New offset smoker in the UK - lots to learn!

[fudduk]

Hi all,

This seems like a really friendly forum.

My name is Iain and I'm in the UK.  I was bought an offset smoker for my birthday and I can't wait to get going with it.  I've got it all up and running today, as I was advised to run it with no food in it just to get all of the manufacturing oils etc... out of it.

Probably a stupid question but I'm not seeing any smoke from the chimney now that the fire is established.  I assume that's expected, as there's no wood in there - just charcoal.  The temperature is around 250-300 depending on what I do with the vents.

So this weekend is the big unveiling.  I'm planning to do a pork shoulder, weighing about 2.5kg.  I'm hoping to source some lumpwood charcoal but it may be briquettes.  I have a chimney starter so how much charcoal should I use?  Also, roughly how often would I add to the fire?  

Finally, I was bought some hickory chips and some apple chips but, having looked at how much and how often I need to add them, I have nowhere near enough and it looks like an expensive way of doing it.  Because of that, I was thinking of buying some hickory chunks but there seems to be a difference of opinions depending on where I look in terms of how many I start with and how often I add more during the cooking.

Sorry for the millions of questions.

 

[smokin monkey]

First off sorry for the late reply.

Hi, Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"

Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.

Please take time to look at the UK Smokers Group,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/3161/uk-smokers

And introduce your self on the UK Roll Call
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229926/roll-call

The UK Smokers Group Is where UK members can ask and share information that is unique to smoking and curing in the UK and does not obviously fit into any of the main forum categories.

You will not get smoke from charcoal or Lumpwood. You said you are running at temperatures between 250-300 is that F or C?

You will not be cooking with the wood chips or chunks, they are only there to produce the smoke. You could wrap the chips in foil, pierce some holes in the top and sit on top of the Charcoal, this will give you smoke, or simply sprinkle over the charcoal.

Start a Chimney of charcoal then add this to unlit charcoal in your fire box.

Smokin Monkey [emoji]133660013031[/emoji]

 

[fudduk]

Hi Smokin Monkey and thanks for taking the time to reply.

Since my first post, I had a bit of a failed attempt but I've had some advice from folks on here and learned that, basically, my smoker is not sealed well enough.  I'm off on holiday in a couple of days but then I'm looking forward to having another go.

I was getting temperatures of 250-300F (I put it in F because that was what most people on the sites I looked at used) but then, when I actually cooked with it, it was sitting at around 225F, sometimes above, sometimes below.

I'll have a look at the UK group.  Once again, thanks for replying.

Iain

 

[Rings Я Us]

Fudduk [emoji]128526[/emoji] be safe! Have fun!
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