Whan are briquettes ready to come out of chimney starter?


 
J

Jamie Mathews

TVWBB Member
OK, I've been doing some steaks directly over Kingsford briquettes, and I think I am mis-timing when I pour the charcoal out of the starter into the grill.

I'm using a 22.5 inch kettle, and one starter filled to capacity with briquettes. I'm having trouble getting the dome temp over 400 degrees.

I've been pouring the charcoal into the grill when the briquettes on top are just starting to ash over, and a clear flame is coming through. At that point, I dump the coal over about two-thirds of the charcoal tray, giving me a layer 1 or 2 coals deep. I then pre-heat for 10 minutes, and my dome temp is between 350 and 400, which seems low.

What should the coals look like when ready to use for high heat searing?

Thanks,

Jamie
 
sounds like your temp gauge is off.

hold your hand an inch over the grates. if you can only hold it there for a single second, it's HOT.
 
I did the hand test, and I'm seeing how steaks are cooking, and how long it takes. The thermometer is accurate. Can't get the temp over 400.
 
No problem with when you're dumping the chimney in my opinion. If you want a hotter fire, you may need to either concentrate your coals into a smaller area or add more on top once you've dumped them.
 
When you dump the coals are you putting the lid back on and letting it preheat? If so, that is snuffing your coals...try leaning the lid off to the side and create an air gap between the kettle and the lid...no more then 1/2 inch gap..I usually have some unlit briqs on the bottom and dump the lit on top, then gap your lid and watch the temp rise..GL!
 
Sounds like you are doing things right. You might be overly concerned with your dome temp. You did not mention ... Are your steaks taking longer to cook? Are they finished the way you want them? Have you been enjoying them? If so ... No problem!
 
Larry, the steaks are taking longer to cook, and they are not searing on the outside. I'm getting a low and slow type temp. I can tell by the hand test that the temp at the cooking grate is less than 400 degrees.

After dumping the coals out of the starter onto the charcoal grate, I put the lid firmly on the grill, with top and bottom vents open 100%. At that point, some coals are glowing orange, some are covered with gray ash, a few are just starting to ash. I preheat (with the lid on)for 5-10 minutes, and I swear the temp on the grate is no higher than 375.

I'll try posting pics. Very, very confused. Something tells me I'm dumping the coals too early, but I'm afraid that if I wait for the top coals to be totally ashed over, the coals underneath will be cooling off.

Very confused here.
 
Leave the lid off for 5 minutes or so with the bottom vent open. That should get the coals hotter with more oxygen hitting them. If you want a really hot grill try using lump and see how that works.
 
I agree, you are suffocating your fire when you put the lid back on. I use the same amount of coals as you, but I dump them out so that they cover less than 1/2 of the charcoal grate, concentrating your heat much better. When I put the cooking grate on, the coals are touching the bottom of the grate, but by the time pre-heating is done, they have settled back down and are maybe an inch under the grate, perfect for searing. Also, I dump my coals out before you do. When I dump, they are probably lit 1/2 way up the chimney, leaving many completely unlit coals, but when I put the steaks on, they are lit and glowing furiously. I've never checked the temp in my kettle, for any cook actually, so I guess I can't tell you what the temp is.
 
If you can push a toothpick into the charcoal with no resistance, it's ready.

icon_smile.gif
 
What about your charcoal ? Maybe some moisture got into it or something. With your setup, you should be hitting temps well above what you are getting. Try some new lump and double check your thermometer.

Btw...what was the temperature outside?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If you can push a toothpick into the charcoal with no resistance, it's ready. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well done there, sir. Almost spit out my lemonade.
 
Jamie, I only spread my chimney to a little less than half the charcoal grate, this will give you 3 or so coals deep. Everything else sounds fine. I dump my chimney when the smoke stops (or slows down) and flames are just starting to lick out of the top of the chimney. Leave all vents wide open when you preheat, placing your wide open top vent directly over the burning charcoal or leaving your lid cracked when you are PREHEATING will also raise your temps. If your still not happy, you can try switching to a all natural briquette like Stubbs or kingsford competition which will burn hotter than kingsford blue bag, also lump charcoal will burn hotter. Lastly you can try searing your steaks with the lid cracked, but keep an eye on them if you do, because if they are a fatty cut, you might get a flare up going with the lid cracked and be ready to put the lid on and move the steaks if this happens. But using the above techniques you should have no problems getting well above 400 With the lid shut and all vents wide open when searing steaks. (I do all the time with K blue) Hope this helps.
 
Here is what I notice about using a chimney.
The coals on the bottom light first and have to work there way to the top. By the time the tops are glowing, the bottoms are past their peak. To try and time it correctly, I dump my coals once it appears that the fire is going.
After I spread them out, I make sure that the lit ones are evenly spread out. Depending on the cook, I will add some unlit on top, I then put the lid on, but like everyone else says, I leave a gap on the lid. This way, I get plenty of air flow and my grill starts to warm up.
By the time the coals are at their peak, everything is hot. It’s all about volume of coals, air flow and the timing of it all. Isn’t that barbecuing at its finest?
Personally, if I wanted things to be easy, I would just fire up the gasser.

Hope my rambling helps! AJ
 
I have never been concerned with the bottom ones burning up to soon. My chimney seem to be ready to dump long before then. I just plan my chimney amounts based on the cooking style I want. I am usually dumping my chimney within 15 min and they are fully lit.

1/2 chimney = then layer for entire cooking area. Medium heat. Or full layer over half the cooking area. For higher heat indirect with plenty of power for a good sear when needed.
 
Jamie,
From reading your original post, I take it you're mostly concerned about your (lack of) temps for high heat searing.
I've had similar experiences and problems as you've had, and this is how I cured it....
I brought the coals UP to my cooking grate.
OK, this requires a few extra $$, but I've gotten the results I've desired with steaks and chops.
I bought these:
http://www.amazon.com/Weber-74...d=1326845621&sr=8-12
AND another charcoal grate.
Start your chimney as you have been doing, then install the rails on your charcoal grate....put the second charcoal grate on top of the rails, then dump your coals onto the TOP charcoal grate....covering about half of it.
Put on your cooking grate....the coals will be maybe a quarter to half-inch below your cooking grate, but they WILL fit below it...you might have to do some jiggling and adjusting.
This way, you will get a MUCH hotter coal bed under your cooking grate....I've gotten temps well above 550 this way.....now you're talking about some serious searing!!
You have the other half of the cooking grate (although kind of hot....) to pull your steaks onto to finish.
Hope this helps.
 
Let me put this a different way...let's say I'm cooking steaks and I want to cook dircetly over high heat. On my 22.5 inch kettle. I light a full chimney of briquettes. My plan is to dump the briquettes onto the charcoal grate, and pre-heat the grill for 5-10 minutes.

(1) What should the charcoal LOOK LIKE when I dump it out of the chimney onto the charcoal grate? Glowing orange? Covered in gray ash? Should any still be black?

(2) What color is the charcoal when it's at the maximum temperature?

Thanks,

Jamie
 
There are probably a lot of opinions to your questions, but here's mine. To answer your questions in order:

1) Glowing orange, with some black. Since you're pre-heating the grill for upwards of 10 minutes, by the time it's ready, you should be close to all glowing orange.

2) Glowing orange.

I've never stuck a thermometer into a briquette before, but my reasoning is glowing orange happens before ashing over....
 
When first dumped I would say they will be all little fire balls flaming away. After 10 min or so covered, the fire seems to disapate, but will still have red hot coals.

The only reason I would preheat for 10 min is either to let the coals cool a bit, or if I need to clean the grate.
 
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