Minion method with new Kingsford...


 
R

Rob

TVWBB Fan
Not realizing there was such a difference with the new charcoal, I did the minion methold the normal way on Sat. It was 100 degrees with no wind. I lit the coals in a charcoal lighter for 30 minutes filled to the top. I had 1/2 lit of unlit in the ring. I threw the lit on top of the unlit after 30 minutes (too long?) I had a lot of trouble getting it up to 230 or higher with 2 racks of chicken pieces that were out of the refrig for an hour. Coal seemed to burn really fast too... By the end of a 3 hour cook I had trouble keeping 200 (I had to keep the vents open because the temps weren't where I wanted them)

A very bad cook... luckily i had my grill going and just finished the pieces off on the grill...

what happened?
 
Rob,

I just done the MM last night for some buckboard bacon with new kingsford with no problems. I started with 1/2 ring of unlit and added aobut 25 lit on top, assembled WSM and started closing vents at 190 or so. Added some chunks of wood for smoke and it held at 200-210 for 5 hours on the bacon without touching it anymore. This was done with a full pan of sand covered in foil.

What did you have in the pan? Water or sand in the pan will absorb most of the heat. For a high temp cook I leave the pan empty or sometimes completely out. The top grate should get to 280 - 300 with the fuel you used without the pan in place or at least a foil lined empty pan.

Also you might check your themos. That sounds like alot of fuel for no more temps than you are showing. I checked all my thermometers last night only to find out they were registering 20 - 30 degrees low, so I know I have a thermometer problem going on.

Randy
 
I had no problem getting to 200, but the 240 to 250 with all vents open was extremely hard, and it didn't hold long... Plus I needed new coals for a 5 hour cook... I had two temperature gauges on the grill too.... both read the same
 
I'll preface by saying I'm new in both using the Weber bullet and barbecuing in general, but yesterday I used the Minion method with the new Kingsford charcoal by pouring half a chimney of lit coals on a full (stuffed) ring of charcoal at 6:30am, and when I pulled the butts eighteen hours later it still had glowing coals and the lid temp was at 260, recently climbing there from 240 (I'd decided to push the lid temp to 255/260, as I was getting tired. Most of the day (from 11:30am to 9:45pm) was with the vents fully closed. I've never used the old Kindsford in a smoker, so can't compare, but I expected to add coals and never had to do so.

The day had very slight occasional breezes, temps in the low nineties (cooler than it had been), partly cloudy.

Oh, and the pulled barbecue was fantastic.

Rick
 
Originally posted by Rick R:
I'll preface by saying I'm new in both using the Weber bullet and barbecuing in general,

Oh, and the pulled barbecue was fantastic.

Rick
Click to expand...

WAY TO GO RICK!!
 
WAY TO GO RICK!!
Click to expand...

Thanks, Rich. It was sort of a spur of the moment decision to do the butts; I was going to do chickens, but the store I went to was out of whole chickens . . . but they had these real good looking cryovac package of pork butts.

Rick
 
Rick, I too did a recent 18 hour cook with one ring of coals (new K) but only used 12 lit to start it. Like you, it was still burning when I took the butts off. Not sure why Rob was having such a short burn time and low temps. Almost sounds like some liquid got spilled on the coals. Probably not but just a thought.
 
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