Firedial

[MartinB]

Upon investigation, it was found that the drippings from the pork shoulder had dripped through the FD and stifled the briqs with drippings, (Minion).

I have not had this experience with multiple pork shoulder cooks using the FD.

So you think grease (i.e. flammable liquid) dripping into a hot fire...puts your fire out?

Lot of water too........

 

[Dave Z]

I have a PBC and I have WSM's. I definitely get a different taste on the PBC vs. the WSM but for my taste buds I would not say it's better. It is different, and while I like it occasionally, there are times I purposely avoid it.

Agree with this 100%. I have a Hunsaker Vortex Fire Basket which I now only use when doing chicken.

My family and I do not like it for other things. But that is just a matter of our taste buds.

For longer cooks, I use a water pan with a foil wrapped pizza pan on top of my water pan to make clean-up easier.

 

[David-B]

Im considering buying this for chicken-turkey cooks, I cooked some half chickens with pecan wood without the waterpan in the smoker and found the flavor interesting...my guests stated it was the best chicken that Ive ever produced ...my smoker still hovered below 300 so when the chicken breast hit 160 I took the lid off and let the smoker jump to 375-400 to crisp up the skin

I also cooked some baby backs using this method, the only way I can describe the flavor is it's not a pure smoke flavor...its a mixture of drippings smoke and the wood smoke...with chicken it works very well, the ribs were good but different...not sure I would risk a brisket using this method as the drippings smoke may overwhelm the wood smoke.

normally I use a dry water pan with a foiled cover that collects all the drippings, that produces a more pure wood smoke flavor imo

it also seemed like everything cooked faster, I need to retry the rib cook to determine which method I prefer

 

[EricV.]

Anyone using the firedial & hanging chicken or pieces, I would like to hear about their comments/concerns etc.

 

[David-B]

Anyone using the firedial & hanging chicken or pieces, I would like to hear about their comments/concerns etc.

I purchased the firedial and hunsaker hanging kit for my 18 after experimenting with cooking ribs and chicken without the waterpan inside the cooker , I love the added flavor to chicken and turkey by hanging it above the coals and using the lower cooking grate as insurance that food wont drop into the fire....the firedial does the same thing except it partially blocks the direct heat....I think I prefer just using the lower cooking grate to prevent the food from going in fire, I cant say for sure but I felt the flavor was better doing that way but it would be hard to prove...I think more juices get evaporated using the grate vs the firedial....

I Love the hunsaker hanging kit, I am converted to hanging whatever I can.....ribs I always cut in half in the past and doing that assures they will fit when using the lower grate. I always used a rib rack which I HATE cleaning afterwards, the little hooks in the hanging kit clean up easier.

The flavor, imo was off the charts good for chicken-turkey....for ribs I think I prefer a more pure smoke flavor so I will be putting the dry water pan with a cover in the cooker when doing ribs... I also dont think cooking something that has alot of fat in it like a pork butt or brisket would be to my liking over the direct fire either...I think the fat drippings burning in the fire would overwhelm the smoke flavor , with ribs I was kinda getting that impression

 

[David-B]

ps: the chicken and turkey skin is greatly improved cooking this way, the cooker likes to ride 250-275....about 5 degrees before hitting done temp I took the lid off and let the fire go crisping the skin up very nicely ...I also think cooking directly cooked things faster ...