Pulled Pork on 22.5 OTGold Kettle question


 
J

Jim Dowdy

New member
I normally make my PP using 2 or 3 butts in either my New Braunfels offset smoker or my (sorry for the bad language) Bradley electric smoker. I just needed a bit of PP for a batch of the Hog Apple Baked Beans so thought I would try a 4.5 lb butt on the kettle. I started on half of the kettle with a few leftover briquettes from the last cook, added a layer of unlit Kingsford and added about 1/4 of a small chimney (not Weber) lit. Had some mesquite smoke wood mixed in. I adjusted the top and bottom vents to an almost closed position and the temp settled in at around 250-260. I cooked at this setup for 8 hours and the temps stayed in that 250-260 range except at one point it peaked up to 298-300 but settled back to the 250-260. After the 8 hrs, due to my time issues, I took it off the kettle and placed in a 225 degree oven overnight (another 7 hrs). I pulled it this morning and it was as good as usual. My question - I would have liked to have the temp closer to 200 but could not get it that low. I had the vents both almost closed so not much more I could do there. Did I maybe have too much charcoal? Or is this 250-260 about as low as I can expect to get the kettle?
 
Remember that the stock weber thermometers are not exact. Since the pork turned out good I would say that your technique was a success. If I was to suggest anything it would be to close the bottom vent all the way and leave the top open. Then see where the temp settles. On my WSM I sometimes have the three bottom vents almost completely shut and I feel they seal better than the bottom on my performer.

Mike
 
When I use my Weber OTG 22.5 for smoking meats, I use a rope/minion method. Ring the kettle witha double row of briquets and then put another row on top of the two and go about 4/5ths of the way around the kettle. I place my wood chunks on the "rope". You start the "rope on one end and it slowly goes around. i find you have fewer bricquets lit at any given point so it's easier to to keep the heat low. Hope this helps.
 
Jim - I use two firebricks, placed end-to-end about 4" from one side of my kettle. I fill briquettes up to the top of the brick, leaving about a 3" gap at one end for Minion method start. I use 10-12 briquettes in the chimney to get the fire started and I mix in a couple of chunks of hickory and about a handful of apple wood chips scattered in the unlit briquettes. I usually have the bottom sweeper vents either closed all the way or open about 1/4", and the top vent I leave all the way open or close just a little if the fire gets too hot. I have also seen folks on here blocking off one or two of the open sweeper vents on the bottom of the kettle using foil tape to help regulate airflow.

Jon K - I have been meaning to try the rope/minion method for my next kettle smoke, because it looks like it will cook at lower temps and be easier to regulate the temperature with fewer briquettes lit at one time. Thanks for sharing that. I saw it posted here a while ago, but I had forgotten about it until now.
 
Jim I use the same method as Jim H. and I tape off 2 vents and about 3/4 of the other one and I can usually keep my temps down in the 210-220 range by adjusting the top vent.

I use lump so I use medium size chunks and pack it in as best I can. Then I add about 3-4 lumps of lit.

This is how I set it up. I was cooking a little hotter and faster so had more space for the lumps and added more lit than I would normally for low and slow

100_1938.jpg
 
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