: >> I just got this thing after looking at all the reviews, I've used it a >> couple of times but I am having trouble getting the unit to get above >> 200degF (90degF outside). I built a charcoal basket for it out of some >> fencing wire which I thought would help to "contain" the charcoal and >> get better heat control, but its not working. The only way I was able >> to get to the target temperature range (225-250) was with log wood. >> >> Any advice for the Smokin' n00b on fire management with charcoal? >> > Yipee!!! I'm the first one who gets to ask "What thing?" No, seriously, have you got the dampers open? there might be 3 of em according to the pic's. |
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
On Aug 19, 5:23 pm, Dave Turner > wrote:
> Dave Turner wrote: > > wrote: > >> I just got this thing after looking at all the reviews, I've used it a > >> couple of times but I am having trouble getting the unit to get above > >> 200degF (90degF outside). I built a charcoal basket for it out of some > >> fencing wire which I thought would help to "contain" the charcoal and > >> get better heat control, but its not working. The only way I was able > >> to get to the target temperature range (225-250) was with log wood. > > >> Any advice for the Smokin' n00b on fire management with charcoal? > > > Yipee!!! I'm the first one who gets to ask "What thing?" > > No, seriously, have you got the dampers open? there might be 3 of em > according to the pic's. The Chargriller Smokin' Pro has one damper on the side of the fire box. I've had the damper full open and I'm lucky to hit 200degF. I've thought about just loading the thing up with charcoal, but then I thought that too much may starve the fire of needed air. |
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
|
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
|
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
|
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
|
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
|
Posted to alt.food.barbecue
|
|||
|
|||
Chargriller Smokin Pro Fire management
On Aug 19, 8:53 pm, "Brick" > wrote:
> The last Smokin Pro I looked at left a lot to be desired in >the craftsman- > ship department. Make sure that your lid fits snugly. If >it's leaking a lot of air, you'll never be able to get any >decent draft to the fire. Check for leaks all over the >machine. Everything should fit snugly. Some of the > recent smokers I've seen at Lowe's and at Home Depot >are sheer junk. Ditto everything Brick said. And I hope you put your unit together yourself to make sure everything was put together correctly, all nuts and bolts were used as described (in those limp instructions) and that all pieces were adjusted and fit correctly. I can literally maintain 250 in mine for about 3 - 3.5 hours with the vent at about 1/4 open on the firebox. With it open about half way it will get to 300 and stay there for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. I did all the mods on it found on Raichlen's site, and they were worth the time. I put an extension on the chimney to get the exhaust level back down to the grill, and two candy thermometers, one on each side of the grill to monitor grill surface temp. Here's a link, and notice there are about 185 pages of ideas and opinions on this piece of equipment. Read the first hundred posts, and maybe the last hndred, and you should get what you need from it. http://www.barbecuebible.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=1467 The most important thing I can think of with this pit is to increase the charcoal basket size. I bought a really large chrome table display fruit basket, and it holds around 8 pounds of charcoal/wood at a crack. A lot of guys have gone to Target or Walmart and bought large wire baskets to use. I take the iron grills out of the firebox, and turn their charcoal upside down so that it raises it higher off the bottom of the box. With the grates out and the basket upside down, I put my own basket in the firebox with holds more fuel and lets more ash fall through. Lighting the CG is critical, and this method works great: I put about 6-7 pounds of charcoal and wood mix in the basket, and leave an open crater in the middle. In my starter chimney (this will not work with fluid), I put about 20 briquettes and light them off. When they are all orange, I pour them in the middle of the crater, filling up the fuel basket up in a mound. If I miss calculate a little and I am short of filling the basket to a mound I toss more briquettes in as needed. I leave the pit chimney all the way open, and the vents all the way closed. You will see the temps go up immediately. In about 20 minutes or so I will be up to about 275 on the side away from the firebox, and then I put in butts or brisket on that side. Opening the door and putting in a cold brisket will handle and temp spikes, believe me. As long as I keep it at 250 - 275, I am happy and the smoker is happy. It will cruise at that temp for a good three hours which is when I do my first opening to look at the meat and make sure everything is going according to plan. Which brings up the temperature gauge on these things. Total junk. The best use of the factory temp gauge is to fill the hole in the hood. Mine is one of the better ones, and it is off about 35 degrees. There is no telling where yours might actually be temp wise. If you are looking at the original POS, them you might actually be at temp and not know it! Do yourself a favor and at least buy yourself a couple of thermometers and put them in. I bought two Taylor candy thermometers, with a seven inch stem on them, and if the grill is full I just pull them out a little so they stick out on the outside rather than the inside. I have a WSM too, but these are two different animals. Two weeks ago I put in 6 REALLY large racks of baby backs and when they were an hour and a half out, I put in 18 pieces (1 1/4" x 8") of sausage. It took about 5 hours for all that to cook, and it only took one reload of fuel. For a little more smoke I threw in some small mesquite chunks once or twice, but that was it. To reload, I put about 20 briquettes in the chimney, fired up to orange, and then filled the chimney to just a little under full with unlit briquettes and lump. Pour in basket, shut door, sit back down. On the WSM, it doesn't have near the capacity. Most of the BB racks (I realize I could have cut them) were longer than the WSM is wide. To me, the beauty of the WSM is the long smoke like brisket or butts. Plenty of room for both of those in the WSM. But for a short smoke (less than 8 - 10 hours) and great capacity it is sure hard to beat the Chargriller. On the other hand, it is impossible to beat the WSM for putting on your meat the night before and having it ready for a late lunch the next day with little or no adjustment. Robert |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Chargriller duo heatup problems | Barbecue | |||
advice on Chargriller duo or smokin pro | Barbecue | |||
chargriller duo and briskey | Barbecue | |||
temperature control on chargriller duo | Barbecue | |||
Ship's Tour Of My Universe To Begin - Call To Arms! Duty Stations! Fire When Ready! Cease Fire Procola! Pt III/III | Preserving |