Thanks, ecowper .I appreciate it. I really have had a problem controlling the temp on the SnS. Pretty much every time. Hard to keep it cool enough. I have binder clips now. And started with fewer lit coals this time. But still got temps soaring out of control. Since my last post, I spritzed my coals and got everything onto the top grate. Bottom vents are closed, top vents half open. Trying to stabilize it. Looks like might be starting to stabilize now at around 240. Good suggestion about the practice run, although I might just choose not to use that bottom grate. I really do look forward to the day when I can just cook. I'm kicking myself a little. Just kind of learned (mostly) how to keep the temp stable on the WSM, and it's like I couldn't stand the success. Ha ha. I just really love having more space to spread out with the kettle and the SnS. And I like how accessible everything is. On my little WSM, the water pan is so close to the coals that it's hard to arrange the coals and see what's happening with them during the later hours of the cook. Darn. My temp is starting to plummet again as I'm writing this. Time to go back out and open the top vent a little. Too high, too low... I know you are going to say stop messing with it. But I think I have to get it somewhat stable first, no? I mean, 200 or 300... It's a little nuts. Someday I'm going to master this!!! Hopefully this year! ☺
-
-
You cannot fully close the top OR bottom vents. That will wreck your airflow. The goal is to have both vents open slightly with air travelling in through the bottom vents, then up through the SnS, then over the food and out the top vent. If you fully fully close the bottom vents there's no telling where your air is coming in at and it's sure as heck not going to be a stable and consistent supply of air, which is what's causing your temp swings.Comment
-
-
Thanks David Parrish, I was about to say the same thing .... GirlpoweredBBQ set the bottom vents and then try to leave them alone. They don't need to be open a whole lot. The top vent is what will control airflow. The more you open it, the more air you will pull through the cooking chamber. This means more oxygen to the fire and more movement, which means a hotter cook chamber. Close the top vent some and you will pull less air into the cook chamber and have slower air flow. That will mean you will cool off the cook chamber.Comment
-
ecowper ,I do know this. I only closed them because I couldn't get my temp under 330, even with everything closed.Comment
-
GirlpoweredBBQ you'll tame this beast .... Then you'll have the WSM and the kettle plus SnS to turn out a LOT of great BBQComment
-
I think a dry run would help a lot GirlpoweredBBQ . That way you would not be worried about ruining some meat. You can do it after work for a few hours one evening. Just follow the instructions at Adrenalin BBQ. As the temp rises, reduce the vent openings and leave them alone. Wait for the temp to stabilize and note the temp. adjust the top vent to raise or lower the temp and let it stabilize again. Note the temp again. When you hit 225*, 250*, 275*, etc. Take a marker or paint pen and mark the positions of these temps - both top and bottom vents. Now you are ready to confidently cook at any temp, (that means set the vents and leave them alone...
). You may have to make minor adjustments for changes in weather, but that will be a breeze once you know where to start to reach a specific temp.
Comment
-
-
GirlpoweredBBQ don't fret. There's something wrong with your technique. Once we get that squared away you'll find maintaining low and slow temps to be a breeze.Comment
-
David Parrish .... that is indeed very obvious to me. This brisket is going to be shoeleather. I just checked it. Anguish. I mean...where did I go wrong from the beginning? Too many lit coals? I started with the vents almost closed on the bottom, open on the top. Water in the water pan. Binder clips. And immediately, temps were in the 300s.Comment
-
Just pulled the brisket. Not looking good people.Comment
-
-
I second fzxdoc suggestion. I've pulled brisket that cooked at 225 and hit a solid 203 and thought it would be shoe leather because it simply would not get tender to a probe test. After some time in a cambro, it was just fine.Comment
-
GirlpoweredBBQ It's these little things along the way that teach us what to do and what not to do, and what to simply shrug off. Don't fret! A cambro hold, as mentioned, works wonders on cranky tough meat. Some meat is just cranky and tough and nothing helps. I think we've all been there. An hour in 300 degrees won't hurt anything.Comment
-
I'm just guessing, but I bet you threw the unlit coal on top of the dozen lit briquettes and left that to heat up with the lid off too long while you prepped other things. The kettle/SnS is very efficient and heats up more quickly than what you're used to with the WSM. Because you hit 300 F "immediately" it's pretty certain there were too many lit coals at the moment you put the lid on to start cooking.Originally posted by GirlpoweredBBQ View Post
There's a lot of good advice in this thread. Take heed of all the tips and after a few adjustments you'll be doing much, much better!Comment
Comment