Grill too hot!

[aramirez626]

All, just started my Weber Summit. I put around 13 lit coals with a bunch of not lit coals and I’m burning around 300 degrees. When I put the brisket in, I was running around 250, and then it went up. I closed the vents really narrow but not all the way closed. Anything else I can do to lower the temp? Thanks for any help.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Opening the lid for a few minutes will bring the temp down. You may need to do this a few times until the temp settles down. Also, remove some of the unlit coals. Keep the top vent open all the way.
300° is still in the BBQ temp range.
Are you using a water pan in the S6 too?

 

[aramirez626]

Thanks! I have a drip tray but didn’t have water in it, so I added water. I’ll open the lid s few times if needed but removing coals will be hit and miss. Not sure how many to remove.

 

[cansmoke]

Opening the lid for a few minutes will bring the temp down. You may need to do this a few times until the temp settles down. Also, remove some of the unlit coals. Keep the top vent open all the way.
300° is still in the BBQ temp range.
Are you using a water pan in the S6 too?

Don't stress too much about the temp spike. It will drop at some point and so long as you are in a safe range the whole time, relax nd quaff a cold one!
THanks, Snoopy for the word quaff

 

[gmc2003]

All, just started my Weber Summit. I put around 13 lit coals with a bunch of not lit coals and I’m burning around 300 degrees. When I put the brisket in, I was running around 250, and then it went up. I closed the vents really narrow but not all the way closed. Anything else I can do to lower the temp? Thanks for any help.

Sorry I'm not familiar with the Summit, but in this case I would go with what SecondHandSmoker said and remove some of the lit coals. Also I would shut the bottom vents down altogether until the temps start dropping. 13 fully lit coals are way too many in my opinion.

When I'm firing up my 26" kettle for a longish type smoke. I only use about 5 lit coals. My thinking is it's easier to raise the temp of your grill then it is to lower it. So I start off with about 5 lit, and all vents wide open. Then as the kettles temp starts to rise I'll slowly close the bottom vent to retard the rise in temp. Once I have it stabilized at my desired temp I'll add the meat.

Good luck and enjoy that brisket.

Chris

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Thanks! I have a drip tray but didn’t have water in it, so I added water. I’ll open the lid s few times if needed but removing coals will be hit and miss. Not sure how many to remove.

How many coals do you have in there now, including unlit coals?

300° isn't too hot especially for hot and fast brisket.

And gmc2003 gave great advice.

And as cansmoke said, don't stress and relax with a cold one!

You might find this thread interesting:

Quick question

Ok so i got smoke rolling, pork butt prepped, and the wife just left for work....then i realized i got no apple juice which i always use on my smokes for a quick spritz here and there, but i do have some seagrams strawberry daiquiri malt beverages, should work right? Please help guys

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[thirdeye]

Good advice so far, you will get more comfortable with fire management as time goes on. Jim Minion pioneered a charcoal arrangement method for a WSM, but it works on other cookers too. Maybe this will help.

I can share a funny story..... One year I get this email with about the same question but using Kingsford briquettes. I sort of gave my best opinion, and mentioned the Minion method, but added something like "Make sure all the K's are facing up, they will burn better". I figured the guy would get my joke. Two or three years later I find out the guy had been painstakingly arranging the briquettes with the K's up.