Charcoal Issue in a Tropical Depression


 
D

Dave Russell

TVWBB Honor Circle
Thought I'd share about my pork butt smoke for the family reunion Saturday. First off, moisture was definately in the air, but my bag of Stubbs made it safely dry down to MS in the back of the car with my wsm. We were down there just a few hours before starting the cook after supper.

I loaded the ring and immediately lit with a torch. No problem. Water in the pan, meat on, and in a short while the temp is 235* measured through the top vent so I shut the vents about halfway. This start-up was with three good sized butts and was as quick as ever in getting up to temp.

HOWEVER, it didn't proceed as expected. I guess all the moisture in the air was just too much. Just a few hours later, I ended up opening the vents all the way when temps started to fall below 225*, and that still didn't do it. Stirring the coals didn't do it. Even lighting a few briqs in a chimney to throw on didn't do the job.....at least not long enough to matter.

The ONLY thing that let me FINALLY get some sleep was to take the cooker off the base and re-torch the coals. Thankfully, the Maverick didn't wake me up after that (around 3am) and I was able to get the pork tender by time to eat.

Anyone ever had anything like this happen? Not a drop of rain ever hit the briqs. The cooker was in the middle of a car port and the wind wasn't too bad. No more tropical smoking for me though unless I have an ATC for the wsm. I suppose a bbq guru or such would've been able to fan the coals enough for no issues.

What say you? If there was an issue with the charcoal shouldn't I had issues from the start? As to quality control issues, there was no more ash than usual. It's like the briqs just refused to burn with the amount of air given, and I should mention that the cooker started doing the very same thing at the very end of the cook before the last butt was tender.
 
Haven't had that happen exactly, but I did get a bad bag of Stubbs about 9 months ago. For whatever reason, I had to keep my vents at 100% just to keep my WSM at 225f. I hadn't experienced that problem before or since, but all the cooks I did with that one bag of Stubbs gave me problems.
 
Thanks, Sean.

I've had one other bag of Stubbs that acted similiar to this and what you described, but I was thinking it was probably all the moisture in the air this time. I will say though that I've never heard of anyone having this issue with K or lump.
 
From my experience Stubbs doesn't seem to burn as hot, but it lasts significantly longer than Kingsford & even Royal Oak lump.

These stories of waking up & having random temp issues is why I heart my Guru. Set and forget even in horrible weather conditions.
 
Thanks for the input, Mike. Actually, I find that Stubbs will smoke hotter AND longer than Kbb...at least in most weather conditions.

I'm really inclined to think the issue was all the moisture in the air, but then again, I hear about so many folks having no issues even smoking in the rain. Guru? Nah, we just need better temp management skills.
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ehh, I'm far too lazy to bolster my temp. skills.

I prefer the lazy sloth route of plugging in the Guru.
 
I hear ya. I guess ya noticed the sarcasm, but what does "temp management skills" have to do with it when the cooker is chugging along 240* at the top vent for a few hours, and then it plummets with plenty of fuel left and I haven't touched a thing?
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I just don't get it, so yes, there's a reason folks use ATC's.

For this cook, I just wonder if Kbb would've worked better, even if I'd had to knock the ash off the coals a couple of times.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">What say you? If there was an issue with the charcoal shouldn't I had issues from the start? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I've had this many times in Florida. The thing is, you did 'have issues from the start' - they just weren't noticeable at first because you started as usual (why wouldn't you?).

But the die were cast. Your okay temps at the beginning were due to the start. When the start faded nothing was there to pick it up.

What might have worked better was any fuel that was dryer from the get-go, i.e., anything new.

I have smoked in Florida in the rain quite often. I do not have problems - but I am used to it. Is it the same? No. I usually need to light more up front or find I need to add during cooking.

Still, not difficult at all, just different. I have a Guru but never have bothered with it just because of rain. Maybe it would have made it 'easier', but I don't find compensating for additional moisture in the air that big a deal. I guess that is one of the reasons why my Guru saw little use, and then no more.
 
Kevin, the humidity here in TN has been relatively low lately and the bag had been in my shed for two or three months. I took it down to MS and didn't open the bag until ready to start the cook, so I really can't think of anything I could have done differently other than just had better luck with a different bag, different weather...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell: the bag had been in my shed for two or three months. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hey Dave, It's amazing how humidity can affect charcoal.(even unopened) It's just packaged in a paper bag. Have you ever eaten potato chips or cheese puffs that that have been left out in a bowl for a few hours? I would imagine thats what happening to charcoal left out in the shed. I keep all my charcoal in a dry place in my house.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tim Quon:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell: the bag had been in my shed for two or three months. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hey Dave, It's amazing how humidity can affect charcoal.(even unopened) It's just packaged in a paper bag. Have you ever eaten potato chips or cheese puffs that that have been left out in a bowl for a few hours? I would imagine thats what happening to charcoal left out in the shed. I keep all my charcoal in a dry place in my house. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tim, I don't have any problems 99% of the time. The bags aren't on the floor, the shed is ventilated, and like I mentioned, it's actually been very dry and unseasonably low in humidity lately. I might start keeping any bags to be used for overnight cooks inside, though. Thanks for the input. I just think it's highly coincidental that on the very rare occasion that I have a charcoal issue I'm trying to smoke in a tropical depression.
 
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