BGE/Smoker experts: I screwed up (TBS related)

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tips/advice so how I could manage this better for future if I do run out of coals

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Finish it in the oven. Other than ensuring you have enough charcoal, your other options are to load up with wood chunks if you got them, but you’d have to wait for the white smoke to die down before adding back your butt.

But, the simplest answer is to finish in the oven. All of your smoke retention happens in the first couple hours anyway. After that you’re just using the heat to cook.

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But, the simplest answer is to finish in the oven. All of your smoke retention happens in the first couple hours anyway. After that you’re just using the heat to cook.

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Never done this before. Any recommendations on set up?

Same temp (225-240)?
Covered or uncovered?

You can heat up the coals in a chimney then dump when they get going.

When you added coals directly did you remove the digiQ and open the vents all the way? You might get some heavy smoke but it should clear up quickly and you can then lower the temp and put the digiQ back on.

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You can heat up the coals in a chimney then dump when they get going.

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Really good idea. I’m kicking myself for not thinking of that.

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When you added coals directly did you remove the digiQ and open the vents all the way? You might get some heavy smoke but it should clear up quickly and you can then lower the temp and put the digiQ back on.

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I did not. I let the digiq slam air in to drive temp up. Feels like next time I should do chimney to light coals and crank up heat to bring everything up to temp. I was just worried about overshooting temp and then waiting to bring temps back down. Can take a long time to bring temp down from 400 to 225 for example

I believe he is saying you don't have to cook a butt that slow. 275 and even higher will work fine and take less time.

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You can heat up the coals in a chimney then dump when they get going.

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This is what I do.

I only use a small amount of lump, keep a good air flow, and live on the edge of blue smoke. When the temp starts sagging below 225F, I use a chimney starter to get more coals ready. When planned, it only takes about a 1-1.5 minutes to 'reload'.

If you fill the fire box and get good air flow (which you need in pursuit of blue smoke), the temp is gonna go through the roof. If you choke the air flow, then it runs the risk of creosote burning off the lump. Not what I want.

Would love to hear how others deal with this on BGEs.

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Would love to hear how others deal with this on BGEs.

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My setup:
KJ2 Big Joe w/ThermoWorks Signals and Billows temp control



For long cooks I usually just fill it up with lump and start a small fire directly in the center with a torch. I will leave the vents wide open until the temp starts approaching the target then I close the top down a good bit and add the bellows to the bottom vent. I have been able to get 14-16hr cooks with 1 basket at 225°.

The only times I have had issues with dirty smoke/creosote was when I added too many wood chunks along with the charcoal.

The temp controller changes how I set my vents. You have to have the top pretty closed off or it will overshoot the target temps when the fan starts blowing.