- Nov 7, 2012
- 22
- 10
howdy hi!!
So, I am not new to smoking and have done several competitions (and not embarrassed myself in the process) and catered many weddings and large parties. Heres the rub....(no pun intended) :)
My offset cooker is being used at a local bbq restaurant while the owner of that place takes his large cooker down to help in Texas with operationbbqrelief. I have borrowed a buddies Lang "knock off" that is built really really well, but sad to say he rarely cooks with it, and I have never cooked on it. Was super excited about running this cooker because the reverse flow concept just makes sense to my brain. I did a practice cook on it last night with 3 racks of ribs, 20 chicken thighs, and a brisket. Easy 'nuff......WRONG!!
For the first part of the cook, temps were great, smoke was great. The last 1/2 was just garbage. Couldnt keep the wood lit, and would just plume thick white smoke. Before everyone asks, yes dampers were open. As soon as I would open the firebox to fiddle with my wood pieces, blammo....wood sticks would immediately catch fire. Close the door, 2 minutes later thick white smoke. My burnt ends were absolutely garbage when I put them in the sauce to "set" and all that white smoke just really buggered them up. CHicken was gross, and my brisket only had about 1/8" smoke ring on it. WHAT THE HELL???!!!!
My question is this.....have any of you ever had to clean out the ash (or at least a large portion of it) to keep good air flow in your offset cookers? Its the only thing that makes sense to me as chimney is clear, under the plate that makes the reverse flow is clear, and firebox hole into the cooker is clear of debris. Like I said, the first 1/2 of the cook was easy sailing since there was no ash in the firebox......I sure dont want to compete this weekend if I cant get the dang thing to run correctly. Any one have any luck using a cradle in the firebox? On my cooker, I just never had good luck with it, and just put everything in the bottom of the firebox and give er hell.
Thanks for any idears you may have.!!!
So, I am not new to smoking and have done several competitions (and not embarrassed myself in the process) and catered many weddings and large parties. Heres the rub....(no pun intended) :)
My offset cooker is being used at a local bbq restaurant while the owner of that place takes his large cooker down to help in Texas with operationbbqrelief. I have borrowed a buddies Lang "knock off" that is built really really well, but sad to say he rarely cooks with it, and I have never cooked on it. Was super excited about running this cooker because the reverse flow concept just makes sense to my brain. I did a practice cook on it last night with 3 racks of ribs, 20 chicken thighs, and a brisket. Easy 'nuff......WRONG!!
For the first part of the cook, temps were great, smoke was great. The last 1/2 was just garbage. Couldnt keep the wood lit, and would just plume thick white smoke. Before everyone asks, yes dampers were open. As soon as I would open the firebox to fiddle with my wood pieces, blammo....wood sticks would immediately catch fire. Close the door, 2 minutes later thick white smoke. My burnt ends were absolutely garbage when I put them in the sauce to "set" and all that white smoke just really buggered them up. CHicken was gross, and my brisket only had about 1/8" smoke ring on it. WHAT THE HELL???!!!!
My question is this.....have any of you ever had to clean out the ash (or at least a large portion of it) to keep good air flow in your offset cookers? Its the only thing that makes sense to me as chimney is clear, under the plate that makes the reverse flow is clear, and firebox hole into the cooker is clear of debris. Like I said, the first 1/2 of the cook was easy sailing since there was no ash in the firebox......I sure dont want to compete this weekend if I cant get the dang thing to run correctly. Any one have any luck using a cradle in the firebox? On my cooker, I just never had good luck with it, and just put everything in the bottom of the firebox and give er hell.
Thanks for any idears you may have.!!!
