Two newbie questions.


 
B

BBQuinn

New member
1) What is the best way to clean ash out of the bottom with remaining briquets?

Do you gather the briquets up into another container and then lift the grill, or lift the grill with the leftovers on? Perhaps another way?

When I smoke a pork butt I like to add a full lit chimney for the last hour to finish at a higher temp than I do the smoke the rest of the time. It may be a superstition, but I like it. I smoke around 250 and finish at 275 at the 1st rack level.

The problem is I don't know the best way clean the ash up later. becuase I have at least a full chimeny of briquets always left over. I have a 22.5" if that makes any difference.

2) Is it normal to have the temp over the 1st rack be 25 degrees cooler than the lid thermometer?

Thanks!
 
I use my hands to remove the un used charcoal. Dump the ash then put charcoal back on the WSM or my performer. Second question I don't know. My WSM doesn't have a lid thermometer.
 
I just shut down all the vents once i am done, let the briquets cool, shake the ash down to the bottom, and then lift the charcoal grat with remaining coals and pour into bag.

You will have temp differences and also will have differences due to potential inaccuracies of the thermometers so not to surprising and no need to worry.
 
i always just let them burn all the way down, I've seen some things on this site about reused coal picking up weird tastes, but i then i again i don't know other seem to swear by it
 
In regards to question#2. Yes. I have a lid thermometer on my performer and Mini WSM, both lid temps are around 25 degrees higher than grill temp. Now I don't always use my grill probe since I know the lid temp is consistently 25 degrees higher than the grill grate temp.
 
PeterZ said:
Who are u ?
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I am the champion of the weekend smoke off with S.Six 8 days ago. I bet even S.Six really thinks I won.

I got a WSM a couple of months ago. I have done a couple of racks of ribs, but I have been doing Boston Butts and a few picnic roasts for the most part.

Thanks everyone for the good responses to my questions.
 
I take a stick and move around the coals thus letting the Ash fall through to the bottom of WSM. I then pick up charcoal grate and ring all at once and empty the bottom of the WSM into my Ash container. I then add fresh coals to top of used coals.
 
BBQuinn said:
I am the champion of the weekend smoke off with S.Six 8 days ago. I bet even S.Six really thinks I won.

I got a WSM a couple of months ago. I have done a couple of racks of ribs, but I have been doing Boston Butts and a few picnic roasts for the most part.

Thanks everyone for the good responses to my questions.
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Lets get one thing straight, We both know I took that comp. I'm just to much of a sportsman to Butt Rub it in your face!
P.S. just take the charcoal grate out and dump the ash, quite over thinking it and just do it. And no need to add the extra chimney of coal if your not running out and your temp is fine, just let it run. Save your self some coal for the next cook. Oh, btw, the lid temps suck! get a Maverick ET-732
 
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Tony R said:
What's going on?
We need details of this back story... Mind sharing?
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We both live in the same town. Friends from church and stuff. So one day I said we should have a "butt off". So we both cooked some pork butt, and have dinner together with the family. Turns out he took the loss pretty bad. We did take some pix, but never posted. The key word to all this is in the title to his post "Newbie". Hay, you can't win'em all little buck-a-roo. Just keep on smoke'n and have fun!
 
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We need to hear from those that were there, both of you taking credit for the win....... No. lets hear from friends and family
 
The real story is we had a "cook off", but it was really just getting together for dinner. SSix is further ahead in smoking than I am, but I have now tried around 15 pork butts. I am starting to like my own brand better than others. SSix made a nice butt, but I had a good laugh imagining blood shooting from his eyes when he read my post claiming victory. (I did win though ;-)

Here are some pictures. I made up a new version of rub I found online:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7365/9432398366_1b84f36074_m.jpg

Apple my favorite wood on butts that I have tried so far. I bought two chimneys, so I leave one in the grill. A coffee can would have been cheaper...

9429628065_c1f367f3ed_m.jpg


I like to that airplane in the background around while I wait...

9429629233_912aab7fc7_m.jpg


I pulled the butt off at 195 average. It went into that foil and into that cooler until the diner.
9432395676_f792e464c5_m.jpg


My final product:

9432397630_0006312bc4_m.jpg


S.Sixes final product. It was very good.

9429626899_6642dba4a2_m.jpg
 
justin.williams said:
i always just let them burn all the way down, I've seen some things on this site about reused coal picking up weird tastes, but i then i again i don't know other seem to swear by it
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That's an unfounded wives tale. The charcoal is the same through and through, and there is nothing to that false rumor. Close the vents after the cook and let them extinguish and cool. Shake the remaining coals to remove the ash, dump the lower section of ash, and at the next cook, just refill over the remaining pices. Makes zero difference at all, other than wasting fuel.
 
Chris Sherman said:
If you have a Harbor Freight in your area, pick up some stainless steel zip ties. They work great for that purpose. 25 for $5 or so.
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Also, add some handles to the charcoal grate, that are longer than the surround, and it makes the shaking process much easier.
 
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