- Oct 20, 2007
- 23
- 10
So i picked up my smoker today and rushed to try it out. I had gotten a small load of hardwood firewood from a local firewood supplier (mix of alder/maple), about 20 pounds of briquettes that came with the smoker, and some mesquite/hickory chunks I had left over.
The first thing I did was take the lava rocks from my brinkmann all in one and put them on the charcoal grate in the main compartment.
Then I filled a chimney half full with charcoal on the bottom and the top half with wood from various sources. At this point I noted the firewood I had bought seemed a little on wet side.
Lit the chimney (note to self: use jet burner from Brinkmann next time) and dumped it in the firebox. I had read from another board a guy who said that one chimney with some wood around the edges, then slowly adding the wood from the edges in, was a good way to keep a fire going around 225. I think the guy must have had a much nicer smoker, because mine seems to have very little control over the size of the fire using vents. The cut-out for the door on the side of the firebox lets in a lot of air.
So anyways, with the addition of some wood and a little lighter fluid, I got the fire going where I wanted it, the digital thermometer I had in the middle of the grill read about 230, put the meat on. A beef round roast in the middle and a rack of beef ribs on the side away from the firebox. Had a fatty too I had bought a bit earlier and forgot about. Put it on when I basted the other meat the first time, around 1 hour.
I noted the smoke was a bit biting...I'm pretty sure this firewood I got iisn't seasoned enough...
For the first 30-60 minutes or so, I had trouble keeping the temp near the roast at 250. It would drop to around 230, I'd add a chunk of wood, it would go up to 270, then slowly drop down to 230, put a piece of wood on, back up to 270, etc.
Also noted the wire for my digital thermometer was keeping the lid of the main chamber slightly open and smoke was coming out.
So far (a bit over an hour in) I've used about 15-20 briquettes, 2 small logs, and half of a medium sized log.
I've been cutting up the logs into chunks. They're maybe 14" long normally and I cut them into 4 pieces. Is this too small, and that's why they're not maintaining a stable heat?
Also, I didn't really know wtf I was doing and made the fire on top of the grill instead of on top of the charcoal grate, hahaha. My first time using charcoal and didn't really know what I wasw doing, haha.
If this stuff turns out right, no one sohuld be afraid of BBQing
The first thing I did was take the lava rocks from my brinkmann all in one and put them on the charcoal grate in the main compartment.
Then I filled a chimney half full with charcoal on the bottom and the top half with wood from various sources. At this point I noted the firewood I had bought seemed a little on wet side.
Lit the chimney (note to self: use jet burner from Brinkmann next time) and dumped it in the firebox. I had read from another board a guy who said that one chimney with some wood around the edges, then slowly adding the wood from the edges in, was a good way to keep a fire going around 225. I think the guy must have had a much nicer smoker, because mine seems to have very little control over the size of the fire using vents. The cut-out for the door on the side of the firebox lets in a lot of air.
So anyways, with the addition of some wood and a little lighter fluid, I got the fire going where I wanted it, the digital thermometer I had in the middle of the grill read about 230, put the meat on. A beef round roast in the middle and a rack of beef ribs on the side away from the firebox. Had a fatty too I had bought a bit earlier and forgot about. Put it on when I basted the other meat the first time, around 1 hour.
I noted the smoke was a bit biting...I'm pretty sure this firewood I got iisn't seasoned enough...
For the first 30-60 minutes or so, I had trouble keeping the temp near the roast at 250. It would drop to around 230, I'd add a chunk of wood, it would go up to 270, then slowly drop down to 230, put a piece of wood on, back up to 270, etc.
Also noted the wire for my digital thermometer was keeping the lid of the main chamber slightly open and smoke was coming out.
So far (a bit over an hour in) I've used about 15-20 briquettes, 2 small logs, and half of a medium sized log.
I've been cutting up the logs into chunks. They're maybe 14" long normally and I cut them into 4 pieces. Is this too small, and that's why they're not maintaining a stable heat?
Also, I didn't really know wtf I was doing and made the fire on top of the grill instead of on top of the charcoal grate, hahaha. My first time using charcoal and didn't really know what I wasw doing, haha.
If this stuff turns out right, no one sohuld be afraid of BBQing