questions..(sigh) AGAIN...


 
Dan H.

Dan H.

TVWBB Pro
k wrote down several, unable to find on the site manualy or through search box so time to bug you all one last time.
What affects will I see smoking in wsm using minion method using lump charcoal? as of right now I have about three bags.. 2 "Royal Oak" and 1 "Lazzier" (or something like that) the L word one have what I new guy like me would call pretty darn big chunks, the other as what I had more pictured in my mind, a bit smaller. and I mean burn times, (guessing shorter) temp and vent controls, etc.
Also i'll be darned if i can't figure out what your all talking about "mini minion method" is. One time in my built in grill I used my wsm's charcoal holder thing to hold my fuel for cooking a chicken one time. Is this the same thing? well.. worked great if its not.
Also have a pretty good size Oak tree laid over about 5 or 6 years ago here in Colorado and wondering what difference is in "White Oak" or "yellow" or all kinds of oak however many there are and wondering if there all about the same and I have never used oak and wondering if its good. (being its a strange unkown alien species to ME!)
And is it so bad that I clean my wsm after 5 or 6 uses? I just happen to own a actuall fire place in my home and wouldn't really want to cook food in it... maybe if it was cleaner. Is there some secret advantage to leaving it dirty and or, do i decrease the life of the coating by cleaning or something I don't know. ( I only use the plastic type scrub pads, nothing to hard or harsh. thanks, have a good one.
 
I'll give a shot at a few of your questions. Others will chime in for the rest.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Also i'll be darned if i can't figure out what your all talking about "mini minion method" is </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Go to this page - Operating Tips - Firing up your Weber Bullet Page 2 Press the space key 4 times. The Mini-Minion is the Minion with less coals.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">And is it so bad that I clean my wsm after 5 or 6 uses? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You'll get varying opinions on this one. Non-cleaning seems to help close up gaps. That's my excuse for not cleaning my WSM.
 
The Minion doesn't depend on a specific kind of fuel, just some adherence to procedure. In order to maximize cook time, however, it's necessary to be more deliberate with lump than briquettes because of lump's varying sizes. Most of us who use lump for MM start-ups spend a little time arranging it in the ring to minimize gaps thus allowing us to get more in and also get better ignition.

Vent control is the same and is dependent on desired cooktemp.

Burn time is dependent on the composition of the lump and air intake.

Most oak is good for smoking. Differences between varieties range from none to subtle to profound. Experiment.

I clean my grates well. I dump the ash. I clean the waterpan (which, if I cooked with an empty foiled pan as I ususally do, means removing the grease-filed foil) and, because I live in a humid area and travel a lot, I rinse the interior of the cooker with a hose when I get back home to get off the mold that grows from humidity and lack of use while I'm gone. That's it. I don't see a need to go further--but then again I'd likely cook in your fireplace in a heartbeat. Fireplaces aren't 'dirty' to me.

Adding to Russell's mini comment: Mini-Minions are mostly used in the WSM for either very low heat cooks or for cooks where a slow (more lengthy) come-up in temp is desired--like when smoking pork belly for bacon. Minis are also used when cooking low/slow in kettles.
 
Dan:

Oak is a good wood to smoke with. However, to much will give the meat a bitter taste. After the fire is started and you are ready a couple three chunks will be enough to flaver what ever you are cooking. After meat reaches a tempture some where between 120 to 140 degrees it won't take on any more flavor from smoke. So there isn't any reason to keep adding more wood to the cooking fire. What ever kind of oad you have the has dried for a few years will work fine. By the way there are some thing over 100 different varities of oak trees.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">After meat reaches a tempture some where between 120 to 140 degrees it won't take on any more flavor from smoke. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes it will. Smokering formation quits somewhere around 140--but this has to do with a chemical reaction in the meat. Smoke particulates continue to adhere to the meat (smoke doesn't really 'penetrate' as is often stated) as long as they are present irresepective of the meat's temp.
 
smoke ring.... "Chemical reaction that causes coloring ceases at approximately 130 degreesF. That's why it penetrates the meat a quarter or half inch and then stops. The smoke flavoring of the meat does not cease. Let me repeat that. The smoke flavoring of the meat does not cease, ever, regardless of the temperature" -good ole Dr. BBQ

girlfriend got me this book for birthday... thank god for that and this forum or I may have already been grounded from BBQ.

i'll def. try oak thank you guys.
 
Well, I have to comment on this because I am torn between using Kingsford and getting the superior smokering and using Royal Oak Lump and getting superior taste.

For me, lump definitely produces far better tasting meat than K - my customers and my family/friend notice the difference. However, with lump, my smokering is not as pronounced and sometimes I don't get one at all! I have tried all the tricks too - put the meat very cold right out of the fridge; put the meat on at room temperature, etc. And... I always start my cooks with at least 4-5 chunks of hickory with the lump! I don't know why I have this problem.

Anyway, these days I am opting for the tastier food over the more pronounced smokering.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I don't know why I have this problem. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I don't either. I use lump all the time and don't have a problem with smokering formation. Anything else different?
 
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