transferring new coals- mid smoke


 
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Wade G

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First smoke still in progress. Under MM, coals lasted for 14 hours, with only being stirred once. However, temps were dropping below 225 steadily (with vents open)- -so I fired up a chimney full of Kingsford.

Is there a good way to transfer them? Other than my method which was taking each one and putting them in with tongs? Took forever and almost burned myself and my deck. Just wondering.

I know the practice of adding coals under MM has been advised, just looking for a best practice or something.

thanks
 
To add unlit charcoal, I use the door as a chute at a 45* angle and pour it down it-- after stirring the remaining coals, so I don't get ash flying up.

For lit charcoal, whatever way is the safest is the way to go, which usually means piece by piece. Lifting the mid-section off in mid-cook is a dicey proposition-- you could end up steam-burning yourself, ruining your food, your day.
 
I just use the tong method to add lit coals through the access door. It's a good idea to have a metal auto drip pan beneath your WSM so that any dropped coals don't do any damage.
 
With thick heat=resistant BBQ gloves lifting the middle section clear off is my method. However, with a full Brinkmann water bowl plus a load of meat this takes some "oomph" to be sure.

I like this method since the temp at the rack stays pretty warm, no ash gets stirred up to the meat and you have full access to the fire. Eventually I'll add handles to the middle section to make this easier.

Of course the water and steam is a concern using this method. Be careful!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jason Flynn:
[qb]Of course the water and steam is a concern using this method. Be careful! [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>And especially since your crotch is the first in line to take a hit if something goes wrong...
 
Hillarious point, Doug!

I went the tong route once. Then, several hours later, I had to add some more- -so I used the "modified pitch method". I had some thick gloves, grabbed the handle and the very bottom of the chimney and half slung the coals out the top in through the access door. Sorta like an abbreviated shovel action. that seemed to work pretty well. then I used the tongs to resposition the coals, since they all piled up by the door.

I guess the draw back would be to have one bang off the outside of the smoker and back on you. But there are always potential pitfalls when dealing with fire.
 
I have not done any very long cooks, but when I do, first I'd make sure I used MM and a lot of charcoal. Second, I think I'd put some handles on the WSM and lift off the mid section. I've dealt with hot coals enough to know that you don't want to be messing around. Even a little spark can cause trouble (got in my eye) so I see it as a get in there and get the job done type of thing.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Doug D:
[qb] <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jason Flynn:
[qb]Of course the water and steam is a concern using this method (lifting center section to get access to the fire). Be careful! [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>And especially since your crotch is the first in line to take a hit if something goes wrong... [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>When I do it I leave the dome on the cooker. If lifted with middle section door facing away from the body and the dome on the only thing that's going to get burned in case of a spill is your feet.

Should you be so unlucky as to drop the whole unit, again your feet and ankles are the only things in danger.
 
Seems that about a 24X8" piece of sheet metal with a 90 degree bend in it along the long axis would make a good slide to add coals with. Just hold the slide with a gloved hand, aiming through the door to the location you want the coals to go and slowly pour your chimney in. I think i saw a similar idea somewhere else on the site. You could even weld a little handle on the back side if so inclined.
 
Most of these variations of dumping or sliding would stir up a lot of ash, no matter how careful you are. At least a lot more ash than I would want floating around.

I have a large metal planter (empty) that I dump lit coals into, then carefully, one by one, transfer into the WSM with charcoal tongs. Yeah, it takes a while longer, but it seems to be best way to virtually elominate floating ash hitting the food, especially if you have something on the bottom grate.
 
If I drop the middle section while lifting it I'm going to jump the F back with the quickness. I'll be 3' back before the lid comes off, learned that working in restaurants - if you drop something hot or sharp NEVER try to rescue it as it's falling. If and when I add handles to the center section it'll be even easier and with gloves it's already pretty easy.

While my method isn't quite as safe as fluffing your pillows before bed, it has ocurred to me that the other methods involving sliding or tonging coal through the door while assembled means two dangerous things: 1) your face is a foot away from the door; and, 2) if the water bowl should capsize the majority of your body is in its path instead of above it and protected by a closed middle section.

Now if I could just come up with a better way to warm the gasoline before I use my spray bottle to squirt it at the fire...
 
Well, I still would have to advise those among us who lack Herculean strength, lightning-fast reflexes and split-second decision-making skills in a crisis situation to err on the side of caution and employ whatever safety skills and equipment they possess to add lit briquets in a prudent and responsible manner.
 
I have always used a small garden spade. I guess you could use gloves with it, although I don't. I also have never added a full chimney of lit charcoal. I find when using the minion method, after 16 hours or so I may need to add 20 lit coals- but never more. 20 coals has always added plenty of heat for a few more hours.

I'm usually almost finished cooking at that point.
 
Since this is the beginners forum, I will ask what may appear to be a 'dumb' question. Why not add unlit coals about 12 to 13 hours into the cook? I would think that the cooking coals would still be hot enough to ignite the unlit ones and that the temperature drop while waiting for ignition would not be that long a period of time. It would seem that loading unlit coals would be easier that loading lit ones in through the small door.
 
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