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Post by ak6143 on Jun 25, 2012 16:40:28 GMT -5
Just got my Smokenator and tried it out yesterday with a Semi Dry run. I have a Weber Gold 22.5in Kettle. I didn’t do a complete dry run but I didnt use it on a long cook either. I just used it to bring some steaks up to about 115 before searing on another grill. I found the temp control to be difficult though. Since I wasn’t doing a 4-5hr cook or anything I only put 30 briquettes in the box, then started another 12 in my chimney started and dumped them in. I opened the bottom vent 5/16 as well as the top one. I couldn’t keep it under 300 easily at all. I even closed both vents eventually and it helped a little. Even after adding 6 ribeyes, the temp still wanted to stay about 260+ at the grilling surface (I use an iGrill digital probe at the surface where the meat is). It was fine for what I was needing it for yesterday however it got my confidence in doing some ribs low and slow later this week a little down. I always had water in the pan. I just couldn’t get the temp to stay in that 230 range at the grate surface.
Any suggestions?
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Post by ecripps on Jun 25, 2012 20:42:33 GMT -5
A couple of things I’d try. Make sure the coals are white hot when they go in. Keep the lower vent open all of the way when smoking and regulate the temperature by the upper vent. If you can’t keep the dome temp below 250, get 4 2” binder clips and put them on the lid to hold it down. Also check out the setup video if you haven’t done so. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep_35ytUcz0 |
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Post by tatoosh on Jun 25, 2012 23:18:43 GMT -5
I marked the amount the bottom vent opens, from a pencil thickness to full open, on my OTG using a permanent marker at the opening handle at the ash catcher. That lets me adjust my lower vent without having to take the kettle lid off and look. I generally run the bottom at full open, but I will adjust both the bottom vent and top vent to adjust the temperatures if necessary. When I have very high temperatures, well above my target, I close the lower vent completely until I see the temperatures at the food grate drop. This takes time, since I am effectively smothering the fire. But smaller temperature fluctuations are usually handled at the top vent.
I had trouble getting up to temperature until I added the lit charcoal after it was really going, like ecripps says. I started out using too few lit charcoal as well, but with 12 you should be fine as long as you have them either glowing or turning grey over most of their surface.
For me to learn how to adjust it for my Weber and Smokenator setup, which includes how much breeze and so forth, I simply had to pull up a chair and a book for a couple of runs, dedicating an afternoon to the project, actually smoking something. I read, sipped lemonade, and watched my probe thermometer as it went, making adjustments to my vents and watching what happened. After the first time I was pretty close. After the second time, I and the Smokenator were in the groove.
Good luck with your unit. Some time and experience with it and you will be kicking out some great Q!
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Post by ksu1971 on Jun 26, 2012 8:05:07 GMT -5
If you had both vents closed all the way and you only saw a little dip in temp you have a leaky kettle some where. The most obvious location if between the lid and kettle. The binder clips (http://www.staples.com/Staples-Satin-Silver-Metal-Binder-Clips-Large/product_329502 here is a sample of what we are talking about) Eric suggested will help with that issue.
Another issue to consider is the ambient temp. If it is anything like here we were over 100 yesterday so my kettle temp was already half way to my desired temp so I would cut back on the number of starter coals.
And finally tatoosh nailed it by saying you have to spend some time with it and learn how your particular kettle acts. Just like each piece of meat you put on the cooker everyone's kettle is going to cook different. My 22.5 Silver is going to act different then your 22.5 Gold and tatoosh's 22.5 Gold is going to act different then yours.
The most import thing is to use the "KISS" method, relax and enjoy an ice cold beverage of your choosing (tatoosh suggested lemonade, I think an ice cold Coors Light is much better) and enjoy. The only way to get better it trial and error.
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