Long time lurker here,been a member for short time. So a few years back the wife gave me a (pos) I mean a cos offset smoker. I tried few things but the results were ok but but nothing to great. had a lot troubled with keeping temps I was using charcoal and lump. Pretty much figured it is what it is so gave up trying to smoke food. Well now I got some free time to waste due to covid I figured lets try again. Started searching the interweb here and you tube videos. So I picked up on peeps using log splits and not knowing where to buy from I kept my eyes open to locate some wood. A couple weeks back I found some cherry splits. So yesterday it was a good day in the Midwest to get out and enjoy the day, what better way to do it than fix meat on a grill and chill. So sorry for the long wind. Now my question is I started with a chimney charcoal and a split well the splits were about 17" long by 6 or 7" around so I cut in half to fit in fire box but I could of fit 10" in box. Got pit up to a good temp fire box side was 240 and stack side about 220 I was happy that it settled in about that temp. Well put rack ribs on to try a learn about fire managment with splits. Temp stayed between 300 and 220 for a couple hrs adding or moving around splits just like I knew what is doing. Then it hit temp drop a bit so I need to add a split open fire box and see that there was very little coals left in fire box well I put split in left the door open to let out the white demons after about ten minutes I remember I had some wood chips though them in and started to flame up and log caught fire. So I thought things would settle back in but no went thought to same thing again the pit would hold temp until log was gone
So after all this long winded Midwestern guy problems about for fire management how in heck do you keep a good bed of coals going. Should I have not cut splits down to 8 " or due I need to add more charcoal to fire box when the original chimney is gone please advise all help welcomed. Oh by the way ribs was the best I ever done fighting off the white demons helps
So after all this long winded Midwestern guy problems about for fire management how in heck do you keep a good bed of coals going. Should I have not cut splits down to 8 " or due I need to add more charcoal to fire box when the original chimney is gone please advise all help welcomed. Oh by the way ribs was the best I ever done fighting off the white demons helps