Fuel usage and temp too low?
- Thread starter Werner
- Start date
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Werner:
Hey Dave...
That much difference on opposite sides of the lid?
Werner </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yep, let's say you want to cook a couple of pork butts at 235. Well, you don't have to take my word for it. Going by Chris A's data here on his site, you need to have a probe temp of about 250, hanging in the vent. However, those two pork butts are gonna help shield the lid from heat on the side opposite of the stream of circulation. It might only read 210 or so at the start of a cook.
Hey Dave...
That much difference on opposite sides of the lid?
Werner </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yep, let's say you want to cook a couple of pork butts at 235. Well, you don't have to take my word for it. Going by Chris A's data here on his site, you need to have a probe temp of about 250, hanging in the vent. However, those two pork butts are gonna help shield the lid from heat on the side opposite of the stream of circulation. It might only read 210 or so at the start of a cook.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Werner:
I mispoke... water temp in the bowl is 200, not 210. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Too low, even for low-n-slow.
I like to cook 225-250 measured at the vent (unless cooking w/ a dry foiled pan at higher heat.) You can bump it up hotter and get good results, but the water pan will need to be refilled much more often.
Check to make sure none of the vents are restricted by ash or briquettes. You need more air to the coals or more lit charcoal.
I mispoke... water temp in the bowl is 200, not 210. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Too low, even for low-n-slow.
I like to cook 225-250 measured at the vent (unless cooking w/ a dry foiled pan at higher heat.) You can bump it up hotter and get good results, but the water pan will need to be refilled much more often.
Check to make sure none of the vents are restricted by ash or briquettes. You need more air to the coals or more lit charcoal.
Thanks so much everyone...
Chicken came out OK, although I think I left it on a bit long.
So, Glen/Dave, should the water temp be at 212, boiling?
Also, do people rotate the lid around to sort of mix up the air stream flow throughout the cook or is that a little overkill?
Thanks again. This has been a big help. I was gonna make this my last BBQ for the season but Im eager to try one more before retiring for the season. I dont usually BBQ after the snow flies.
Chicken came out OK, although I think I left it on a bit long.
So, Glen/Dave, should the water temp be at 212, boiling?
Also, do people rotate the lid around to sort of mix up the air stream flow throughout the cook or is that a little overkill?
Thanks again. This has been a big help. I was gonna make this my last BBQ for the season but Im eager to try one more before retiring for the season. I dont usually BBQ after the snow flies.
MKEvenson
TVWBB Wizard
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Werner:
Thanks so much everyone...
Im eager to try one more before retiring for the season. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Werner, Say it ain't so..... So much meat, so little time. Life is tooooooo short to put away the BBQ. Our new motto "SMOKE SHEDS IN EVERY YARD" Keep on smokin'
Mark
Thanks so much everyone...
Im eager to try one more before retiring for the season. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Werner, Say it ain't so..... So much meat, so little time. Life is tooooooo short to put away the BBQ. Our new motto "SMOKE SHEDS IN EVERY YARD" Keep on smokin'
Mark
Werner, maybe I misspoke or something. When I use to use water I never checked or worried about the water temp. The vent temp and the factory guage are going to be off by 10-20 because they are in 2 diff places reading 2 diff things. Pick one and adjust your time to it. As I said before 225-300 is bbq'n.
Good luck
Good luck
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Werner:
Thanks so much everyone...
Chicken came out OK, although I think I left it on a bit long.
So, Glen/Dave, should the water temp be at 212, boiling?
Also, do people rotate the lid around to sort of mix up the air stream flow throughout the cook or is that a little overkill?
Thanks again. This has been a big help. I was gonna make this my last BBQ for the season but Im eager to try one more before retiring for the season. I dont usually BBQ after the snow flies. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Like Glen said, I wouldn't worry about the water temp, but if cooking chicken, you want to cook a little higher and I'd expect the water to be at boiling of 212 at sea level if your vents are all open. (For poultry, I don't use water, but foil the pan w/ an air gap to keep the drippings from burning and open the vents all the way. I might even turn the door upside down and crack it and use lump to get the cooker over 325 for the duration.)
Don't worry about the position of the lid. Folks don't seem to see much point to rotating it, or rotating/flippin' meat, for that matter. You might have heard the saying, "If you're lookin', you're not cookin'." The only thing is, if you overcook, you wish you'd been lookin'.
Speaking of cookin', make you a windbreak, and don't let old man winter hold you down.
Heck, some folks have used the cardboard box the wsm came in.
Thanks so much everyone...
Chicken came out OK, although I think I left it on a bit long.
So, Glen/Dave, should the water temp be at 212, boiling?
Also, do people rotate the lid around to sort of mix up the air stream flow throughout the cook or is that a little overkill?
Thanks again. This has been a big help. I was gonna make this my last BBQ for the season but Im eager to try one more before retiring for the season. I dont usually BBQ after the snow flies. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Like Glen said, I wouldn't worry about the water temp, but if cooking chicken, you want to cook a little higher and I'd expect the water to be at boiling of 212 at sea level if your vents are all open. (For poultry, I don't use water, but foil the pan w/ an air gap to keep the drippings from burning and open the vents all the way. I might even turn the door upside down and crack it and use lump to get the cooker over 325 for the duration.)
Don't worry about the position of the lid. Folks don't seem to see much point to rotating it, or rotating/flippin' meat, for that matter. You might have heard the saying, "If you're lookin', you're not cookin'." The only thing is, if you overcook, you wish you'd been lookin'.
Speaking of cookin', make you a windbreak, and don't let old man winter hold you down.