Learning the LSG Cabinet

[ofelles]

3rd go round
Going to try this thing with water in the pan. The directions said it will hold 4 gallons of water and use about a gallon an hour at 225°F. I have a feeling it will help even out the temp and allow me to hit 225°F easier. Here goes.

Building a smaller fire like my 2^nd try. Added water to the pan and close the doors. The water seems to be slowing things down. It took 30 minutes to hit 150°F. At 90 minutes it was 175°F and I closed the ball valve and top vent to ½. At 190°F I closed the valve down to ¼ open.


This made it stall at 210°F so I opened the valve back up a little shy of ½. I’m using Signals with probes placed #1 is 3” down from top, #2 is at door thermometer level, and #4 is 2” above the water pan. See pic at 2 hours.


The temperature spread will make cooking difference items easier and if I want to speed them up or slow it down I have options. 4 hours in sitting at 233°F on probe #2, shut the valve a smudge. 6 hours in 242°F.

I’m enjoying this and the practice is paying off. Will cook up that butt tomorrow.

Edit: 800 and still going strong 9 hours in

[Troutman]

Not sure how I missed this post but you know I’m a big fan of that cabinet. I’m kind of surprised though, I’ve seen Chris fill the tray with about 40# of charcoal and a couple handful of chunks and cook briskets at 225-250 all day long. Are you using the snake method?

Anyway glad you got a handle on her. That’s a sweet rig!! Hoping to see some great stuff comin’ outta her soon ofelles

[ofelles]

Troutman Yes I am using the snake method. I think it is just the learning curve on the temps and getting the valve adjustments right.

[ofelles]

6th time running the LSG, 2 time with food (9-10# pork butts). This time making it for the strong back and weak mind that helped me move this beast to the back yard.
I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. (I just jinxed myself) Instead of trying to get it up to temp (225-250F) within 30-45 minutes I started closing the valve and damper at 175F to 1/4 open. at 1 hour it was at 190 and slowly rising.
Opened the valve to 1/3, an 1/2 hour later it was 221F. Perfect. opened the valve a little bit and sat back. At 21/2 hours it was steady at 230F.
At 6 hours in the butt is at 166F and the cooker is 244F and holding. Water pan still mostly full and I'm happy!

[tenphases]

Loved following this post and whatta sweet setup!!

[Mr. Bones]

Lovin Every Minute of It; Please, do keep us posted!
Have a Great Cook, an stay Safe an Well, Brother!

[ofelles]

Mr. Bones Thank you and back at ya!

[Mr. Bones]

De Nada, Amigo!
Thanks fer sharin with us, I'm truly enjoyin th Journey, Brother!

[ofelles]

8 hours in and holding steady at 238F and butt @ 175F. This is Therapy for sure just sitting and watching.

From when I put the butt in this morning.

[Mr. Bones]

Thanks again fer such an enjoyable romp, an new experience, fer me. I'm greatly enjoyin, an on this Day, it provides a Pleasant Distraction from what's alla runnin through many of our minds.
Keep em comin, Please, Amigo!

[Mr. Bones]

I have found Smoke Therapy to be among th most Highly Successful Remedial Methods known to Mankind, at least in my particular case.
Hence, My Presence, Here...

[Henrik]

I agree Mr. Bones, that makes two of us :-)

[ofelles]

It’s out and resting it hit 203F. It's midnight. Pulled and will vacuum seal tomorrow then go over to his house with a bag of deliciousness.

Wanted to stick to the rack so I had to man handle it some

[mountainsmoker]

What a great looking piece of meat!!!!

[ofelles]

Henrik that's your Royal rub

[Henrik]

Cool ofelles!

[Greygoose]

Nice piece of work
I hope you turn this into a series !!!!
season1,E1 !!!!!!
WOOOOHOOOO !!!!!

[ofelles]

Greygoose Thanks but I'm just a what-a-be Pitmaster enjoying his new toy. Next up learning the fireboard controller and honing my skills.

[STEbbq]

Love the learning process and updates! Thank you!

[ofelles]

Finally trying out my Fireboard V1 with a Pit Bull fan. The cooker is acting way different. Had to add a 2"x3/4" bushing in the ball valve and then the adapter for the fan. Which restricts the air flow obviously.
So with the ball valve wide open and the stack the same after 1 hour 20 minutes it's at 152.9F. I'm shooting for 225F. It was getting up to that temp in about 45 minute without the fan control fittings. The fan is not even connected at this time. Is this normal?

[Greygoose]

I’m thinkin’ you need air to the fire box,,,,,
fan or crack open the firebox door
why isn’t the fan connected ,,,,,just wondering

[ofelles]

Greygoose Every time I connected it the temp dropped fast. See post below.

[ofelles]

Closed the ball valve down to 1/3 open and the stack the same and plugged the fan in with it dampered down by 1/2 also.. Seems to be climbing now it's at 175F at 2 1/4 hours. I loaded the charcoal the same as before and lit the same amount of coals in the chimney so I'm a little confused still.

[jlazar]

When I use the Fireboard and Fan on the Chubby G2, I have the fan mounted from the start and set to my target temp. The fan damper is wide open, all the time. I close the other input door when the temp is about 175. I leave the top (exit) open all the way, all the time. I start with only about 15 lit coals. I reach 225 in about 30 minutes (using hot water in the water pan).

[ofelles]

jlazar I only have the single air inlet. There is a second 2" npt inlet that is capped off. I'm up to 203F now. Next time I will try starting of with the fan running and see. This is a dry run so no consequences.

[jlazar]

I load the Chubby the same way with the same lit coals whether using the fan or not. Its just that if I am using the fan, I close everything except the exit vent and just let the Fireboard and fan do the work.

[ofelles]

It hit 225F at 3 1/4 hours, fan started skowing down at about 220F and turned off at 224F. Climbed to 339F and is now dropping. waiting to see.

[Sweaty Paul]

Enjoying this thread immensely. The LSG Cabinet is on my radar. Seems almost like you have have more control without the fan and Fireboard.

Thanks again for sharing this and your learning curve. Learning tons.

Sweaty!

[ofelles]

I'm thinking like my first try in this it was all over the place. Plus I have fooled with both dampers maybe more than I should have. It is steadying out at about 230 now. Time will tell.

[Sweaty Paul]

Thanks for clarification. Watching this with great curiosity. Will also be interested to find out when you do a cook if there is a difference in the taste of the food with and without Fireboard and fan. Thanks for this post and keeping us all up to speed.

[ofelles]

It is fluctuating between 235F and 219F. I do not know how to show the graph on here.
I will try again tomorrow starting with the fan running and not fool with the vents so much so the Fireboard can do what it does with out my "help".
Can someone tell me how to load the graph so I can show you them. Thanks.

[Red Man]

You could take a screenshot of it on your phone and then post it the same way you would normally post a pic from your phone.