Help dialing in charcoal to wood ratio

[Danny2fresh]

Trying to dial in my charbroil offset. I got the temp across grate level down to single digit numbers with the majority of the time being under 5* from left to right. But i’m having trouble with the charcoal to wood ratio and could use some advice dialing it in more.

Process is as follows: dump a full chimney of lit lump charcoal in firebox and wait to get to temp (I like to go to around 275, adjust the inlet, and wait until it settles to around 225-250) the. throw two handfuls of chunks in.

With the chunks it adds a bit more temp wise obviously but holds around 225-250 for about 20 mins until the tbs deminishes and I fall to around 200. Add a handfull of lump charcoal, two handfuls of chunks, and repeat, but usually lingers around the 215-225 mark.

My question, do I add more charcoal each time and if so how much? A full unlit chimney? Half full chimney? None at all? Only chunks? Maybe I should switch to briquets over lump?

Seams like the temp holds for about 10mins then drops quickly along with the tbs until I add more. Thats telling me that I need to add more fuel ie charcoal.

Was thinking about going with sticks rather then chunks and cutting them in half, would that help?

 

[SmokinAl]

I think you have the answer, just use splits instead of chunks.
And as you said you may have to cut them in half, or split them again, which is what I do.
Al

 

[Danny2fresh]

I think you have the answer, just use splits instead of chunks.
And as you said you may have to cut them in half, or split them again, which is what I do.
Al

Yea that’s what I was thinking. Would I add more charcoal as well or just the splits?

 

[bluewhisper]

Stay with the lump instead of briquettes since it burns cleaner when lighting, especially when you're adding fuel to a fire in progress.

The wood/charcoal ratio depends on how much smoke flavor you want. Yesterday I smoked a little pork loin on the Weber 22 and the fire was mostly lump with a few chunks of pecan.

 

[SmokinAl]

Yea that’s what I was thinking. Would I add more charcoal as well or just the splits?

In my Lang I just add splits after I get a good coal bed with charcoal.
Al

 

[Berettaclayshooter]

What Al said!