How many coals to start for spare ribs?


 
K

KenB

TVWBB Fan
It seems Im lighting too much coal in my chimney when using the minion method. How many lit coals should I add to my unlit when cooking ribs? I want to slow down the burning kingford. I've been using 40 to a full chimney and spreading on t of a 2/3 filled chamber.
 
I guess it also matters which cooker is used. Getting to temp in a 14.5" requires less lit than a 22.5". I think Chris uses an 18.5".
 
I use the "Tin Can" Minion method and use 8 briqs in the Mini-Joe and 14.5" and use 12 in the 18.5". I get a consistent start every time.







Using the two smaller smokers, I let them come up to temperature (typically 275 degrees for ribs and butts) then close down the vents to a pre-determined place to maintain that temperature.

On the other hand, with the 18.5" I find it works better to start closing down at 200 degrees so that I don't overshoot the target temperature.

I always fill the charcoal basket on all smokers (around the tin can). After the smoke is over, I immediately close down all vents and save the coals for my grills. I make a practice of using only new coals in the smoker for consistency. The only exception, is that I will use old coals when doing a "Hot and Fast" chicken as these are quick cooks.

I find it more efficient to start my coals when doing a tin can minion start using the silverware caddy and the Performer gas starter. Before I got the Performer, I used one Weber starter cube in the caddy. I would light it in the center of the body and carefully place my chosen number of briqs on top of the burning flame.

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
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Thanks for the replies. Do you let the wood char over before putting your meat on? Seems like you would have to put the wood chunks right on the center coals using the tin can method.Also, how long does it take for the smoker to come up to temp(250-275) when using 10-12 briquettes? Chuck/Dave, are you spreading the coals over unlit or condensing them in the middle and letting them burn outwards? Dwain, how many coals are in a 1/3 a large chimney?

I use the 18.5" WSM.
 
KenB;
You can see the placement of the wood when using the tin can minion method. When you pull the can, the hot coals soon start the wood smoking. My smokers get up to temp in less than thirty minutes. Sometimes considerably less. I use a Maverick 732 so I know what grate temperature is. I use no water and foil the pan (no other heat sink).

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
When lighting 10-12 coals, I dump them on top of the unlit and keep them concentrated in the middle of the ring. I let it burn for a few and then start assembling my smoker. Once I have the water pan in place I throw in the wood chunks. One on the lit coals and the other chunks not too far away from the lit coals. I then put the meat on the smoker. Remember when making ribs to cut down on the amount of wood so it doesn't over power the meat with smoke flavor. Doing it this way takes about an hour for the smoker to come up to temp. Hope this helps!
 
Robert McGee said:
I always fill the charcoal basket on all smokers (around the tin can). After the smoke is over, I immediately close down all vents and save the coals for my grills. I make a practice of using only new coals in the smoker for consistency. The only exception, is that I will use old coals when doing a "Hot and Fast" chicken as these are quick cooks.

Dale53:wsm:
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I followed this advice from TVWB when I first got my 18.5 and I haven't looked back. I use the same amount of coal for each cook, long or short, and don't worry about it. I keep the left over in a metal trash can and reuse it.
 
I use 1/2 chimmney on low and slow 225 and a almost full on hotter cooks. Simple and easy. I've never counted charcoals. Seems to reason, more hot coals equals a hotter fire. Less coals equals a less hot fire. Not trying to win a competition, just trying to make good food.
 
Ken I do make a void in the middle of my ring and do not use a tin can but do place the coals right in the middle I do not scatter them around on the unlit coals, my wood is through out the unlit coals so I would guess the wood does not catch for 45 minutes or so, smoker comes up to temp in about a 1/2 hr. I don't use water. hope this helps
Dave
 
I do almost exactly what Rob does, good advise that has served me well for many years. I also have started using a lot less wood the past couple of years and no wood if using lump.
 
Bill,

When using lump do you use water and the tin can method?I hear lump burns hotter. I bought the Low and Slow book and the author is adamant about using lump. Hopefully this rain stops and I can cook some ribs tomorrow.
 
Chuck Simon said:
When lighting 10-12 coals, I dump them on top of the unlit and keep them concentrated in the middle of the ring. I let it burn for a few and then start assembling my smoker. Once I have the water pan in place I throw in the wood chunks. One on the lit coals and the other chunks not too far away from the lit coals. I then put the meat on the smoker. Remember when making ribs to cut down on the amount of wood so it doesn't over power the meat with smoke flavor. Doing it this way takes about an hour for the smoker to come up to temp. Hope this helps!
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Chuck

I'm cooking some ribs with the coals set up like yours. I used Soo's method of keeping one bottom vent open, closing the other two and regulating the temp with the top vent. Cooker is holding steady at 275. What I don't understand is why when I close the top vent a little the temp goes up and when I open the vent up the temp goes down. This seems opposite of using the bottom vents to control temp. How are you controlling the vents and what settings of the vents are you using?
 
hey KEn The Reason Is That When You Close The Top Vent You Keep The Heat And Gases In More And When You OpeN The Vent The More The Heat And GasesEscape
 
The ribs came out good but I cooked them a bit to long. The ribs fell off the bone too easily. I foiled after 2 hours but probably didn't need to as they bent fairly easily but I thought they looked dry. I think I will cook at 250 next time instead of 275 and mop for the first few hours. Also did not use any water in the pan. Soo's method of leaving one vent on the bottom open and using the top vent to regulate worked well and I adjusted the vents much less than when using the bottom vents to regulate temp. It did take a very long time to come up to my initial temp using 15 lit coals. I'm curious as to how others control temp using the vents.
 
KenB said:
Chuck

I'm cooking some ribs with the coals set up like yours. I used Soo's method of keeping one bottom vent open, closing the other two and regulating the temp with the top vent. Cooker is holding steady at 275. What I don't understand is why when I close the top vent a little the temp goes up and when I open the vent up the temp goes down. This seems opposite of using the bottom vents to control temp. How are you controlling the vents and what settings of the vents are you using?
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I used to leave the top vent open all the time. I read Soo's method and it made sense to me. I tried using it and had issues controlling my temps, so I went back to leaving the top vent wide open and started adjusting the bottom vent to control my air flow.
 
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