Just can't maintain high temps


 
Sorry, I guess I missed the name on the stone.

Are you lighting one chimney, adding it, then lighting another? That's what I thought you were doing. Unless you are working with multiple chimneys, then your fuel is burning away before you start cooking.

When you do it the way I suggested, your charcoal ring acts as one big chimney. This is referred to as the "Standard Method" in the VWB web site:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup1.html#standard

You can also do low/slow cooking this way, but you'll have to close down some vents to tame the heat.
 
I have used both my chimneys at once and I've also done as you describe. The results were pretty much the same. The temps are high at first but then they settle around 275 pretty quickly and stay there.
 
When you say that you've done as I said, do you mean that you filled the ring to the top with unlit, on top of a full chimney of lit, and let it all light? Did you have a full ring of lit coals when you assembled the cooker? Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I just don't see how you could do that and not keep high temps, as long as you had a dry pan and all your vents open.

I'm beginning to doubt your thermometer.
 
I am sure you haven't overlooked this, but it dosen't appear to be mentioned, have you verified your thermometer?

Although I use lump, opening the door after a five hour 260* rib cook easily raised my temps to 350* for carmelizing, yesterday.
 
I'm not trying to stump you David, but I'm talking about a full ring of fully lit coals (lit either by the std method or by chimney starters), and temps verified on different cooks with 3 reliable thermometers. Two are TelTru as seen here, mounted like you see here (scroll to the bottom to see the mounting technique and position in the lid) and also with the thermometer out of my Genesis gasser through the top vent. All give similar readings.
 
Kirk,, follow the fire preperation method mentioned here.

That seem's to work good for me at keeping my temp's constant at around the 350 mark.
 
I noticed you said it was 95º out. I have been noticing that with extreme high temps and hunidity to match and no wind it is much more difficult to maintain desired temp. Two weeks ago under those conditions had the fire go out during the middle of the night (that has never happened before) on the WSM. Last weekend, under again the same conditions, used my Chargriller offset and could get temps barely above 200º. On the offset usually have trouble keeping temps below 275º.

I believe that with the heavy air you are just not getting sufficient airflow through your cooker. I can maintain higher consistent temps when the outside air temp is -10º.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JimT:
...I don't believe that cracking the door a little will help raise the temp. In fact, I believe it actually will make the temperature drop, based on my own experiences. ... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I've seen it work very well, I lean a 2x4 up against the door to hold it up and it works fine. It will help a choked fire recover, get one last ooomph out of a fading fire, or raise the temp substantially in a full burn. I wouldn't use the technique early on in a Minion Method cook though. Might not be desireable to do on a windy day either.
 
Well, it's supposed to be 85 and not as humid this weekend so I'm going to give it one more try. This time I'll be absolutely sure to:
start with no ash in the cooker
use a new bag of new K
light w/the std method, full ring
have all vents open 100%
wait until all coals are fully ashed over
use a dry (foiled) pan
assemble the cooker
get it up to temp before putting the meat on

I'll be ready with my door prop and possibly a fan. Oh, and I'll have enough beer to last me though a standard low temp cook, just in case.
icon_wink.gif
 
The typical scenario is that, once you assemble the cooker, the temp will shoot up to around 500° or more, and then begin to decline. When it comes down to about 425, quickly put the meat on, and close it back up. The temp will drop sharply, but should rebound to about 325-350°. If it doesn't settle in after about 20-30 minutes, consider propping the door open. On an 85° day, I don't think you'll have to, though.
 
I think when you mentioned the need for a pressure washing, you might have been right. Clean the bullet and if that doesn't work, sneak your wife's blow dryer out and use it to bring the temp up. Works like a charm on steaks, John E
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Randy P.:
Kirk,

Leave the water pan out completely. Usually for me with a full lit chimney and no water pan I can keep temps above 300 for 4 or 5 hours with all vents wide open.

Randy </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Randy, if you leave the water pan out, do you put foil under the meat to protect it from all that direct heat?
 
I've had no trouble getting temps up. I had the door off, the neighbor asked me a question from across the fence, I got sidetracked for about 10 minutes and when I went back to my little R2D2, the temp was hovering close to 500 degrees at the lid. Installed the door and let the temp come down.
I do work with a couple guys that have Bullets, and they do have a problem keeping higher temps. One can't get over 300 and the other can get to 300 but not stay there. I didn't have any answers for them except to check this forum for answers.
 
I know this is probably beside the point and something you've surely aready looked into...

But it would surprise me if you could get up to 300,° much less hold it, if you have water in your pan. Water boils at 220° at sea level and when it boils it evaporates. The water in the steam would tend to cool down the air in the barrel as it cooled.

I put a ceramic flowerpot base in my WSM instead of the water pan and I get 300°-350° easy and I've got leaks and the main section is out of round and I made a new charcoal ring and backed my charcoal grate out of expanded metal (maybe not as much air flow). I might be able to get 400° or even higher but I've never tried.

Just a thought...
 
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