Yummy looking ribs.  So how did the fireboat look after the long cook?

Yummy looking ribs.  So how did the fireboat look after the long cook?

The fire pot?
There was little ash compared to prior to the fan speed modification...I am VERY happy with the amount left after cooks considering that fly ash has to travel up a 7-8 inch chimney.

During cooks, I can view the health of the flame, as well as the pellets and ash build up level through the front of the unit, looking through the vent for the fan. The layer of ash/pellets never get above the first level of air holes in the burn pot since the fan adjustments. As long as my pellets are dry, I think the chances of another fire up the pellet ramp are close to zero. (fingers crossed)

So the other thing that I think is nice is the relatively little fly ash at the grill grate level. Between the trip is has to make up the chimney and the enclosed housing for a heat shield/drip tray combo, very little gets to the grate or the food that I can tell. When reading about pellet grills over the last couple of years, I was convinced that I'd have to live with fly ash getting on the food. But this hasn't been the case with this grill. It's more visible when I open the slats for direct flame, but that's expected.

Where did you go man?  We need more bbq pics!

LOL! I’m still here. Between work, vacation, and the rain, it been tough trying to get a cook in. I’m hoping to get another brisket attempt this weekend if the wife lets me. Otherwise, it might just be shorter cooks.

I did do a big slab of ribs for the 4th. Used a 4-2-1 method, wrapped in pink butcher paper. Over 7 hours plus and little ash in burn pot compared to my first long cook that led to fire. I’ll post those rib pics once I get to my laptop.


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     I did a 15 hour cook this weekend and tilted the pit just a tiny bit to make the slide steeper, and I didn't have the issue of the pellets backing up.  I did get the ash build up, but it didn't seem to affect the pit temps.  I think the main problem is that the slide needs to be a touch steeper.  This long cook showed me another upside on the Outdoor cooking center.  I use maybe 3 pounds of pellets for the entire cook.  It only dropped about 1 to 1-1/2 inches in the hopper.  I was shocked when I checked it to top off the pellets.  It hadn't moved enough to really add any pellets after 5 hours.

That's great, GatorDave! I'm not surprised about the pellet usage on your Outdoor Cooking Center...it looks like it's a very efficient cooker. What temp did you cook at?

I started out at 200 for the first 6 hours, then bumped it to 225 for a couple of hours, then up to 250 for the rest.

A 9# whole brisket (choice) went on the grill at 0740 this morning. Very small point (almost all flat). Couple of trimmings I placed on the right hand side of the pic (they looked too good to throw away).

Running the unit at 225*. LJ Oak at the bottom of the hopper and then poured what I had remaining in a bag of LJ Pecan (5-8 lbs) into hopper.

My plan is to wrap with butcher paper once it gets to the stall or if I'm happy with the color, whichever comes first.

Looks like a good start to me.  Can't wait to see the finished product. 

Looks like a good start to me.  Can't wait to see the finished product. 

Thanks...here's a shot 3 hrs in.

Temp holding steady at 225*. I saw it dip down to 221* for a few seconds earlier, but even the bluetooth temp probe I have monitoring at the warming rack level hasn't budged more than 5 degrees below when I check it!

Nice healthy flame when fan not running fast (flames appear when fan slows down), and pellets are glowing, and I can still see through the bottom row of holes in the burn pot, meaning no ash build up at this temp after 3 hrs. So far so good!

Meat probe for grill within 2 degrees of bluetooth meat probe (meat went on with internal temp of 44-46 degrees). Currently, at 138*. I think I will be wrapping soon.

Edit: forgot to add the pic!

5 hrs in, went ahead and wrapped. Probes placed as a general guide, but will probe for doneness when around the 195-ish range.

Clouds rolling in, forecast calling for thunderstorms. Bumped up temp to 245*


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Easy to finish off in the oven now since it is wrapped anyhow.  Good luck.

9 hrs in. Still in stall.

Bumped to 250*

Update at 1848:

11 hrs in and still in stall (internal temp inching up over last 2 hrs), but everything a-ok. Still at 250*. No sign of ash build up in fire pot as I can see through the fan vent and see there is flames and pellets dropping in. Ashes are not past 1-2 levels of holes in burn pot.

Still might have to move this indoors as the big storm clouds are moving in now.

Update at 2005:
Over 12 hrs in and no burn back! Yay!
On a less positive note, lots of rain and unit got drenched again. Hopefully no issues because of that. Still cooking!

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9 hrs in. Still in stall.

Bumped to 250*

Update at 1848:

11 hrs in and still in stall (internal temp inching up over last 2 hrs), but everything a-ok. Still at 250*. No sign of ash build up in fire pot as I can see through the fan vent and see there is flames and pellets dropping in. Ashes are not past 1-2 levels of holes in burn pot.

Still might have to move this indoors as the big storm clouds are moving in now.

Update at 2005:
Over 12 hrs in and no burn back! Yay!
On a less positive note, lots of rain and unit got drenched again. Hopefully no issues because of that. Still cooking!

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Would be a good idea to check the hopper from top to bottom in AM and find out if your waterproofing worked.  If they are damp I would toss em all.

9 hrs in. Still in stall.

Bumped to 250*

Update at 1848:

11 hrs in and still in stall (internal temp inching up over last 2 hrs), but everything a-ok. Still at 250*. No sign of ash build up in fire pot as I can see through the fan vent and see there is flames and pellets dropping in. Ashes are not past 1-2 levels of holes in burn pot.

Still might have to move this indoors as the big storm clouds are moving in now.

Update at 2005:
Over 12 hrs in and no burn back! Yay!
On a less positive note, lots of rain and unit got drenched again. Hopefully no issues because of that. Still cooking!

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Would be a good idea to check the hopper from top to bottom in AM and find out if your waterproofing worked.  If they are damp I would toss em all.

Agreed!


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Went ahead and moved the brisket indoors to the oven at 2140 (that’s 9:40p eastern), 250 degrees. It’s still wrapped.

Flat measuring at 187, probe in point was at 182.

It’s late and I needed to shut the grill down for the night. If it cools down fast enough I’d like to cover it, but I’m about to fall asleep so we’ll see if there are any rain related issues tomorrow LOL!

So, I’m pretty happy that after 14 hours of slow and low (started at 230 and bumped up to 250) there were no issues.

I’ll share pics tomorrow of the finished product and we’ll also take a peak at the ash volume in the burn pot. Good night!


Update at 2208:
Instant read thermometer showing 190* at the point and it’s probing like butter! I’m calling this one done!

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Not as much ash volume (pic #1) in the burn pot as I thought (the unburnt ones fell in as I moved the grill...could hear them "clink"). This was after 14 hrs yesterday. It didn't fill up the burn pot, with at least two more levels of holes that remained visible.

There was MOISTURE when I ran my fingers through it. I figured the rain and the 94% humidity we had all day yesterday would impact it somehow...the fan was just sucking in wet air and blowing it at the burn pot at some point for a LONG while. Still, no burn back, no burnt pellets on the slide or seen in the auger tube!

Pic #2 is part of the flat, and two slices of the point (the rest I froze). It tasted EXCELLENT! My oldest daughter (pickiest eater) asked for seconds!

Pic #3 is why I like using a baking sheet and baking grid. Less clean up of the grill!

Looks great and I am glad that you seemed to have got your smoker to perform to your expectations.