Fire/Coal Management

K

Kimchee

Guest
I need some advice and tips from the masters of the grill, please.

When my gas grill died, I decided to go charcoal, and overall I have been very happy with the decision.

But there is one thing I just can't seem to master.

Keeping a steady heat when I am doing a long, low slow BBQ.
I've got good quality charcoal, Kingsford Competition Briquets, I fill my large charcoal chimney so I've got a good base of coals to start with.
The temperature starts off fine, but fairly quickly drops, and adding small handfuls of new briquets just doesn't keep it where it needs to be.

I've been experimenting, and actually prefer using small chunks of hickory wood, but they end up smoking instead of burning.

What I'd like to do is go with charcoal to start, and then wood to keep the fire going at the heat I want. I'm not interested in using lump charcoal, mainly because I can't find any in this area.

So what's the secret? Anyone have a good routine for maintaining a good fire over time?

My grill has a front door for accessing the fire without opening the lid, and I keep the vents on the fire side open and the chimney barely cracked.
 

Leni

New member
Your air flow is a big part of the heat. You might try opening the chimney a little more. I add coals to the edges of the fire and move them in as the older ones die out. That way I can keep the temperature even.
 

chilefarmer

New member
Air is the secret, open smoke stack all the way. Control your fire size with air intake. What you want is thin blue smoke from the stack. Knowing the type of pit you have will make lots of difference in solving your problem. CF
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Kimchee, unless you have a large wood-burning smoker, you want to use charcoal for fuel for the whole cook, and just use wood chips or chunks for flavoring.

I have a Weber Smokey Mountain, bullet-type smoker. I use sand in the water pan, instead of water, as a heat sink.

For low and slow, I don't use a chimney starter full of hot coals. I start the fire with Weber starter cubes on a full pan of charcoal.

This is for a WSM. I don't know what smoker you have, but perhaps you can adapt.

Fill the charcoal ring with Kingsford, then use two Weber parafin cubes on top of the pile to start the fire. Leave all the bottom vents open. Leave the middle and top sections of the WSM off, until the surrounding coals light and start to smoke.

Then put the middle on, WITHOUT THE DOOR, and the lid on, WITH A THERMOMETER IN THE LID or vent). When the thermometer temp gets to about 100-125, put the door on.

Let the temp climb to 150 -200, then close two bottom vents completely, and the third vent half way. When the temp is 225-250, put the meat and the wood chunks on.

With the "sand in the pan", this is absolutely easiest way to "spot-on" control the fire in a WSM!

Lee
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
I've got a Master Chef rectangular grill, vents at both ends, fire door in the front, chimney at one end. The fire pan can be cranked up and down. It's probably got a 3 foot long grill surface.
My problem is maintaining a good bed of coals or flames to keep the darn thing at the right temperature. The original chimney of coals does fine for about 20 minutes, then the temp drops from a nice 300 on the thermometer to around 170, and unless I fire up another chimney of coals, adding charcoal never gets it up. Adding a couple of wood chunks spikes it for about ten minutes, then I'm tossing in more. If I add a bunch of wood, it spikes up to 350 or so at the meat level. Too high.
Perhaps this is normal and I'm just hoping for a longer heat output? Is adding fuel every 15 minutes or so 'normal'?
Yeah 300 sounds high for low and slow, but on my grill with the heat on one side and the meat on the other, that is what puts the meat area at around 225-240.
I actually like using wood, guess it's the old Boy Scout in me... I can read the flames and coals much better.

I am wondering if perhaps I need to build up a much bigger bed of coals before I even start BBQing? The equivalent of two or three starter chimneys of charcoal?

Thanks for all the responses... I will play with the vents and chimney, see if that helps.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Kimchee, could you post a photo of your smoker, or an internet link with a photo?

All I can find of the Masterchef brand are vertical smokers. Sounds as if you have an offset.

Lee
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Oops, it's a MasterForge, my bad.
Air vents both sides, chimney has a closeable vent.
I generally put the coals on the right side.
 

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QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Hmmm, well, I've watched a couple of YouTube videos on this cooker. One guy sealed the gap around the lid with stove gasket and high-heat sealant.

This guy says he gets about 3 hours out of one chimney of charcoal, maintaining a temp of 350-375 degrees.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkXRVyLG1OU[/ame]

Lee
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Hmm. I do agree with his assessment, it is a great grill. I don't like the metal lip that prevents the grills from being lifted out. I have to take the left one out, then slide the others over, that's a bit aggravating. But it is well made. I added some utensil hooks and am going to add a fold down workspace to the left.

And if that is ONE chimney of coals, then I guess I have a small charcoal chimney starter, because that's about two or three times the coals mine holds. I think my problem might be solved right there. That and leaving the right vent completely open.

Can't believe I didn't think of searching for reviews on it.
I love Netcooking.com, you guys are a great help.

Now, what to BBQ to test? Baby backs? Yeah, wife likes them....
And corn!
:corn:
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
SUCCESS!
Did a beer can chicken tonight. Temps held steady for over an hour, using about
twice as much coals as usual, which was just fine.
Thank you everyone!
 

Leni

New member
Terrific! And the smoke from the charcoal adds a lot of flavor. Have fun continuing to experiment.

I'm going outside to grill steak for dinner tonight. I'm going to toss some hickory chips on the coals. It will be served with mashed potatoes and a tossed green salad with home grown tomatoes.
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Leni, I tossed a couple few chunks of hickory on there too.
Towards the end, when it was time to roast the corn, I put a handful or so of charcoal in my chimney and fired it up a bit to renew the heat. Pulled back the husks first, dusted them with ancho chili powder, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime. First time I'd tried that, won't be the last time.
It'd been a while since I did a beer can chicken. This one got under the skin dry rubbed as well as on the skin, with some lemon pepper in the rub. Woof, that was good. Stuck the gizzard and liver in the upper opening, best part of the chicken almost.
Once again... thanks everyone, I guess I WILL be buying more charcoal soon too. :)
 

Leni

New member
You really only need the chimney to start the fire. After that just add coals up against one that is already going.
I do not use a chimney. I use an electric starter. That way I don't have to burn off the taste of lighter fluid. It's just as fast if not faster. :bbq:
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
lighter fluid?

the 'chimneys' I'm familiar with - you put a sheet of newspaper/paper under the baffle, the charcoal on top of the baffle, light the paper - no 'fluid' involved.....
 
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