Monty House
TVWBB Pro
First, some background.
I'm trying my first clay saucer cook today on some spares I trimmed into a St. Louis cut. (Ribtips & trimmings, too.)
I own a 18.5", so bought a 14" HD clay saucer, which I foiled. As others have said, it sits atop my std. Weber water pan, and the bottom rack effectively rests on it.
Did a 3/4 Minion w/ 30 lit. My target lid temp was 230. (My unit tends to run ~20 deg cooler at lid vs. grill.) Per advice I'd gotten here before, I started closing vents around 180-190 lid temp. (Two racks ribs on top; ribtips/trimmings on bottom.) I first closed to 50% on all three, then 25%.
At 45 min, lid at 235 so I close both windward vents (it's gusty up to about 10 MPH today) and 25% at leeward.
At 90 min. into the cook, I'm at 240-245 @ lid, so I close last remaining vent. All 0% open. Now, 2 1/2 hrs in, she's running between 255-260 lid. Again, no big deal--I know: "Don't chase temp."
My question is whether I can keep a lower constant, desired temp by more aggressively closing vents earlier in my cook? Or, is it like gravity, i.e., the temperature (based upon unit, # of briquettes, size/type of meat, etc.) is going to go to its "homeostasis" (in my case, 255-260) regardless of what I do?
If the former, then I have a "structural" issue, meaning maybe I either need to go back to water in the pan or should add sand, fire bricks, etc.
Curious to hear people's thoughts. Thanks.
PS Just want to reiterate that I'm not worried about my ribs. They'll be fine. I'm just trying to learn how to drive the machine as best as I can!
I'm trying my first clay saucer cook today on some spares I trimmed into a St. Louis cut. (Ribtips & trimmings, too.)
I own a 18.5", so bought a 14" HD clay saucer, which I foiled. As others have said, it sits atop my std. Weber water pan, and the bottom rack effectively rests on it.
Did a 3/4 Minion w/ 30 lit. My target lid temp was 230. (My unit tends to run ~20 deg cooler at lid vs. grill.) Per advice I'd gotten here before, I started closing vents around 180-190 lid temp. (Two racks ribs on top; ribtips/trimmings on bottom.) I first closed to 50% on all three, then 25%.
At 45 min, lid at 235 so I close both windward vents (it's gusty up to about 10 MPH today) and 25% at leeward.
At 90 min. into the cook, I'm at 240-245 @ lid, so I close last remaining vent. All 0% open. Now, 2 1/2 hrs in, she's running between 255-260 lid. Again, no big deal--I know: "Don't chase temp."
My question is whether I can keep a lower constant, desired temp by more aggressively closing vents earlier in my cook? Or, is it like gravity, i.e., the temperature (based upon unit, # of briquettes, size/type of meat, etc.) is going to go to its "homeostasis" (in my case, 255-260) regardless of what I do?
If the former, then I have a "structural" issue, meaning maybe I either need to go back to water in the pan or should add sand, fire bricks, etc.
Curious to hear people's thoughts. Thanks.
PS Just want to reiterate that I'm not worried about my ribs. They'll be fine. I'm just trying to learn how to drive the machine as best as I can!