Newbie needs help!

[Mamadux]

I'm using my chargriller duo for first time. I tried smoking just doing the charcoal side but temp got too hot (I souad hard time keeping it under 300 so it tasted good but was sliceable I got a chimney to keep fire going and the side box. I have both vents..into SF and vent into grill part open but I can't get temp up to 225. Also, I put my chimney full of lit coals over more charcoal wood mix and it is looking really ashy. When do I put in more? Do I havejust stick pieces of charcoal and wood on too or light another chimney and pour it in? Ive seen some articles about mods I may have to have my hubby help me understanding that after this is done. If it is food safe at 200 I'm cool with that even if it takes longer but it's only been on grillhour and a half

 

[WaterRat]

What are you cooking?

 

[Mamadux]

2 pork butts

 

[WaterRat]

Just keep going. Pork butts are very easy and undemanding. Try to stabilize your temps but anything from 200-300°F and the butts will be fine. Make small changes to your vents/charcoal and wait a bit for the results. Avoid thick white smoke or the butts will turn bitter.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

The internal temp varies from one kind of meat to another. Like WaterRat said we need to know what you are cooking to suggest anything helpful.

As far as the firebox goes that is another matter entirely. Every pit has it's quirks. I have an Oklahoma Joe Highland and I use charcoal for my heat source. Wood chunks are used to supply the smoke. What I do with my pit is open the chimney vent wide open. I never close it unless I am not cooking. I never attempt to control heat with that vent. I use the vent at the firebox to raise and lower the heat. On my pit, If I am doing a long cook over 3 hours I will fill the firebox with a single layer of unlit briquettes. That is about a full charcoal chimney for me. Then I will create a pocket in the corner closest to the vent where I will put the lit charcoal. I then fill my chimney about 1/3 of the way and let it get red hot and start to ash up. I pour those lit coals in that empty space I created earlier and then give my pit 20 to 30 minutes to come to temp. Since I know what my pit does I don't need to mess with the vent much but the first time you do this you will probably want to open the vent most of the way. When you get about 10 degrees from your target temp then start to close the vent a bit at a time. Add some wood to start the smoke rolling. When it hits the target temp add your meat close the cooking chamber and then monitor the temp adjusting no sooner than 20 minute increments. What is going to happen is that those lit coals with start the unlit coals in what is referred to as the minion method. You won't get a sudden spike in temp because the process takes time. Plus you will have the advantage of not needing to add fuel every 45 minutes or so. You keep an eye on your cooking chamber temp and keep adjusting until you find your pit's sweet spot. Then when the pit temp starts to drop you can check your firebox and knock down any ash, push the remaining hot coals to one end and add another chimney of unlit coals if you are going to need to go for an extended period of time. As long as you have a few of the unlit coals touching the hot coal pile the process will just continue again. I have found it to be very effective in my situation.

I've experimented with different charcoal and on Ray's suggestion use the Royal Oak generic from Walmart or Home Depot. That would be the store brand of Expert Grill at Walmart and Embers at Home Depot. They burn great and have been super consistent for me. If I want to run hot and fast I will sometimes use the Royal Oak lump charcoal or the Western brand hard lump charcoal that they have at my local Walmart right now. They burn hotter and produce less ash that briquette charcoal. The Royal Oak is actually made from oak and has a great flavor all on it's own from that oak source. The Western brand doesn't say what it's source is but the scent is very similar to Royal Oak. My guess is that it is indeed oak. It's a good value right now because you get a 30 pound bag for about $9. The Royal Oak is about a 15 pound bag for about the same price.

No matter what, with a bit of experimentation you will be able to get that dialed in. You got this girl. You are going to impress the hell out of hubby with your awesomeness.

Good luck with your cook.

G

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Oh for that smoke just add a chunk of wood in a few random spots of the unlit charcoal so that you get consistent smoke for several hours. After four or five hours you don't have to add any more smoke if you don't want.

As WaterRat said pork butt is very forgiving. I wouldn't even attempt to keep the temp low for that. If you run it near 300 you are going to be fine. I try to smoke my pork butt between 275 and 300 as a regular habit. I try not to wrap and it helps to power through the stall.

Sounds like you have some folks who are in for some yummy pork goodness. Enjoy your cook.

G

 

[Mamadux]

Y'all are awesome! I built my fire on side and really struggled all day to keep temp at up to 200. Finally after about 8 hours I wrapped and the tire was going out and it started raining so I turned it on low and put it on gas side. I checked it a couple times it was fine. Then I came down and saw this. The gas side of my grill totally burned up the tube to gas tank was melted and burning. All the knobsmelted and we're burning on sidewalk..it was toast. I cut off charred part of BBQ and was able to rinse it and salvage some but I lost all that good bark along with my gas grill. I am so sad.

 

[Mamadux]

More pics if sad grill

 

[WaterRat]

Holy crap! That is a serious bummer! I guess the silver lining is the tank didn't blow but the grill melting down - that shouldn't happen!