New CharGriller Super Pro W/Mods

venture

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Aug 1, 2008

6,948

73

Central California

• Jul 24, 2014

• #21

In an offset charx smoker, a little spike in temp when adding lit fuel is normal.

To keep this more under control, I use a mini loaf bread pan of water beneath the cooking grate where the firebox joins.

Looks like this:

Water pan 001.JPG

• venture
• Jul 24, 2014

Beer can is there to give you the general size. And for my personal edification? 

The water acts as a bit of a buffer for spikes in temps coming out of the firebox.

Still, a bit of a spike is to be expected and will not usually be a problem. I try to keep my smokes in a 20 deg temp range.  That will rarely be a problem in low and slow cooking.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

Last edited: Jul 24, 2014

checkmarc

Fire Starter

Jul 11, 2014

36

10

• Jul 25, 2014

• #22

Everyone thanks for the input.  From what I've read there are two ways to use the charcoal basket one is to start the coals at the bottom and add the rest to the top the other is the Minion method, I think, loading the coals mixed with wood and starting from the top.  The later seems to make more sense.  It's more of a controlled burn as it uses up fuel it burn down to access more.  How do you load it after it's used up all the charcoal in the basket? 

Right now my baffle is just cheap disposable aluminum cookie sheets and a cut up roasting pan.  I'm going to replace that with a minimum of 1/8 sheet if not 1/4 which will help stabilize the temperature.  I also think I'm going to use some fire bricks.  I use the CharGriller as a grill also so I have to make these easily removable.

 

bbqjanto2015

Newbie

Jul 20, 2014

9

10

• Jul 25, 2014

• #23

CheckMarc said:

Everyone thanks for the input.  From what I've read there are two ways to use the charcoal basket one is to start the coals at the bottom and add the rest to the top the other is the Minion method, I think, loading the coals mixed with wood and starting from the top.  The later seems to make more sense.  It's more of a controlled burn as it uses up fuel it burn down to access more.  How do you load it after it's used up all the charcoal in the basket? 

Right now my baffle is just cheap disposable aluminum cookie sheets and a cut up roasting pan.  I'm going to replace that with a minimum of 1/8 sheet if not 1/4 which will help stabilize the temperature.  I also think I'm going to use some fire bricks.  I use the CharGriller as a grill also so I have to make these easily removable.

Click to expand...

Personally, the biggest benefit from the charcoal basket (for me thus far) is holding the charcoal together. I tried the minion method and did not notice much of a difference in fuel usage. The lit coals lit the un-lit coals rather quickly. Perhaps I used too much lit coals?

 

mnola917

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Feb 3, 2009

132

10

Long Island

• Jul 25, 2014

• #24

I did not find the basket to help with keeping temperature even.  It DOES help greatly during a long smoke and I start getting bad air flow, It allows me to dump the ash much easier.  I would suggest a big water pan inside the cooking chamber, close to the opening from the SFB.  Also, I rarely add a hot chimney of charcoal.  I generally fill a chimney with charcoal and add it to the SFB on top of the hot charcoal inside.  I do this as soon as I have to open my damper all the way, as it takes about a half hour for the charcoal to light and start affecting temperature.  

 

checkmarc

Fire Starter

Jul 11, 2014

36

10

• Jul 29, 2014

• #25

Thanks everyone!

 

misterc01

Fire Starter

Apr 27, 2014

33

10

Northwest Flrodia Panhandle

• Aug 7, 2014

• #26

I use a small Char Broiler  thermometer ($5.97 from Wal-Mart) mounted a slightly above grate level. Works great. Oh, BTW - I calibrated  via the boiling water method. Playing with the air flow, I can get whatever I want smoked with one  load of charcoal plus a 3/4 chimney using the minion method for a long steady heat source. This is in a Char Griller SFB I use for a small smoker.  I  sealed it by making sure the lid was completely  closed flat against the  barrel ( a little massaging with some body working tools) and used FDA approved food safe RTV.  also had to seal a couple small spots on the charcoal tray. So far It works just fine. 

 

harleyguy84

Newbie

May 15, 2013

3

10

Northwest Illinois

• Aug 21, 2014

• #27

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• harleyguy84
• Aug 21, 2014

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• harleyguy84
• Aug 21, 2014

IMG_2406.JPG

• harleyguy84
• Aug 21, 2014

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• harleyguy84
• Aug 21, 2014

Just throwing out more ideas for mods that i did on mine. The water pan is a stainless steel drywall mud pan.

 

oldschoolbbq

Legendary Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Jul 16, 2008

9,359

205

NW Ohio - outside Toledo

• Aug 21, 2014

• #28

Nice , we now you'll have fun with it , just be sure to send Q-view or we'll have to put you in the

.

Have fun and . . .