Baby backs 1st time. Meh....

[Nofries]

So this is the second run, first time with meat. 1st was Queso. I really struggled with trying to keep the temps lower. Temps were regularly above 300 :( even as high as 380 at times.
Taste was good nice color on tops but bottom was "burnt" dry at the edges. Im happy with the results but my fire management on the OC Brazos DLX was a struggle. I had good smoke mostly.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Ribs look good. It's always a learning curve with a new smoker, but you'll figure it out...

 

[Nofries]

My wood is not consistent in size. Chunks and some splits. Tried to use splits mostly, two parallel either side of coal bed and one across the two parallel ones. Tried them at a 45 degree to the air flow and seemed to smother the fire. Everything was wide open stack and butterfly vent.

 

[chopsaw]

Ribs look good to me .
Find out where the smoker likes to run , and use that temp .

 

[JLinza]

Looks good. Keep playing with it, you'll find that sweet spot.

 

[Nofries]

Watched some YT videos, saw that the stack stays open and to use the wood/fuel as your way of adjusting the temp. What do others do on here with stick burners?

 

[pineywoods]

I don't think I've looked at that smoker does it have a rack for the fire and ashes fall below?
I leave the top vent wide open and control the temps with the vents on the firebox. Some will leave the firebox door open a little to adjust air flow. Splits the right size for the smoker are usually smaller than people would think. The idea of the smaller splits is that it doesn't raise the temp as bad when you put them in. The trade of is you have to add them more often. Good luck with it

 

[indaswamp]

...biscuit test....

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

They came out good. I drink the regular Henry McKenna but they where out this week. I just make it with Coke Zero. I do like good whiskey neat. Might have to try aged one.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Ribs look good, I would have no problem with a plate of those.

Keep playing with your heat , you will find the sweet spot and temp.

David

 

[Nofries]

I don't think I've looked at that smoker does it have a rack for the fire and ashes fall below?
I leave the top vent wide open and control the temps with the vents on the firebox. Some will leave the firebox door open a little to adjust air flow. Splits the right size for the smoker are usually smaller than people would think. The idea of the smaller splits is that it doesn't raise the temp as bad when you put them in. The trade of is you have to add them more often. Good luck with it

Yes it has a vented plate in the FB, raises the coals off the bottom and let's the ashes fall through. I think i might need to just play with it and not be cooking. Also has FB door has vents. When I did queso, vents seemed to smother my fire. I've seen a lot of stack extension mods that might help,

 

[Nofries]

...biscuit test....

Did one earlier on my first queso cook and seemed better than what I had this cook. But my temps were lower and more white smoke.

 

[Nofries]

They came up good. I drink the regular Henry McKenna but they where out this week. I just make it with Coke Zero. I do like good whiskey neat. Might have to try aged one.

Have to try the regular McKenna, 10 yr is great. Much more available last 6 months to a year. I wouldn't use 10yr as a mixer though. Maybe a bit of water opens up the flavors.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Have to try the regular McKenna, 10 yr is great. Much more available last 6 months to a year. I wouldn't use 10yr as a mixer though. Maybe a bit of water opens up the flavors.

Yeah I drink the good stuff neat maybe a bit of water like you said.

 

[1MoreFord]

Preheat your sticks on top of the firebox so they will light easier.
Control your fire with the firebox air intake(s).
Do not place new splits flat and directly on top of your coal bed as that will smother your coals.
This should help level out the temp swings.
Done this way I was always able to use larger splits so as not to feed it to often.
Above method assumes you have good seasoned wood.
The splits should have a sharp crack sound when beaten together.
If they have a thud sound they are not properly seasoned.

 

[LazyK68]

Does your smoker have a baffle plate? I struggled with temp swings on an earlier unit until I installed one.
Preheating your splits is great to reduce white smoke. Splits are the size of Subway sandwich bread.

Work on temp control with a pork butt. They are forgiving of temp swings and tasty at the end. I've found offsets are a skill with daily factors like weather and time of day/year. Experience earns consistency. I struggled last week with ribs because I've been traveling for work too much to stay active.

Don't get down on yourself! The next ones will be twice as good.

 

[Nofries]

I have a baffle that pushes the heat down and a diffuser that covers about 2/3 of the CC. Not sure where to place the diffuser. I cooked wings and some Jalepeno poppers with beef bacon last night. Temps still really hot. Im wondering if a scoop would be better? Or maybe a smaller fire, also my fire is elevated on a plate with holes. So many variables.

 

[LazyK68]

I have a baffle that pushes the heat down and a diffuser that covers about 2/3 of the CC. Not sure where to place the diffuser. I cooked wings and some Jalepeno poppers with beef bacon last night. Temps still really hot. Im wondering if a scoop would be better? Or maybe a smaller fire, also my fire is elevated on a plate with holes. So many variables. View attachment 731986

Hi,
I'd move the diffuser against the baffle. Yes, a smaller fire would be helpful. Your cooking with the coals, not the fire. Feeding the firebox is keeping your coal bed consistent. The smoke off the wood burning into coals is a flavor profile. Control the airflow for a slow steady movement across your chamber. Add fire bricks or lava rock below the diffuser if you're still getting too much convection. Can you build your fire on the opposing side of the firebox? Force the heat to travel.
This is an engine; fuel, air, spark.

 

[Nofries]

Hi,
I'd move the diffuser against the baffle. Yes, a smaller fire would be helpful. Your cooking with the coals, not the fire. Feeding the firebox is keeping your coal bed consistent. The smoke off the wood burning into coals is a flavor profile. Control the airflow for a slow steady movement across your chamber. Add fire bricks or lava rock below the diffuser if you're still getting too much convection. Can you build your fire on the opposing side of the firebox? Force the heat to travel.
This is an engine; fuel, air, spark.

Thanks, I did have the diffuser against the baffle, last cook wings closest to the fire box were cooking faster but not burning. They hit 200° while the ones closer to the stack were at 165° I do like the idea of bricks or lava rock to absorb the heat but it also would be a heat mass later would it not? I guess it would help with constant temps? It is built out of 1/4" thats why I bought it thinking it would be better for constant temps. I just. need to get the temp down. I am going to just play with the fire only and not have to worry about meat and play with the airflow. Id like to put a scoop in it but I need to practice fire management first before I change anything. So many variables that could affect temps.
I appreciate everyone's input. Im excited about my journey into the offset cooking. I've been grilling on a Joe for years now and this is my next step.

 

[banderson7474]

A couple things I've done that I don't think was mentioned is I like to have a pan of water inside the chamber. (i use one of those metal pans used for drywall mud) Seems to dull some of the temp spikes a little plus add moisture to the chamber.

You mentioned you don't have the same size wood. I think that is going to make it more challenging or at minimum take you longer to know your time to add. For my OK Joe stick burner, I learned to shoot for a temp range. I like to go 220-250 and the splits I use usually go 45 mins before I need to add another but that's just mine. You got to find your times.

Also what someone here once told me that really helped was if you put your "next" piece of wood on top of your firebox prior to when it's time to add, then it will catch fire quicker and give you clean smoke faster.