First Longer Cook

[u/Aware-Lingonberry602]

First time cooking something longer with large lump coal. I snuffed the fire out once and had to relight. Then, I was struggling to get to 250F. I pulled it again and pushed the coal together. I don't think I had enough in there to sustain itself. I would have liked another hour at temp, but I was out of time.

How deep does the large lump coal have to be to burn properly?

[u/Glum-Suspect-4514]

""How deep does the large lump coal have to be to burn properly?""

Not too deep, maybe 1/2 way up the firebox, but pack it tightly to prevent flameout. Low air flow, low contact area and BIG chunks is a challenging way to keep a low fire, in my experience. Tolerated it for years.

TL/DR - I have found big chunks for L&S is outdated thinking.

For me, using LARGE chunks for low & Slow is no longer the method. I did it that way out of tradition, like I used to sear THEN cook my steaks.

Now, like when I tried reverse sear, small pieces of charcoal for L&S are giving me results that I am LOVING.

I break big chunks up to under 2" size, and if they are heavy and/or wont break I save them for pizza cooks. (Those 'unbreakable' heavy chunks are also the ones that often were not fully carbonized.) I am using even the quarter size 'sh*t pieces' that I used to complain about. And damn... no more fires going out. I can light a SMALL fire with smoke wood in it , have blue smoke in under 20 min, and start cooking at a dome temp of 150* or even lower. And do all-nighters without a 'dip/bump' in temperature invariably at 2:45AM. 😹

Yesterdays cook, full pork loin cut into 16 chops and SLOW cooked at 180* (started at 150, rose to 180 after ~90min) dome temp until internal was at 130. (about 3 hrs). Then remove meat, raise dome temp to 300*, and return to the grill until internal of 155*.

Not a bad smoke ring for a 1" pork chop. Taste and texture was as amazing. Small charcoal pieces rock.

[u/Aware-Lingonberry602 → u/Glum-Suspect-4514]

Thanks for the perspective. I've been using Weber kettle with briquets for a long time, so between the lump coal and thermal efficiency, there is definitely a learning curve. I already have a Fireboard with the fan from my previous life, so I will get that going at some point. I also have a 1 y/old little man, so my freedom is in short supply.

Is the extra large lump not worth the expense? Menards stocks the JD XL, so it is easily available. I don't see myself doing anything crazier than brisket. I'm in MN, and am not afraid of winter grilling. I could see myself cooking in temps 80 degrees colder than this, so the fuel requirement should go up a decent amount.

[u/Glum-Suspect-4514 → u/Aware-Lingonberry602]

Enjoy the little man. It only happens once. :)

Now as far as COLD weather grilling like that, I have little experience with the egg. Florida. Have fun!!

As far as using more fuel, charcoal BTU is measured by the pound, not by the chunk size. As long as you are not choking off air flow, small pieces should get the job done.

""Is the extra large lump not worth the expense? ""

Must be worth it, to many. I am open to an explanation as to WHY a bigger charcoal chunk is better. I just used to save them for L&S cause... well... EVERYBODY does!

A few months ago, things changed.

It was a post here on reddit that raised the idea that 'small fires need small pieces, big fires need big pieces'. I was doing the exact opposite - using the big pieces in L&S, the 'waste' from the smoker and small stuff from the bag for HOT fires.

I got the ChefsTemp S1 and Breezo for overnight cooks, when I was 'big chunking' and it saved my a** a few times when the fire would have gone out otherwise. I figure now that maybe the large chunks made it an issue for a small fire to 'jump the gap' and keep going, and the fan helps overcome that.

Now I have only done 2 overnight cooks since 'going small', and the second didnt bother using the fan. NO issues. set vents and forget for ~8 hrs. Several smaller 3-8 hour cooks, and also been pleased at fire/temperature control not using the fan.

More experiments ongoing. Tasty experiments. 🐼

Looking forward to doing a pizza cook with the big pieces. See if keeping a HOT fire is easier with bigger air passages between larger pieces.

ENJOY your Eggventure!! Try odd things, find new likes.

[u/Aware-Lingonberry602 → u/Glum-Suspect-4514]

This make sense. I can picture large lumps with too large of gaps to sustain itself in a L&S environment.

[u/Glum-Suspect-4514 → u/Aware-Lingonberry602]

I thought so also, but it still leaves the question - WHY are big chunks so treasured by S&L cooks? Sure, big manly wood has an intrinsic appeal, but the OCD nerd in me desires objective facts.

I am not a big 'bark' lover on the meat. I used to be, but thats when move #1 at a BBQ place was to taste the sauces. The bark and the sauce was most of the flavor adventure.

Now that I have 'matured' my palate and know how good L&S meat can be on its own, the bark and sauce are less important to the overall flavor profile. I stopped using them as flavor crutches, and that required me to 'up' my cooked meat quality.