Need some input on Smoky Joe technique

[Mark Schnell]

Hey all, I've used my uLine Smoky Joe twice so far and the coals have pooped out on me before I was done. The burgers cooked way to slow, etc. I was afraid to put too many coals on it, thinking it would turn into a blast furnace so I ended up doing too few.

So what's the proper way to cook direct with a SJ silver? How many coals should I use to do burgers, steaks, chicken pieces, and stuff like that?

[MacEggs]

Do you have a Weber mini-chimney? 
Fill that up.  Bank it to one side when lit. Then you have a safe zone. Should be good.

[Mark Schnell]

Don't have the mini yet, but will be getting one soon to go with my new to me WSM. What's the ratio of regular chimney to the mini-chimney?

[landgraftj]

I get around 40 or so in a full mini chimney.

[Heyjude]

I wouldn't go a full chimney in an SJ.  To get more heat, be sure to leave the vent wide open and leave the lid off or askew to make sure the coals are truly ready to go.  Most people have problems with the SJ Gold, as it has side vents and not one on the bottom.  (Some say it impedes air flow.)
Either you didn't have enough coals or you waited too long to cook. Unless it was 40 below out?
Did you have the bottom vent completely open or?
Practice makes perfect.. Just pretends it your trusty 22, and kick it in the A$$!
I am probably no help at all.. 

[jcnaz]

Mark, I believe that the mini is ROUGHLY 1/3 of a full sized chimney. Now I want to know for sure so tomorrow after work I will do a coal count.

[Hogsy]

Do you have a Weber mini-chimney? 
Fill that up.  Bank it to one side when lit. Then you have a safe zone. Should be good.

That's exactly what I do

[Mark Schnell]

Thanks, everyone. I suppose, like most things in life, when you go in timidly you end up not getting the results you want. I'll crank it up next time. I thought my bottom vent was open all the way. I think I just used too few coals.

[Heyjude]

You know that old saying, right? "Kettle rich, charcoal poor."

Hey Buckie, did I just create my own tagline?

AJ 

[1buckie]

You know that old saying, right? "Kettle rich, charcoal poor."

Hey Buckie, did I just create my own tagline?

AJ 

Yeah, you're golden right there ................

[toddmog]

Here is the charcoal guide from the manual I got with my SJG.  I haven't fired it up yet, but will soon.  I counted and can get 35 Kingsford Blue Bag briquettes in my mini chimney...I figure that's close enough to the guide.  I haven't counted to see what fits in a full size chimney though.

[Mark Schnell]

Whoa, that's a great chart. I don't remember every seeing one of those before, and I just got a new SJ earlier in the summer.

[toddmog]

Whoa, that's a great chart. I don't remember every seeing one of those before, and I just got a new SJ earlier in the summer.

Here's the pdf that I snipped the chart from:
http://help.weber.com/assets/pdf/charcoal-user-guide.pdf

There's other good stuff in there as well.  I know I got one with my performer too, but never really looked at it.  For some reason, the one with the SJG caught my attention.