Newbie questions about long/overnight cooks...


 
What kind of charcoal are you using, Jason?

I'm new to smoking, too, but I had better overall temperature control using Royal Oak lump. Briquettes work, but ash buildup can/could be a problem on long smokes. A quality lump product reduces the ash output, and give you higher smoking temps too. An eight to nine pound bag of lump will last for 12 hours, but you may need to add the remainder of the bag at about the eight hour mark unless you can add it all at once.

I'm talking about the 18" WSM here, and the Minion method.

Keep us informed of your progress and the method / fuel you use.
 
Thanks all for the additional replies (and the step-by-step, Scott).

As for the charcoal - I have some bags of Kingsford "Light the Bag", and a bag of Royal Oak lump - all very old - and I don't plan to use any of them. I'll buy new bags, probably plain KBB, but might get a fresh bag of Royal Lump too.

Quick note on this - more rain again this past weekend, so the WSM is still just sitting in the garage, all lonely and stuff. I did go by Home Depot and checked out the decomposed granite I plan to put down in my smoker spot in the yard. Didn't get any though, since the bags were wet from the rain, and I was in the smaller car anyway. I hope to get it next weekend.

Thanks again all.
 
Jason Paul said:
As for the charcoal - I have some bags of Kingsford "Light the Bag", and a bag of Royal Oak lump - all very old - and I don't plan to use any of them.
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Most here frown on lighter fluid, but have you been able to taste the fluid on grilled foods?

My relatives grilled some ribs one time, and they used Match Light charcoal without letting the coals completely ash over, and all I could taste was lighter fluid.
 
Rusty James said:
Most here frown on lighter fluid, but have you been able to taste the fluid on grilled foods?

My relatives grilled some ribs one time, and they used Match Light charcoal without letting the coals completely ash over, and all I could taste was lighter fluid.
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Honestly, I've never even used it. I bought it about five years ago when I got my other grill. I didn't know anything about grilling/BBQ, so I just bought it because hey, just light the bag. But, I also bought some KBB and Royal Oak and a starter chimney. Wanting to use the chimney, I only ended up using the KBB and Royal Oak, and only a few times. I've pretty much only used gas since then.

I never even opened the Match Light bags.
 
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