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Charcoal and wood? In a cart style grill.

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    Charcoal and wood? In a cart style grill.

    Hey all, glad to be here! I've been grilling, BBQing, smoking for a while now. I've always used Kingsford briquets and thrown on wood chips. I'm using a cart style grill, pic included. I want to go full wood chunks, or a mix of both. Any suggestions or tips? Thanks everyone!
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    #2
    Welcome to The Pit. I use wood chunks with charcoal for longer cooks. Normally two to four chunks larger than a gold ball, but smaller than a hardball. I'd start with two to test the flavor because too much smoke is worse than too little smoke in my book.

    Pick one wood and get that dialed in, then try another wood. Start with something you can easily get before going crazy trying different woods.

    Here is one, (of many), online charts of what wood works with what protein.
    Last edited by RonB; May 20, 2019, 06:51 AM.

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    • Potkettleblack
      Potkettleblack commented
      Editing a comment
      All that... but rules about wood to food are meant to be examined, if not completely broken. ;-)

    #3
    I have that exact grill and love it.
    Click image for larger version

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    As you can see I added the side fire box. I use to use it as a COS but I could not seem to manage my fire well enough to not impart too much soot.

    I sealed around the lid, as it seems you did. As well as ash drawer and vents. It's tight enough. I use it mostly for grilling these days but was recently inspired to get a flame boss 500 for charcoal/wood indirect cooking

    Comment


    • Badvine
      Badvine commented
      Editing a comment
      Hey lostclusters, thanks for the tips. Any tips on cleaning and maintenance for the Char Griller? I'm a Chef and have been cleaning coiking equipment since '93 and all my past grills. Bit i just got this one, and i wanba make it last. Any inside info would be much appreciated. Thanks!

    • lostclusters
      lostclusters commented
      Editing a comment
      These grills are not made to last. It will eventually rust out no matter what. Especially where the coals go. I got heavy gauge coal baskets so the heat stress is lessened there. I believe Char-grill recommends coating it with vegetable oil on occasion (not the coal grate). I also keep mine covered.

    #4
    I’m not sure by your post if you mean changing from wood chips to wood chunks, or going to all wood. Don’t go all wood.

    Chunks are easy. Get your charcoal going, then throw on a chunk or two. That’s it! I second RonB , too much smoke is worse than not enough. Don’t throw on more than one or two. Well, maybe three. There is strong temptation; don’t give in. And don’t take the absence of thick smoke to mean absence of flavor. You’ll get the flavor.

    that’s it from my backyard, happy cooks!

    I do apple, cherry, and hickory for pork, and hickory for beef, and anything for chicken. But the truth is that i can’t taste the difference, that’s just habit.

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      #5
      I use a kindling cracker and split my chucks in to about 1" x 1" pieces to ensure that they burn well.

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        #6
        Use small wood splits. You get the best (IMHO) smoke flavor from a cleanly burning wood fire. I have a built-in charcoal grill on my outdoor island and use wood in it all the time. Use charcoal to form a nice coal bed, then throw in a small split (the pic below is about a 8"x4" hunk of oak). Wait until the fire's burning well and the white smoke is gone. Remember: the best smoke flavor comes from smoke you can't see!
        Attached Files

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          #7
          Thank you all so much! I feel more confident with making the switch, I'll post some pictures of my next cook! Thanks again!

          Comment


            #8
            Be sure to show us some of your favorite bbq recipes!! I like that cooker, bet it makes good cue. Welcome from the Republic of Texas !!

            Comment


              #9
              I can't see an issue with using all wood as long is you don't make a fire big enough to cook a Brontosaurus.

              I have a readily available source of all the oak I could ever want, and thanks to hurricane season, it costs me nothing. I've built many fires in my Weber kettles using nothing but chunks. The flavor is wonderful.

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                #10
                Welcome to the Pit! Have fun experimenting!

                Comment


                  #11
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                    #12
                    If you are going to use small splits just know that it requires a lot of baby-sitting and proper fire management techniques. With the absence of an offset fire box I encourage you to go charcoal/wood chunks (just a couple of chunks as outlined above). With charcoal you can set up a fuse and once you get the vents dialed in the fire will hold a steady temp range.

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