Newbie smoking on one touch original

[Mikey J (UK)]

Hi all looking for some help and advice to try out some smoking this weekend weather permitting..I have been looking at purchasing some BBQ delight wood pellets and smoke pot.
BBQ Delight
Any one had any experience with these or should i be looking at something else to try..thanks in advance Mike.

 

[Jon K]

I'm a newbie with the WSM but when it comes to smoking in a kettle I can help. I was taught to use the minion method which would be to ring the kettle with 2 rows of briquets and then a third row on top which would create a 3 briquet pyramid around the kettle,leaving about 5 inches between the beginning of the briquets and the end. Now, take your wood chunks and place them on top of the briquets ( I usually ended up using 4 chunks spaced apart). This method worked VERY well but the only problem was that on long smokes (more than 8 hours) I would have to add briquets (and get up in the middle of the night) http://www.chow.com/photos/303349
Hope this helps.

 

[CliffCarter]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jon K:
I'm a newbie with the WSM but when it comes to smoking in a kettle I can help. I was taught to use the minion method which would be to ring the kettle with 2 rows of briquets and then a third row on top which would create a 3 briquet pyramid around the kettle,leaving about 5 inches between the beginning of the briquets and the end. Now, take your wood chunks and place them on top of the briquets ( I usually ended up using 4 chunks spaced apart). This method worked VERY well but the only problem was that on long smokes (more than 8 hours) I would have to add briquets (and get up in the middle of the night) http://www.chow.com/photos/303349
Hope this helps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you add another double row on top of the bottom most row and then the 3rd single row you can get more burn time. I got 10 plus hrs on my last pork butt cook with unlit coals left when the cook was done.

 

[Mike Purnell]

so once this method is setup, how much charcoal did you light and where did you put it? At one end of the circle?

 

[Jon K]

I started only 2-3 coals using a small piece of firestarter from my fireplace. I placed the piece in the grill under the first two briquets and lit it. Worked very well, and yes I started it at one end of the circle.

 

[Mike Purnell]

thanks, I will try this technique soon. Looks like you get way more cooking space with this setup.

 

[Chris Stanek]

Would you smoke ribs this way or would you be better off banking to one side?

 

[Bob Sample]

Here is my indirect set up for the kettle. I do a minion start with lump. If I'm going for low and slow I add about 4-5 lit at one end. This easily runs the kettle at 230-275 for over 8 hours.

I can give myself more grill space by moving the bricks further to the side.

I cook my ribs at a higher temp normally somewhere in the 325-375 range.