New to offset smokers! A few questions I need help with. Any help would be appreciated.

[easttxsmoker]

I've had several years experience grilling over charcoal but I've recently made the leap and bought an offsetting smoker. Here is my set up. I bought at Char-griller professional 8125 and made the following mods: Gaskets for the Firefox and main chamber, extended the stack down to grate level, sealed the leaks allowing smoke out with RTV, bought a tuner plate to disperse the heat/smoke that was made to fit the model, installed new thermostats at grate level on each side of the pit main chamber door (I.e. not ON the door but on each side of it), got an expanded metal box for the fire box and finally a set of latches to snug the main door in place. Wow, I never realized how many mods I made.[emoji]128515[/emoji] Burned it in per some instructions I found on here. Made a pork butt last weekend as a test run and it did well but I have a couple of concerns. I had quite a bit of trouble getting the internal temp of the chamber up and once I did I had great difficulty maintaining it. The temperature kept wanting to drop after just a few minutes (less than 20 probably). Is this normal? I'm burning charcoal to begin with and then Apple wood. I've fiddled with it a bit since and still have the problem. Further, I can't seem to get the temperature in the main chamber over about 265 no matter what I do. Any suggestions advice etc. Finally, my pit has no drain hole in it so in have a nice bit of congealed grease at the bottom. Should I drill one?

 

[submariner]

Welcome and I am sure some of the off set users will be able to answer your questions!!

 

[alelover]

Did you remove the football shaped plate between the firebox and the smoke chamber? I would drill a hole to drain the grease. I'm surprised there is not a provision for that already. Do you leave the exhaust wide open and adjust airflow at the intake?

 

[easttxsmoker]

I've looked all over for a punch out for a drainhole and I can't find one. I figured I'd have to drill one so ill probably do that this week. I've been trying to regulate with the intake. So I should regulate with the intake not the exhaust? I'm sure I sound like an idiot. The stace between the chambers came sans the plate of which you speak in this model. I'll try to work more with the intake tomorrow when I'm playmg with it. [emoji]128578[/emoji] Thank you so much.

 

[kurd2408]

So I'm only a few years experienced at offset smoking, and i dont know your smoker, so don't trust everything I say. But my suggestions would be;
1.Exhaust all the way open. Only control with the intake.
2.I use charcoal for heat the whole time and wood chunks for smoke. Charcoal is much more predictable. But be sure to use chunks, not chips.
3. Search for "minion method" it'll help your coal burn longer without needing attention.
4. I always start my coal with a chimney to get it burning good before dumping it in the fire box
5.Your tuning plate will restrict heat some. If you are trying to get the heat that high to crisp chicken skin or something like that then you prolly don't need the plate. You could pull it out for high temp and put it in for low and slow.
6. Also lump charcoal burns hotter, so if you haven't tried that it could help get your temps higher. Its a little less predictable than briquettes so I only like use it if I need more heat, but its great for that.
7. Digital thermometer with the probe clipped to the grate next to the meat is the most accurate way to read pit temps.

Hope this helps. If I think of anything else I'll let you know. And welcome to smoking.

 

[easttxsmoker]

Thanks! I really appreciate your help.

 

[hardcookin]

In your firebox you should have about 3" of air space under your fire basket, so your fire can breathe.

Make sure your exhaust is completely open. And you should be able to control your temp with your intake and by the size of the fire.
You can start with charcoal and add wood splits to maintain your temp and your coal bed.
Fire management takes a few cooks to get the hang of. You want a clean burning fire.
Try practicing with some chicken it is a shorter cook.

Enjoy your new smoker!!

 

[cliffcarter]

I've been cooking with a CharGriller since 2008 so maybe I can help a little.

First undo the stack mod, it restricts airflow especially since you have a tuning plate. Restricted airflow means lower temps and a harder time keeping them in the cooking range.

Second try a cook with just charcoal instead of trying to burn wood splits and see if you have an easier time keeping the temps up.

I am a bit confused as to the placement of your temp probes, can you post a picture of them and their placement?

Yes you should have a drain hole for grease, I am surprised that you don't. Drill a 1/4-3/8 hole about 3/4 of the way down the cooking chamber from the firebox. Or do like I do and put a foil pan under the meat to catch the grease.