Wasting Charcoal

[Mike M.]

Howdy All, I`am new to smokin on the WSM. Done about 10 smokes. All have been great best I can tell. Started with just just a dome temp (weber) and a probe temp for meat. I just did my 1st smoke with new ET-73 Remote temp it was handy I guess, but I don`t know if it is luck or what but I fill my ring almost to top with kingsford and six chucks of hickory and wild cherry. I then pore on a full lit chimney on that. All vent open 100% meat on at 225. Bottom vents to 50% at 250 Then the temp does not change much stays between 240 to 260 dome temp. Most cooks have been about 8hrs. two have been 16 hrs My question: Am I wasting charcoal? I user what is left after I close vents at end of cook, But it sound as if I use alot more than most folks here. Sorry for being wordy. Great Info here. Thanks All

 

[Doug D]

Sort of like a MM cook, but with a full chimney loaded on top, instead of a few coals. Seems to work for you, though. I actually did something similar with an 8-1/2 lb. butt yesterday, but using a full Weber chimney of leftover briquets on top of a full ring of unlit. Worked great-- rock-steady for 13 hours.

For reference, typical standard method fueling would be two Weber chimney-fulls. Typical MM would be a full ring of unlit with normally 15-20 lit briquets on top.

I guess if you can control your burn with the vents, regardless of how much you have burning, and have a use for anything left over at the end of the cook, you're not really wasting anything.

 

[Paul G.]

Mike

You probably could get by with less charcoal, but sounds like you're maintaining your temps well. You are putting on a lot more lit, full chimney, than is usually done with MM. Also, generally the meat is put on immediately rather than when cooker heats up to 225 - just hope I'm understanding your post.

You can get by with less charcoal, but it takes some experimentation. I've used a chamber 3/4th full with 15 briqs lit on top for a short cook where I still wanted to go with MM. The problem is you need a certain amount of fuel to maintain your proper pit temp no matter how short your cook is going to be. It is very frustrating when you can't get your temps up to range because of insufficient fuel.

Some use the Standard method and it does involve less fuel, 2 chimneys, but it can be frustrating trying to control the temp on the way down.

I do reuse my fuel, but primarily for direct cooking in the kettle or perhaps for lit on an MM cook.

HTH.

Paul

 

[Ken McCrary]

Call me excessive, But I fall into the "I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it" category when it comes to charcoal in the ring. I like to be ready for those unexpected delays and "stubborn" butts that just will not come up to temp. Worst case you can always let the kids roast marshmallows when you're done.

 

[Brian L.]

I'm in the same camp as you. I'd rather have to much and not need it than too little and have to add later.

 

[Mike M.]

Thanks I agree. I had been thinking of ways to add lit charcoal thru the door. Not a whole lot of room below water pan and bottom of door. I sure enjoy reading everyones post and have gained tons of info. Thanks

 

[Susan Z]

It's easy to add lit charcoal thru the door. You either use a small shovel or garden spade, OR if you become lazy like me you simply angle the door back like a chute, then pour the charcoal out of the chimney and it slides down the chute right into the ring!

 

[Paul G.]

I think a safer, but perhaps a little slower way of adding lit through the access door, is using long handle tongs and adding the coals one by one. Tilt the chimney so you don't have your hand directly over it because there is some serious heat coming out. One other advantage of this method is being able to disburse the lit, rather than dumping it in one pile.

Paul

 

[Mike M.]

Sound simple! How about kicking up to much ash? Using the door as a chute. I will try it on my next extra long smoke. Thanks

 

[Mike M.]

Tong is how I have done it in the past.

 

[John L]

Yah, I'm like Ken, I fall into the "rather have it and not need it" camp. Leftover coals can be "repurposed".

I'm a tonger too, takes awhile but doesn't kick up any ash. I hate to be an ash kicker (oooo, good name for a BBQ team!)

 

[Greg Rempe]

I use a garden shovel...if you take care it won't kick up much ash at all!

 

[Susan Z]

Mike, I haven't found it to kick up too much ash, using my chute method. I DO however wear welding gloves...!