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Cooking & Food Talk => Charcoal Grilling & BBQ => Topic started by: Firemunkee on January 20, 2019, 09:05:22 AM

Title: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Firemunkee on January 20, 2019, 09:05:22 AM
We are visiting my sister in law who just had their first kid. We're helping them out an I wanted to cook for them. They have an 18" kettle and would love some BBQ. I was thinking of making pulled pork for them. I've smoked plenty in my 22" kettle but I'm wondering what nuances there are about the 18 that I have to watch out for? Would a snake or minion method allow for the most space on the cook grate?

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: michaelmilitello on January 20, 2019, 09:13:31 AM
The process is the same as a 22.  You can probably start with a bit less lit coal.  You might need to refuel sooner or smoke your pork butt to color you like then wrap and finish in the oven.  That may be easier.


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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Firemunkee on January 20, 2019, 09:28:02 AM
The process is the same as a 22.  You can probably start with a bit less lit coal.  You might need to refuel sooner or smoke your pork butt to color you like then wrap and finish in the oven.  That may be easier.


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That's a good suggestion about the oven. I'll probably do that. Thanks!

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: MadGasser on January 21, 2019, 01:26:10 PM
In reality you should be able to do BBQ on any grill. I watched a man do a pork butt in a Smokey Joe on YouTube.

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: LiquidOcelot on January 21, 2019, 04:47:23 PM
In reality you should be able to do BBQ on any grill. I watched a man do a pork butt in a Smokey Joe on YouTube.

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I know what im youtubing when i get home

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: MadGasser on January 22, 2019, 03:58:34 AM
In reality you should be able to do BBQ on any grill. I watched a man do a pork butt in a Smokey Joe on YouTube.

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I know what im youtubing when i get home

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Did you see it?

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: LiquidOcelot on January 22, 2019, 04:36:45 AM
In reality you should be able to do BBQ on any grill. I watched a man do a pork butt in a Smokey Joe on YouTube.

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I know what im youtubing when i get home

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Did you see it?

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Yea watched it last night, still cant wrap my head around how his on a SJ came out better looking then the one i did on a 22. Wish he woulda said how long the over all cook took. Been watching some harry soo videos took lots of good info from that guy

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 22, 2019, 08:09:07 AM
This made me curious. I hadn’t done a pork butt in an 18 or smokes anything for that matter. This is a 9lb butt. It seems to fit fine. I used my deep pie pan lined with foil for charcoal and grease control. I dumped a half chimney of mixed uses coal and dumped unlit kbb the rest of the snake. I’m hoping to get 4 hours out of this snake especially because I’m heading back to work. Bottom vent half, top open. I won’t be tracking grill temp.




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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Firemunkee on January 22, 2019, 12:52:31 PM
@HoosierKettle that is looking good! Let us know how it turns out. Thank for sharing. I plan on dog the cook tomorrow. I'm still debating between snake or minion method.
Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 22, 2019, 01:48:22 PM
That was a close call!  I anticipated the snake lasting 4 hours which would have been up at 4pm. I didn’t make it home until much later than I anticipated. 540 pm. As expected, the snake was used up and the grill barely warm. The internal of the pork butt was 145 so I got lucky. I quickly wrapped and chucked it in the oven at 350.




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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 22, 2019, 01:50:17 PM
I suspect it was much higher internal. Probably falling from 155 or 160 down to 145.


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Title: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 22, 2019, 04:58:54 PM
Took it to 200 wrapped in the oven. Made a finishing sauce and pulled it using the KitchenAid mixer. Turned out wonderful. Also made a slaw and some beans.

So yes, the 18 is quite capable. Total cook was 7.5 hours for 9lb butt. Should have rested an hour but didn’t have time.


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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Firemunkee on January 22, 2019, 05:25:12 PM
Took it to 200 wrapped in the oven. Made a finishing sauce and pulled it using the KitchenAid mixer. Turned out wonderful. Also made a slaw and some beans.

So yes, the 18 is quite capable. Total cook was 7.5 hours for 9lb butt. Should have rested an hour but didn’t have time.


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Thanks for the update! Yet another reason why this place is awesome. What kitchen aid attachment did you use?

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 23, 2019, 02:54:51 AM
I used this




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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: MadGasser on January 23, 2019, 04:17:30 AM
I used this




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That's interesting.

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Firemunkee on January 23, 2019, 05:17:47 AM
I used this




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Thanks! Smoking right now! I just did the minion method with a basket. I forgot to take a picture of the food on the grill but here's it cooking!

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Firemunkee on January 23, 2019, 05:38:44 AM
Here's a peek

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 23, 2019, 05:46:13 AM
Nice!  It’s going to be good.


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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: hawgheaven on January 23, 2019, 06:18:25 AM
I used this

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That's interesting.

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I think my wife wood kill me if I did that...
Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 23, 2019, 06:37:19 AM

I used this

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That's interesting.

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I think my wife wood kill me if I did that...

She doesn’t mind. I run it low. It’s pretty easy to clean up.


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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: JEBIV on January 23, 2019, 08:03:17 AM

I used this

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That's interesting.

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I think my wife wood kill me if I did that...

She doesn’t mind. I run it low. It’s pretty easy to clean up.


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Clean up is easy, and it works
Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Firemunkee on January 24, 2019, 06:17:37 AM
Cooked two 3.5# half butts @ 250-275. Wrapped at 170, cranked up to 300. Pulled at 203. Rested for 1 hour. The 18 performed magnificently! Steady temps until I got to the end of the charcoal supply where the temp started to drop towards 250. I used 60 unlit KBB briquettes and 8 lit. Top vent wide open and bottom opened just a crack. That lasted nearly four hours and I just added some used coals to finish the cook. I used a Weber basket with the curved part removed. It made for more coals to fit. I can't believe I haven't done that before. Food was devoured before I remembered to take pictures.

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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 24, 2019, 07:44:20 AM
[emoji106] looks like it was good!


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Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: hawgheaven on January 24, 2019, 09:40:14 AM
I am a hand/finger pulling kinda guy. I like to get into the meat and pick out the sinew and fat globs as I go. Just sayin'....
Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: Bodhi on January 24, 2019, 09:45:53 AM
Easy, just do it indirect as on the 22, but have the butcher cut it into smaller butts.
Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: YardBurner on January 24, 2019, 09:48:46 AM
I used this




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Never used the paddle attachment but we have used the horn shaped dough hook works like a charm.
Gonna try the paddle next time just to compare.
Title: Re: Smoking in an 18"
Post by: HoosierKettle on January 24, 2019, 09:52:41 AM

I used this




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Never used the paddle attachment but we have used the horn shaped dough hook works like a charm.
Gonna try the paddle next time just to compare.

I’ll try the dough hook next. I didn’t think of trying that.


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