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I'm making one! That's a decree.

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Tomkat wrote:Careful examination of my how to post will cover the ribs.

Chickens run about four hours at 200. I wrap them up after
A couple hours.

You do own a meat thermometer don't you?


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Yes. But I don't believe in using it for meat. It gets used quite a bit for likker, though.


Was that chicken time for split? As in, cut in half, with the back out?

Temp is a far better indication than time. Time honestly means very little when smoking.

Olly wrote:I'm making one! That's a decree.

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It's freaking amazing. It's STILL at about 170, and I looked in the barrel with a light, and I'd say about 1/3 of the charcoal is burned. The rest isn't even touched. Pretty amazing. I think it'd probably burn for about 15 hours with one load of charcoal.

Tomorrow, the chickens, with some layers of my dead apple tree chunks thrown in.

Flightstopper wrote:Temp is a far better indication than time. Time honestly means very little when smoking.

pffft.

assateague wrote:

Olly wrote:I'm making one! That's a decree.

Sent from my phone.

It's freaking amazing. It's STILL at about 170, and I looked in the barrel with a light, and I'd say about 1/3 of the charcoal is burned. The rest isn't even touched. Pretty amazing. I think it'd probably burn for about 15 hours with one load of charcoal.

Tomorrow, the chickens, with some layers of my dead apple tree chunks thrown in.

If 2/3 hasn't been touched, could you just use 1/3 of your test amount to save some?

Jim I only made whole fryers.

And although I dont use one much anymore, you would be well advised to use a meat thermometer for a while until you get used to your smoker.

Olly pay attention to how AT did his lid. That is the correct way. The pipe and adjustable vent is very handy.


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assateague wrote:

Flightstopper wrote:Temp is a far better indication than time. Time honestly means very little when smoking.

pffft.

he's right

Feelin' Fowl wrote:

assateague wrote:

Olly wrote:I'm making one! That's a decree.

Sent from my phone.

It's freaking amazing. It's STILL at about 170, and I looked in the barrel with a light, and I'd say about 1/3 of the charcoal is burned. The rest isn't even touched. Pretty amazing. I think it'd probably burn for about 15 hours with one load of charcoal.

Tomorrow, the chickens, with some layers of my dead apple tree chunks thrown in.

If 2/3 hasn't been touched, could you just use 1/3 of your test amount to save some?

I think so, but I'm not sure. You have to hollow out a "cone", and when you have some charcoal started in your starter, you dump it in the empty space, and create an inside out, top to bottom burn. At least that's what I've read.

I'm going to go check it here shortly- supposedly when you shut it down, the charcoal will burn itself out, and you can pull the basket, shake off the ash, and reuse the leftover charcoal, so it's not a loss. Not sure, though.

A lot of extra BS, worry, and effort.

Just burn the charcoal, throw the ashes out when you are done, and load new when its time to smoke again.

On TKs advice, I went out to dump it. Imagine my surprise when it was still to hot to lift the basket out. So I have it a good shake, and opened it up to burn the rest of charcoal away.

You can't see it too well, because its windy as heck out there (and cold), but it started smoking again almost instantly, and the temp jumped up.


And after a half cup of coffee and a half a cig while standing there watching, the temp was already up to here.


And that's 15 and a half hours after putting the lit fire basket in there. Very, very impressive.

The trick is knowing how much to load up before you light it.

If I get mine just right it will burn at 210 for like 6 hours straight. I will run mine Monday. I am going to try counting the briquets and add or delete next time based on results. Jim you have a big advantage in that you can control your air flow much better than I can.

Will it burn the same with a shallower layer, or do you think the "extra" charcoal in a fully loaded basket makes it burn "better"? I'm cheap, so would like to save some charcoal, but I don't know if its really worth trying to do that or not.

assateague wrote:Will it burn the same with a shallower layer, or do you think the "extra" charcoal in a fully loaded basket makes it burn "better"? I'm cheap, so would like to save some charcoal, but I don't know if its really worth trying to do that or not.

I never thought about it. What I am after (and you should be, too) is maintaining constant temp.

Spikes and drops in smoking temp will defiently fuck you up. Do what ever it takes to reach and maintain your ideal smoking temp for as long as you need it. I think 210 is perfect, 180 is too low, and over 225 is too hot. Thats what works for me any way.

I dont fill mine to the very top, but fill it up to about 80 %. But yours is goin to be more economical than mine by the way its designed. Use those valves to adjust your air flow. Your pipe flap should never need to be more than half closed. Just set it and forget it. Control that temp with the air intake.

When you cook something big like a brisket your going to need more fuel than when you are doing a chicken.

Sounds good- thanks!

By the way, it's still at about 160. Lit at 4 yesterday afternoon.

Nice job Assa. I was blown away when I realized I could cook all day on so little charcoal. I reuse the coaos that are left over from the previous burn with no problems, but then again I'm not as experienced as TK and it might not be the best way to go.

The way I'm lighting mine now is by cutting both ends off of a can that will fit about 10-12 briquettes. I place it in the center of the basket and light the charcoal in the can. While the are lighting, I top up the rest of the basket. When the coals in the can are ready, just lift the can out with pliers, leaving the lit coals buried in the pile.

Nothing wrong with reusing the coals. I just don't mess with it.


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Waiting to be done



You think I could use this old 18" charcoal grill as my fire basket? It's even got little feet on it

I think it's too big, but I don't have that much experience. You want it to burn from the top down, and inside out, very slowly. If the coals were too shallow, I expect it might not burn right.

You gonna burn that barrel clean right in your driveway?

assateague wrote:I think it's too big, but I don't have that much experience. You want it to burn from the top down, and inside out, very slowly. If the coals were too shallow, I expect it might not burn right.

You gonna burn that barrel clean right in your driveway?

hmmm maybe you're right. But the smoker I've used in past didn't even have a basket. Just an elevated vented floor. The charcoal/ wood was just lit on the bottom. I might give it a try before putting together a basket.

And shit yea I'll burn it clean in my driveway

Red I tried something like that and couldn''t get a good burn. You need air circulation through the coals. 18" sounds big, but you might be able to use it to catch your ashes

flight control wrote:Red I tried something like that and couldn''t get a good burn. You need air circulation through the coals. 18" sounds big, but you might be able to use it to catch your ashes

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even if I filled it with holes huh? Not to mention the large vents at the bottom of it

Mine had holes too. But the ashes build up instead of falling through the grate and slow the already slow flow of air to your fire. Try it if you want, just trying to save you some trouble.

flight control wrote:Mine had holes too. But the ashes build up instead of falling through the grate and slow the already slow flow of air to your fire. Try it if you want, just trying to save you some trouble.

I was planning on leaving the grate in the bottom. I get what you're saying. I'm just trying to assateague it with stuff around the house

Maybe with the grate still in it. Mine didn't have one. All I know is I wasn't happy with the way my smoker worked until I made a basket.

flight control wrote:Maybe with the grate still in it. Mine didn't have one. All I know is I wasn't happy with the way my smoker worked until I made a basket.

10-4

Redbeard wrote:

flight control wrote:Maybe with the grate still in it. Mine didn't have one. All I know is I wasn't happy with the way my smoker worked until I made a basket.

10-4

Come on Aaron, chunk up a few $$ and do it right. It wont be that much.

Tomkat wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

flight control wrote:Maybe with the grate still in it. Mine didn't have one. All I know is I wasn't happy with the way my smoker worked until I made a basket.

10-4

Come on Aaron, chunk up a few $$ and do it right. It wont be that much.

so you're saying it won't work?

Redbeard wrote:

Tomkat wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

flight control wrote:Maybe with the grate still in it. Mine didn't have one. All I know is I wasn't happy with the way my smoker worked until I made a basket.

10-4

Come on Aaron, chunk up a few $$ and do it right. It wont be that much.

so you're saying it won't work?

No. But I am saying I KNOW what has worked for me, and several other folks on this thread.

I am one to not fix what ain't broke....but thats just me.

Last comment on this- turd polish is expensive.

Red, I didn't wire brush or sand the inside of mine at all. I think you only have to do that to the food grade ones, with the epoxy coating on the inside.