Where did I error?

[wrz0170]

Hey everyone.  I did my first attempt with my new Mastertouch.   Just turkey burgers using the Slow and Sear, indirect with a direct sear to finish up.  Target temp 320 give or take.  Called for half chimney lit poured over half chimney unlit. 

So, I hit my temp quickly with both vents open.  I put my burgers on and closed the lid.   My grill surface temp (using external thermometer) struggled to climb back up, yet dome temp (Weber thermometer was near hitting 400 +/-. 

Was I supposed to close the vents some after I put the food on?   I kept the vents open thinking the temp would climb and once I hit target at 320, then close top 2/3  and bottom 1/3 open.

Where was my rookie mistake? 

Thanks!

William

[kettlebb]

When I'm grilling I don't pay much attention to the grate temps. I just make sure I cook my food to the target internal temp which is more important in my opinion.

When doing longer cooks that require a lower temp I'll use an oven thermometer on the grate or my Maverick 733 and I don't put food on till my grate temp has stabilized.

I always leave my top vent wide open. You want that exhaust open. I adjust the bottom vents to reduce airflow which will lower the grate temp.

Anytime I'm grilling I light 3/4 chimney and dump it when it's fully lit. Keep at it, hope my response is helpful to you. 


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[addicted-to-smoke]

Closing any vent would have only made temps lower. Air flow is what dictates heat production for charcoal.

If the meat was fridge cold, especially if you loaded up the grill with fridge cold meat, there's your answer.

Did the charcoal itself stay hot or die out? Did you have enough consistent heat to last? Were the burgers OK?

[Foster Dahlet]

For a hot and fast cook like that, keep vents fully open.  Also, no real reason to go with 1/2 unlit charcoal for a hot/fast cook.  Light about 3/4 chimney, when it is ready, pour charcoal in your sns, cover, let the grill heat up and then you're ready.

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[wrz0170]

For a hot and fast cook like that, keep vents fully open.  Also, no real reason to go with 1/2 unlit charcoal for a hot/fast cook.  Light about 3/4 chimney, when it is ready, pour charcoal in your sns, cover, let the grill heat up and then you're ready.

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

Will try 3/4 chimney next time.   I was going off instructions in a video and web page to do the 1/2 & 1/2. 

[wrz0170]

Closing any vent would have only made temps lower. Air flow is what dictates heat production for charcoal.

If the meat was fridge cold, especially if you loaded up the grill with fridge cold meat, there's your answer.

Did the charcoal itself stay hot or die out? Did you have enough consistent heat to last? Were the burgers OK?

Charcoal stayed hot.  No vents were completely closed.  Quite contrary.  I had both open.   

The burgers were fridge cold. 

To salvage the burgers, I fired up my gas to finish them off. 

I guess this is learn as I go

[addicted-to-smoke]

You'll see references to first allowing meats to come "up to" room temperature before placing on a grill. (You won't be leaving it on the counter long enough to grow bacteria.) Think of it as "free heat" for your grill, and "free A/C" for the house in summer, as the meat slowly comes up in temp on the countertop.

That being said, I think the real issue is as Foster identified: not enough heat. Burgers don't take long, so have coals "enter the grill" close to ready-to-go temp, without regard to how long they'll last (since it should be a short cook.)

What's good about putting lit on top of unlit is that you get a longer burn at whatever temp you began at. New coals catch as old ones begin to die out. You see it all the time with smoking "low and slow," in either a kettle like yours or in a smoker.

You have plenty of capacity for heat in the S'nS but I think you set it up for more of a long, lower cook than would be ideal for burgers ... UNLESS you were going to cook them direct, and were doing several batches and needed the heat to remain a long time. You'll get it!

[HoosierKettle]

I don't know what's going on here but I would dump a full lit chimney of charcoal directly on the charcoal grate, spread them out, install the cook great and grill the burgers directly over the coals as has been done since the invention of any charcoal grill.



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[HoosierKettle]

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[glend123]

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[glend123]

I don't know what's going on here but I would dump a full lit chimney of charcoal directly on the charcoal grate, spread them out, install the cook great and grill the burgers directly over the coals as has been done since the invention of any charcoal grill.



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^^^^^This Exactly!