Why Such Inconsistent Heat Temps???

[EZCUSE]

So I am relatively new to this whole charcoal thing so that that for what it's worth.

A few weeks ago, I used my chimney and let my Jealous Devil lump charcoal heat for 20 min and then waited another 20 min for the grill to heat up with the charcoal in it and my grill got up to temp very nicely and cooked some great burgers and hot dogs.

However, this past weekend I did the same exact thing (maybe had it in the chimney for 25 min) and the grill (Weber Original Kettle Premium) would not get up to temp whatsoever. All of the vents were wide open but the thermometer that I installed on the hood was reading at least 100 degree less than a few weeks ago.

What am I doing wrong? There was a bit of a drizzle going but moved everything under an awning so rain was not a factor at all. Do I try another charcoal? If so, what should I try? I cooked skinless chicken breasts and thighs and barely got and grill marks and color.

Please help since I am going to fire up the charcoal again for the 4th.

Thanks,

[mrteddyprincess]

Deleted post because I didn't understand the original question correctly...

[AverageJoe]

Lump burns a bit hotter than briquettes. Jealous Devil I believe boasts that they burn hotter than most as well.

[Steve R.]

I'm confused... Did you actually use the Jealous Devil lump charcoal the second time? I think the fact that it says you used Weber Original Kettle Premium charcoal (?) is throwing people off.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Although he said he "did the same exact thing", I think he used a different charcoal second go round.

[Steve R.]

ComfortablyNumb , my AR Secret Decoder Ring says otherwise. See below.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Steve R. Well, goes to show you are more perceptive than me, but then it doesn't take much for that. So, how much Ovaltine do I have to drink to get the decoder ring?

[EZCUSE]

Sorry... I just just telling you the grill that I was using. I used the Jealous Devil each time and cooked on my Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill each time.

[LA Pork Butt]

Any variables like charcoal volume, same level of ash over, same level of thickness in your kettle? If youncan’t Identify a variable then maybe the extra five minutes in the chimney was too long.

[AverageJoe]

Well darnit. I thought I was on the money lol. It could have been simply the moisture in the air even though you moved your grill under an awning.

[RonB]

How 'bout the size of your lump? Were both cooks done with similar sized pieces of lump? Large lumps should have more space around them, and have better air flow than small pieces that pack together closer.

[au4stree]

Rain and/or high humidity can definitely impact performance. Also, is it possible you got a batch of bad charcoal? Have you replicated the lighting technique with another brand?

[texastweeter]

also was the ambient temp and wind similar?

[smokin fool]

Sometimes that's just smoking....things just don't go your way.
I've hit both ends of the spectrum, hit it outta the park or hit the key pad for Skip the Dishes.
Fire up your smoker and try it again.

[mountainsmoker]

I always advise people to keep a grilling diary for each cook. It should include all the weather conditions, charcoal used and amount, and any other conditions you can think of that may effect future cooks, like time it took for each important step. Next get a thermometer that reads the temp at the grill. Dome temps can vary a lot more than grill temps do to weather. The latest ones recommended by Meathead also include a probe for the meat and can be found on the free section on the site. Take a look Maverick, ThermoPro , and FireBird all make good ones depending on your needs.

[grantgallagher]

Yeah, this is underappreciated. I imagine ive avoided a whole bunch of bad cooks by tracking results and adjusting.

[texastweeter]

wise words, and I agree. Also was charcoal placement similar in the fire rack of your kettle?

[Huskee]

My guess is you waited too long to dump the coals, and a good portion of the firepower was wasted up into the atmosphere, add to that the rain which is devastating to metal grills and smokers, and I can see the trouble there.

[Reds Fan 5]

25 minutes in the chimney and 20 in the grill before you cook (especially if you are doing a short, fast cook) seems like a long time. As soon as I see flame above the top of the chimney I dump it so I don’t lose burn time. The thermometer in the lid could also be the issue. Those typically low quality and dome temps aren’t the same as grate temps.

[jfmorris]

I think you waited too long to dump the chimney, and too long after that to cook. I doubt I wait more than 15 to dump the chimney. If you are direct grilling and need high heat for more than 45 to 60 minutes or so, I would also add more unlit charcoal at the time I dumped the chimney, usually add the unlit and then dump the lot on top.

[ScottyC13]

Do you wait for the top coals in the chimney to ash over? My last cook, the top three or four coals were just ashed on the underside, but I had just flames coming out and no blue smoke, so I put them in. I had decent heat the whole cook (1.5 hours).

[jfmorris]

ScottyC13, no - I don't wait for the very top of the chimney to ash over, just for the flames to start subsiding a little, and to see glowing red coals through the holes in the side of the chimney. Once you have a good amount of flames coming out of the chimney, most of the billowing white smoke is gone. I dump the chimney, close the cooker and give it a few minutes to heat up, then put the meat on.

[ScottyC13]

Great, thanks.