Question about slow cooking a pork shoulder

finsfree

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Jun 6, 2013

138

39

• Jun 20, 2013

• #1

I've got a 9lb picnic that I'm wanting to slow cook in my Oklahoma Joe offset smoker.

I'm a little worried that the amount of charcoal that it takes to fill up my chimney charcoal starter will not be enough to maintain a 225 temp. I dont like using chemicals like lighter fluid in my grill.

Do you think one batch of charcoals will be enough to maintain a 225 temp? I realize i will need to add more later. It just seems like a small amount of charcoal. My chimney was the bigger of the 2 choices at Home Depot, cant remember the brand...

 

backwoods bbq

Meat Mopper

May 2, 2012

257

21

Texas

• Jun 20, 2013

• #2

probably not, I currently own 3 chimneys but I only ever use one. Sounds like you need to buy a (Texas Match!) aka propane torch wand. if you have an extra smoker or old no. 4 wash bin you can burn down charcoal as you go or a fire pit you can burn down wood. Eventually you will get really good with fire management you wont need all that charcoal. Unfortunately the small horizontal offset smokers take soo much fuel! I haven't used mine in a year I will use my bigger ones or my vertical smoker (LOVE that thing!) Another thing I hate about my char griller offset is the firebox is soooo close to the smoke chamber where if flames kick upi it will easily burn your meat. The silver lining is...When you get good with fire management on a small smoker a BIG smoker is a piece of cake.

 

so ms smoker

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Dec 20, 2010

1,874

42

Gulfport, MS

• Jun 20, 2013

• #3

  Hi  fins. ,Do you have a charcoal basket in your firebox? That is a big help in maintaining cook chamber temps. I fill my charcoal basket with about 10 pounds of charcoal and it will last about 5 hours. Then I start using wood chunks and splits to keep the temp up. By the time I need to add splits, the butts are ready to wrap. So now it is OK if the smoke gets a little heavy.

  Mike

 

finsfree

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 6, 2013

138

39

• Jun 21, 2013

• #4

Yes I have a basket in my firebox. I just don't want to waste charcoal if it's not going to get up to that ideal 225 temp.

I don't have any wood to add to the charcoal because the Oak that i have has not cured yet
(only about a month old).

I'm going to give this thing a shot tomorrow. The worse thing that could happen is that i keep adding batches of charcoal made by the chimney.

Anymore tips on slow cooking a picnic?

 

jirodriguez

Master of the Pit

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Jun 5, 2009

4,656

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Portland, OR

• Jun 21, 2013

• #5

Fill your basket with unlit and then dump half a chimney of lit on top, that will burn steady and low for a long time. If you do have to add don't just dump cold charcoal on top, it will both smother your fire and create a lot of heavy "start up" smoke - which can put creasote on your meat. Instead fill a chimney full and get it about half lit, then dump that in your baske on one side. You will get a slight temp spike, but it should settle down fairly quickly. Repeat as needed.

 

boykjo

Renowned Sausage Maker

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Apr 28, 2010

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Raleigh,NC

• Jun 22, 2013

• #6

My braunfel is very similar to your smoker. I Dump 1 full chimney of lit charcoal and heat the smoker. Temps will slowly rise to about 125. While the smoker is warming I will fill another chimney and light it. By the time the chimney coals are red the smoker is heated and I will dump the hot coals into the firebox, open the damper all the way and regulate from the stack . I get about 3 hrs at 225 to 250. I add wood chunks every so often for some TBS. I did some mods i am real happy with... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110134/braunfel-reverse-flow-modification

 

cwalk

Meat Mopper

Feb 25, 2010

279

14

Little Rock, Arkansas

• Jun 22, 2013

• #7

Hey boykjo, whtever happened to those thighs qview from 2011 post of ur mods

 

jarjarchef

Master of the Pit

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Sep 30, 2010

3,155

117

Central Florida

• Jun 22, 2013

• #8

JIRodriguez said:

Fill your basket with unlit and then dump half a chimney of lit on top, that will burn steady and low for a long time. If you do have to add don't just dump cold charcoal on top, it will both smother your fire and create a lot of heavy "start up" smoke - which can put creasote on your meat. Instead fill a chimney full and get it about half lit, then dump that in your baske on one side. You will get a slight temp spike, but it should settle down fairly quickly. Repeat as needed.

Click to expand...

X2

In my offset smoker I could fit almost 15lb of charcoal in the basket. I would push the bulk of unlit to the opposite side of the air vent. Put the lit on the down slope side. Allow the smoker to settle by leaving the vent wide open at all time and the air intake at 75%. After about 45 min all the charcoal is lit and then I will adjust the air intake to get the temp I want.

 

boykjo

Renowned Sausage Maker

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Apr 28, 2010

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Raleigh,NC

• Jun 22, 2013

• #9

Cwalk said:

Hey boykjo, whtever happened to those thighs qview from 2011 post of ur mods

Click to expand...

Ask and you shall recieve.........http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ne...sort=relevance&order=descending&Search=SEARCH

 

finsfree

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 6, 2013

138

39

• Jun 22, 2013

• #10

JIRodriguez said:

Fill your basket with unlit and then dump half a chimney of lit on top, that will burn steady and low for a long time. If you do have to add don't just dump cold charcoal on top, it will both smother your fire and create a lot of heavy "start up" smoke - which can put creasote on your meat. Instead fill a chimney full and get it about half lit, then dump that in your baske on one side. You will get a slight temp spike, but it should settle down fairly quickly. Repeat as needed.

This sounds like a better idea.

How much unlit charcoal do you start out with in your firebox?

Click to expand...