Smaller charcoal basket to reduce partial burnt briquettes?


 
W

W_Stewart

TVWBB Fan
Except for a long brisket cook, I almost always have 20 to 40% leftover but partially burnt briquettes at the end of a cook in my 18" WSM. I save these in a small lidded trashcan and will use them sooner or later. I don't even fill the chamber up all the way each time and still feel like I could have used less briquettes.

I have some of that expanded metal wire mesh and could easily make a round fence to give me maye a 75% smaller enclosure that will sit inside the original chamber. I'd make it the same height and get about 75% of the original volume.

Anybody else do this with success or have any ideas before I go fooling with another mini project?
 
I should add that I get these leftovers by completely shutting down the air top and bottom after I remove the finished meat.
 
I always end up with partial leftovers too, don't know but it may be unavoidable. I also shut all the vents when done cooking, it only makes sense. I leave the partial pieces in my grill till next time, then a load a few new briquettes into my chimney starter, then the used partial briquettes, and top off with new again. The new ones at the bottom of the chimney starter help to get everything going, I've noticed the used ones don't start as easy or give off as much heat. Often times depending on what I'm cooking and just how I feel that particular day, I'll just dump all the old briquettes into the trash and start with all new briquettes, since I don't think the used ones give much heat anyway, and I'm probably not saving much by trying to use the partially used ones.
 
I just let mine burn out. They are not worth saving for me. It keeps my WSM and 22 kettle burnt off / grease free.

Your always going to have left overs unless you perfectly time the cooking time with the charcoal burn time. Even then your have a temp drop at the end of the charcoals life. I wouldn't want to cut it that close my self.
 
Bill Elwell said:
You could always place a large can in the center (bottom facing up) to take up space.
Click to expand...

That would be the easy way for sure. Instead I broke out the angle grinder with a cutting wheel to trim the expanded metal to size, then used wire to secure things together. My method involved at least 6 tools and the pleasure of working with sharp, rusty metal.
 
I do the same with my kettle stacker. I use a 18.5 wsm size charcoal grate/basket for longer cooks and for short cooks the charcoal basket out of my mini wsm.
 
W_Stewart said:
That would be the easy way for sure. Instead I broke out the angle grinder with a cutting wheel to trim the expanded metal to size, then used wire to secure things together. My method involved at least 6 tools and the pleasure of working with sharp, rusty metal.
Click to expand...

LOL! As long as it keeps you off the streets, right?
 
W_Stewart said:
Except for a long brisket cook, I almost always have 20 to 40% leftover but partially burnt briquettes at the end of a cook in my 18" WSM. I save these in a small lidded trashcan and will use them sooner or later. I don't even fill the chamber up all the way each time and still feel like I could have used less briquettes.

I have some of that expanded metal wire mesh and could easily make a round fence to give me maye a 75% smaller enclosure that will sit inside the original chamber. I'd make it the same height and get about 75% of the original volume.

Anybody else do this with success or have any ideas before I go fooling with another mini project?
Click to expand...

Two different ways to look at this: Start with less coals ( which you feel you could have done ) or build a smaller basket ( which you did )
I'm good with either way, or just filling it and reusing the leftovers.:wsm:

Tim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top