Using too much charcoal with my Chargriller Smoker Pro??

[marioporter]

Yesterday I decided to do some ribs on my . Chargriller Super Pro Because I have a hard time keeping the temp up on it, I feel like I'm constantly shoveling charcoal in it. I used 25 pounds of charcoal over an 8 hour period for two racks of ribs. While they turned out phenominal, I feel like I'm doing something wrong. I was using royal oak charcoal briquettes in the side fire box. and it seems like I need two chiminies full (about 8 pounds) to get it anywhere near 225. Then after that, I constantly have to put charcoal in. I have the tray in the main compartment flipped over as a baffle, on its highest setting, and no other mods. Am I using the wrong kind of fuel? Someone please help. I was doing loin back ribs, by the way.

[Jeff_From_VA]

I have the same thing and have also noticed it uses a ton of fuel.

[Teleking]

The first issue is 8 hours for ribs is about 2 hours two long!
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“Franken Smoker”

“The Bride of Franken Smoker”

[marioporter]

The reason I do it that long is because I have a hard time keeping the temp up. SO, I want to make sure that they're done. I've taken them off at 5- hours before, and they just don't seem done.

[reptileink]

exactly why I switched to a ProBBQ. 5,6,7,8,12 hrs a whack with one load of charcoal "minion style"

I had a cheap-o offset that ATE fuel. 5-6 loads in a single cook just didn't cut it for me. Once you get the PRO going, it holds pretty steady at 220-250 for HOURS!

Ribs for 8 hours is WAY too long! of course, it's all a matter of taste. I don't like mine "fall off the bone", I like some tug. I did my rack this July 4th in just about 4.5 hrs and they were very good, I should have kicked them an extra half hour, but I was hungry, and they were technically "done"

not to get off on another topic though

Offsets are great if you love tending a fire. If not, switch out man! ORRR add some mods(search this site, you'll get plenty)
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Pro Q Frontier
Samuel Adams edition Weber Performer
MHP JNR ( Junior)

[HuskerSmoker]

I've been using splits of apple or cherry and it helps with using less charcoal. The longer it's seasoned the better. Still takes quite a bit to keep it up to temp though. They are not very efficient cookers.
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CG SP w/ Mods
Kettle
GOBS, KCBS & CBJ

[animal]

Have you done the smoke stack mod, it makes a ton off a difference

[Smoking Hobbit]

Do the basic mods, try lump over briquettes, use a basket putting the lit fuel on the end by the vent. I can run 220-235 for 4 hours on 6 pounds of lump unless it is real cold or windy. A stick or chunk every couple of hours helps.

As the man said, these low end offsets require a lot of attention to keep the temps right and if you don't watch them they eat charcoal like a Hummer eats gas.
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JoEl

BBQ satisfies my need to "improve" things

[Elancer]

I would do the normal mods, such as smoke stack, baffle and charcoal basket. I use about 1 pound of Royal Oak lump charcoal an hour, keeping my temps between 230 to 250 after performing these modifications.

[bluesman250]

Its not so much that you are doing anything wrong. Cheap offsets made of rolled sheet metal are terribly inefficient. You can cook for twice as long with the same amount of charcoal in WSM of similar cooker. Or use a thick steel offset like a lang or a klose with wood, and maintain a temp using wood much more efficiently. In my smokey mountain, i can usually get 4 to 5 over night 14+ hour burns from 1 22 pound bag of WG Comp lump.
For your cooker, a charcoal basket and extending the smoke stack down to grate level in the inside will help, but over all, that cooker will be a charcoal hog compared to some other cookers.

[Old Smoker]

Definately get yourself a charcoal basket. load it up with your briquettes in minion style, dump about 3/4 lit chimney into the far corner from the vent on the firebox,open the vent on firebox full,make sure your coal ash isn't smothering your fire. Good air flow allows the fire to burn hotter,and a good base of coals helps as well. I have no trouble maintaining a steady temp or getting the temps up doing it this way. AND make sure the plate between your firebox and cooking chamber is removed.
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WSM 22.5 - Chargriller Pro
I cook to eat not to compete
LIAR #29
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[Beertooth]

I have been using mine since I bought it in October. At first I tried flipping the charcoal tray in the main chamber and couldn't get the temps up. I do have a thermometer that I bought and calibrated, not the cheapo stock one. Anyway after I took the charcaol tray out completely, my temps came up. After reading some more I got some stainless to make some "tuning plates" and that helped out to even the heat across the main chamber.

Like these guys are saying - Do the mods: chimney extention, charcaol basket, tuning plates. Another thing I do is put foil along the sides and front (rolled up and overlapping half in and half out of the main chamber) to keep the heat and smoke from escaping out the cracks.

You might want to head over and read this thread. It's like 236 pages long. Lot's of info.

Here is some more good info with pics.

It just needs a little love and attention.
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Camp Chef Pro90 Stove w/ Griddle
1985 22" Weber Kettle
CharGriller
18.5" WSM (Stoked)
22.5" WSM
85 Gallon UDS
Weber Smokey Joe/Mini WSM
Cast Iron Cookware
24" Disc Cooker
Masterbuilt 40" Electric
Char-Griller Akorn

[marioporter]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm taking it all in. What, may I ask, is "minion" style".

[bluesman250]

the minion method is adding aa small amount of lit coals to a large amount of unlit coals. this gives you a very long burn time as the unlit coals slowly light as needed. in a wsm, you can get 16 plus hours of burn times.