Learning to Cook Again

[MacEggs]

I have been cooking on a Weber kettle for 2 years now. I have always used briquettes.
With the exception of some scattered lump thru a snake of briquettes during the fuse method.

I use lump in my drum smokers without any issues.

Here is my first attempt with a basket, plus my first time using only lump, albeit they were small pieces.
The intakes were half open for the first hour. Then fully open for half an hour.

The cooker was losing heat. I checked the bird with my trusty Thermapen, and it was in the 140-145° range.
Instead of delaying supper by close to an hour, I finished it in that square white thing in the kitchen. 
You know, that thing you use to cook frozen pizza.  Supper was still delayed, but it turned out delicious. 

I should consider employing the Minion method with these baskets.

[sunsanvil]

We're very new to the kettle and decided from the get go to do lump only.  Just did a chicken yesterday without baskets (just kept the coals to either side with the water pan.   A full chimney, divided left and right, gave a solid 350+ to start.  Temp held for about 1/2 hour and then fell pretty quick.  Added a significant amount of lump on top of what was there and within about 15 minutes it had crept backup where I wanted it and held pretty darn steady for a full hour.

[1buckie]

Good title, mark.....i'm running into the same thing....used the stianless Weber baskets 5~6 times now & it's different....... lump, briq's, hi-heat...med. heat....slowly getting the hang of it....
There's some people around here that really know what they're doing with baskets....we should ask them what gives?

looks like your basket's working pretty well.....good airflow (2nd & 3rd pic) as was intended.....


Chook appeared singed (musta been that dam 'white box' thing...)....but the last two pics, the crust looks fine.....
Did yer taters fare well stacked against the basket?

[MacEggs]

Good title, mark.....i'm running into the same thing....used the stianless Weber baskets 5~6 times now & it's different....... lump, briq's, hi-heat...med. heat....slowly getting the hang of it....
There's some people around here that really know what they're doing with baskets....we should ask them what gives?

looks like your basket's working pretty well.....good airflow (2nd & 3rd pic) as was intended.....


Chook appeared singed (musta been that dam 'white box' thing...)....but the last two pics, the crust looks fine.....
Did yer taters fare well stacked against the basket?

Yeah, lots of learning to do, eh?!??  I'll eventually get the hang of using the baskets.

The taters were great!
Took a big Russet, cut into 5, and put sliced onion between each cut ... some seasoning, then double wrapped in HD foil. 

[addicted-to-smoke]

I'm learning, too. I've only used all-lump a couple times but of course it does burn hotter AND faster. And with you having very small pieces it would burn just that much faster.

I think next time you'll nail it, by replenishing the basket sooner, especially with pre-lit/chimney started fuel. That image with the brown bird shows less than half the basket has fuel left.

*******
Two unrelated questions:
1) With potatoes (or say, corn in the husk) with one side so close to heat I'd have the urge to turn them, which wouldn't be easy. Not necessary?

2) What kind of wood did you add for smoke? Looks like something I just threw away because what I had didn't seem like hardwood. It was some kind of soft fibrous tree I cut down from the neighbor's yard, sshhhh!) Damn I really need to learn to recognize trees.

[MacEggs]

I'm learning, too. I've only used all-lump a couple times but of course it does burn hotter AND faster. And with you having very small pieces it would burn just that much faster.

I think next time you'll nail it, by replenishing the basket sooner, especially with pre-lit/chimney started fuel. That image with the brown bird shows less than half the basket has fuel left.

*******
Two unrelated questions:
1) With potatoes (or say, corn in the husk) with one side so close to heat I'd have the urge to turn them, which wouldn't be easy. Not necessary?

2) What kind of wood did you add for smoke? Looks like something I just threw away because what I had didn't seem like hardwood. It was some kind of soft fibrous tree I cut down from the neighbor's yard, sshhhh!) Damn I really need to learn to recognize trees.

Next time, I might consider the Minion method. Fill the basket ⅔ to ¾ full of unlit lump, then dump a small amount of lit lump.
I don't like having to add more charcoal during a cook. I like to experiment using chicken as the food, as it's very forgiving.
And yeah, the pieces I used were small - golf ball size, and smaller. Burn very fast. 

To your questions:

1) Yeah, it wouldn't be easy. However, I don't believe it to be necessary. They're in there for a good 1½ to 2 hours. No worries. 

2) That was apple wood. I use nearly every part of the tree. Even branches, so long as the pieces are not too small.