Chargriller Smokin Pro Newbie ?'s

[noobsmoke]

Ok guys, I'm on my second attempt to smoke some baby backs and things are looking much better this time around. I am using a Maverick ET-73 and omg, it says 225 degrees while the temp gauge on my smoker says 150. I think I may have seriously overcooked my last batch.

Regardless, I have a few more questions:

1. I am using the 2-2-1 method for baby back. I am now in the wrap with foil stage. I sprayed with a bit of apple juice and placed back in the smoker. Does it matter if they are bone side up or down and I am assuming that I take the food probe out at this point, correct?

2. When you are moving your chargriller around, do you grab it by the SFB handle, lift it, then pull so it can roll? That's what I do but it feels like I probably shouldn't do that.

3. I wanna toss some chicken thighs and wings on there. How long should they smoke for?

Thanks guys! This is so much fun!

 

[fireguy]

Guessing its to late for the 1st 2 ?s, but For the 3rd... I put my wheels on the SFB side it seems to move easier for me. I think the extra weight will eventually break down those cheap plastic wheels, but I plan on modin them soon anyway. hope your smoke went well.

 

[roadrunr]

heres how i did my basket on my cgsp....

fully adjustable, hanging on 2 rods...one of the best mods you can make on these things...

 

[noobsmoke]

I like that setup. Seems like it's easy enough for me to do as I am not a fab type of guy. Where'd you get the rods and how long are they?

 

[roadrunr]

basket was 13.97 at lowes...rod was 5.49 at lowes it's a 7/16 x 48" inch cold rolled steel rod. cut with a sawzall or hacksaw to 14 1/2". should take ya all of about 15mins to cut and install

 

[bishop916]

yeah - the basket is the way to go. I had a 7 hour smoke yesterday (12 lb turkey

- good eats!) - anyways, lol, I only had to add lit coals once - at the beginning!. I just added a chimney of unlit coal every two hours or so and average temp was 230 all day.

 

[noobsmoke]

Hey guys,

I'm totally loving my new chargriller and all the information ya'll have given me is awesome!

A few more questions please:

1. Do you guys clean your grill after every smoke?

2. What's the best way to clean the grates? I tried not cleaning the grates after I cooked but the next time I put chicken on, there was a black soot/grease that ended up on them :( Please help.

Thanks.

 

[howufiga]

Yeah, I have the same problem with mine. BBQ sauce on there from grilling chicken leg quarters. You take a steel grill brush to them and it takes seasoning right off. If your smoking too, the grates won't get hot enough to burn the bbq sauce off. lol....

 

[teeotee]

I use my chargriller for a lot of grilling and have noticed the seasoning will burn off, especially if using lump to grill with.
When i clean the grates after grilling, i will use a wire brush while the grates are still warm. Once i have most of whatever is on the grates removed i spray or brush with some cooking oil. Especially the areas right over the coals. If i don't, i have to spend more time wire brushing the rust off whenever i want to smoke or grill next.

 

[motorhedd]

I use a propane torch on the racks,then brush with a wire brush ,then oil with vegetable oil.Seems to me the pathogens have a hard time under the flamethrower

 

[soonersmoker]

Noob - Thanks for the thread. A lot of the questions I had about my smoker have already been answered.

I've got the same smoker. Just started around Father's Day. I was pretty scared at first of messing up. My stock gauge is the same way too. Mine will rarely crack 200, unless I just stuff the side fire box. Mine generally teeters between 175 and 200, and my smokes seem to turn out fine. The key is to keep practicing / experimenting every week. You'll get better and better.

Also, if you only have time for grilling, but want some practice getting your smoker to the right temp, then I suggest:

Lighting the side firebox like you normally would, and let everything heat up, then just shovel the coals, etc over to the big chamber and use it to quickly grill some hamburgers, hotdogs etc. Sometimes I even put the little grates in the side fire box and cook them there.

 

[noobsmoke]

Thanks for the suggestion SoonerSmoker and I'm glad that you've been learning from this as well. The people here have been really helpful and friendly. I love it! I never knew that grilling/smoking could be so much fun and isn't something for experts only :)