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Using leftover charcoal

rclark1187
rclark1187 Posts: 7
edited March 2012 in EggHead Forum
Is it me or what. When I try to do a smoke using leftover charcoal I find that my dampner openings have to be about twice as much and it takes forever to get up to temperature. Can someone shed a little light on this?

Comments

  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    Are you stirring the charcoal to make sure the ash's clear down through the holes?   Only thing I could think of would be airflow.   Don't think there is any other difference.
    Cookin in Texas
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    All lump is used once anyway.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Actualyy I stirred the charcoal up to settle the ash, removed the charcoal, then the ash and stacked it back in with several new chunks on bottom. With all new charcoal I need 1/4" on bottom gate and maybe an 1/8 on DW. That will give me 240 constant. With this old charcoal (doing country ribs today) I have 3/4" on bottom gate and full open on DW.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    I just stir and dump in more. Easy.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    I have found different results between brands.  I am not normally a buy-the-brand-name guy, but I have been sticking to BGE lump.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys