Basics....

[The Social Smokers]

Do you have a heat shield in the smoker? i.e water pan, ceramic dish?

[bringmethemeat]

Well, to start with I just added lit coals via a chimney starter. I was thinking if the temp drops and i need to raise it I will just add some unlit charcoals on top of the already lit ones. When I actually come to cook something I have some foil trays underneath the meat, is this what you mean my heat shield?

[RobinC]

Ok if you are only putting in lit charcoal then your grill will run hot. Have a google on the minion method but basically this involves loading your cooker up with unlit charcoal then adding some lit charcoal on top of this (usually a third to half a chimney starter full). If you are using the minion method you mustn't use any kind of charcoal or briquettes that are labelled as fast lighting - you don't want any accelerants in the fuel, the smell will taint your food.

The heat shield that Social Smokers referred to is usually something that sits between the coals and the meat. This is sometimes just a simple pan or something filled with water. However, if you are cooking with your coals to one side so that your meat is not directly over the coals (offset or indirect cooking) then you don't necessarily have to use this. Have a look at the sticky at the top of this forum - there's lots of good info in there.

[bringmethemeat]

Ah, yes just checked out the minion method that makes sense.
I'll double check what the type of charcoal I have to make sure its the correct type.

So if using the minion method....

Yesterday night i added a whole chimney starter fuel of lit coal. I am guessing I could use 3/4's of a chinmney starter of unlit coal and then 1/4 of lit coal. Hopefully that could work.

Nice one.

Dave

[The Social Smokers]

Ok i just got the idea of the kind of BBQ you are using. When you said oil drum i immediately pictured a vertical oil drum. I take though that it's a horizontal one? Horizontal oil drum type BBQs are a lot harder to control temps. We find it difficult to manage temps our Pro Q Maverick if not using the side fire box. If you were using a vertical smoker then a heat shield would be good for maintaing low temps.

[bringmethemeat]

Yes it's a horizontal one, I'll upgrade it at some point soon.
I'll try the minion method with it and I'll just have to keep an eye on the temps. As long as its within a desired range I guess that'll be cool. I'm gonna be on a camping trip doing it, so it gives me an excuse to sit around and play with fire all day!

[keith157]

What brand of charcoal are you using and is it briquette or lump?

[bringmethemeat]

briquette and i think the brand is Bar-B-quick