First cook with my slow n sear on my Weber kettle 22"!!

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

I'm sooo excited! Got my new SnS yesterday. Just stoked it up and got some cherrywood chunks on it. And I got rib racks, too.. So those are all three firsts for me. Rubbed my spareribs with MMD and put em on. Kettle just got to 225. Can't wait to see how this goes!! I will post pics.... Unless it goes very wrong, and then I will keep the photos of shame to myself! ☺

[Jerod Broussard]

Coolness. I just picked up two spares to smoke tomorrow on my newest Weber. Love me some cherry wood!

[DWCowles]

No! If it goes wrong (I'm sure it won't) post pics anyway so we can see what went wrong. You got this!

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

SOS. I cannot keep the temp down, even with all the vents closed! Anyone got any suggestions? I already removed some coals. It's really hot outside. I dunno what to do!

[Jerod Broussard]

Sprtiz the coals with some water to tame them down.

[Jerod Broussard]

SOS on a SNS.....too cool, or maybe not too cool in your case.

[Reds Fan 5]

GirlpoweredBBQ, what is your temperature and what kind of fuel are you using?

[fuzzydaddy]

Binder clips on the lid if it's leaking. I use 4 on my 22" and that fixes my leaky issue. Did you start with lighting 12 coals and when they were ashed over, add the rest of a chimney unlit, following the lighting procedures for 225?

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

I didn't count the coals, but it was about that much, yes. I did follow those instructions... Full chimney of unlit coals, keeping the lit ones on the one side. Maybe it was a few too many lit coals. Binder clips.... Yes. Next time. Very well could be air leaks from the lid.

[mbelang]

+1. Had same issue last weekend. Got 6 big binder clips a couple hours in and temp issue corrected

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

Might have to be water. I'm using charcoal and chunks of cherry wood. Maybe I started with too many lit coals. I just removed 2/3 of the lit coals and replaced them with unlit coals. Fingers crossed. If I still can't keep it down, I'll spritz the coals. Thanks, you guys. Appreciate your help, as always.

[Jerod Broussard]

I only start with about 12-13 coals. As mentioned by the fuzzmeister you may need some binder clips to seal the lid properly. I cooked on mine for a year or so before leaking became a problem.

[Reds Fan 5]

When I first started smoking I fought high temperatures until I learned about leaks and binder clips on AR. Four binder clips around the kettle did the trick. If you are using lump or Kingsford Professional/Competition they burn hotter than KBB, you need fewer coals.

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

I just pilfered 6 big binder clips from work yesterday. This weekend, that kettle will bend to my will! :-)

[fuzzydaddy]

GirlpoweredBBQ we are all glad we were here to offer some help. Can't wait to hear how the ribs are (and some photos)! Just in case you need it...here are tips on how to know when your ribs are ready.

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

Jerod Broussard, why do you think it want so long to start leaking. Interesting that it changed. Did heat warp it, do you think? I'll get some binder clips for next time. I've got the temp down by removing a whole lot of lit coals and replacing with unlit. It's slowly climbing back up again... Hope it doesn't go too far. I'm very surprised by how difficult it is to keep the temp down!

[Jerod Broussard]

Not sure, but I couldn't manipulate that dude any way to stop it. Inability to keep temps down is a positive indicator of a leak.

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

This all makes tons of sense. I am guessing that the lid is definitely leaking if I can see smoke coming out around it. ☺ I've got the temp at about 220 right now (after replacing about 2/3 of the lit coals with unlit coals and spritzing with water). The next step, which I've now moved on to, is drinking. (Obviously! Won't solve the temp problem, but makes me care about it less... Ha ha ha. 🍷 ) I'm gonna master this or die trying!! That cherrywood sure smells great.

[Michael Brinton]

Those coals are devouring oxygen. Like putting a lid on a candle and watching it bend in. If there is a tiny gap air will get in. The AR pit wisdom will work. Binder clips (maybe a gasket) spritz the lid or coals. The more practice and experience the better it will go. This really is the place to go for bbq answers.

[DWCowles]

GirlpoweredBBQ if the binders don't stop the leaks you can order a gasket for it at www.bbqgaskets.com

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

Do you think a gasket is better than binder clips? Or should I just try the easiest thing first (clips)?

[FireMan]

Or as I think ribeyeguy would say, order a pizza.

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

Lol 😂

[Breadhead]

Let the heat ramp up and make it a pizza cook.😆 You can make flat bread pizza dough in 15 minutes.

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

Thanks, Michael Brinton and @DWcowles.Yeah. Really gotta get those binder clips. Right now, temp is just yo yo-ing up and down.... Up when the wood catches, then too low when each chunk dies down. I hope I don't have to spritz the coals again. Can't go get binder clips now, because my boyfriend has no idea how to mind the BBQ... Oh yeah, and because I started drinking. Ha. Anyway, right now it looks like it might be stabilizing a bit at 228. Here's hoping. I hope the ribs won't be dry after a few big temperature surges and because I took the top off for about 10 minutes while I removed those got coals and added unlit coals. We shall see!

[Breadhead]

We in the Pit HIGHLY recommend keeping yourself properly hydrated.😆 Increase hydration when problems arise to stay cool, calm and collected. You're catching on to Pit behavior quickly. Your ribs are going to come out just fine. Some heat fluctuation won't hurt much.

[Histrix]

When you say you couldn't keep the temps down what were they going up to? It's quite ok to cook ribs at a higher temp than 225°F.

[GirlpoweredBBQ]

It was up to about 265.

[Spinaker]

Yeah, most of the time, I cook mine at about 275 F. You really develop a great crust at that temp too. GirlpoweredBBQ