After the spareribs last weekend (a little too smoky but fire management went very well) I set out to do a meatloaf yesterday. Started with Jeff's recipe and per his description, smoked at about 250 for an hour then planned to let it creep on up to 350 to finish it out.
Well, there was no creeping up to 350, I couldn't even push it up there. After the first hour, I was having trouble keeping it above 250. Not sure what the problem was. It was a little windy but temps were in the 60s. I was trying a new temporary baffle so I poked holes in it thinking it was blocking too much heat. Was trying the charcoal basket without the tray underneath so it was a little lower in the firebox. Raked the coals around a bit, tapped the basket, raked ash out (not much there) opened the firebox door, nothing seemed to help much.
Finally I said, the heck with it, and fired up the Charbroil Masterflame, heated it up, turn one burner off and left the other on high. Held about 330 degrees on the off side at grate level and move the meatloaf over there to finish.
After I had moved the meatloaf it ocurred to me that there is probably no way in hell I was going to get a thin walled SnP up to 350 with just a fire in the side firebox. I could have split a chimney of charcoal in the cooking chamber and left the meatloaf on the middle rack and probably have been fine. Oh well.
As seems to be the case, even when things go wrong, they often turn out okay. Here's the meatloaf fresh off the grill.
Here is some sliced.
On a plate, ready for a taste.
The family liked it. My 9 year old son pretty much likes anything meat cooked using fire. My 7 year old daughter liked it but isn't as much of a meat fan as her brother. My wife liked it too. The best part of dinner was when my daughter announced, "Wow, it IS good. And you thought it was going to be yucky, huh Momma." Kids say the darndest things!
Dave
Well, there was no creeping up to 350, I couldn't even push it up there. After the first hour, I was having trouble keeping it above 250. Not sure what the problem was. It was a little windy but temps were in the 60s. I was trying a new temporary baffle so I poked holes in it thinking it was blocking too much heat. Was trying the charcoal basket without the tray underneath so it was a little lower in the firebox. Raked the coals around a bit, tapped the basket, raked ash out (not much there) opened the firebox door, nothing seemed to help much.
Finally I said, the heck with it, and fired up the Charbroil Masterflame, heated it up, turn one burner off and left the other on high. Held about 330 degrees on the off side at grate level and move the meatloaf over there to finish.
After I had moved the meatloaf it ocurred to me that there is probably no way in hell I was going to get a thin walled SnP up to 350 with just a fire in the side firebox. I could have split a chimney of charcoal in the cooking chamber and left the meatloaf on the middle rack and probably have been fine. Oh well.
As seems to be the case, even when things go wrong, they often turn out okay. Here's the meatloaf fresh off the grill.
Here is some sliced.
On a plate, ready for a taste.
The family liked it. My 9 year old son pretty much likes anything meat cooked using fire. My 7 year old daughter liked it but isn't as much of a meat fan as her brother. My wife liked it too. The best part of dinner was when my daughter announced, "Wow, it IS good. And you thought it was going to be yucky, huh Momma." Kids say the darndest things!
Dave
