Low Temps...


 
B

Brad Greer

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi everyone. I was doing some cooking on Saturday, and had a real hard time keeping my temps where I wanted them. They were running way low. I was trying to cook at 275, but initially 200 was a stretch.
I think it might have been a few issues...First, it was 20* outside. I was using a TCD. I had a good quantity of partially burned coals leftover from a previous cook, so I just dumped a little new charcoal on top the partially burned, and then lit about 3/4 of a chimney and dumped it on top of that.
It had been a few weeks since my previous cook and I think that moisture from rain and snow (humidity, not direct) affected my temps...Does this sound normal? Anybody ever have problems like this?

Thanks,

Brad
 
It was your coal, what was it? its -20 to -30 f here, so i can promise you its not the ouside temps. i re use coal in my grills or to preheat a smoker only. i always use new stuff to do longer low and slows
 
Brad;
I don't pretend to actually KNOW what is/was going on with your smoker. However, Grant may have hit on the reason. I always save the partially burnt coals but store them in an "extra" grill and use them when I am grilling. I ALWAYS, start with fresh charcoal in my smokers. I want a definite KNOWN entity when trying to do "low and slow" and I know that I can depend on new briquettes to give me a consistent output.

I use the "tin can Minion Method" and start with 12 coals regardless of temperatures. It seems to work well in a variety of temperatures. However, I confess that I have NOT been grilling at the sub-zero temps we have been experiencing.

FWIW
Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
Brad , you didn't mention how much meat you had on your smoker. I had a very similar experience last week. I was cooking four of the thickest racks of spareribs I have ever cooked on my 18 WSM . I even was using a bunch of used charcoal , like you. I also had a pretty good load of new charcoal. I was running with an empty water pan and I anticipated hot temps , but like you I found the smoker struggling to hit 200... I finally put it down to the heat sink properties of all that cold meat. I think a lot of my heat was being absorbed just warming up the ribs.
 
I had a similar problem on Saturday, I lit a a whole chimney full of leftover coal and it took about an hour to fully light. After I put it in the smoker with some fresh sprinkled on I still couldn't get the temp past 285 even with all the vents open. Not going to do that again in a hurry, will use any leftover coals I have sparingly from now on.
 
I have come to the conclusion that it was a combination of used charcoal and a pretty full load of meat.
Between the two, it amplified the situation.
Thanks everyone for your input.

Brad
 
Also if you're using water in the pan it will keep the temps low in the cold especially if it wasn't really hot water to begin with.
 
It could have been the used coals. Try putting more lit fuel in your WSM next time as well. I don't think it was too much your meat soaking up all that heat.. nothing to make a dramatic difference anyway.
 
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