First Butt Smoke in the New CharGriller

[meowey]

Folks,

Here we go! The first long smoke on the new CharGriller Smokin' Pro.

I had laid lump in the SFB last evening. Got up at 00:Dark:20 and lit a chimney of lump. When hot, I dumped it in the SFB and threw in a hunk of hickory. I have a restaurant steam table pan with water on the fire box side with some foil attached to the end of the pan to deflect the heat and smoke down into the bottom of the smoke chamber. I have 2 thermo probes in the unit to measure the temps. As the unit heated up the thermo on the SFB side was up to 20 degrees hotter than the thermo on the smoke stack side. After the butt went in the difference evened out and the stack side thermo is reading slightly higher than the fire box side. This changes a little when the wind (which is light) changes direction. I think my makeshift baffle is working. I'm going to have to add more lump after about 2 and 1/2 hours if I want to keep a steady temp. I found that out yesterday when I did a few fatties for a test smoke. I'm going to foil at 165F and finish in the oven. (No sense in using that much lump when it's in the foil.)

Why only 1 butt you say? Well there are not that many people around to eat it today, and if I really screw up I don't want to ruin too much meat.

Butt rubbed and ready

More pics later!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[blackhawk19]

Good Luck with your smoke

 

[hawgheaven]

Alright Meowey!!!

The first long smoke was the most exciting for me... The anticipation of the final product, tending to the fire, keeping the temps stable, mopping the beast... all added up to my personal utopia. Butt, trying to keep my patience under control was the biggest obstacle!

Good luck!!

 

[meowey]

Here is a pic of the butt at 2 1/4 hours when I opened the smokeing chamber to spray with a 3-1 mix of Apple Juice and Captain Morgan's Original Spiced rum.

The sun is now on the unit and that caused a temp spike. I closed down the air intake of the fire box to almost closed. The stack cap is still wide open. (gotta have air flow) The temp diff from fire box side to stack side is now about 18 degrees hotter on the fire box side.

More later!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[reflect]

Have fun breaking that new smoker in, it's always a good time :).

Take care,

Brian

 

[meowey]

Here is the hour 4 1/2 pic. Butt has been rotated 180 degrees.

The sun got off the unit and temps came down a little so I opened the air intake a little more. At one point I think I had too much fuel in the fire box. I guess you learn as you go.

Hour 4 1/2 pic

More later!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[doc]

Looking good Meowey!

 

[placebo]

That looks like its coming along perfectly there meowey. Thanks for the great pics!

I can't wait until Sunday, but for now I must get by living vicariously thru you all.

 

[hawgheaven]

Nice butt Meowey!!

 

[gypsyseagod]

looks good to me.

 

[flagriller]

Looking good!

 

[meowey]

Sprayed again. Bark developing! Temps have leveled off at 225F I think the build up of ash has slowed the air intake as I had to open it up again slightly.

Hour 4 1/2 pic

More later!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[hawgheaven]

Yes, that stock coal rack is too low to the ash pan, plus after a few smokes, it will go south on ya'. I replaced mine with a heavier rectangular rack that now sits above the ash pan, not in it.

 

[gypsyseagod]

still rockin' da butt. liking that pit ain't ya ????

 

[ultramag]

Looks good Meowey! It looks like you hit the ground running w/ the Chargriller.

 

[meowey]

Hawg,

I'm running the grate in the SFB upside down to leave more room for the ash. I'm going to stir the ash to knock it down on the next refueling. I have ordered two baskets from CharGriller. Next time I will try them.

Thanks for all the replies!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[flagriller]

You might want to try using a different charcoal that produces less ash. I use the Royal Oak Lump and went 12 hours with pleanty of room to spare. If you can find the stuff made in Brazil, better, if not the regular is good, stay away from the Argintine stuff.

 

[meowey]

I'm using lump that has the "gourmet" brand name on it. After the ash stirring there is more room for air and I had to close down the air intake. I think I'm alright. I have 3 bags of Cowboy charcoal that I will use next time. I have used it in my kettle grill and it produces very little ash.

Thanks for the info!!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[meowey]

It's 8 1/2 hours into the smoke. The butt is at 142F. Smoker temps are between 220-240F.

Here's the pic

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[hawgheaven]

I'm using this stuff by Milazzo... I like it!