I have done BCC on a 22 with two sides of banked charcoal. Works great.
It's almost too much charcoal.
I wanted to try it on my 18.
I also wanted to use a homemade charcoal basket. It holds about 25-30 briquettes.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_2486.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_2486.jpg.html)
I went with 15 un-lit briqs in the basket, to that I added 15 lit briquettes. Some apple wood for smoke.
Decent sized birds ... 3.75 lbs per. Very hot water was in the beer cans.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_0401.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_0401.jpg.html)
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_2999.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_2999.jpg.html)
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_3000.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_3000.jpg.html)
I went with the intakes at half open for the first 45 minutes, then fully open after that.
This pic was taken after 1 hour 15 minutes.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/IMG_3005.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/IMG_3005.jpg.html)
It started to lose heat. I added more charcoal.
I checked the IT of the birds with a thermapen and was averaging 155° - not quite there.
But ... we got impatient ..... and finished them in the oven. :-\ :-\ :-[ :-[ :'( :'(
The ambient temperature was a degree or two below freezing. Some wind, with the odd gust, but nothing extreme.
I don't believe these were factors.
Questions:
Did I not use enough charcoal in the beginning?
Maybe go with 30 lit from the start?
Was this a lot of meat .... or maybe go with 1 chicken?
Mark, only thing that stands out for me is MAYBE not use the foil 'flue' system on a cook that you want a bit higher heat.......just let the intake air flood in fully?
I could easily be all wet on this,. but 18's are just a little harder to keep up to temp sometimes & I think it's just the smaller overall space that you're working with.......
There is a danger to using beer cans for this type of cook. Beer cans have a plastic liner/coating in them and can be toxic if burned. You already have the chicken seats for the birds....you would be better off using them with a water pan in the grill . I recently saw a picture online somewhere were a guy was using the lid from his galvanized garbage can to hold coals resting on his weber for Dutch oven cooking....if I'm not mistaken, that also is a hazard since galvanized metal gives off fumes that can be harmful when exposed to high heat.
Thanks, Ken and OTP! Thanks for the heads-up regarding the beer cans. :D
I cook on the 18 a lot. I usually go with this set-up. More charcoal ... more heat.
I think next time I will go with this, and cook 1 chicken.
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/Kettle%20Accessories/IMG_2485.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/Kettle%20Accessories/IMG_2485.jpg.html)
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/Kettle%20Accessories/IMG_2487.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/Kettle%20Accessories/IMG_2487.jpg.html)
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/Kettle%20Accessories/IMG_2489.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/Kettle%20Accessories/IMG_2489.jpg.html)
Buy very cheap beer. Inexpensive brewers don't line the cheap cans, or even better, save a can from the next time you use canned vegetables and use that filled with water or beer or whatever. And yes galvanized is dangerous. In the knife makers world it's a big no-no to make a forge with galvanized pipe or parts.
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This is a great thread. I've never tried cooking a bird down on the charcoal grate like that and may give it a whirl on a 22OTS.
Quick question:
Is there a reason you have the birds turned breast side out? (I would have faced them toward the coals, but perhaps that's doin it wrong)
Thanks for posting this!
Quote from: saxart on February 24, 2014, 03:06:47 AMmay give it a whirl on a 22OTS.
Like this ...
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n615/MacEggs/Chicken/IMG_0549.jpg) (http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/MacEggs/media/Chicken/IMG_0549.jpg.html)
Quote from: saxart on February 24, 2014, 03:06:47 AMQuick question:
Is there a reason you have the birds turned breast side out? (I would have faced them toward the coals, but perhaps that's doin it wrong)
Good eye! And, I purposely did that with the thinking that the breasts would be done too quick.
Who knows, maybe I was doing it wrong. Back to the drawing board. :) ;)