Best setup for kettle overnight smoke with (or without) Smokenator?

BB-Kuhn · Jul 18, 2013

Ring of fire, with a water pan in the middle, with the brisket over the pan. You should get like, 6hrs minimum, and possibly a lot more depending on how hot you leave your fire.

I use a ring of fire setup in my kettle sometimes with no water pan and can get a solid 8+ hours at 275. The water will make sure you use a bit more fuel, but i'd bet you could keep a brisket at 225-250 for at least 6. You'll get some sleep, maybe not a ton, but better than tending it all night long!

unzippy · Jul 18, 2013

Like this - 9 hrs, unattended:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166007

hominamad · Jul 18, 2013

All these ring of fire set ups seem great for smaller cuts, but I'm concerned that for a large brisket it will be too exposed directly to the fire and get dried out. I think this weekend I'm going to try use the smokenator, filling up with coal to the top and without the small water pan - then just putting a big loaf pan filled with water next to the heat. Curious to see how long this will go for.
Thanks for all the tips everyone.

aawa · Jul 18, 2013

I did 2 15lb packers (only cooked one each time) with the ring of fire method. Your meat won't be dry unless you undercook it or severely overcook it.

Rusty Kettle · Jul 18, 2013

I am fairly new at BBQ and got my first grill June 4 my birthday a 18.5" Weber One Touch Silver kettle. I smoked a 9lb brisket for 16 hours on the kettle and I have done a pork shoulder for 12 hours. I didn't know there was a name for it but apparently something called the minion method is pretty similar if not identical to what I tried. How I did it was I took 82 pieces of charcoal Kingsford of course I split them into two piles I then added a water pan in the middle of the charcoal and I added cherry wood chips directly to the water pan to give it a smoky flavor which seems to work really well for adding a nice hint of smoke. Anyways to light the fire I used my old potato can turned into a charcoal chimney to light 14 more bricks I added 7 to each side I had them stacked 4 rows with 10 bricks on each row then I added the 7 lit coals to the top I closed the top vent to about half and left the bottom vent open and I tried to keep to a minimum with sweeping the ash out of the bottom. That way it had less oxygen so it would burn slower. I opened the grill up halfway through the cook and flipped the meat and continued to cook. The food came out great and I still had black charcoal in the bottom both times that still had not burned. I just closed the vents to put the fire out. I can't seem to find anyone actually adding wood directly to their water pans but I think what happens is that the tannins in the wood leach out into the water and the water with the tannins turns to steam and adds the smokey flavor I am looking for. Just wondering not to get to far off topic if anyone had used the water pan to add a smokey flavor to their meat? Anyways I have never tried to go beyond 16 hours I have not had a need to but I don't see why a cook of 20+hours is not possible on a weber kettle grill. I held a temp between 200-250. Mind I am still learning how to use the vents to control the temp but I can see it can be done and I feel with practice I can get the temp very stable I am still learning to use my equipment. I had the smallest full size kettle they make that is not table top version so I imagine with a bigger grill it can go on for awhile.

fantomlord · Jul 18, 2013

Rusty Kettle said:
I am fairly new at BBQ and got my first grill June 4 my birthday a 18.5" Weber One Touch Silver kettle. I smoked a 9lb brisket for 16 hours on the kettle and I have done a pork shoulder for 12 hours. I didn't know there was a name for it but apparently something called the minion method is pretty similar if not identical to what I tried. How I did it was I took 82 pieces of charcoal Kingsford of course I split them into two piles I then added a water pan in the middle of the charcoal and I added cherry wood chips directly to the water pan to give it a smoky flavor which seems to work really well for adding a nice hint of smoke. Anyways to light the fire I used my old potato can turned into a charcoal chimney to light 14 more bricks I added 7 to each side I had them stacked 4 rows with 10 bricks on each row then I added the 7 lit coals to the top I closed the top vent to about half and left the bottom vent open and I tried to keep to a minimum with sweeping the ash out of the bottom. That way it had less oxygen so it would burn slower. I opened the grill up halfway through the cook and flipped the meat and continued to cook. The food came out great and I still had black charcoal in the bottom both times that still had not burned. I just closed the vents to put the fire out. I can't seem to find anyone actually adding wood directly to their water pans but I think what happens is that the tannins in the wood leach out into the water and the water with the tannins turns to steam and adds the smokey flavor I am looking for. Just wondering not to get to far off topic if anyone had used the water pan to add a smokey flavor to their meat? Anyways I have never tried to go beyond 16 hours I have not had a need to but I don't see why a cook of 20+hours is not possible on a weber kettle grill. I held a temp between 200-250. Mind I am still learning how to use the vents to control the temp but I can see it can be done and I feel with practice I can get the temp very stable I am still learning to use my equipment. I had the smallest full size kettle they make that is not table top version so I imagine with a bigger grill it can go on for awhile.

you got your vents backwards...leave the top vent open full when you're cooking, and use the bottom to control your temps. I wouldn't bother flipping things like brisket or pork shoulder...just throw 'em on, and leave 'em alone until they probe tender :thumb:

Jramey0406 · Jul 18, 2013

I can get 10-12 hours (estimate based on shorter cooks and charcoal left over) from my Ring of Fire method. I made a charcoal basket using the bottom charcoal grate and fastening a 4" tall ring of expanded metal around the diameter of the grate as the outside wall and then a 8-9" stainless bowl/pot in the center to make the inner wall of my ring. Fill the pot with water and then place ceramic baking tile on the cooking surface as a heat/drip shield. I can run mine with the bottom vent entirely closed and run on average about 230-250F. Top vent wide open.

Best setup for kettle overnight smoke with (or without) Smokenator?

BB-Kuhn

Full Fledged Farker

unzippy

Full Fledged Farker

hominamad

Knows what a fatty is.

aawa

Babbling Farker

Rusty Kettle

Babbling Farker

fantomlord

is Blowin Smoke!

Jramey0406

Found some matches.

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