First time with a 14.5 and the biggest problem I had was keeping the heat up. I couldn’t start until late in the day, so I tried the recipe found elsewhere on this site for boneless skinless chicken breasts, which were supposed to smoke in about an hour. I hit them with my favorite rub and then started the charcoal in the chimney. I used Kingsford and a full chimney. Here’s where I may have got off the track: I took the ring out, and “spread” the charcoal as I interpreted the directions. I added two chunks of hickory, and put together the smoker with the meat, and all vents fully open. I had two breasts on the lower rack with 3 sausages I had left over from another recipe, and four breasts on the top rack. Temp never got above 210-215 by the lid thermometer. After 1.75 hours the internal temp was still at 140-145. I was pressed for time so I finally just finished the meat on my gas grill for two minutes a side. The chicken breasts tasted great with a smokey flavor that was pronounced but not too strong. They were not dry.
The charcoal was almost all burned away when I went back out to clean up after supper. The few coals that were left were still hot, though. I may try a pork butt next, but I’m concerned about the charcoal being almost completely consumed in less than two hours, even though the temps never got above 215.
Part of why I was pressed for time was that a storm front was moving in. I wasn’t able to put the cover on before it hit. Got up this monrning and now I’m faced with the bottom of the smoker filled with wet ash that has dried into adobe. I hope I can get that all cleaned out and dried before the next storm hits today.
So that’s my story.
The charcoal was almost all burned away when I went back out to clean up after supper. The few coals that were left were still hot, though. I may try a pork butt next, but I’m concerned about the charcoal being almost completely consumed in less than two hours, even though the temps never got above 215.
Part of why I was pressed for time was that a storm front was moving in. I wasn’t able to put the cover on before it hit. Got up this monrning and now I’m faced with the bottom of the smoker filled with wet ash that has dried into adobe. I hope I can get that all cleaned out and dried before the next storm hits today.
So that’s my story.