Using leftover charcoal - Big temp swings.


 
Mike P.

Mike P.

TVWBB All-Star
Just completed my 4th smoke. I had approx. 1/2 ring of leftover KB (partially spent) and some blackened hickory chunk leftovers at the beginning of the smoke. I just added somemore KB and a half chimney of hot KB with my hickory. I was smoking 2 racks of BB's. I had previously emptied the ash bowl and used water in the pan. Over 5 hours the OAT was approx. 74* with no wind.

All went fine for the 1st 2 hours. Then the temp started going up. Big Time. Even with all 3 bottom vents closed, I hit 270* (gill temp using ET 732). I thought the 732 might have low batteries or something but the lid stat reflected the change too. I had to hover over it for the next 3 hours to maintain a semi-constant temp 240-255). In the end, the BB's turned out Great!

I decided to leave all vents open after cook and and burn off remaining fuel. I forgot about the water pan and found it only about 1/3 rd full the next day. As a side note, I had been getting flakes off the lid since the unit is fairly new. Now there is a nice black coating on the lid with a smoke smell.

I do have some questions about the best way to proceed from here. I can't see wasting partially spent KB with a burn off everytime.

Would it be better to mix new bricks with the old brick for a more even burn?

Should I start out with a full hot chimney to establish a higher starting temp?

Thanks for any and all input.
 
I like to use the partially burned for quick cooks like burgers or steak in the OTS and always start with fresh for long cooks for the established I have.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff R:
I like to use the partially burned for quick cooks like burgers or steak in the OTS and always start with fresh for long cooks for the established I have. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Jeff, I have a Weber gasser for that. I guess for all future smokes I'll be doing will be a minimum of 5 hours with a max of maybe 10.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Yep, what Jeff said for me as well.

Leftover briqs go in my kettles for grilling things at medium temps, direct or not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well shucks Dave, this could become an expensive gig what with fuel consumption and all. Just for the heck of it, I may try to stir in fresh bricks with spent ones (cold) to see if a more even burn is possible. I've got an empty ring now so will be starting fresh.

Thanks again Guys!
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It's worth quite a few bags of Kingsford, but you could just get an ATC for your wsm. Then you can be pretty dern frugal with your fuel.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Leftover briqs go in my kettles for grilling things at medium temps, direct or not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well shucks Dave, this could become an expensive gig what with fuel consumption and all. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Notwhen you buy 300 lbs at a time on the Lowes/HD sale.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
It's worth quite a few bags of Kingsford, but you could just get an ATC for your wsm. Then you can be pretty dern frugal with your fuel. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What would be the difference with an ATC? At the end of the cook, would one still close all vents and have partially spent fuel left?

I have looked at the ATC topic but not researched it yet. Hope to master low and slow without it as a rookie. It's very cool though.

Thanks for the reply Sir.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff R:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Leftover briqs go in my kettles for grilling things at medium temps, direct or not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well shucks Dave, this could become an expensive gig what with fuel consumption and all. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mot when you buy 300 lbs at a time on the Lowes/HD sale. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dang! You Guys are Pro's!
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Is this a common issue for a lot of y'all? I re-use coals in probalby 95% of my cooks and have never had any problems.
 
Thanks for the replies Guys. After I build up some leftovers again, I will try mixing old and new coal. If that does not work, I'll take the ole pick-up to the store and load up.
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The only time I don't re-use coals is when I cooked them all away the last cook, which is almost never. I've never noticed any wild swings in heat in either my WSM or kettle. I will say that I do start with new coals in the chimney since the old ones tend to fall through.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TroyRedington:
i always light the leftovers FIRST and pour them ontop of fresh unlit.

Seems like leftovers light a lot faster. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Same here, except for long cooks I always start with new only. Mike, go get ya a brand spankin new Kettle so you can maximize the left overs, they work so good for quick grilling
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For long cooks, I fill the bottom of the charcoal ring with new and then top it off with left over coal from my last cook. Never had an issue.
 
I now use the leftover coals to either grill in my kettle or use them to start a fresh bed of coals in the WSM.
 
Don't any of you have troubles with the leftover coals falling through your chimney starter? Or am I the only one grilling on a wooden deck?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jon Des.:
Don't any of you have troubles with the leftover coals falling through your chimney starter? Or am I the only one grilling on a wooden deck? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I usually stir my left overs around first to remove the ash. Any too small will fall through the grate and not get used. I have seen a a couple of hot coals laying in my OTS ash pan, but usually the small ones fall and stay in the bottom of the kettle.

Tonight I used a a half a chimney of only used for a 40 min indirect chicken cook, and plan to use them again tommorrow for another indirect. I will need to add a few more fresh to get to 1/2 chimney.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jon Des.:
The only time I don't re-use coals is when I cooked them all away the last cook, which is almost never. I've never noticed any wild swings in heat in either my WSM or kettle. I will say that I do start with new coals in the chimney since the old ones tend to fall through. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jon, I always start with new coals in the chimney too. I'm starting to figure out what's been going wrong.
 
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