FIre management question-check my thinking

husky44 · Jul 7, 2017

I have an Old Country Pecos, firebox door and CC door sealed with Lavalock Kevlar--no leaks. I use the original charcoal grate as a baffle in the CC, and build the fire on the firebox cooking grate set in the bottom of the box, so fire is ~2" off bottom of box, plenty of airflow under coals. I also run a pan of water on the baffle. My CC temps at grate level are +/-3* from one end to the other. Chimney is always wide open, cooking with seasoned maple.

My go-to meat is a pork loin, and I can run this smoker at 200-225* for 8 hours with no problem, adding a stick or two every hour. I tried my first brisket (ever) 4th of July, and tried to run 250-275. I had a terrible time trying to maintain that temp. It kept trying to run away from me, hitting 300-350. I control my temp with my air intake, and at 200-225, I am almost completely closed. If I open the intake (not the door) even 1/3 open, the fire takes off.

It appears that I'm drawing air through the bottom gap of the side door on the firebox, as there is no welded flange across the bottom to seal this gap. I'm going to add that flange to try to eliminate all intake air other than the adjustable one in the door, thinking that I will then be able to use more of the intake vent range for adjustability.

I would like to be able to run more than an hour before I have to add wood. I have some bigger splits from branches off the trunk, where you can't split the log cleanly, that measure 4-6" in "diameter". Is it possible to get to the point that I can throw one of those on and dial my intake air in so it will burn for 3-4 hours at 250-275? Or am I just stuck with sleepless nights if I'm cooking for 12+ hours?

I did search, but couldn't find this question answered anywhere. But I've done a lot of reading that has kept me from posting 100 other questions!

Thanks,
Greg

joe black · Jul 7, 2017

Go ahead and add the flange and some caulk to the FB door. This surely can't hurt anything. However, IMO the other things that you want are somewhat of a dream. You might get one or two, but not everything. 6" diameter logs will be hard to burn without a split side, a 3-4 hour window before adding wood is hardly possible and with all this, holding a 250-275* CC temp is just frosting on your cake.

The first thing that I would do is spend $90 and get a kindling cracker. This is a very good tool to split up to 6" logs. It's very easy to use and very safe. Just use a 4# hammer and no axe.

Second, build a couple of fires and play with the air intake and a small hot fire and try to determine where your smoker will settle in and let you know where she likes to run. There's no reason trying to push her too much in either direction from where she's happy. My smoker likes to run at 250-275*. I can get 300 out of her on a warm, clear day with no wind. At the same time, I can get her down to 235 or 240 without a lot of trouble. I just have to keep the fire below the normal and watch it pretty close. It's just impossible to get to 225 or to 325 without constant attention. She's just not happy at those temps.

Third, after you find the temp range that it likes to run, just adjust your recipes accordingly. This will make both of you happy.

Fourth, IMO, this is all you can ask for. I just don't think there is a smoker that size, of that design and thickness that's going to give you 3-4 hours of burn time.

Check out some of the fire and heat management videos on this site and on you tube. Some of them are really good.

husky44 · Jul 7, 2017

Thanks!

I guess I wasn't clear on the "bigger splits". They're split, so there is a split side, it's just these sections are the knotted parts, where you can't keep splitting down until it's kindling size. Not a problem, because I have plenty of small wood. I kept these thinking that, like a wood stove, you could put the bigger chunks on, reduce intake air, and get a longer burn.

I know I've got a sweet spot at 200-225, which is where I like to cook pork. I was trying to run a little hotter with the brisket, since everything I read indicated it was going to take longer. I was also trying to figure out how I could do an overnight cook, without having to get up every hour. That was part of what this test run was. I stalled at 145* for 3 hours when cooking in my 200-225 range, so I tried to push my temps up to 250-275, and that's when I found myself chasing the needle.

I was afraid the answer was going to be "you can't get there from here" with respect to longer runs between adding wood, but thought I'd ask the experts.

sticksnbones · Jul 9, 2017

I started smoking at 250-275 most of the time to dodge the stall.
I actually like ribs better cooked hotter. they seem leaner.
Im no expert but I give the fire as much air as it wants with the chimney wide open
and keep a small pile of black chunky charcoal with a small split or two afire on top.
i add enough to keep that pile the same size and it will burn clear forever if I dont add chunks of something else and make em smoke on the side. i adjust temps with a baffle between fb and cc.
it hums along really nice in the 260s but I tend it about every 30 minutes.
I think thats a cos thing.

Brad

dave schiller · Jul 12, 2017

Greg, I also have/had a gap around the FB door on my offset. There was no flange to seal it, as the door is essentially a cutout from the end opening in the FB. I say essentially because it's smaller than the FB opening, leaving a gap in some places almost 1/4" wide. I assume you have the same situation.

I added a flange all around using some thin sheet metal and held on with some aluminum bar stock riveted to hold the sheet metal in place. It isn't air tight, but a lot tighter than before. FWIW, I'm using a BBQ Guru to supply most of the air for combustion.

As for the size of wood, 6" dia, even split in half, is probably a bit too large. If it has knots or whatever that make it difficult to split further, I'd just cut it into chunks with a miter saw or chainsaw. Like Joe, I have a Cracker but it won't handle the odd pieces with bad grain.

daveomak · Jul 12, 2017

Try adding an upper air inlet to the Fire Box... Opening it will reduce the "SUCK" on the lower air inlet... The lower air inlet is for regulating the heat from the fire... The upper air inlet will move the heat from the fire box to the Cook Chamber... Makes for an infinitely adjustable heat source and air flow without increasing the heat...

Smoker exh and int 3 Ahumadora.jpg

daveomak
May 28, 2017

Smoker Exh and Intakes 2.jpg

daveomak
Apr 17, 2017

husky44 · Jul 12, 2017

Dave Schiller said:
Greg, I also have/had a gap around the FB door on my offset. There was no flange to seal it, as the door is essentially a cutout from the end opening in the FB. I say essentially because it's smaller than the FB opening, leaving a gap in some places almost 1/4" wide. I assume you have the same situation.

I added a flange all around using some thin sheet metal and held on with some aluminum bar stock riveted to hold the sheet metal in place. It isn't air tight, but a lot tighter than before. FWIW, I'm using a BBQ Guru to supply most of the air for combustion.

As for the size of wood, 6" dia, even split in half, is probably a bit too large. If it has knots or whatever that make it difficult to split further, I'd just cut it into chunks with a miter saw or chainsaw. Like Joe, I have a Cracker but it won't handle the odd pieces with bad grain.

Sounds like the direction I'm headed. My door is a cutout-style like you describe, but it is actually flanged except across the bottom. I'm going to weld a flange in to close that gap, and add some Kevlar gasket material to create a tight seal... when I can spare an hour.

I'm not ready to spring for the BBQ Guru yet, although it makes a lot of sense. I like forced induction on my cars. :)

Thanks for the suggestion of cutting the knotty wood into chunks. I kept reading about these folks who let a brisket smoke all night, and the only way I could think of to get a fire to burn steady for more than an hour or so was with bigger pieces. I'm NOT getting up every hour all night long to tend a fire. :(

I may also look at adding a second, upper air intake like DaveOmak suggested above. That makes a lot of sense.

Thanks for your suggestions.

husky44 · Jul 12, 2017

@DaveOmak: Thanks! I hadn't seen an upper intake setup like that, but it makes a lot of sense. The pics helped a LOT. Kudos!

daveomak · Jul 12, 2017

You are welcome....

joe black · Jul 12, 2017

Dave's tip about the upper air intake is a very good feature. It helps to move both the heat and smoke from the FB to the CC. I had seen this a couple of times before I had my smoker built. It has been a great addition,

joe black · Jul 12, 2017

Dave's tip about the upper air intake is a very good feature. It helps to move both the heat and smoke from the FB to the CC. I had seen this a couple of times before I had my smoker built. It has been a great addition,

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FIre management question-check my thinking

husky44

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joe black

Master of the Pit

husky44

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sticksnbones

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dave schiller

Meat Mopper

daveomak

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Smoker exh and int 3 Ahumadora.jpg

Smoker Exh and Intakes 2.jpg

husky44

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husky44

Newbie

daveomak

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

joe black

Master of the Pit

joe black

Master of the Pit

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