Cooking Time on Mini?

Unknown

Recently got an XL BGE and have had more fun on it that any other grill / smoker I have ever used. Decided to buy a mini for those times when only a single steak or burger will do. Cut down on the charcoal consumption. My question is directed towards those who have for more experience than I. How long of a "cook" could I get out of the mini if I wanted to smoke a butt or other choice of meat without having to add in additional lump? 20, 15, 10?

Chef Arnoldi

Pat, the mini is not meant for smoking per se, as the lump is too close to the grid. you could lace a ceramic barrier between the lump & the grid and able to soke a 3lb chicken for 1.25hrs. the fire would probably last 3-4hrs (assumption), to do a brisket that needs low & slow you need close to 20 hrs & that would mean many times of adding lump [don't forget about the shrinckage of meat as it smokes] so, by the time your mini brisket is done, it'l be the size of a large burger. use the mini for searing, smoking chicken, grilling hot dogs, burgers, Abt's & even a mini pizza.

Wise One

Pat, you can do a small pork butt (4 lbs or so) on a mini. Keeping it around 230, you can get about 6-8 hours which is long enough to cook it. Unfortunately, the small butts are almost always boneless which changes the flavor for me. And as Chef Arnoldi states, be sure to put something to act as a barrier. I use a small pie pan on top of my old ceramic grate or a small firebrick. I hav etwo grills so Iset it ip with a grill, then a firebrick or ceramic grate, a pan an dthen a second grill on top. Now if Chubby would just get busy and build my miniGrateMates I wouldn't have to do all that.