First time Charcoal user.


 
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Mike Rockwood

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OK, so I abandoned the Edison Method and jumped to the Minion Method this past weekend. When my ribs were done, I closed down all the vents in the WSM to put out the fire/coals. Is this what you do? Should I have left the vents open to fully burn off the briquettes? Now that the smoker is cool, I'm cleaning up after yesterday's smoke and I'm finding small pieces of charcoal. They are about a third of a full piece, hold their shape when dropped, but when squeezed, they pulverize with a small amount of pressure. They are gray on the outside, and black internally. Are these worth saving and re-using? Just dump them? Go for a total burn when I'm done cooking and leave the vents open?
 
Mike,

After a cook, I close down all the vents and the coals will be extinguished within an hour or so. You could leave the vents open and let them burn out, but with the WSM’s efficiency that will likely take hours (and create a hazard if you’ve got kids running around) and is a waste of fuel as I see it.

Here’s what I’ve done to make working with the ashes and dead coals from the previous cook easier. Using the charcoal grate as a pattern, I cut a couple of rounds of ?” hardware cloth (about $2 worth) a slightly smaller diameter than the grate. With the hardware cloth on top of the grate, I secured the charcoal ring to the grate in several places with some copper electrical wire I had lying around.

Before the next cook, I simply lift the grate and ring as a single unit from the base of the WSM and give it a few shakes in a drainage ditch behind my place. The hardware cloth acts as a screed and the dead ashes and bits of charcoal too small to do any good will fall easily through. (Be sure to stand upwind!) The larger pieces remain in the ring and get used during the next cook. They’ll light and burn pretty easily, provided they haven’t soaked up too much humidity in the interim.

I also make cleaning the grates easier after a cook by putting them on the charcoal ring and letting the crud burn off to a fine ash while the coals die out.

Hope this helps.

Ken
 
Hi Mike!

I do it either way. It all depends on how much charcoal I have left.....if it is a lot, I will close down and snuff it out. I then use this for my next cook.

If just a few left, I let them burn out. I take the unit apart and let the coals burn until finished.

You will soon become an expert at gauging how much charcoal you need for each type of cook.

Sounds like you're having fun!
 
yup - having a ball is right! I'm off cabin-camping with "da' guys" this coming weekend, up in the White Mtns of New Hampshire. I'm expecting to re-heat the ribs I did last weekend, over high, direct heat. I also took some previously frozen pulled pork butt, and made a chili out of it. I think they're going to be spoiled! It's an awesome way to use up leftovers. I cooked extra planning to have the leftovers. The smokiness of the pork runs all through the chili, yet when you chew up a pices, it's still more smoky than the flavor in the sauce. Good stuff!

I think I'm asking questions that I have not seen posted, or didn't turn up in a search.

Ken - I like the idea of fixing the charcoal ring to the grate and being able to pick up the thing and give it a shake. I've even got some thick gauge, scrap copper wiring that I'll strip and use. Not familiar with harder cloth, so I'll have to go off in search for it.

Thanks again for all the good advice.
 
Mike,

What we like to do after a cook is grab some marshmellows and roast them. Just take off the access door and have at it. You could eat a whole bag very quickly!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
----------------
Mark WAR EAGLE!!
 
Mike,

As the name suggests, hardware cloth can be found at most hardware stores and building centers. It's basically a small gauge wire woven into a mesh with 1/4" spacing between the wires. Other spacings are available but I settled on the 1/4" for my WSM.

I think a 2' x 6' roll costs around $5 and cuts easily with tin snips.

Give it a try and see how it works.

Ken
 
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