James Hocking Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 That’s my callow cook4 all built and ready! I hope they’re right about this weekend being milder than in the week! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icefever Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 (edited) Well done mate... 5 hours ago, James Hocking said: hope they’re right about this weekend being milder than in the week! And me & the wife, we're moving 4 miles up the road.... Let's keep our fingers crossed for all of us, do you have a shed/garage you can use for shelter ??? Ice. Edited January 29, 2019 by Icefever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 Oh Wow! Busy weekend for you guys then! I hope it all goes smoothly! We're in a GF Flat, we've got a sort of porch with a small sheltered area out the back i may try it in there! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 James, have a play with it before you cook on it. Get use to temperature control. If you can not wait, go with something easy like a spatchcock Chicken first. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 Great advise thank you! i’m going to cure it tonight hopefully and then have a play tomorrow with temps with a view to doing beer can chicken this weekend! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 I have an igrill mini, it only has 1 probe will it still work as an ambient probe or is it only good to use In meat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 All set up and curing! We’re at 195C and climbing! What temp should I aim for? I’ve currently got all the vents open and door open a bit havent got a chimney starter yet so I had to improvise this morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 Temperature depends on what you are cooking. Try and get it to run around 125’C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 Sorry I meant for the vegetable oil seasoning process it’s been going since 10:45 highest it went up to was about 226 and it’s slowly dropping now at 173 is is it worth me trying to stabilise the heat now or will it naturally die down as the briquettes are running out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 Yes, that’s plenty hotter enough to season. If you have time now, it’s is worth playing with it to see if you can hold temperature around 125’C, even if you have to add more briquettes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 Well it looks as though i'm waiting in for a plumber now! so i've got time! 😀 If i was to add more briquettes, do i add them in cold or get them ready first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 If you have lit briquettes already in the Cook 4 All just add about 10 unlit ones on top. Then close bottom vents by 3/4.then see what temperature it even puts at. If it’s below 125’C open slightly, if it’s oven close down a bit. Make a mental note of vent setting, as you can use this as a reference point for further cooks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 Thank you mate! I’ll let you know how I get on! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 The last 10mins have been the most stable it’s been all day sat between 120 and 121! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 That is great. They will produce a good steady temperature for many hours without too much tweaking. When using the Callow for smoking you are best to use the Minion method for burning the briquettes Arrange all of the unlit briquettes in the charcoal basket and then remove about 10 briquettes from the centre. Light these briquettes in a chimney and place back into the centre. You can then place your flavouring wood or pellets (or a combination of both)on top of the unlit briquettes. As the burn travels outwards it will continually produce new smoke. Here are photos of one started in your model of Callow - at the beginning and after about 4 hours. Ignore the fact that the bottom bowl is not black as these were uncoated factory samples that I was using to test the latest modifications that were being made to the unit before they went into production. If you need any advice on maintaining the steady temperature then just shout. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 Thank you for the photos Wade I’ll keep those for my next cook! Temps Currently rising back up sitting between 128/129 ive got all three bottom vents closed 1 lid vent fully open and 1 halfway, I don’t have any water in currently, when I do this over the weekend will that help me maintain a temperature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 Thank you for the photos Wade I’ll keep those for my next cook! Temps Currently rising back up sitting between 128/129 ive got all three bottom vents closed 1 lid vent fully open and 1 halfway, I don’t have any water in currently, when I do this over the weekend will that help me maintain a temperature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hocking Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 My igrill only saved the last 2 hours of today’s attempt! So here it is for anyone interested! I’ll have time over the weekend to play again and hopefully cook something! I do need to go back and tighten the bottom vent covers! Does anyone have advise on keeping them tight? Maybe a different kind of nut and bolt? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 With the weather as it is at the moment that is a very respectable heat profile. When you site your smoker try to make sure that it is out of the wind and is not in direct sunshine as much as possible. Gusty wind will have a significant and unpredictable effect on the temperature and the sun going in and out behind clouds will have a significant and unpredictable heating effect on the black smoker surface. Rain will also cause the internal temperature to cool unpredictably. You obviously cannot completely guard against changing weather during the cook but the more you can protect your smoker from the elements the less you will have to manually tweak the vents and the smoother the temperature profile will be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin_b Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 On 1/30/2019 at 6:14 PM, James Hocking said: I do need to go back and tighten the bottom vent covers! Does anyone have advise on keeping them tight? Maybe a different kind of nut and bolt? I built mine yesterday and I intend to use either blue loctite or high temp Nylock nuts. ( I'll also be adding some washers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Hi Martin The problem of the cover bolts loosening was identified while I was testing the unit and Callow were hoping to get locking washers included. Unfortunately the manufacturers didn't include them when they were made and packaged. As has been mentioned above, small lock washers (available from B&Q and other hardware stores) do the trick. The high temp nylon lock nuts would probably work too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin_b Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 (edited) cheers Wade, two other points i'd ask is why can't the charcoal basket have a larger diameter? and the middle section could do with brace to help it keep its shape. Seasoning with lumpwood now and hopefully the brickets will arrive tomorrow and I'll give it a should of pork as a starter Update: Having using it a couple of times now (and having added Nylock nuts and spring washers) it seems to perform well. One thing I would say though its very hard to judge/see the position of the bottom vents. I wish the tab that use use to open and close the vents were several inches longer ( ill try to extend them somehow) and maybe use some hi-temp paint to add some sort of sale on the body on the Callow . Edited April 20, 2019 by martin_b Update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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