goEMAW.com bbq, smoking, grilling, etc. thread!

[asava]

you should be able to get 10 pounds of lump between the bottom fire grate (located at the bottom of the fire box) and the top of the fire ring which is where the plate setter rests.

what were the bricks resting on and what was your drip pan resting on?

So the bricks sit on top of the Fire Ring, where the place setter normally is. I've put four bricks down underneath a drip pan in the center, with two more bricks on their side located on the outside of the rack (similar to the arms of the plate setter) to hold the cooking grid up. There is plenty of space for air to flow on either side of the center bricks.

I should clarify, when I was talking about two racks in my earlier post, i was talking about the grid that sits on top of the fire ring and the cooking grid.

[asava]

I think i've narrowed it down to a fuel problem. I've been dumping a whole chimney into the fire box, and that was it. I should use the chimney and then fill the fire box up with unlit coals, no?

[pissclams]

no.

load the firebox with lump, try to strategically place larger lump on the fire grate so as to not block the holes in it and to leave tiny little baby air pockets.  then just dump the rest of your lump on top of it, like i said, you should be able to get around 10 lbs in there.  then put the top rack on top of the fire ring and load up your chimney starter and light it, setting it on your top grate.  let it get really going and then pull the top rack, dump the red hot coals from the chimney on top of your lump in the fire box and then add your smoking woods (i don't soak mine, no need), and then set your make shift platesetter on top of that, then your drip pan and then your top grate.

your top and bottom vents should both be wide open, or just don't even use the top lid yet.  smoker should go quickly up to 300+, at which point i put the lid on with the vents barely open and close the bottom to less than a half inch width.  the smoker will go back to 250 within a few minutes.  this whole process shouldn't take more than 10 minutes or so.

then let the coal burn for 30 minutes or so before putting food on, this burns the coal clean and gets rid of crap on the lump that imparts crap flavor into your food.

[asava]

no.

load the firebox with lump, try to strategically place larger lump on the fire grate so as to not block the holes in it and to leave tiny little baby air pockets.  then just dump the rest of your lump on top of it, like i said, you should be able to get around 10 lbs in there.  then put the top rack on top of the fire ring and load up your chimney starter and light it, setting it on your top grate.  let it get really going and then pull the top rack, dump the red hot coals from the chimney on top of your lump in the fire box and then add your smoking woods (i don't soak mine, no need), and then set your make shift platesetter on top of that, then your drip pan and then your top grate.

your top and bottom vents should both be wide open, or just don't even use the top lid yet.  smoker should go quickly up to 300+, at which point i put the lid on with the vents barely open and close the bottom to less than a half inch width.  the smoker will go back to 250 within a few minutes.  this whole process shouldn't take more than 10 minutes or so.

then let the coal burn for 30 minutes or so before putting food on, this burns the coal clean and gets rid of crap on the lump that imparts crap flavor into your food.

thank you very much. 

[pissclams]

the egg won't use all of that coal, 10 lbs should last a long time, ~24 hrs of smoking, but it's important to have the fuel in there.  when you're done, just close up the vents and reuse the coal next smoke.  it doesn't go bad.

get a plate setter.  you're sitting on a $800 smoker and missing the single most essential component to it all, which happens to cost $65.  if availability is an issue, just convert a pizza stone into one.

[asava]

the egg won't use all of that coal, 10 lbs should last a long time, ~24 hrs of smoking, but it's important to have the fuel in there.  when you're done, just close up the vents and reuse the coal next smoke.  it doesn't go bad.

get a plate setter.  you're sitting on a $800 smoker and missing the single most essential component to it all, which happens to cost $65.  if availability is an issue, just convert a pizza stone into one.

yeah i've been really dragging my feet on it. definitely need to stop being such a pud.

[cDubya]

Definitely cannot afford a BGE, but getting the weekend started nicely with some chicken on the grill. Did some veggies, potatoes, and then stuck the smoker box in to do the chicken with some applewood. Turned out amazingly well, pics are lacking by here they are...

[Tobias]

would smash

[The Big Train]

Is that seared pineapple? 

[ChiComCat]

Also Asava, what altitude are you at?  Going from Kansas to 8000+ feet has made a more drastic difference in opening my vents than I expected.  First few cooks were a struggle because I kept thinking that I couldn't possibly need to open the vents more.

[cDubya]

Is that seared pineapple? 

It WAS seared pineapple, yes. Haha. Went great with the applewood smoked chicken.

[AST]

that is some might fine looking grub cDubya

got a little holiday beef short rib going.  gonna make some braised red cabbage (suck it non-cabbage tards (basically just tards so as not to be redundant)), grilled sweet corn, grilled strip steak and honey glazed grilled graefruit for dessert

[meow meow]

Is it any coincidence that AST is growing a yeard, the same time he's gotten into craft beers?  I bet he opens his own brew pub within 3 years.

[ben ji]

Grilled up some bass I caught the other day (not really grilled tho since I just wrapped them in foil and put them on the grill).

Served with some grilled kale(from my garden and carrots (from the store) along with a side dish of garlic bread (from price chopper)

[ben ji]

Which reminds me, anyone know how to cook some fish on a grill (besides salmon on a wood plank)?

I usually just wrap in in foil but I feel I might as well be using the oven.

[Skipper44]

I have thought about using a cast iron skillet for fish on the grill and/or smoker but haven't tried it yet.

[CNS]

They make pans of all sorts of sizes and depths, all with holes or slots in them, made to go on the grill.  I have a large 1.5"ish deep skillet I use to grill a bunch of veggies and shrimp dishes.  Also, they make baskets that you clamp your fish in(look like small raquets that your fish literally go inside, then just flip the basket when you want to flip the fish, and when done, you unclasp the basket and take out the fish.

There are a bunch of ways you could go at it.

[CNS]

AST, last brisket I smoked, I did so on a bed of fresh parsley per your recomendo.   It was fantastic.  Have you ever done that with rosemary and pork ribs?

[AST]

AST, last brisket I smoked, I did so on a bed of fresh parsley per your recomendo.   It was fantastic.  Have you ever done that with rosemary and pork ribs?

i usually do rosemary for beef and sometimes lamb but have never done with pork

[CNS]

I season roasts with it and like the outcome.  Wondering if it would be too strong like this though.  Will try it out next time

[AST]

was really good, didn't get a pic of everything

[asava]

Also Asava, what altitude are you at?  Going from Kansas to 8000+ feet has made a more drastic difference in opening my vents than I expected.  First few cooks were a struggle because I kept thinking that I couldn't possibly need to open the vents more.

around 6600 ft. definitely took some getting used to, but the Brisket turned out pretty decent. Didn't get the amount of bark i wanted, but it was a good first go.

[pissclams]

did the egg act right?

[kim carnes]

did the egg act right?

Why?  Are u planning on towing your egg to Colorado and using it soon?  I swear

[asava]

did the egg act right?

Yes. Was a little warm at times, and hard to move it down. It sat at around 250 all day, but would have liked to see it at 225. Still a few kinks to work out.