Slow and low on an 18.5" kettle

I did a slow and low cook for a friend's barbecue yesterday. 5 lb pork butt on an older 18.5" kettle with the three vents like the WSM rather than the newer one touch system. Firebrick to make a fuel box on the side, foil over the unused portion of the charcoal grate to direct air through the coal section, small loaf pan with water and apple juice on the foil under the meat.

With lump and hickory, it had enough fuel to go for about 19 hours!

9:15 pm start about 1/3-1/2 chimney of lump
9:30 pm lit lump on top of pile of lump and hickory chunks on grill
9:45 pm pork on, lid on with vents over pork and thermometer over coals, vents to 0%, 0%, 33%, on top to 50%
10:00 pm lid temp 375, bottom to 10% open, top to 50% open
10:08 pm lid temp 375
10:20 pm lid temp 300, top vent to 100% open
10:30 pm lid temp 325
10:45 pm lid temp ~410, top vent to 33% open
11:00 pm lid temp 410, top vent to ~10% open
11:15 pm lid temp ~400
11:30 pm lid temp ~385
11:45 pm lid temp ~385, top vent to ~30% open
12:00 am lid temp ~400, top vent to ~15% open
12:15 am lid temp 375, top vent to 33% open
12:30 am lid temp 375
12:45 am lid temp 400, top vent to ~15% open
1:00 am lid temp 350, top vent to ~50% open
1:15 am lid temp 350
1:30 am lid temp ~400, opened, stirred coals, top vent to ~15% open
***
7:30 am lid temp 250, opened, rotated/ sprayed meat w/ AJ, stirred coals
8:00 am lid temp 290, top/ bottom vents to ~10% open
9:45 am lid temp 250, opened, sprayed meat w/ AJ, top to 50% open
10:00 am lid temp 275
10:30 am lid temp 300
10:45 am lid temp 290, opened, sprayed meat w/ AJ
11:00 am lid temp 310 (spiked to 350)
11:15 am lid temp 310
12:15 pm lid temp 380
1:15 pm lid temp 380, meat temp 175-180, rearranged coals
1:30 pm lid temp ~330, top vent to 100% open, bottom to 33% open
1:45 pm lid temp 375
2:15 pm lid temp 375
3:15 pm lid temp 350
4:30 pm lid temp 350, meat temp 200

The recipe was the basic mustard and rub on the cooking section of TVWB. Very tender meat, I picked it up by the bone and it almost fell out! Pulled, sprinkled with rub and sauced with Buster's mild. The pork had a good dark bark, crisp and a bit chewy. Very tasty Q!

Chris,

I've done a low-slow on my 22 1/2" kettle, was a real bear to tend the fire, I kept mine much lower than you, around 220-240 degrees, most of the time.

Not too many pics of the kettle, but I split the kettle in the middle, using the older style metal separators, stacked hardwood lump to the bottom of the grill, removed a bit to do the minion method...mine is unfortunately one of the one-touch style vents, with the ash tray...so it was very difficult to tend. I used a piece of foil to protect the edge of the brisket closest to the coals, so it didn't burn it...was the first success with brisket.

I've since picked up a WSM on craigslist, but going to grill some fish tonight on the kettle...

(linky pic to gallery)

i do mine with coals on one side. aluminum foil as a barrier. i cook at around an average of 275 deg. my cooks usually last around the 9 hour mark. i don't seem to have to much problems controlling the temps.

George, how did you set up the foil?

Alan, if you can manage the temp with a one touch, you're more a man than I! My temps run a bit high because my lid thermometer is over the coals. Here's a transparency to give you an idea of how it's set up:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by george curtis:
i do mine with coals on one side. aluminum foil as a barrier. i cook at around an average of 275 deg. my cooks usually last around the 9 hour mark. i don't seem to have to much problems controlling the temps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I smoke on my 22.5 all the time. I stay around the same temp, 265-275. I use the fire brick method and get great burn times. Pretty much get it going and walk away.The kettle puts out just as good as Q as my Stumps does. Cant wait for the 26 inch.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Alan, if you can manage the temp with a one touch, you're more a man than I! My temps run a bit high because my lid thermometer is over the coals. Here's a transparency to give you an idea of how it's set up: </div></BLOCKQUOTE>The problem with the kettle is getting it down to 225, at least it was for me, I used too much hot coal to begin with and had to douse a bit with some water to cool things down...I don't know about being more a man, I think I was an idiot for trying to do an 18 hour burn in the kettle, but it proved to me what my whole problem was not being able to keep the heat down.

Mine was kinda similar, but if you can picture a large turkey/roast pan smashed into the opposite side of the coals to catch the gease, and lump on the other side to the bottom of the grill. I could barley fit the packer on there, squeezed onto half the grill, and I put the foil on top of the grill, wrapped under the side of the meat closest the coals.

I guess mine is a one touch, it has the lever with the 3 elongated vents which open sideways. In order to get the kettle down to 225, I had to just barely have those vents cracked open, and there's a fine line between being able to maintain the temp and putting the fire out. I have since got a WSM, with a Stoker, so alls well that ends well...

Weber used to sell some metal separators, that would attach to the coal grate with hooks on one end to hold onto a grate bar. They used to come in pairs, so I use those and split it up in various geometries depending on what I'm cooking. Last night was salmon, split in the center, coals on one side. Indirect heat for about 20 minutes, then brand them on the top/fish side. I normally like to do all the cooking/smoking with skin side down.

This is where the kettle shines, it's not well suited for long burns at all, but it CAN be done, I proved it to myself.

I just poked a thermometer through the top vent, on the non-coal side, as seen in this pic. Yeah, I know that can give false temps, but OTOH, this ain't rocket science...

chris, very similar to yer pic. my coal grate foil is wraped on the grate. i also have a doubled over piece of foil that i drape down from the top grate and rests on the coal grate. i drape it right at the seperation point between the lower foil and the coals. in yer pic it would be the bricks. thus i get no direct heat from the coals. i prefer to use my old kettle with the three vents. the one under the coals is adjusted for heat and the other two are closed. top vent over the food. down wind, natch. the one touch works just as well. i use a probe at grill level for the kettle temp and one in the meat. good to go.