low and slow question

CaCook

Tell me if I did this correct..

I lit it without platesetter, let it go to 225, then put in platesetter, but never let it go past 250. After the smoke is clear enough and steady (took almost an hour), I put chunks of hickory on top of the charcoal, mostly from the 3 openings around the platesetter The bottom vent is barely open and daisy wheel only have the 6 holes open.

I smoked a piece of salmon after 5 hours and it still have a good smoke. The chimney would have smoke from time to time so it seems like the hickory is slowly smothering over time. I checked after most of the hickory is still wood color. And I have good amount of charcoal left.

Previously I let it go to 275 and 300 and it would use almost half a bowl of charcoal. But the hickory was burning up in the first hour or two.

So I am happy I finally have good smoke flavor, although it seems only a small part of the charcoal was burning at a time, is this OK.

Kailas

Yes that is normal.

Grandpas Grub

 
At 225° depending on where the actual burn is and the smoke wood is placed the smoke wood possibly won't begin to smoke or light.

I have found at 250°-275° there is not much visual flavor wood smoke, however the smoke aroma will get to the food. That is if the flavor wood is where it can get heat from the lump. At higher dome temperatures the flavor wood will begin to smoke heavy and at times one can get an acrid flavor in the food.

If I am going to cook above 325° and want flavor wood in the cook I may make a loose foil wrap around the flavor wood with some fork holes in the foil. I will get a good flavor in the food and it is simple to remove that flavor wood for the next cook.

I seldom empty the lump between cooks and it is nice to be able to remove the foil pack(s) of flavor wood and change flavor for the next cook.

GG

Kailas

Grandpas Grub wrote:

 
At 225° depending on where the actual burn is and the smoke wood is placed the smoke wood possibly won't begin to smoke or light.

I have found at 250°-275° there is not much visual flavor wood smoke, however the smoke aroma will get to the food. That is if the flavor wood is where it can get heat from the lump. At higher dome temperatures the flavor wood will begin to smoke heavy and at times one can get an acrid flavor in the food.

If I am going to cook above 325° and want flavor wood in the cook I may make a loose foil wrap around the flavor wood with some fork holes in the foil. I will get a good flavor in the food and it is simple to remove that flavor wood for the next cook.

I seldom empty the lump between cooks and it is nice to be able to remove the foil pack(s) of flavor wood and change flavor for the next cook.

GG

They sell those "smoker boxes" that you can put chips in and place in a gasser. I wonder if they'd be worth while to pick one up for use in the Egg?

Grandpas Grub

 
The smoker box I have, from a water smoker, is a bit large. The cast iron has to get heated up in order to heat up the smoke wood. My thoughts is the aluminum foil is a great heat conductor and is right next to that wood.

I am not sure if I would spend the money to buy one though. If you use a smoker box check to see if it is causing a cool spot on the grid above the box. There will also be an issue of the lump burning well under the box.

Just some thoughts, GG