Help With Heat Control

[franco61365]

I smoked most of the 4th away today, and still being new to smoking, I have a question about heat control, I used a 12 x 12 Alum pan and filled it with 1/2 gal of cold water, and set it next to my fire box to try to keep the heat on that end down, BUT....after 10 hours the pan was still almost full and yes the high heat dried the food closer to the fire box out, AGAIN.

WHAT DID I DO WRONG??????????????????

should I start with less water, and refill often? use Ice to start?, what?, I am at a loss here, I think I need to put the metal baffle in the smoker, but I am not that handy, maybe someday I will break down and BEG for help LOL.

 

[squeezy]

Don't panic!

First of all, it would help to know what you are smoking with and what you are using for fuel? Are you using any thermometers? If so, what readings did you have?

 

[zapper]

Detailed pics of your smoker might help get the suggestions rolling?

 

[franco61365]

http://www.charbroil.com/consumerweb...oorsmoker.aspx

here is a link to my smoker, yes I have temp gauges, a Brinkman screw in temp guage mdl# 812-3301-0, that I mounted in the right side lid, and I use a taylor probe temp/timer.

I used Kingford briquetts, with Apple chips applied directly to the coals, working on chip boxes as we speak.

 

[zapper]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...1334#post61334

This link might get you to thinking about tuning plates and baffles, I am not familar with your rig but it looks like with a little tinkering it should be a fine machine. I suspect the the fire box heat radiates into the cooking chamber thru the wall of the fire box and cooking chamber. Perhaps some insulation inside of the fire box? Just throwing out ideas. Maybe some fire bricks to line the wall between the firebox and the cooking chamber inside the firebox? Maybe a sheet metal heat sheild inside of the cooking chamber on the firebox end? Choke down the opening between the two boxes? Or maybe just like you think, A baffle and maybe some tuning plates

 

[squeezy]

A baffle would definitely help.
So what temps did you have at the firebox side and the far side?
I don't understand how you could have that much water left after 10 hours! Sounds like you didn't have enough heat ... for the water to have any benefit, it must be hot to moisturize the meat. Cold water is OK for jerky and such, when you want to cold smoke.

 

[crewdawg52]

Also try rotating and flipping the meat around the cooking chamber.