Temp Control Epiphany (long)


 
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Bob Marlatt

TVWBB Member
This past weekend I actually found a spare couple of hours to barbecue (whole chicken-quartered). Not enough time to fire up the WSM so I went with my trusty old 22 1/2" Weber Kettle.

Subscribing to this and lurking the KC BBQ Forum I have learned much about temperature control. I bought a candy thermo to measure the cooker temp and a Polder to measure meat temp.

Anyway, I couldn't understand why I was able to barbecue all these years fairly successfully in only 2 or 3 hours with my kettle while the experts talk in 4 to 10 hour + terms. I say "fairly" because I already taste the difference going slow with smoke.

So, I fired up a chimney of lump, laid out the drip pan (no water), then spread the lit coals. Put the lid on and placed the thermo in the open top vent. Wow! It shot up to 400 degrees and basically stayed above 350 throughout the cooking process (90 minutes and overcooked). I didn't have time to fiddle much with the vents, which are the one-touch style and difficult to adjust.

I guess my epiphany is this: All these years I have been basically baking my food at oven-like temps. No wonder my ribs were usually tasty but rarely falling off the bone.

Bob
 
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