1st cook - perfect chicken......but 6 hours!

[A Lee]

I'm going to do a hi heat cook this PM with the 14.5 to see how much lit I need to get to 400. I'll post experiment results tonight.

If you're finding that you can't get the temperature hot enough, try cracking the lid open a tiny bit. Even if you have abundant fuel, your fire won't burn hotter w/out more oxygen.

I have a 14.5" miniWSM and I find that even w/ all the charcoal fully lit, and smokey joe gold vents completely open, the max temperature is around 350F. I believe it's because the top vent is only allowing a certain amount of airflow into the smoker. When I did my rotisserie chicken, the drippings would flare up if I opened the lid then the flames will go out once I put the lid back on. This indicated that with the lid on (and all vents open), all the oxygen was already being consumed. Only way to get more combustion and heat is to increase airflow. Try cracking the lid open to get more airflow?

 

[A Lee]

Something's not right. With a reasonable fuel load you should easily be able to get close to 400F. At least I can with my 18". Perhaps the 14" would have a lower top end, but it shouldn't be that much lower. What are you using for fuel? (Type, brand) How much of it are you using? How are you getting it started? Are you using a variation of the Minion method?

I almost always use Kingsford in the blue bag (widely known as KBB). Unless it's a special cook where I'm looking for very low temps and using a kind of snake, I almost always fill the charcoal ring at least half way. That's what I'd do for chicken. For pork butt or brisket I'd load up as much as can possibly fit. I usually light a dozen or so briquettes in the chimney starter and, once ashed over, dump them in the center of the pile. This varies depending on what I'm trying to accomplish with the fire. For hot-and-fast for chicken I'd likely light a whole chimney and spread it across the top of the pile. You could also do like recommended ages ago, putting the lit charcoal in the bottom and adding several chimneys of unlit on top of it. This should get the whole of it going faster, which is fine for hot-and-fast chicken.

i suspect that two spactcocked chickens on a 14.5" grate doesn't leave a lot of room for air flow. restricted air flow = reduced combustion hence lower temperature.

if he insists on doing two spatchcocked chickens on a 14.5", there are various methods he can try to increase airflow. eg. using a small blower to push air into the fire, cracking lid open slightly, using the lower grate for one of the chickens etc

 

[JayHeyl]

i suspect that two spactcocked chickens on a 14.5" grate doesn't leave a lot of room for air flow. restricted air flow = reduced combustion hence lower temperature.

You bring up some good points I hadn't considered. I've only used a 18.5" WSM and just assumed the vents on the 14.5" were similarly sized. The food blocking the air flow was also something I hadn't considered, though Dan did mention he also cooked a single chicken and couldn't get the temp above 265F. I would think a single chicken would allow for adequate air flow.

I'm at a bit of a loss for further ideas aside from the charcoal possibly being bad. Though if Dan had flames coming out the top of the chimney starter, bad charcoal wouldn't seem to be the issue. Perhaps cracking the lid a bit would be the next thing to try.

 

[A Lee]

Something's not right. With a reasonable fuel load you should easily be able to get close to 400F. At least I can with my 18". Perhaps the 14" would have a lower top end, but it shouldn't be that much lower. What are you using for fuel? (Type, brand) How much of it are you using? How are you getting it started? Are you using a variation of the Minion method?

I almost always use Kingsford in the blue bag (widely known as KBB). Unless it's a special cook where I'm looking for very low temps and using a kind of snake, I almost always fill the charcoal ring at least half way. That's what I'd do for chicken. For pork butt or brisket I'd load up as much as can possibly fit. I usually light a dozen or so briquettes in the chimney starter and, once ashed over, dump them in the center of the pile. This varies depending on what I'm trying to accomplish with the fire. For hot-and-fast for chicken I'd likely light a whole chimney and spread it across the top of the pile. You could also do like recommended ages ago, putting the lit charcoal in the bottom and adding several chimneys of unlit on top of it. This should get the whole of it going faster, which is fine for hot-and-fast chicken.

You bring up some good points I hadn't considered. I've only used a 18.5" WSM and just assumed the vents on the 14.5" were similarly sized. The food blocking the air flow was also something I hadn't considered, though Dan did mention he also cooked a single chicken and couldn't get the temp above 265F. I would think a single chicken would allow for adequate air flow.

I'm at a bit of a loss for further ideas aside from the charcoal possibly being bad. Though if Dan had flames coming out the top of the chimney starter, bad charcoal wouldn't seem to be the issue. Perhaps cracking the lid a bit would be the next thing to try.

A 18.5" WSM and 14.5" WSM might have similar vent sizes but that does not mean that air flows the same way.


It could also be the fact that the total area of the vent openings on a genuine weber 14.5" WSM are too small to sustain a high temperature combustion. I have a home made 14.5" miniWSM and I achieved 350F w/ 3/4 chimney of fully lit Kingsford Briquettes, but my miniWSM also has large air leaks where my spit is mounted. I'm almost certain that my max temperature of 350F was due to air flow because every time I opened up the lid, the drippings and cherry wood would catch fire immedidately, then go out again as soon as I put the lid back on. Had more air been able to get into the oven, I'm sure it would have burned hotter.

Anyway, make sure all your charcoal is fully lit before putting the lid on, also try cracking the lid open slightly to allow more air to flow.

 

[A Lee]

Thanks Arun - to answer your questions:
- "birch plank" means a piece of raw, split silver birch wood with dimensions of 1/2 inch x 3 inches x 5 inches
- both chickens on the top grill (they had been spatchcocked and it was pretty tight for space!

Rusty - Yes, two split birds on top rack of 14.5" WSM. One was cut in two. Very snug!

Fuel - Weber briquettes
How much - I used a 3/4 full Weber large chimney for starting
Starting / Minion - I lit the chimney using fire lighters until flames were clearly at the top, then added this to the fire bowl that was half full of the same briquettes (at one side of the pit, not one on top of the other).

I think you aren't getting high temps because:

1. Birch plank is blocking air flow. Where was it placed? On top of charcoal? A piece of wood that size is going to smother the fire below it. Try breaking the plank into pieces and distributing the wood.
2. Dan confirmed the racks are pretty snug. For oxygen to flow into the fire, the combustion gasses need a low resistance path to flow up and out too. The tightly packed rack would hinder air flow.
3. Minion method was used. Minion method is good for achieving long duration, low temperature burns. For maximum heat, you need to light all the charcoal before putting the lid on.
4. Sounds like Dan also left the water bowl in place as a diffuser? The the diffuser blocks radiant energy and also affects airflow. You can try removing it completely or using a small pie pan for drippings.

I think the biggest improvements would be lighting all the charcoal at once and also removing the water pan/diffuser.

 

[Lew Newby]

OK Dan, just finished dinner for 2. I did boneless skinless Chicken thighs and red potatoes on the top grate. I put 2/3 big chimney unlit and 2/3 chimney of lit. It overfilled the charcoal ring. My outside air temp was 88° F. I checked your OAT and you're at about 58° F so I have a 30 degree advantage on you when cooking high heat. I put the center body and lid on and my Maverick ET-732 read 431 after about 3 minutes. I closed the vents to about 1/2 open and the temp dropped to 368 in about 10 minutes so I put the taters on and opened the vents some but the temp went up slow so I opened all vents to 100% open. My temp stayed at about 378 for most of the cook and the chicken went on 40 minutes after the taters. After 50 minutes of cooking the temp gradually climbed to 398 and was there when I removed the food.

This was my second cook on "Baby Bear" and I learned how it behaves at high heat. Unlike low and slow if the temp drops it doesn't recover quickly to near 400 but it cooks chicken hi and fast just like the 22.5 does.

I don't know if this helps but after Hurricane Irma this was FUN. I probably left something out so ask if you have questions. BTW, the Weber charcoal is probably better than Kingsford but the KBB is a lot cheaper here. You're good with your charcoal.

 

[Anne M.]

I would also suggest to start with more lit charcoal.
And maybe try some different types of charcoal.

In summer, I have a problem with keeping temperatures down. Mainly to do with the fact that the outside temperature is high (110 oF) abd I can only get lump charcoal.
In winter (outside temperature around 65 oF), I can keep the temperature low, but I can also bring it up high quite easily

 

[Dan Hay]

Thanks all - based on all the advice I have concluded that a lack of airflow (overloaded grate), only half the charcoal lit, and presence of the drip pan (even empty) were the cause.

Lew - thanks for running the experiment, sounds like it was fun and had a flavoursome result. Sorry to hear you were hit by Irma - hope you are back on your feet soon. Your weather is a lot warmer than ours, but you do have the extra "fun" of hurricanes. Mostly our problem is low temperatures and drizzle. I hope to keep smoking through the winter. Low temperatures (20-30F) won't be a problem but high wind/ horizontal rain might be. Might invest in an insulating jacket for the WSM's!

 

[Lew Newby]

Dan, your conclusions are all sound thinking. Lots of airflow is needed for hi heat. I forgot to say that I cooked the potatoes in a foil pan so when I put the chicken on I had most of the top grate covered. Probably 80% covered. My cook only lasted an hour and I used very little charcoal.

Irma impact on us was minor. We lost power but I have a portable generator so we had most of the conveniences that electricity gives us. Our power is now restored and life is almost normal again.

 

[Dan Hay]

Sorted! One chicken plus four large potatoes on top grate cooked in 1.5 hours as suggested. Full ring of lit charcoal, no drip pan.

Ps also smoked three mackerel earlier - two hours at approx 200F - still oily and moist, good hint of birch wood. Beginning to relax and enjoy this! Thanks for all the tips and feedback.

 

[A Lee]

Sorted! One chicken plus four large potatoes on top grate cooked in 1.5 hours as suggested. Full ring of lit charcoal, no drip pan.

Ps also smoked three mackerel earlier - two hours at approx 200F - still oily and moist, good hint of birch wood. Beginning to relax and enjoy this! Thanks for all the tips and feedback.

What temperature were you able to hit? Did you measure the internal temperature of the chicken after 1.5hrs? Was the chicken juicy?

 

[Dan Hay]

Temperature hit 340F. Internal temperature reached 170F (maybe a little higher once it was foiled and left to rest). Chicken was very juicy. Smokiness complemented the jerk paste that had been slathered all over the chicken. Potatoes took on a mid smoke too.

Interesting learning about this. Really want to nail using the 14 inch WSM before I start playing with the 22 (more charcoal + more meat = more expensive to learn by mistakes!)

 

[Lew Newby]

Congrats Dan. Pretty soon you'll be a Master Pitmaster.