Question for you no water guys on an overnight


 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JSMcdowell:
Glenn,

I have never been able to get two ten pounders on a rack without a lot more overlap. Great pics.

I am sending this from my phone otherwise I would have pics. Here is the night so far.... With 10-15 mph winds.

5pm butts on smoker upto 200 quickly.

5:30 230 vents at 100 / 50 / 0 (windy side)

7:30 255 vents at same.

9:40 260 vents at same. Tried swapping the zero and 100 vents....

10:05 280. Switched the vents back. Wind to the full open vent was a bad idea. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thankfully, I've never had "big butt overlap"
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, but the largest was only an 8.5 and an nine pounder on one rack. If needed though, I bet a little tin cookie cutter could come in handy to put a little space between 'em.

As to the 10-15 mph wind, a good wind break really helps. I'm going the "big blue barrel" route. I've been using a split 55 gallon drum, and the plastic barrel will work even better. I got it today for $10 locally off craigslist.

Good luck with the cook!
 
Cook went really well and when I can be around the smoker for the first couple hours (which is almost always, rare exceptions) I will now always go w/o water.

I will posts pics and the log tomorrow (left it at home) in the photo gallery.

I got a couple more hours out of the fuel than normal with the water. I did have to add fuel at the end as they were stubborn and didn't want to finish up for some reason. I think they took around 17 hours to be nice and tender.

I think I am going for the plastic barrel as a wind break, didn't have time for this cook.
 
Sounds great! So I'm guessing you averaged 240-260 temp? If you stay with the no water method you will be impressed at the nice coating on the inside of your pit, that will add to insulating factors! As long as you butt cooks take 1-1.75 lbs per hour you Q'n at a good temp which = good results. Remember cooker temps don't mean as much as one believes!
 
Forgot the log again, I was more worried about my fellow Atlantans shutting down roads because they don't know how to drive this morning than the my BBQ book.

Glenn, pretty much from what I can remember. If I had to say an average number, it was probably 260. I used to do my butts at 220-240, now I prefer 250-270, not that it makes a real difference. Just easier to maintain for me. The more I cook on the WSM, the hotter I like my temps.

I do my ribs & chicken without water, so I already have that nice coating. I don't care for the light brown stuff the cooks at 220 with water produced that flaked off everywhere.
 
Blue bag. I tried switching to lump a few weeks back but they only thing hd had was "true cue" lump. Do not ever buy. Looks like it went through a food processor.

I want to use lump for the less ash but its hard to leave the reliable blue bag k. Since I have an ash trash can its not too much of an issue, I would be emptying out the bowl anyways.
 
Also, started out with a full bowl of unlit K and a little under 1/2 chimney of lit. 1 chunk of hickory & 1 of pecan burried. 2 chunks of pecan & 1 of hickory on top.

As soon as I dumped the lit, I built the smoker and meat was on.
 
Josh, FYI, the only time I've had to refuel since I started using a ECB charcoal pan was when I cooked over forty pounds of butts(5) back in October...and I even use WATER for overnighters. I use Kingsford blue as well, but Stubbs for overnighters, since there's not near as much ash issues.

Again, thanks for the documentation, and your dry pan experience is similiar to mine. Regarding your vent changes, I was VERY impressed with how my cooker held temps this afternoon with a 55 gallon plastic barrel around it. http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/...401003206#9401003206
 
On most calm nights I can get 14 hours with water. As windy as it was I would have been lucky to get 10 if I had water in the pan. Also the third of lit I added would not have made it to the end with water.

I am going to pickup a 55 g drum next time I get the chance. It looks to be the best wind break. Do you need to cut holes at the bottom to get the vents some air?
 
I smoked some spares this afternoon and I had no problems with the blue drum flush with the patio. HEAT rises, but all we're wanting is to pull in AIR...so why can't the vents do that with all that space around the drum?
 
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