The Texas BBQ Forum

As far as Capt Jack temps go, my lid temp gauge had the temp running 150-200 depending on what I was cooking. All I used during all my cooks was a cheap $10 meat thermometer. Yes that is how easy it is to cook on an Old Smokey without an ATC or expensive electronics. I have invested in an iGrill2 with a ambient grill surface probe, as the more I cook by internal temp, the more consistent the cooks turn out. I never rush cook or time it to the minute, like many BBQ Champions will tell you, it's done when it's done. If you don't have an oven with a good keep warm feature, get a Yeti or good ice chest, you can hold temps in cooked items for hours without issue. I do like using a Weber flip hinge grate as it fits really snug, which forces the bottom half rim round, the lid seals much better this way. This was however purely an accident, as I measured a Weber grate and my Old Smokey and thought it would fit a tad looser than it does, and didn't want to wait for one from Houston from Old Smokey.

The only limitation that I have ever had with an Old Smokey is the Oklahoma wind, man it rarely stops and really affects an Old Smokey. Prior to building my BBQ Mario Cart, I used a cheap but effective wind stop.

Excellent choice also on the Wind Weight to keep the Lid from blowing away

Let's say I was going to do a butt. One side indirect right. How long does the charcoal last. Do you have to add fuel after three to four hours. Is that why y'all got the hinged grate.

I added some at the 8 hour mark, but it was my first one so I wanted to "sneak up on it" rather than try to cook it to quick. I stack mine close together right at half of the perimeter, four rows, then 4 rows on top, then 3 rows, then 2 rows. Start with 7-10 lit coals on one end. For a colder smoke like my jerky, I used the snake all the way around the grill perimeter 2 rows with 1 row on top.

As for the hinged grate, yes, you can add, or subtract coals while cooking depending on how your temps are running.

JustinCouch wrote:Let's say I was going to do a butt. One side indirect right. How long does the charcoal last. Do you have to add fuel after three to four hours. Is that why y'all got the hinged grate.

Justin on the 1-sided indirect setup i lay 2 or 3 good chunks of hickory in the corner of the fire grate,
then start/pour about 1/3 of a lit chimney of coals to start the cook
it will last about 90'mins before it starts to loose heat
from then on i'll add about 8 unlit briquets and another chunk or two of hickory about every hour after that

before OldSmokey brought out their hinged grill grate I bought two spare grill grates ($10 each)
and broke out the three outer wires on one for 1-sided indirect
and three wires on both sides for the 2-sided indirect cooks
i now have one of the OS hinged grill grates, but i still like the ones where i broke out the wires better
you'll notice them in my pics

Man, I wish I could see these pics!

I have a brake drum off of an 18wheeler that I thought about using as a basket. You could never lift it but I can improvise. Surely that would hold enough and help stabilize the heat. What do you think.
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