- Jan 28, 2020
- 9
- 10
Had the smoker for over a year now, at least 2 dozen cooks, mostly ribs, sausage, and chicken. I think I may have finally figured out how to control the temperature. Prior to this I've been using charcoal briquettes to start then whole splits, but that was too difficult to keep the temps down. So I added a fire basket, a nice solid V-shaped one from Oklahoma Joe's site I think. That helped but I was still very easy to shoot the temp way up. I like using just wood splits because that's what I always thought BBQ and smoking was about (and still do) but I see lots of you tubes with lump charcoal as the main heat source with fist size wood for smoke. So I gave in and tried on on my current cook.
I put the fire box grate that came with the smoker in the bottom of the fire box and put the fire basket on top of it, it sits higher than I would like but it gets good air flow underneath. I think for next time I will get two pieces of angle iron and put them under the fire basket to elevate it off the bottom of the fire box instead.
Previously I added an extension to the pecos smoke stack to improve draw (it does help with the temps) and I play around with tuning plates as well.
Anyway this time I've got only 15 degree swings and at times it just locks in at 275. When it starts to drop I throw in a chuck of wood or a chunk of charcoal, alternating each time and it rises up and stabilizes. nicely,
I'm using BB lump charcoal, it was my only choice at Academy this time, and I'm a little disappointed in it. Some chunks are whole branches and others (most) at smaller than briquettes.
Also this time my only wood choice was Post Oak, so I cut the splits in thirds to get fist sized pieces.
Here's some pics of the fire. If the ribs turn out I'll post some pics of them too.,.
I put the fire box grate that came with the smoker in the bottom of the fire box and put the fire basket on top of it, it sits higher than I would like but it gets good air flow underneath. I think for next time I will get two pieces of angle iron and put them under the fire basket to elevate it off the bottom of the fire box instead.
Previously I added an extension to the pecos smoke stack to improve draw (it does help with the temps) and I play around with tuning plates as well.
Anyway this time I've got only 15 degree swings and at times it just locks in at 275. When it starts to drop I throw in a chuck of wood or a chunk of charcoal, alternating each time and it rises up and stabilizes. nicely,
I'm using BB lump charcoal, it was my only choice at Academy this time, and I'm a little disappointed in it. Some chunks are whole branches and others (most) at smaller than briquettes.
Also this time my only wood choice was Post Oak, so I cut the splits in thirds to get fist sized pieces.
Here's some pics of the fire. If the ribs turn out I'll post some pics of them too.,.