New to the forum. Have tried smoking a few times in the past, used to have a very cheap charcoal vertical smoker that I got rid of a while back because it was so leaky and not effective. I now have a Coleman Duel-Fuel BBQ. One side is charcoal, the other is propane. I've tried smoking on the charcoal side a few times with mixed results. I am getting better over time. I am new to using charcoal as of last summer so just figuring out some basics on that too.
I have a question regarding charcoal smoking. My biggest challenge is keeping consistent temperature in the range for longer smokes, like in the 180-250 range. I can get very hot easily, and very cool easily, but in between has been my biggest challenge. I did a pork roast recently that turned out pretty well and it was my best job of keeping things consistently around 250 but I still had times when things got as hot as 325. What I've been doing is starting some briquettes in a chimney, usually around 12-16 briquettes, and getting that going for about 20-30minutes. Dumping those into the basket, lowering the basket as low as it will go on the bbq, and then putting my meat top rack for smoking. I use wood chips in a metal smoking "container" for my smoke and will usually load 1 on then a 2nd for a longer smoke. When temperature starts to drop down I will usually ad 4-6 briquettes on top of the ones going to try and keep the temp constant.
Is this the best way to try and maintain the temperature? I read yesterday that it might be better to put a bunch of unlit briquettes next to the lit ones do it this way? Any advice?
The brining and rubbing parts of smoking I have down...this is just good food prep, whether smoking, baking, grilling etc.
I also have an newer beer fridge that I no longer use and just sits in my garage that I am thinking of converting to a hot/cold smoker but the interior is entirely plastic. Not sure I want to try and get into that. May bite the bullet and buy an electric smoker instead. I like the charcoal, messing around with it every so often with some beers on the weekend but a set-it and forget it electric version would be nice to have.
I have a question regarding charcoal smoking. My biggest challenge is keeping consistent temperature in the range for longer smokes, like in the 180-250 range. I can get very hot easily, and very cool easily, but in between has been my biggest challenge. I did a pork roast recently that turned out pretty well and it was my best job of keeping things consistently around 250 but I still had times when things got as hot as 325. What I've been doing is starting some briquettes in a chimney, usually around 12-16 briquettes, and getting that going for about 20-30minutes. Dumping those into the basket, lowering the basket as low as it will go on the bbq, and then putting my meat top rack for smoking. I use wood chips in a metal smoking "container" for my smoke and will usually load 1 on then a 2nd for a longer smoke. When temperature starts to drop down I will usually ad 4-6 briquettes on top of the ones going to try and keep the temp constant.
Is this the best way to try and maintain the temperature? I read yesterday that it might be better to put a bunch of unlit briquettes next to the lit ones do it this way? Any advice?
The brining and rubbing parts of smoking I have down...this is just good food prep, whether smoking, baking, grilling etc.
I also have an newer beer fridge that I no longer use and just sits in my garage that I am thinking of converting to a hot/cold smoker but the interior is entirely plastic. Not sure I want to try and get into that. May bite the bullet and buy an electric smoker instead. I like the charcoal, messing around with it every so often with some beers on the weekend but a set-it and forget it electric version would be nice to have.
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