Not getting hot enough?

[majorhophead]

I plan on smoking some leg quarters and turkey legs tomorrow so I thought I would give the smoker a trial run. I tried cooking some burgers with my bullet and it really wasn't getting that hot. It wasn't until I lowered the grate directly on the pan that I was cooking. How much lump coal are you supposed to use as well as the wood chunks? Did I not add enough?

 

[tasunkawitko]

there's a difference between grilling and barbecue - doing your burgers barbecue style would probably take a while, but boy they would taste good after getting that smoke! moving them clsoer basically turned your pit into a grill, which is fine - there is no problem with that, but just make sure you know the difference!

i haven't done legs and quarters before, but you would probably want to shoot for a temperature (on the grill) of about 250-300 degrees. be sure to cook them until they are done.

keep in mind that sometimes when smoking poultry, the skin does NOT get crispy, even when the emat is done. to make it xrispy, use a higher temp, finish on the grill for a couple of minutes etc.

good luck!

 

[bigsteve]

What brand/model bullet do you have? As Tsunka was saying, smoking is Low and slow. Low heat, slow cooking. Foods don't get grilled or seared while smoking.

 

[majorhophead]

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[bigsteve]

I can't read the name on my screen. But it looks like a Brinkman. Here are some modifications that should help:

http://www.randyq.addr.com/ecb/ecbmods.html

 

[tn_bbq]

fuel + oxygen = heat

Increase the fuel and/or oxygen

One way is to drill air holes in the smoker near the coal pan. You can cover these air holes (when needed) with magnets or simply shove tin foil in them. Some folks have been known to do elaborate modifications (see that link) to those Brinkman bullets.