A noob question

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KevTN

Assistant Cook
Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Messages
21
Got a new grill gas/charcoal duo. I haven't use charcoal in a LONG time. Long story short got up early this am to put a Boston butt on. Thought I would use the Minion method. I just check on the roast about 30 mins and grill is 450...how can I cool it down? And what do I do to avoid the high heat again...

Thx
 
You have to close down whatever air vents you have so it is not getting so much oxygen. Hopefully Bigwheel will wake up soon and get you back on track, he's an expert on stuff like that.
 
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Ok thanks I closed the side vents to about 25% but left the chimney open...then closed the side vent all the way still stayed at 400. I will close the chimney all the way.

So when starting out with new fire close all the vents then open them as it cools off?

I appreciate your help...
 
you could also try to add a water pan full of cold water to bring down the temp. that works well with my smokey mountain.
 
Hey Kev..sounds like a fancy contraption you got there. Dittos to what the other folks say on shutting off some of the air..and a pan of water will definitely cool it down if you have room for it. My strategy on any kind of live fire is to build the fire the size to match the heat production needed. I do not like to build a too large fire and then have to worry about it getting out of hand. Guess its mostly a trial and error thing. Prob too late on this run but might try that next time. As in since this one got too hot..give it a lesser fuel load next time. Experimentation is in order lol.
 
Thanks for the suggestions def will try them out next time...I do appreciate y'all's wisdom....actually turned out ok...everyone likes them so...
 
Hey Kev, what are you cookin' on? Sounds like a Char Griller gas/charcoal unit?
 
Hey Kev, what are you cookin' on? Sounds like a Char Griller gas/charcoal unit?

That would be correct Puff...hoping to get the side burner for Father's Day Lol

Tomorrow I am going to try the gas tomorrow night with some chicken breasts...
 
Hope you like the side burner. I aint figgered out what to do with mine yet. It dont get near hot enough for frying fish or boiling up a wad of crawdads. It's about as worthless as teats on slab of bacon as my dearly deceased old Daddy would say..or seems so. I guess it could maybe cook a pot of beans or something.
 
Hope you like the side burner. I aint figgered out what to do with mine yet. It dont get near hot enough for frying fish or boiling up a wad of crawdads. It's about as worthless as teats on slab of bacon as my dearly deceased old Daddy would say..or seems so. I guess it could maybe cook a pot of beans or something.

Gee bigwheel, that sucks. I use mine all the time. With a cast iron fry pan I fry food in it all the time. No stink or grease in the kitchen.
 
Hey Kev..sounds like a fancy contraption you got there. Dittos to what the other folks say on shutting off some of the air..and a pan of water will definitely cool it down if you have room for it. My strategy on any kind of live fire is to build the fire the size to match the heat production needed. I do not like to build a too large fire and then have to worry about it getting out of hand. Guess its mostly a trial and error thing. Prob too late on this run but might try that next time. As in since this one got too hot..give it a lesser fuel load next time. Experimentation is in order lol.

x2
If it has air leaks, shutting down the vents is not going to help alot. Like BW says you will have to match the fire to the smoker.
Start small and add fuel as you go to get the temp you want (just like a stickburner).
 
It's easier to control the temperature on the way UP than it is to bring it down.

What has worked for me on several different smokers is the HALF method. (or Half-assed method?)

You start your fire with the vents open. when you get half-way to your target temperature, you close the vents HALF WAY.

Again, when you are half way there again, close the vents another HALF WAY.

Continue 'til you get to where you want to be. It will probably take 3 or 4 "halfs". Remember your final setting and use it for your starting point NEXT time.;)

BOB
 
That would be correct Puff...hoping to get the side burner for Father's Day Lol

Tomorrow I am going to try the gas tomorrow night with some chicken breasts...
Cool! So the unit didn't come with the firebox hooked to the side for the offset cooker kinda' thing?
Is that the side burner you're talking about?
 
Yes that is the side burner I am talking about...I figured it could be a Father's Day gift..
 
Will agree with you in principle..lol. Just dont work out that way for me. I tried bringing a gallon or two of water to boil for shrimps and it never got hot enough to boil before it evaporated all the water. That is when the Big Jim stubby turkey fryer Lazy Q buner got put to use. Had it leaping out of the pan in about 10 secs. Have my mind up to use the gasser side burner for blackening fish if the need ever arises. We nearly had to evacuate the house last time that was tried indoors. Now I did fry a turkey one time on the side burner of the old gasser. That was the year I nearly burned the house down. It worked but I aint allowed to fry turkeys anymore. I think we like the smoked ones better anyway. In fact I dont even like turkey. Just eat it once a year to observe T Day properly. The things dont have very good flavor. Cept if you find a drunk Chezk from S. Texas who cook you one slow direct over mesquite coals..wow. Hmmm the message I was replying to seems to have dissapated itself.
 
Right. Ranks right up there with Baby Caca Jello. That one has Acapulco Gold in the genealogy pool.
 
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