Falling temp


 
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Keith Wittman

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I put 3 slabs of bb's on the top grate with skewers. All bottom vents are 100% open, but the temp will not get up to 225. It keeps dropping to about 160 and then I open the door to raise it. I've smoked many times without a temp problem, but I've never had 3 slabs on at once. Does the amount of meat cause the temp to drop?
 
Keith,
There has to be some reason why you're not getting any airflow. Could something have happened earlier to extinguish the coals?
 
Keith

The meat acts as a heat sink so the more you have on, the more heat it will take up. However 3 slabs doesn't seem like that much. Are you using MM or standard? With MM you may not have enough lit coals. Could your threm be off? My solution at this point in the cook would be to add more lit coals and be ready to close your vents down if the temp rises too quickly.

Paul
 
Keith, I lit a half a chimney for MM (full ring unlit) today and I have 4 racks on. It took 1 hour for the temp to get to 225 (all vents wide open) and it was locked in (another 2 hours) until I just foiled. Now I have 2 fully closed (upwind) and 1 open (downwind)and trying to lower it a little from 250. Did you use hot water in the pan? Let us know what gives when you add more fuel.
 
I was rushing because I'm suppose to have the ribs done by 7pm for some neighbors. So, I used the MM but I put the ribs on before it even got to 225. The heat totally sank. After adding another chimmey of lit coals, it is holding steady at 227 with the vents half closed. I definitely think I didn't have enough lit coals to keep the temp up. Thanks for the advice, this forum saved me from dispointed neighbors.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I used the MM but I put the ribs on before it even got to 225. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>When using the MM, try putting the meat on right away as you assemble the WSM. Then you are not changing anything but vent settings as you come up on temp and control your temps.
 
Count out the number of coals you put in the chimney, when doing the MM. Next time put in more or less depending on how the previous smoke went.
 
Keith

I think your big problem was you had people to feed at a time certain and you were anxious. I can well understand that because it invariablly happens to me. Best advise might be to plan on completing 2 hrs ahead of eating time and then use foil and an ice chest to hold. However, I know, it's more fun for everyone to "check the grill and watch you take it off."

Reread MM in the cooking section. Meat should be added when the cooker is assembled. With water it will take some serious time to get up to the 225., but it will gradually be rising as the coals light rather than falling when you put the cold meat on at 225. If you think about, using standard, you put the meat on when it comes down to around 300 so it then falls into the 225 range.

Good luck, remember, we all learning something with each cook.

Paul
 
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