charcoal vs wood

[voodoochile]

using a Dyna glo offset verticle smoker . anyone ever tried starting the fire with charcoal then switching to all wood ? 

any reason you couldnt do this with any offset smoker ?

 

[mp4s]

That's how I cook. Depending on the wood quality and cook time though I do have to supplement with charcoal periodically to keep a good bed of coals.

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[joe black]

All the time.... I build a good fire with lump. When the lump is fully involved, i put on a couple of pre-heated splits. When the CC is up to cooking temp, I add a couple more splits and my flavor wood chunks and put the meat in. I keep a good coal bed of coals, use wood for the rest of the cook and always pre-heat my splits.

Good luck and keep smokin', Joe.

 

[rc4u]

ive never preheated splits but have heard of it.. what is the purpose or advantage??

 

[joe black]

A pre-heated split will ignite much quicker after you put it in the FB. This allows the fire to maintain heat better without an appreciable drop. It keeps the white steamy smoke from choking the cook and creating creosote while a non-heated split is warming up to its ignition point.

Give it a try and I feel certain that you will never turn back. Good luck with it, Joe.

 

[rc4u]

hey i guess i have been doing this all along..i have my next cast iron dish on top of the smoker waiting to pput in when the one in there is just about done....ha...thanks 

 

[joe black]

Do those cast iron dishes make a good bed of coals? What flavor of smoke do they give off? At least you have experience with pre-heating.

 

[sellersjr]

I've always started my off-sets with pre-lit charcoal and then switch to all wood; although sometimes adding charcoal can help get the temp up. I find my wood fires leave less ash than charcoal and are less prone to choking out from lack of air flow during long cooks.

 

[joe black]

That's why I use lump for the initial bed of coals. It gives great heat, good coals and very little ash. I only use briqs for the chimney to light the lump. My briqs are Royal Oak and even the briqs don't leave much ash