"How much" charcoal to use

[shellkamp]

First beer can chicken

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[shellkamp]

Thighs were 40 degrees higher than the breasts for most of the cook. Once thighs got to 165 I shut the bottom vents and let the breasts catch up but the skin never got crispy.

Pulled off the grill when thighs were at 173 and breasts were at 155 (it was already over 145 degrees for 20 minutes)and threw it in the oven under the broiler to crisp up the skin.

I guess next time I will use more charcoal and pile it up higher. I used a chimney full of hardwood lump.

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[AZ2FL]

..

[Smoke5]

For my performer deluxe, I fill up the slow n sear and close all vents when done which saves unused charcoal.
Next time, top it off and repeat as necessary.

So you're essentially just cooking at the same temperature any given cook? Or are you able to meaningfully adjust temps based on the vents position?

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I do not cook at the same temperature and use the vents along with other things.
- Burgers, dogs, steaks: Use two zone system
- Smoked food: Use fireboard controller & fan
- Wings: Vortex

I also use a spray bottle and water pan depending on what's needed.

[hansonb4]

This doesn't really answer your question, but something I've been doing is as soon as I am done cooking (and validating that I haven't inadvertently undercooked something), is I close the top and bottom vents to snuff out the coals. I have an old Kingsford bag and when I am certain the coals are out, I shake the recently used coals to get off the ash and dump the used charcoal into the old bag. When I have a short cook and for whatever I see that I need a little extra charcoal, I add some of the already used charcoal rather than adding fresh briquets. It's helping me get the most out of each bag of charcoal. Did that method last night, where I cooked a half a chimney of charcoal for my wok grilling, dumped the ready coals onto the rack, spread them out, then added a layer of used charcoal. Stir fry, a steak, a pork chop, flank steak.... great way to conserve charcoal.

[P0234]

This doesn't really answer your question, but something I've been doing is as soon as I am done cooking (and validating that I haven't inadvertently undercooked something), is I close the top and bottom vents to snuff out the coals. I have an old Kingsford bag and when I am certain the coals are out, I shake the recently used coals to get off the ash and dump the used charcoal into the old bag. When I have a short cook and for whatever I see that I need a little extra charcoal, I add some of the already used charcoal rather than adding fresh briquets. It's helping me get the most out of each bag of charcoal. Did that method last night, where I cooked a half a chimney of charcoal for my wok grilling, dumped the ready coals onto the rack, spread them out, then added a layer of used charcoal. Stir fry, a steak, a pork chop, flank steak.... great way to conserve charcoal.

I reuse charcoal all the time too but I just keep it in the grill. I eyeball how much there is and fill the chimney accordingly and then top it off using the leftovers.

[shellkamp]

This doesn't really answer your question, but something I've been doing is as soon as I am done cooking (and validating that I haven't inadvertently undercooked something), is I close the top and bottom vents to snuff out the coals. I have an old Kingsford bag and when I am certain the coals are out, I shake the recently used coals to get off the ash and dump the used charcoal into the old bag. When I have a short cook and for whatever I see that I need a little extra charcoal, I add some of the already used charcoal rather than adding fresh briquets. It's helping me get the most out of each bag of charcoal. Did that method last night, where I cooked a half a chimney of charcoal for my wok grilling, dumped the ready coals onto the rack, spread them out, then added a layer of used charcoal. Stir fry, a steak, a pork chop, flank steak.... great way to conserve charcoal.

SOP for me.

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[SMOKE FREAK]

This doesn't really answer your question, but something I've been doing is as soon as I am done cooking (and validating that I haven't inadvertently undercooked something), is I close the top and bottom vents to snuff out the coals. I have an old Kingsford bag and when I am certain the coals are out, I shake the recently used coals to get off the ash and dump the used charcoal into the old bag. When I have a short cook and for whatever I see that I need a little extra charcoal, I add some of the already used charcoal rather than adding fresh briquets. It's helping me get the most out of each bag of charcoal. Did that method last night, where I cooked a half a chimney of charcoal for my wok grilling, dumped the ready coals onto the rack, spread them out, then added a layer of used charcoal. Stir fry, a steak, a pork chop, flank steak.... great way to conserve charcoal.

I reuse charcoal all the time too but I just keep it in the grill. I eyeball how much there is and fill the chimney accordingly and then top it off using the leftovers.

This /\ /\

[hansonb4]

What does "This /\ /\" mean? I looked it up on urban dictionary and just a general search and couldn't find it

This doesn't really answer your question, but something I've been doing is as soon as I am done cooking (and validating that I haven't inadvertently undercooked something), is I close the top and bottom vents to snuff out the coals. I have an old Kingsford bag and when I am certain the coals are out, I shake the recently used coals to get off the ash and dump the used charcoal into the old bag. When I have a short cook and for whatever I see that I need a little extra charcoal, I add some of the already used charcoal rather than adding fresh briquets. It's helping me get the most out of each bag of charcoal. Did that method last night, where I cooked a half a chimney of charcoal for my wok grilling, dumped the ready coals onto the rack, spread them out, then added a layer of used charcoal. Stir fry, a steak, a pork chop, flank steak.... great way to conserve charcoal.

I reuse charcoal all the time too but I just keep it in the grill. I eyeball how much there is and fill the chimney accordingly and then top it off using the leftovers.

This /\ /\

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[bamakettles]

I think it means agree with the above post, or in this case the quoted post.

[MadGasser]

You would be correct.

I think it means agree with the above post, or in this case the quoted post.

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[Retired@55]

I'd also suggest a good thermometer to measure temp at the grate instead of the hood temp. Get one with a couple of probes so you can measure both the cooking temp and food temp. The Grill Grate ET732 is around $50 on Amazon. I also have a Thermoworks Smoke, but it's 2x the price and the Grill Grate works just as well.

[shellkamp]

I'd also suggest a good thermometer to measure temp at the grate instead of the hood temp. Get one with a couple of probes so you can measure both the cooking temp and food temp. The Grill Grate ET732 is around $50 on Amazon. I also have a Thermoworks Smoke, but it's 2x the price and the Grill Grate works just as well.

I have the thermoworks smoke but since I wasn't using the grate due to the chicken being too tall I just monitored breast and thigh temperature. The thigh got to 165 relatively quick and the breasts trailed behind about 40 degrees. Once the thighs got to temp I shut the bottom vents and the breasts started to catch up while the thighs slowed way down and I was able to keep them at about 171 until the breasts got to temp.

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[TheFinkFarm]

From looking at the photos, I would have used more charcoal if I had arranged it that way.  I cook on the grate and have not had clearance be an issue.  It may have touched, but I covered the whole coal grate and this always produces a nice beer can chicken for me.

[KettleThunder]

I use a slow n sear and cook indirect for everything. Here are some guides to go by. Your mileage may vary so this is a starting place:

Target temperature 225-250: 12 lit briquettes in the corner and fill the rest of the slow n sear with unlit charcoal. Top vent 1/3 open, bottom vent 1/3 open.

Target temperature 300-325: 1/2 chimney unlit briquettes in slow n sear and 1/2 chimney of lit briquettes on top of the unlit briquettes. Top vent 1/3 open, bottom vent 1/3 open.

Target temperature 400-425: 3/4 chimney of lit briquettes in slow n sear. Top vent 1/3 open, bottom vent 1/3 open.

Target temperature 500+: 1 full chimney of lit briquettes in slow n sear. Top vent full open, bottom vent full open.