On 27-Mar-2005, "PB" > wrote:

> Hello
>
> Got myself a Char-Broil Sierra smoker/barbeque and so far it's been
> fantastic. I tried my hand at slow cooking using the firebox to indirectly
>
> cook some ribs and lamb chops (two different nights).

Ribs cook low and slow pretty good, but lamb chops IMO are too lean
to benefit from slow cooking. If you want to get some smoke on them, ok,
but I'd finish them on a hot grill.

I have a book I'm
> reading and it tells me that is should take between 45 and 55min to cook
> the chops (rare) at 200-225F. I was at 325F (according to my thermometer)
> for
> 2 hours before I gave up and "cheated" by moving the chops next to the
> firebox side of the grill and basically ended up grilling the darn things
> so my
> family wouldn't starve to death. Even then thick areas of the meat where
> rare/medium rare.

Something really wrong going on here. Chops (any kind of chops) should be
nicely done in two hours at that temp. Probably be killed by then.

>
> Some quick info on the cook:
> - used a full chimney of lump charcoal for fuel, adding half a dozen or so
>
> approx every 20min or so. started with damper system (firebox + chimney
> opposite side of grill) at 1/4 then opened it up 100% after an hour of
cooking and realizing the meat was not cooking. opened only once (1 hour in)

to check things out.
>
>
> The American Gourmet Smoker is the same style smoker I'm using except
> mine is larger at 492 square inches.

> http://www.charbroil.com/smokers/index.asp
>
>
> I need help
>
> Thanks for your time.

My cooker is a NB silver, same as the charbroil silver. I wouldn't think
about
starting a cook with such a small amount of fuel. Your method will suffice
if you're content with feeding it every 20 mins. But, personally, I start
with
three chimneys of lump. Two are put in cold with a hollow in the center. To
that I add a chimney of lit lump in the middle. (Thanks Dana). Chimney is
wide open. Damper is open about 1-1.2". Temp at the dome runs about
275°. Treat it like a sore dick. Don,t F#$% with it.

Frankly, I've never experienced the situation you described.



Brick (Keep the shiny side up)

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