Ashes comming up


 
J

John Furdyn

TVWBB Pro
Just cooked with Sam's choice charcoal briquettes, just opened a new bag.

Made ribs and chicken. Started ribs Minion methed about 15 or so lit Sam's briquettes, on top of about 3/4 ring of unlit Sam's.

Cooked about 2.5 hrs at 260-270 lid temp, foiled empty water pan. Foiled the ribs added second cooking grate on top of (stock) upper grate, removed water pan. Put the chicken lg. qtrs on stock uppper grate and foiled ribs on top grate. Open up all the vents temp went to about 325 lid. Cooked chicken .5 hr turned cooked another .5 hrs.

Foiled ribs had quite a bit of ashes on the "tin foil". I did not stir the charcoal, only thing was I removed the middle section to then remove the water pan.

Can't understand why the ashes buildup on the tin foil. Have to assume there were ashes on the chicken as well, although I couln't tell by looking.

Anyone shed any light on what I might have done to cause this.

Thanks
 
Matt

Yes, that's right the ashes appeard after removing the water pan and reassembling the WSM.
I also opened all the bottom vents to increase the temp at the same time.

Do you think putting the middle section back on the charcoal bowl, might have jarred the charcoal ??
 
It could have happened durring re-assembly or it could have been the drippings from the chicken hitting the ashes causing the fly away.

Did you open the door at any time during the cook?
 
flying ash is a given using charcoal. i just consider it extra flavor. if i was worried about ash, i'd go all gas.
 
I got pretty many cooks under my belt with "charcoal Briquettes".

This is the most ash build up I have seen.

I have cooked chicken like this (no water pan), many times also, again never had this problem.

Only conclusion I can come to is must have been when I reassembled the cooker put the middle section back on the cooker. Maybe I should have waited a few minutes before putting the food back on the cooker.

Thanks all for your inputs.
 
Hey John,

I fired up the WSM a little bit ago with lump and no water pan. Put on some bacon for Pig Candy using a disposable rack over a drip pan. A few minutes ago, it was time to turn the bacon and apply the sugar & heat. When I lifted the lid,,,,,,

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Ashes were flying everywhere!!!

Some thoughts----All vents were 100% open, so that creates a good "draft" and vertical air movement. At the moment I lifted the lid, a gust of wind came along which could have helped stir up the ash.

We'll never know for sure, but like others have said, it's part of the game.

JimT
 
as mentioned you get some ash regardless, drippings will make more ash airbourne

try dumping some water on the coals to see a real plume!

lump ash has generally been fluffier and lighter IME, but it bothers me less than briq ash if it's natural no additive lump
 
I'l have to watch closley next time, I cook chicken with the fat dripping on the coals.

Also it was pretty windy that day, although I have a make shift windbreak.

The good news is, the skin sure was crispy.

Ribs were great to, we ate those today for lunch will finish the chicken for supper.

Thanks all
 
i noticed one thing not mentioned. if you take off the lid quickely you will get ashes flying. if you lift straight up the same will happen. so take the lid off slowly and to the side. btdt.
 
George

I think I'm guilty of taking off the lid faster than I probably should.

Also during the chicken cook, When i flipped the chicken I hsd the door propped open a little maybe that had some effect on it to.

Dave/G

I had an ash problem but nothing like that one.

Thanks
 
Never really had a problem with ashes unless it is windy or I when I had coals sometimes to the wsm.

I did notice they where flying of floating yesterday and I was using lump.

They don't bother me to much in regards to the food taste the same but they are kinda annoying.
 
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