Newbie in TN

[casetruck1]

I am new to the site. I have checked out quiet a bit of the posts and found a lot of useful information. I have acquired a new to me fuel oil barrel cooker. I have only assisted with using it before. I have never been the "fire keeper". We have always used charcoal, I am fairly new to charcoal myself and was wondering about keeping heat in cooker for extended smoking or cooking. I was wondering if anyone has a similar set up that could give me some advice on amount of charcoal and how long it will burn. Thanks for any help.

 

[TNJAKE]

Welcome from a fellow tennessean. Where about are you?

 

[casetruck1]

East TN around Knoxville

 

[Newglide]

Welcome from North Carolina

 

[CTXSmokeLover]

Welcome from TX

 

[pushok2018]

Welcome from California!

 

[SmokinEdge]

Welcome from Colorado

 

[tbern]

welcome from Minnesota, enjoy your time here!! quite the cooker you have!!

 

[Winterrider]

Welcome from ND

 

[Mike's Meat]

welcome from jersey

 

[DougE]

Welcome from Kentucky!

 

[millerbuilds]

Welcome to SMF from North Texas!

- Jason

 

[912smoker]

Welcome to SMF from SE GA

Keith

 

[Colin1230]

Kansas here, welcome to SMF.

 

[Sven Svensson]

Welcome, from California. Fuel oil cooker? How does that work? That’s a new one to me. I’d think the food would taste like an old furnace but it must not.

 

[casetruck1]

Welcome, from California. Fuel oil cooker? How does that work? That’s a new one to me. I’d think the food would taste like an old furnace but it must not.

Its an old fuel oil barrel or that was what type of barrel it was anyway. It uses charcoal. Sorry should have prob been more clear on that lol.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

South Carolina here sending you a warm welcome.

As for the cooker, Is it an offset? If not, how are the coals added? Is there an access door in the end to allow coals to be added underneath? Or do you have to raise the lid to add more coals? I couldn't say how long charcoal will last, but my best suggestion is to get a good digital thermometer with a couple of probes to monitor grate temp as well as meat temp. For me, I cook with wood on an offset smoker and when I see the grate temp starting to drop, I'll add another split. This is about every 30 minutes or so. If you're cooking over direct heat, you may want a way to get charcoal fired up in advance and then add when needed. My suggestion for this would be a separate grill. You can also burn hardwood to make coals and add them instead of charcoal.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Welcome from Nova Scotia

Sorry I cannot help with your smoker though

But looking forward to your cooks/smokes

David

 

[casetruck1]

it is not an offset. My center grate comes out is how I initially load the charcoal. The whole bottom is one big open area for charcoal. I have a access/vent door in the back to add more charcoal. I did a trial run the other night with and it held steady temp for a while. I just need practice I guess to see how temp acts. I have added temp probes to the lids. Would like to get some digits thermometers to read temps of grates and meat while cooking.

The other night I built my fire all in the rear and did a few chickens in the middle and put a Boston butt on the very front away from the heat.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Welcome from another East TN resident around the Knoxville area. There are a few of us around here.