So after having to babysit and maintenace my lump charcoal fires the past few smokes, I decided to re-read the Zen of charcoal to see what I can do to improve the process. Yeah pork butts take the wild temp fluctuations ok, but it is a huge PIA sitting and watching the thermometer and having to make SEVERAL adjustments (while my beer gets warm, mind you - lol) during the cook.
A light bulb went off this time and I decided to drop back and punt the lump for blue and white Kingsford to elimiate the variable of inconsisntent heat source - and I'm glad I did. Using the Minion method (with apple wood) I was able to get a steady 225-240 for almost 3 hours at a time.
Granted the Kingsford took a bit more newspaper to get started in the chimney starter and left ALOT more ash behind, but at this point as a novice smoker I can live with it if I can get a good, long-lasting, consistent and repeatable heat source. A rookie mistake putting the cart before the horse with lump - I had done everything else on my prep and execution so meticulously; but then failed to really get the basics down on my heat source.
The briquettes identical size made it nice as well - I didn't have to dump a couple of bags of lump out and sort through the pieces to lay the fire I wanted - just rip and pour with the Kingsford. I will be sticking with the blue and white until I get my sea-legs; especially with the new PBC being delivered next week!
Here is a before and after pic on the 6 lb pork butt I did yesterday in my CVS with Kingsford:
A light bulb went off this time and I decided to drop back and punt the lump for blue and white Kingsford to elimiate the variable of inconsisntent heat source - and I'm glad I did. Using the Minion method (with apple wood) I was able to get a steady 225-240 for almost 3 hours at a time.
Granted the Kingsford took a bit more newspaper to get started in the chimney starter and left ALOT more ash behind, but at this point as a novice smoker I can live with it if I can get a good, long-lasting, consistent and repeatable heat source. A rookie mistake putting the cart before the horse with lump - I had done everything else on my prep and execution so meticulously; but then failed to really get the basics down on my heat source.
The briquettes identical size made it nice as well - I didn't have to dump a couple of bags of lump out and sort through the pieces to lay the fire I wanted - just rip and pour with the Kingsford. I will be sticking with the blue and white until I get my sea-legs; especially with the new PBC being delivered next week!
Here is a before and after pic on the 6 lb pork butt I did yesterday in my CVS with Kingsford:
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