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**Charcoal Grills** Abilene 16",Abilene 20"
January 9th, 2019, 9:09 am
#1
* Abilene ** Abilene *
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  • Joined: November 19th, 2018, 2:12 pm
  • Posts: 22
  • Location: Escondido, CA

One of the main reasons I wanted this grill was for the ultimate versatility; Adjustable grate, huge grilling surface, but also a huge cook chamber if I wanted to go low and slow.

I've been experimenting for weeks trying to get this thing to hold temps and I just couldn't get it to work for me. Granted, During initial cooks and experiments, I noticed that there are air gaps everywhere on this cooker, and I couldn't get the temps to stop climbing even after shutting down both lower intakes. I almost came to the conclusion that smoking just wasn't going to be in the cards for me on this grill.

Then I sprayed the whole thing down with cooking spray and did a purely seasoning run. I found that most of those gaps started to seal up from the seasoning. At least to the point where there wasn't smoke bleeding from every corner of the smoker. I also added felt gasket to the seam where the lid folds in half... that was probably the worst leaking spot.

I scoured the internet for a charcoal box like the ones Yoder makes for their stick burners... hoping that I could find one in some larger dimensions. No dice.

Next, I went to Lowe's and spent $6 on bricks... and that's when everything fell into place for me. I add 3 of these bricks to one side of the charcoal tray, leaving one whole side for indirect space. I light up 3/4 of a chimney and set up a snake around the bricks. I shut down the intake on the charcoal side completely. The intake on the indirect side is open about 1/8. The exhaust is nearly wide open.

With this set up I've been able to get 250 ± 25°F for 8 hours!! with almost no manipulation of the intakes/exhaust.
(NOTE: Ambient temps beginning to end were 65 - 40°F. This could potentially be a longer cook in the summer months.)

This thing is going to be FUN!!

Attachments
.75_Chimney.jpg
Light 3/4 Chimney and set up your snake on half of the charcoal grate (adjust size of snake as needed)
Coal Dump.jpg
Dump the lit charcoal at the head of the snake.
Final.jpg
Slide the food grate over to the indirect side... drop your protein of choice... and let her go

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