indirect cooking - low medium high

[narellefd]

Hi! I am a newby owner . When reading the cookbook/ accessing internet for the differences between those three temperature level of indirect cooking I cannot find anything that actually says  " this is how you create each of those 3 levels"

Where might I find this information please or can someone let me know?

Thanks,
NFD
PS I prefer to read the information rather than use you tube. :/

[austin87]

Hello and welcome! There are two elements that contribute to combustion - fuel and oxygen. Less fuel or less airflow will produce a lower temp while more fuel and more airflow will increase temperature.

Use the lower vent to control intake airflow and always keep the top exhaust vent at least half open.

www.kingsford.com has some good info on temps. Their website says that a full chimney will give high heat, a half chimney will give medium, and a quarter chimney will produce low heat. Of course, as you use and experiment with your grill, fuel type and amount, and airflow, you will get a better idea of how your grill performs. It's good to do some dry runs without food to get a hold on temps, and it's good to have a thermometer as well.

Good luck!

[Troy]

Hi NFD, thats a great question and something I get asked a lot.

The primary methods for controlling temperature are:
#1: The amount of lit charcoal you have
#2: The amount of oxygen available
#3: A combination of 1 and 2

Since you asked about indirect, lets assume that you are banking your coals along one side for all scenarios described.  (example of banked coals, firebricks are optional. I personally prefer to use a weber charcoal basket)

For LOW heat (200 - 250, which is the typical bbq range)
Start with 2/3 of a chimney of unlit coals, bank them along one side of your kettle.
Fire up 8ish briquettes in your chimney. When they're ashed over, add them to your bank of unlit.
Keep the lower vents mostly closed and the top vents about 1/3 close (2/3 open)
This should keep your temps low for several hours. The more you open your lid, the higher temps will go (because you're letting in air)
If you're scared of high temps, start with 8 or 10 lit and add fresh unlit on top when your temps get low. With this method, you can keep your vents wide open.

For MEDIUM heat (275-350)
Same as above, but use a half chimney of lit

For HIGH heat (400-500)
Use a full chimney on a thin bed of unlit. Add unlit on top as needed.

Keep in mind, adding unlit kingsford to an already hot bed of coals will produce a funky white chemical smoke.
Many people don't mind this, but it drives me nuts.
I like to keep a few different brands of charcoal on hand just for this.
I use kingsford in my smoker, but I NEVER add unlit kingsford to it. I'll add lump or coshell instead.

[narellefd]

WOW! thanks so much Troy and Austin 87 for your prompt and easy to understand explanations.
Am looking forward to putting this new info into pratice.

NFD

[Jammato]

I too do not like to add KBB after the cook has started and like to use lump

however the use of lump can take a bit of practice. because of it's difference in each size you have to get used to how to add it. unlike briquettes which have similar size, lump varies on how fast it lights up and adds heat.

Coshell is excellent, if you have a steady source. For some reason finding it on sale is a bit of a problem where I live.
(Being the byproduct of a major industry, it is renewable and very environmentally friendly also.)

I also tend to count my coals instead of using the "how full the chimney" method. But that is me, kinda anal that way. I use the Weber baskets also and judge my temps by how I set them up.

There are many methods, I hope others post their methods up also so you can get to grilling and find the one right for you.

[cashishift]

How would you change this for a 26" Kettle?

Hi NFD, thats a great question and something I get asked a lot.

The primary methods for controlling temperature are:
#1: The amount of lit charcoal you have
#2: The amount of oxygen available
#3: A combination of 1 and 2

Since you asked about indirect, lets assume that you are banking your coals along one side for all scenarios described.  (example of banked coals, firebricks are optional. I personally prefer to use a weber charcoal basket)

For LOW heat (200 - 250, which is the typical bbq range)
Start with 2/3 of a chimney of unlit coals, bank them along one side of your kettle.
Fire up 8ish briquettes in your chimney. When they're ashed over, add them to your bank of unlit.
Keep the lower vents mostly closed and the top vents about 1/3 close (2/3 open)
This should keep your temps low for several hours. The more you open your lid, the higher temps will go (because you're letting in air)
If you're scared of high temps, start with 8 or 10 lit and add fresh unlit on top when your temps get low. With this method, you can keep your vents wide open.

For MEDIUM heat (275-350)
Same as above, but use a half chimney of lit

For HIGH heat (400-500)
Use a full chimney on a thin bed of unlit. Add unlit on top as needed.

Keep in mind, adding unlit kingsford to an already hot bed of coals will produce a funky white chemical smoke.
Many people don't mind this, but it drives me nuts.
I like to keep a few different brands of charcoal on hand just for this.
I use kingsford in my smoker, but I NEVER add unlit kingsford to it. I'll add lump or coshell instead.

[austin87]

I've never cooked on one but I'm guessing maybe 10% more fuel....

@Troy thoughts?

[Troy]

Yup, more fuel.  (Or better fuel)

[1buckie]

I sort of figured out a 26" to be x 1.25 & a Ranch to be x 1.75 on fuel amounts to heat the area to approx. same temp....sort of thinking out square area plus total surface metal to heat.....
After getting a 26" that seems to be about right......

[cashishift]

Yup, more fuel.  (Or better fuel)

First time charcoal users.. so bear with me. Using Kingsford in the blue bag.

Filled the chimney almost full and let them get hot.. then poured into the 2 coal cage deals.. it wouldnt go above 400..

Bottom vent was full open, top was full open.

I was puzzled.

[1buckie]

Ditch the baskets, bank coals against one side & test it out again.....the baskets are nice for containing the heat where you want it & certain setups, but can be restrictive to airflow in other circumstances............

[cashishift]

Ditch the baskets, bank coals against one side & test it out again.....the baskets are nice for containing the heat where you want it & certain setups, but can be restrictive to airflow in other circumstances............

10-4.

Thanks for the tips. I'm hoping to smoke some ribs here soon. So these tips will come in handy.

[1buckie]

Just set in some (like a dozen or so) UN-lit, then add our basket (part of one might be good for medium heat for ribs)

The lit starts the burn & provides the first heat & then the UN-lit takes over......

Sort of a general statement:

Un-lit to extend the burn.....

Lit to increase the heat of the burn, and, if added later extend the time some.....

Here's some possibilities.....

Off to the side, with some wood chunks on lit coals......








Two short chains, running opposite, rotate the grate a time or two to keep from being right over the coals......



Goods run down the middle & as the coals burn, you'll have a cooler area to rotate to.....



A batch of coals with some unlit,.cook awhile then bridge the gap with lit coal & it continues on.....



A lot of times, I pre-heat wood so it starts burning sooner (closer to actual burn temp) & won't then smoulder as much......







Or, you can do a chain / snake & just rotate a bit.....

[Troy]

Yup, more fuel.  (Or better fuel)

First time charcoal users.. so bear with me. Using Kingsford in the blue bag.

Filled the chimney almost full and let them get hot.. then poured into the 2 coal cage deals.. it wouldnt go above 400..

Bottom vent was full open, top was full open.

I was puzzled.

Define hot.
If the top coals are completely ashed over, you've waited too long. Pour your chimney when the top coals are just starting to ash.

[jd]

Trot the method you explained works out really good tried the medium heat method worked out great thanks, jd