# Charcoal  Smoker Temp Question



## Saltygreasybacon (Jun 18, 2005)

Hi all, got a question for all you seasoned smokers.  When the temperature of the charcoal smoker starts to go down, is it safe to add unlit charcoal to the already hot coals or is this a big no-no.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 Thanks again


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## Michael in FtW (Jun 18, 2005)

As long as your not dousing them in lighter fluid it's okay. When I smoked something for a long time in my small water smoker (before my apartments enforced the no BBQ rule) it wasn't uncommon for me to have to add charcoal several times when smoking something.


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## Raine (Jun 20, 2005)

Depends.  On what the temp of the cooker is and how fast or to what temp you are trying to bring it back up to.  Most of the time, most people usually add lit coals.

If you don't have a chimney already, get one. It will help a bunch.


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## Foodfiend (Jun 20, 2005)

This is kind of Off-Subject, but one thing my brother and I learned while smoking a turkey, we do not smoke a Butterball brand turkey. That sucker fell to pieces after we finished smoking it in our smoker. Butterball's are way too juicy to begin with (I think), and it'll fall off the bones before you can get it out of the smoker, or at least it did with us. Darn good eating though.


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## Raine (Jun 20, 2005)

How long did you cook the turkey?

We like Butterballs the least of all turkeys.

Most frozen turkeys come injected with a solution(brine)and are much more juiceier than fresh ones.


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## Foodfiend (Jun 21, 2005)

I really don't remember how long we cooked it, just followed the directions on the package wrapper.  This was years ago before our apt. complex said no more grilling/smoking/cooking on the patio due to fire hazards.


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