question ?


 
Chuck Dugas

Chuck Dugas

TVWBB Pro
has anyone doubled up a charcoal ring to hold more charcoal? I burn't 1 chimmey with 4 lite coals it lasted appox 5hrs. I'm trying to get atleast 10hrs before I would have to fill up.Has anyone done this?
 
Being new at this I have never tried to see how much it can hold. I have'nt done a long cook yet,but was thinking if we welded another I would bouble the charcoal.Has anyone tried this?
 
No need for that - just fill the charcoal ring full to the rim (and a little beyond) from the charcoal bag, Minion Method your start and you should be good to go!

I used a full 15 lb bag of Stubbs Briquettes this weekend - pretty much the full bag in the charcoal ring (it was a little heaping), tossed some chunks on top scattered around, then lit about 12 briquettes in my Smokey Joe with a weed burner.

Lit on top, let it sit there for 5 - 10 minutes with the smoker unassembled while I pittered around getting things ready, then assembled the somker, put the meat on and watched the temps for a while.

WSM settled in at 240 and stayed there for 14 hours until I took my butts off. At one point, around mid-night, the temps edged up to around 250. I touched the vents a couple of millimeters and in 30 minutes or so she settled back to 240 and stayed there until I took the meat off. I still had enough charcoal in the bowl after the fire went out to cook some burgers on the Smokey Joe!

Pat
 
Thanks Pat for the reply.14hrs using 15lbs of charcoal.What I was thinking if I do a packer which could take 12-18hrs
or even more,I did'nt want to have to add more coal. the door is taped shut because I would be using my DigQ11. Maybe I have no choice.
 
Chuck,

Unless the weather is an issue and zaps heat out of the cooker, I find the wsm has no trouble running these times and temps with the need for additional fuel (I am speaking of the ring of an 18" filled to the top). Follow Pat's suggestion and you should be good to go. My backup plan if a little extra cooking is necessary and my wsm is winding down is to oven to finish (blasphemy). Fortunately or thanks to the efficiency of the cooker, I have not had to resort to this.

Good luck!

Gary
 
Chuck,

your only 20 miles from me. i live over near burlington. i do pretty much what the others do fill the ring then use a starter or half a starter of lit to fire it up.
 
Hi neighbor !!
Thats what I do also....Just concerend about loooooong bbq's. (like I heard some packers take in the neighborhood 20hrs).I don't think one charcoal ring full to the top will give you that many hrs. All the reading on this site I have not heard of any one useing 2 rings.I just question why?
If your every this way,give me a call and we could get together and swap recepie's.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck Dugas:
Hi neighbor !!
Thats what I do also....Just concerend about loooooong bbq's. (like I heard some packers take in the neighborhood 20hrs).I don't think one charcoal ring full to the top will give you that many hrs. All the reading on this site I have not heard of any one useing 2 rings.I just question why?
If your every this way,give me a call and we could get together and swap recepie's. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

just run your cooker a bit hotter. i have never had a brisket go much past 12 hours doing low and slow. but i like to have mine at 250ish or better lid.
 
you could also stop using water if you are using it and opt for sand, foil balls or an inverted clay pot saucer

this provides a shield from direct heat and helps prevent too much grease smoke without the heat sink burden of water

I did the math out once and estimated roughly 1/3 of your fuel energy is wasted just to boil water

Your temps will move around a bit more but flatline stable temps are not at all required to make good food.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chuck Dugas:

If your every this way,give me a call and we could get together and swap recepie's. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

i would shoot ya my cell number but i cant find a way to send a PM.
 
I have had many 14-17 hour cooks with a heaping ring of lump started with 25 briquettes by the MM and I still have ¾ of a chimney left after snuffing the coals. My 22 leaks so I duct tape the door and the bottom seam shut, and put up a wind screen every time. I maintain +/- 2º for the whole cook. At 7 and 14 hours I stir the coals to knock the ashes down.
 
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