Lang users..

[sacedbysapp]

How many splits do you add when your temp starts to dip, and how long before you add?

Many say 30-45mins, I’m using a gen 2 Lang 84 and fortunate to make 15-20 mins. Stack wide open front pinwheels closed the 2 rear wide open with my fire and coal bee near the opening going into chamber.

I’m adding 1 split of oak and 1 split of hickory at the same time.

 

[InThePittBBQ]

Your issues lies in the intial start up of your cooker, your not establishing a large enough bed of coals to run a longer period of time between refuel cycles.

I run Langs for commercial use and the first thing we do is get rid of the fire grates in them and line the floor of the firebox with refractory stove bricks and we burn right on top of the bricks same as most modern wood stoves that burn top down with glass front doors.

To start one, I build a stack of firewood all the way to the top of the box and burn it down to coals that gets shoved forward and the cooker closed up to come to temp and another large stack gets loaded and burned close to the door.

From there, that get's shoved forward and you have a sizeable coal bed at that point about every 40-45 minutes I add 3-4 splits at the rear of the box and let them burn with the door cracked open until they are done smoking and gassing off then the door gets closed and they are allowed to burn down to coals.

This cycle continues from then on with pretty boring regularity for the duration of the cook, I run +/- 300* for most everything.

This get's nice clear blue smoke all the time from the exhaust which is always wide open, both intakes on the firebox are run about 50% open on the 84's.

 

[sacedbysapp]

I start with a full chimney of kingsford, 6 splits.

 

[hardcookin]

I start with about 7 splits. Sometimes after 15mins I might add a couple more.
Once I get to the temp I want, I close my dampers to about 1/4 open.
I just can tell when my smoker settles in...
If I am running at 275 as soon as it starts dropping temp I will add 1 or 2 splits. Usually good for 1/2 hour. And repeat the process.

Your splits seem good size. Cold weather you could burn a lot more wood.

 

[Dantij]

Im cooking on a Lang 48 patio. In 30° temps, I'm adding 1.5 splits of wood every 30 minutes. Highly recommend bringing the cooker past 300° before putting any food in the chamber. When the outside temps were @50°, I was able to go 40-45 minutes before adding wood, sometimes adding only 1 split. Other times 1.5. The cooker's temp settles in nicely @ 245°-255°.

 

[sacedbysapp]

I’m in Florida, cold is not an issue.

 

[LazyK68]

I run Langs for commercial use and the first thing we do is get rid of the fire grates in them and line the floor of the firebox with refractory stove bricks and we burn right on top of the bricks same as most modern wood stoves that burn top down with glass front doors.

Hi InThePittBBQ,
Thank you for this explanation. I just bought a 48 Lang and will pick it up in September. I will follow your burn plan. Any chance you could post a picture of your mod with the stove bricks? I think I get the concept. Thanks