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Over-Cooking Coals?

IainUM
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IainUM Newbie

IainUM

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so i've been having problems with some of my coals sometimes going out WAY too early.

let me preface this topic by saying i am fairly lazy with flipping coals, but lately they have gone out even faster than my lazy coal-management normally allows them


so my question is, when lighting coals, is it possible to use too hot of a heat source? i have a VERY good stove-top with coils that seem to get much hotter than my hot plate and at a faster rate. my theory is that maybe if it is too hot it will only really light the outside sorta? like in the same way if you cook a steak at a high heat you will cook the outside but leave the inside rare? anyone care to weigh in on this possible idea? it is just a loosely-based theory.

the coals seemed to last longer since i cooked it at a bit of a lower heat for a bit longer.

also, if you leave a coal on too long can it possibly get overcooked or something and not work well?

thanks in advice
i'll try to be more active, since i've been sparse in my posts lately, what with school starting and all that
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Travis Newbie

Travis

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[quote name='IainUM' timestamp='1316498745' post='524469']
so i've been having problems with some of my coals sometimes going out WAY too early.

let me preface this topic by saying i am fairly lazy with flipping coals, but lately they have gone out even faster than my lazy coal-management normally allows them


so my question is, when lighting coals, is it possible to use too hot of a heat source? i have a VERY good stove-top with coils that seem to get much hotter than my hot plate and at a faster rate. my theory is that maybe if it is too hot it will only really light the outside sorta? like in the same way if you cook a steak at a high heat you will cook the outside but leave the inside rare? anyone care to weigh in on this possible idea? it is just a loosely-based theory.


the coals seemed to last longer since i cooked it at a bit of a lower heat for a bit longer.

also, if you leave a coal on too long can it possibly get overcooked or something and not work well?

thanks in advice
i'll try to be more active, since i've been sparse in my posts lately, what with school starting and all that

[color=#ff0000]To my knowledge, when your coals are "ready" the only thing that is lit is mostly the outside of the coal, while the core stays unlit. Once enough of the coal is lit, it will basically light the rest of itself throughout the session. If you try and leave it on for a longer amount of time to compensate for this, by the time the core of the coal is lit, you've already burned away a substantial amount of the coal. [/color]
[color=#ff0000]Now as far as the lower heat for more time theory goes, you may be right. I've never noticed it personally but I don't see why this can't be the case.[/color]
[color=#ff0000]Normally I turn my burner on high, throw the coals on, and by the time I'm done setting the bowl and everything up, the outside of the coals are completely lit. Been doing this for years now and never have I had a problem with coals going out like some people say they have. [/color]

[color=#ff0000]My idea about the core of the coal not being lit along with the outside comes from an experience I had with a coconara a few years ago. I was setting up to smoke on my balcony, and when I put the coals on the bowl, I dropped one and It cracked in half. Picked it up and noticed a small amount of the innermost core was still black, so I tried blowing on it to heat it up. It stayed black so I just threw it on the bowl anyways and it ended up burning all the way through.[/color]

[color=#ff0000]As far as the "overcooking", I don't think that is possible to the point that you actually overcook it. Even if you tried this, I think that it wouldnt perform any better than normal setup would. You would just be running up your electric bill that much more, and wasting coal while your waiting for it to become completely lit.[/color]

[color=#ff0000]I hope this made some sort of sense to someone. I know what I want to say, but not sure if I worded it right or not. [/color]
[/quote]
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joytron Newbie

joytron

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I light my coals and then set them on the tray for a few seconds to cool down before placing them on the bowl. I do not ever flip them, just move them closer to the center when the get small and than add a windcover. I never have an issue with the coals going out. I assume you mean flipping them on the bowl, if not I do flip them when they are on the stove
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Travis Newbie

Travis

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[quote name='joytron' timestamp='1316503411' post='524484']
I light my coals and then set them on the tray for a few seconds to cool down before placing them on the bowl. I do not ever flip them, just move them closer to the center when the get small and than add a windcover. I never have an issue with the coals going out. I assume you mean flipping them on the bowl, if not I do flip them when they are on the stove
[/quote]

Good point Jess. Forgot to mention that I don't bother flipping the coals while they are on the bowl. Actually, I've gotten to the point with my packing and the way I've always done things that I don't even move the coals until I need a new set.
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Chreees Newbie

Chreees

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[quote name='joytron' timestamp='1316503411' post='524484']
I light my coals and then set them on the tray for a few seconds to cool down before placing them on the bowl. I do not ever flip them, just move them closer to the center when the get small and than add a windcover. I never have an issue with the coals going out. I assume you mean flipping them on the bowl, if not I do flip them when they are on the stove
[/quote]

This. Exactly what I do...

[quote name='Coal Gnome' timestamp='1316522777' post='524493']
;)
[/quote]

:lol_hitting:
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