aw shucks, lost my heat! [Meatloaf, pix added]

[addicted-to-smoke]

A little more than 3/4 of chimney filled with mostly leftover Coshell. It had been lit by the Performer for a good 10 mins although the tops didn't appear to catch. I like Coshell's heat and longevity but for me it's a bitch to light.

Or in tonight's case, to stay lit? I didn't have a problem using it 2 days ago.

But one of my 18's intake vents got clogged with ash. Even so, there should have been plenty of air to keep it going.

Moved the food, put the coals back into the chimney and I'll continue again ...

[Troy]

it does take longer to light.

if you're using a chimney on your performer (with the gas assist), I find it helps to invert the cone of the chimney.
so instead of |/\| its more like |\/|

[addicted-to-smoke]

Might as well try that, since I don't stuff it with newspaper anyway. I did a 2lb meatloaf tonight and the juice/sauce was up to about the halfway point in the pan. So I suppose the coals had a lot of liquid to work through for the hour it was on until dead.

And yet, I reused the same coals again to re-light, so they hadn't been consumed and I doubt snuffed out. I probably only lit a few, and the rest just never caught on even when sitting in the hot kettle.

Somebody needs to invent a twin-fuel chimney somehow, lit from both ends.

[addicted-to-smoke]

on the 18.5":



and done:




It was delicious!

[addicted-to-smoke]

Wife: "So, do we also have a vegetable?"

Me: "Sorry, what was that?"

[austin87]

Did you use Pyrex to cook it in? I've always wanted to but wasn't sure if it would shatter. Glass is obviously a no go but I thought Pyrex might be able to handle a kettle if it wasn't raging hot.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Everything I've read says Pyrex is OK up to 450-500 degrees F. At higher temps you want to exercise some caution with quickly heating or cooling it, not that I would know how to really accomplish that.

Anything I put in a dish or bowl to bake is normally happening somewhere around 300-350 at the grate ... just like your oven. I do however tend to move the coals more towards the outsides, and not create a pile right in the center underneath the Pyrex.

[austin87]

Alrighty then.... It's a go until I explode my girlfriend's Pyrex and get the business!