Chris Hill
New member
First post to the forum, and after reading up on some of the folks who have been doing indirect cooking on regular webers, I thought I'd try a slow(er) and low(er) on the Smokey Joe. I believe it's the silver model.
Added a firebrick which had already been cut to about the right shape by my local wood stove store, who gave me some brick scraps for free. And added a lid thermometer to estimate grill temps. Then I did a Minion method style start with about 4 briquettes and a chunk, and added a few more briquettes to make sure they got started. Added the small loaf drip/ water pan opposite the heat side to help keep the roast from drying out.
I had airflow problems with the Smokey Joe when the top was fully on, and it took leaving the lid ajar to get decent airflow. With that problem solved, I found it fairly easy to control the temp with the bottom vent and the lid ajar/ not ajar.
It kept a lid temp of about 250-300 for a good 2 hours, which I guessed was around 225 on the grill. After the two hours, it ran out of fuel and the briq's I threw on top did not light after 15 min or so, so I finished the roast in the oven.
Edit to add time and temp info:
1:30 pm start with Minion method with 4 briquettes and one chunk
1:40 pm add another 4-6 briquettes and fluid
2:00 pm put coals on top of pile, meat on, lid ajar, vents open, lid temp to about 250
2:15 pm lid temp about 300, bottom vent to about 50% open
2:30 pm lid temp about 350, put lid completely on
2:45 pm lid temp about 325, bottom vent to about 30% open
3:00 pm lid temp about 275, bottom vent to about 50% open
3:30 pm lid temp about 275
3:45 pm lid temp about 275
4:00 pm lid temp about 260, bottom vent to 100% open
4:15 pm lid temp about 240, meat temp about 130, added 5 briq's and small chunk
4:25 pm lid on ajar once briq's and chunk started smoking
4:30 pm lid temp about 100-150, briq's not starting well
4:45 pm lid temp about 120, meat temp about 110, pulled meat off grill
Then into the oven at 250 for 30 min, meat temp to 130
And 300 for 30 min, meat temp to 140, brown all the way through. [edit to add: The meat thermometer read 140 and the meat was brown all the way through. I believe I did not have it inserted far enough into the meat to get the thermometer to fully register, as I found it was low on a few cooks until I stuck it farther into the meat]
I think adding briq's about 60-90 min into the cook and/or foiling the bottom grate under the cooking section of the grill would probably help with keeping the grill going longer...we'll find out soon enough.
Here are the pics:
Added a firebrick which had already been cut to about the right shape by my local wood stove store, who gave me some brick scraps for free. And added a lid thermometer to estimate grill temps. Then I did a Minion method style start with about 4 briquettes and a chunk, and added a few more briquettes to make sure they got started. Added the small loaf drip/ water pan opposite the heat side to help keep the roast from drying out.
I had airflow problems with the Smokey Joe when the top was fully on, and it took leaving the lid ajar to get decent airflow. With that problem solved, I found it fairly easy to control the temp with the bottom vent and the lid ajar/ not ajar.
It kept a lid temp of about 250-300 for a good 2 hours, which I guessed was around 225 on the grill. After the two hours, it ran out of fuel and the briq's I threw on top did not light after 15 min or so, so I finished the roast in the oven.
Edit to add time and temp info:
1:30 pm start with Minion method with 4 briquettes and one chunk
1:40 pm add another 4-6 briquettes and fluid
2:00 pm put coals on top of pile, meat on, lid ajar, vents open, lid temp to about 250
2:15 pm lid temp about 300, bottom vent to about 50% open
2:30 pm lid temp about 350, put lid completely on
2:45 pm lid temp about 325, bottom vent to about 30% open
3:00 pm lid temp about 275, bottom vent to about 50% open
3:30 pm lid temp about 275
3:45 pm lid temp about 275
4:00 pm lid temp about 260, bottom vent to 100% open
4:15 pm lid temp about 240, meat temp about 130, added 5 briq's and small chunk
4:25 pm lid on ajar once briq's and chunk started smoking
4:30 pm lid temp about 100-150, briq's not starting well
4:45 pm lid temp about 120, meat temp about 110, pulled meat off grill
Then into the oven at 250 for 30 min, meat temp to 130
And 300 for 30 min, meat temp to 140, brown all the way through. [edit to add: The meat thermometer read 140 and the meat was brown all the way through. I believe I did not have it inserted far enough into the meat to get the thermometer to fully register, as I found it was low on a few cooks until I stuck it farther into the meat]
I think adding briq's about 60-90 min into the cook and/or foiling the bottom grate under the cooking section of the grill would probably help with keeping the grill going longer...we'll find out soon enough.
Here are the pics: