I Just Started Smoking!

[Braindead]

I've been grilling on BBQs for as long as I can remember but got the urge to try out Texas BBQing. At the same time I didn't want to spend a fortune. Having done a little research I went out and bought a Brinkmann Gourmet. It seemed a reasonable compromise.

So came the first test drive. I would rate it as 5/10. The first mistake was the briquettes - they were cheap ones from Aldi and smoked like nothing on earth during the lighting process. Similarly they smoked when I added some part way through cooking. The briquette smoke was a real issue and unavoidable given that I only had one starter chimney. Temperature started to drop after about two hours but I got the food cooked.

Test drive number two! I now have two chimneys and used Weber briquettes. They lit well with no smoke. Game on! They performed much better but still the temperature started to drop but after around 2.5 hours. I got 4 hours of useful cooking out of it so 7/10 this time. However I did notice unburned briquettes in the fire pan. Upon investigation it seems that the vents in the pan block with ash on this model and a raised grate in the pan is a common mod.

Mod number one - add a raised charcoal grate in the pan as described HERE.

Mod number two, a small hole in the lid to insert a digital probe thermometer. The one on the BBQ just shows Warm, Ideal, Hot.

I'm going to resist adding controllable vents until I see how the raised grate performs but my guess is that'll be the next mod.

So now you know about my new smoking habit.

One question, I notice some contributors stating that they put unlit charcoal in the pan then put lit charcoal on top. Is this the best way to proceed? Also, is adding more briquettes during smoking reasonable practice.

[All Weather Griller]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

You are well on your way to understanding your cooker. The method you are referring to is often called the minion method, there is much debate on this method and in all fairness its down to preference. I personally only minion with restaurant lump but I have done this with cocoshell briquettes.

Now you have a digital probe you will be able to see how it holds temps. Many people will look at different methods of heat storage etc, but I have no real experience with that model so I don't know what the gap around the lid and the base will do.

Pics of your cooks would be cool, I would google the minion methods, read the advice/opinions but make your own mind up buddy.

Good to have you here.

Cheers

Adie

[oddsocks]

more than anything, i love the gilliam avatar! hey.

[JEC]

As above really, the biggest rule with the minion method is no instant lighting charcoal as the fumes from the lighter fluid will get in to your food. As Adie said most only use this with natural lump charcoal but I am happy to use it with Big K, Bar-B-quick and Supagrill, in today's modern charcoal briquette production reputable manufactures don't use nasty additives to bulk out their charcoal. Do what you feel happy with

[clairbare]

Welcome to the forum, have fun

[esselle]

Welcome to the forum ...and the habit!

[BBQFanatic]

Test drive number two! I now have two chimneys and used Weber briquettes. They lit well with no smoke. Game on! They performed much better but still the temperature started to drop but after around 2.5 hours. I got 4 hours of useful cooking out of it so 7/10 this time. However I did notice unburned briquettes in the fire pan. Upon investigation it seems that the vents in the pan block with ash on this model and a raised grate in the pan is a common mod.

Mod number one - add a raised charcoal grate in the pan as described HERE.

Mod number two, a small hole in the lid to insert a digital probe thermometer. The one on the BBQ just shows Warm, Ideal, Hot.

I'm going to resist adding controllable vents until I see how the raised grate performs but my guess is that'll be the next mod.

So now you know about my new smoking habit.

One question, I notice some contributors stating that they put unlit charcoal in the pan then put lit charcoal on top. Is this the best way to proceed? Also, is adding more briquettes during smoking reasonable practice.

Hey welcome to the forum. This is exactly how I learnt as well I also modded the heck out of my brinkman http://bbbqs.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=997&p=7546#p7546. The 2 that added the most value were

1.) Raise grate and 2.) Holes in the grate pan to increate air circulation. Without these 2 methods, the minion method (ie 1/2 lit with 1/2 unlit coals) does not work very well as there is not enough oxygen to ignite the unlit coals and it just ashes up. Good luck with the smoking!

[Braindead]

Great to be here. Thanks for the welcome