Lid Down, Temp Down?


 
D

Doug M

TVWBB Member
It seems like every time I dump a chimney full of smoking hot charcoal onto the charcoal grate of my OTG, put the cooking grate in place, and close the lid, the next time I open the lid (10-15 min later) my nice hot fire is gone. I always wait until flames are coming out the top of the chimney and the coals are covered in grey ash before pouring them out. Bottom and top vents are fully open but I can't seem to get the temp back up high enough to put a good sear on some strip loins. If I leave the lid off completely the fire gets out of control hot and flare ups become a problem.

Any suggestions on what I may be doing wrong? Thanks all.
 
I think you might be waiting too long to dump your coals. I'm thinking waiting until the top coals are ashed over, the bottom coals are very close to spent. I recommend letting the top coals just start to catch indicated by the edges ashed. Hope that makes sence.
 
I'm going to try dumping it a bit sooner tonight, and I'll use my remote thermometer to see what temp I'm getting with the lid down.

As a guide I've been using a 15 minute start time for lump and 20-30 for briquettes, and pre-heating with the lid closed for 10-15 minutes after that.

Stay tuned...
 
Doug M said:
I'm going to try dumping it a bit sooner tonight, and I'll use my remote thermometer to see what temp I'm getting with the lid down.

As a guide I've been using a 15 minute start time for lump and 20-30 for briquettes, and pre-heating with the lid closed for 10-15 minutes after that.

Stay tuned...
Click to expand...
Doug there is no need to preheat a kettle grill, the metal is so thin its heated as soon as you dump the coals. I use KBB 100% of the time and its ready in 15 minutes.
 
I'm with Noe...the 10 to 15 minutes you may have read or heard about would be the 10 or 15 minutes needed to get the briquettes ashed over...you don't need another 10 to 15 after that. Whether you let them get completely ashed over in the chimney or dump sooner, as soon as they're ashed over, you're ready to cook.

Also for searing steak you might consider lump charcoal...it burns hotter than briquettes, just not as long or as uniform.
 
Good advice about leaving my coals in the chimney for too long, but still don't think I'm there yet.

I used half a chimney full of Royal Oak briquettes tonight, 7.5 min in the chimney then dumped them out to preheat the cooking grate with the lid closed for another 7.5 min. Grill was ready to cook sooner but still not the smoking hot I'm looking for. Probably should have used a full chimney, also wondering if I am spreading out the coals on the grate too much (try to keep them roughly two layers deep).

My Maverick thermometer is only good to 575 before it maxes out so not sure what the grate temp was after it evens out with the lid down.

Thinking cast iron cooking grates might hold some more residual heat too.
 
leave the lid offset just a bit, maybe 1/4" or 3/8", like you meant to put it on right but oops you didn't.

More air = higher temperature.
 
I like to dump coals into a pile right before they are ready, get the grate on (no lid yet) & pre-heated/cleaned as the coals are getting ready. I then use a long sprinkler key (red neck, I know!) that I slide between the grate wires to spread the coals. Meat on immediately. I may wait a minute or 2 before putting the lid on to get max temps at the grate.
Clints advise to offset the lid should help. You can also elevate your coals with a 2nd coal grate & bricks. Or, if you are just cooking for yourself & the missus, you can get a great sear on a Smokey Joe (less space between food & fire). Other than that, cast iron grates will be your best bet. Good luck.
 
I think you're not using enough charcoal and/or spreading it out too much. Two layers deep isn't going the reach the "critical mass" that you're looking for. Pile them deep and concentrated in an area just large enough to fit your steaks.

Cast iron grates are great, but they're not going to answer the problem you're facing right now...in fact they might make it worse. It takes energy to get them hot!

Fire up a full chimney, dump in in the middle of the grate, take a pair of tongs and stack the charcoal in a tight, deep pile right where you're going to cook.
 
90% of the time I do a two zone fire so I can have coals 3-4 deep at one end of the kettle (does a kettle have an end?) for a high heat sear and a cooler zone to keep things from getting to much heat. I get great sears using that method.
Also agree with others who say you may be waiting to long to dump your coals.
 
For searing meat dump the blazing and ashed coals, put the meat grate on then allow 3 or 4 minutes for the grate to get hot and then brush the grates our just rub with crumpled foil. Now, throw the meat on for the sear. Flare ups are ok just turn/roll the meat frequently to keep it from burning and as soon as the preferred sear is achieved move the meat to indirect (thin cuts may be done at this point) to come up to temperature. A good (thermapen) digital thermometer to check internal temperature is a must in my book to determine correct doneness consistently. The lid never goes down until the meat is moved to indirect. I am not in the flip only once camp.

For steaks and some other cuts of meat sear/cook as said above but I elevate the charcoal grate to where the coals are touching or very close to touching the meat grate and the fire is very hot.

Try this and some of the other suggestions and you will come up with something that you are comfortable and successful with. Remember...practice makes perfect.
 
Another thing. What brand of chimney starter are you using? I ask this because when I got started I was using a small off brand and I could never achieve the reported results because the weber chimney everyone uses on this board holds much more charcoal than what I was using. If you are not using a full size weber chimney I recommend you get one.
 
It's all about getting to know your equipment.
We have all done it, just move on to the next cook and learn from the previous one :wsm:

Tim
 
Doug M said:
Good advice about leaving my coals in the chimney for too long, but still don't think I'm there yet.

I used half a chimney full of Royal Oak briquettes tonight, 7.5 min in the chimney then dumped them out to preheat the cooking grate with the lid closed for another 7.5 min. Grill was ready to cook sooner but still not the smoking hot I'm looking for. Probably should have used a full chimney, also wondering if I am spreading out the coals on the grate too much (try to keep them roughly two layers deep).
My Maverick thermometer is only good to 575 before it maxes out so not sure what the grate temp was after it evens out with the lid down.

Thinking cast iron cooking grates might hold some more residual heat too.
Click to expand...

Doug if you want to maintain temps above 450 add a second exhaust vent opposite the original exhaust vent.
 
I use two fire bricks set on edge to separate my kettle in half. I dump a full Weber Chimney of Kingsford Original behind the bricks making a two zone fire. The hot side is several coals deep (I spread them evenly after dumping). NOW, I have a VERY hot fire for a tremendous sear.



Keep on smokin,
Dale53:wsm:
 
If you want to do a hot sear first, you can start like in Roberts picture above and leave the lid off to start. You must watch carefully and NOT walk away.
Then when you have your sear, you can finish indirect with the lid on. It works well.
 
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