First off let me say that I enjoy reading all great posts here. You folks
are great!
Im an amateur griller loves trying new foods and methods and I hope my
questions are too stupid.

Received a 22lb turkey as a gift from work.
I sure as heck don't want to be up all night before trying to smoke this
thing and its way to big for the turkey fryer.
Should I just give up and go the oven route or snort some crack and tend the
fire at 3am.
Ive got a Chargriller with firebox which works great for smaller birds and a
cheap-ass bullet thats a bitch to cook on as it has no adjustable vents on
top ( I removed the thermometer and left that hole open, drilled new little
hole for better thermometer) and the vents underneath are wide open with no
available adjustment. This leaky bullet was a freebie found in someones
trash for obvious reasons but I felt it needed a good home anyway. lol

Should I sell one of my kids cars and buy a Big Green Egg? ; ) Seems like
the BGE just makes it way too easy and takes all the fun/guesswork out of
grilling.

I am also having a heck of a time holding temps in either grill/bullet and I
know there are alot of variances when it comes to temps but anyway....
I have used both Kingston coals and hardwood lump with the lump making for
higher temps but for shorter length of time.
Ive got plenty of hickory chunks and some apple wood but I guess I am
confused on just how often to throw wood on the fire to keep it going. I
dont want to oversmoke anything. So I guess my questions a

Do you depend more on the charcoal or lumps for your temp or the wood?

Should I always be preheating my additional coals in a chimney before
putting them in the box so as to not throw cold ones on and block the heat?

Turkey wings. ..mine are always extra extra crispy meaning unedible. Guess
maybe I should be wrapping foil or something around them for most the
cooking time?

This is a great group! If there is one thing I have learned from being here
the last month, its that the quality of your cooker is of the most extreme
importance. Now to convince the wife of that.

Cliff

"Cliff" > wrote in message
news:q9_ff.564597$_o.357939@attbi_s71...
> First off let me say that I enjoy reading all great posts here. You folks
> are great!
> Im an amateur griller loves trying new foods and methods and I hope my
> questions are too stupid.
>

ROFL! No im not drunk, its just early....
I hope my questions are NOT too stupid.

Cliff
The person I enjoy laughing at more than anybody is myself!

http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq2/10-7.html#10.5.3

I've never done it personally, but every other bit of info I've gotte
from teh FAQ has been spot on.

"phyteach" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq2/10-7.html#10.5.3
>
> I've never done it personally, but every other bit of info I've gotte
> from teh FAQ has been spot on.
>

Looks like it could take much longer than I really want to spend. I think
I'll be better off buying a smaller bird and saving this one for another
day.
That is, unless someone else comes up with something.

Cliff

"Duwop" > wrote in message
...
> "Cliff" > wrote in message
>>
>> "phyteach" > wrote in message
>> > http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq2/10-7.html#10.5.3
>> >
>> > I've never done it personally, but every other bit of info I've gotte
>> > from teh FAQ has been spot on.
>> >
>>
>> Looks like it could take much longer than I really want to spend. I think
>> I'll be better off buying a smaller bird and saving this one for another
>> day.
>> That is, unless someone else comes up with something.
>>
>> Cliff
>
> I've got a Chargriller as well. Instead of trying to use the slow bbq
> method
> I've opted for using it as a roaster. I use a brined bird and put it on
> the
> far left end, and a real small fire on the firebox side and keep temps as
> close to 300F as possible, it wants to be up around 350 mostly. Even with
> that you'll end up with some pretty scorched skin so I suggest draping the
> bird with cheesecloth and keeping it moist.
>
> Anyway, it cooks up pretty fast that way even with the lower temps because
> of radiant heat, expect 3-4 hours for a 12-14 pounder. The bird gets a bit
> of smoke flavor, is moist and tasty. And the wife loves having the oven
> space available for side dishes and whatnot.
>
>
> D
> --
>
>
>
>
>

I tried something similar just yesterday except I used the bullet. I also
brined the bird about 24 hours and the butter soaked cheesecloth.
The turkey turned out really good and juicy cept that it took almost 6 hours
due to my inability to keep the temp up. I chased it all afternoon from 150
degrees to 350 and I had one heck of a fire going. I think my main problem
was the low quality cooker that I described in my original post. Ill give it
a whirl in the chargriller and see what happens. What did you use for coals?
Charcoal or lump? Water pan?
The reason I tried the bullet is because I thought it would be easier to
heat being a smaller area. Boy was I wrong!
Thanks for the advise.
Cliff

<snip>

> I've got a Chargriller as well. Instead of trying to use the slow bbq
> method
> I've opted for using it as a roaster. I use a brined bird and put it on
> the
> far left end, and a real small fire on the firebox side and keep temps as
> close to 300F as possible, it wants to be up around 350 mostly. Even with
> that you'll end up with some pretty scorched skin so I suggest draping the
> bird with cheesecloth and keeping it moist.
>
> Anyway, it cooks up pretty fast that way even with the lower temps because
> of radiant heat, expect 3-4 hours for a 12-14 pounder. The bird gets a bit
> of smoke flavor, is moist and tasty. And the wife loves having the oven
> space available for side dishes and whatnot.
>
>
> D
> --
>

I second the suggestion.

Cliff wrote:


> This is a great group! If there is one thing I have learned from being here
> the last month, its that the quality of your cooker is of the most extreme
> importance. Now to convince the wife of that.


You've got a lot of questions grasshopper. Your last statement there is
in error though.

Some of the folks here have seen what I can cook on a ragged pile of
concrete blocks and a fresh cut tree.

It's all about practice when you're dealing with wood fires. It takes a
long time to get it right.

By 'right' I mean right for you. No 2 people do it exactly the same.


Anyway, considering your post and taking all things into account, I'd
highly recommend a WSM. I can guarantee you'll be tickled pink. You'll
have no hesitation whatsoever putting your freebie bullet back in the
trash where it once lived.

However, try to stay away from Kingston <G> coals as they contain a lot
of anthracite coal. (bad stuff for cooking, Google it)

If you don't feel comfortable with lump, Royal Oak makes a damn fine
briquette.

And to be perfectly honest, I was almost out of lump yesterday and the
only thing available reasonably close was Sam's choice at Wal-Mart. Not
bad at all.


TFM®

"TFM®" > wrote in message
...
> Cliff wrote:
>
>
>> This is a great group! If there is one thing I have learned from being
>> here the last month, its that the quality of your cooker is of the most
>> extreme importance. Now to convince the wife of that.
>
>
> You've got a lot of questions grasshopper. Your last statement there is
> in error though.
>
> Some of the folks here have seen what I can cook on a ragged pile of
> concrete blocks and a fresh cut tree.
>
> It's all about practice when you're dealing with wood fires. It takes a
> long time to get it right.
>
> By 'right' I mean right for you. No 2 people do it exactly the same.
>
>
> Anyway, considering your post and taking all things into account, I'd
> highly recommend a WSM. I can guarantee you'll be tickled pink. You'll
> have no hesitation whatsoever putting your freebie bullet back in the
> trash where it once lived.
>
> However, try to stay away from Kingston <G> coals as they contain a lot of
> anthracite coal. (bad stuff for cooking, Google it)
>
> If you don't feel comfortable with lump, Royal Oak makes a damn fine
> briquette.
>
> And to be perfectly honest, I was almost out of lump yesterday and the
> only thing available reasonably close was Sam's choice at Wal-Mart. Not
> bad at all.
>
>
> TFM®


Appreciate the info. Im gonna try and find someone around here to loan me
their WSM so I can give it a whirl.
Ive just got to get this fire temp thing down good if I want cook for longer
times. Reading brisket stories on here is making my mouth water! lol I just
dont have 15 hours to babysit a fire.

Cliff