Not so good first cook on my Lang 48

[kunkel3269]

Well had my first cook on the Lang yesterday. I went and picked up some different wood for those who read my previous posts.

To start off the wood I had was very dry and I know was good. Still having some smoldering issues with the fire only when I close the fire box door. I have cooked for five years on a traditional offset and can’t seem to think of having this issue but was definitely better than my first trial run.

I cooked 2 racks of St Louise, 1 rack of baby backs, 2 racks of beef ribs and 1 4 pound butt. Got my fire going and burnt everything down till it was coals. Brought the pit up to about 295 on the firebox end and 240 on the far end off the cook chamber. I keep it around this same temp monitoring it with my digital probe thermometer. Gauge on door showed about 225. I checked the meat at about 2 hour mark and the ribs acted like they were done. Had good bend and started to break up top. I though it couldn’t be so. Left them on for another hour. Saw that they were falling apart. Let them rest and gave it a shot. Very dry and over done on the outside. Only 3 hours at 245.

Does this sound normal? I used my themopro and maverick and both were sitting at the same temp? I’ve always cooked at 275 and have always finished at about the 5 hour mark on ribs. Now finishing at about 4 hours at 245?

 

[motolife313]

Cut the wood in smaller pieces so it burns better and hotter giving you good coals then you can bump up the size of the split

 

[kunkel3269]

Cut the wood in smaller pieces so it burns better and hotter giving you good coals then you can bump up the size of the split

I had them cut down into about beer can sized pieces.

 

[flatbroke]

I had them cut down into about beer can sized pieces.

hahahahahaha, not laughing at you. I am laughing with you. I let my first rack of ribs I ever cooked on my lang go for 4 hrs before looking at them. can you imagine what I got. an 11.5 pound pork butt finished in about 6 hrs

 

[motolife313]

Is the wood seasoned?

 

[kunkel3269]

Is the wood seasoned?

Yes it is.

 

[kunkel3269]

hahahahahaha, not laughing at you. I am laughing with you. I let my first rack of ribs I ever cooked on my lang go for 4 hrs before looking at them. can you imagine what I got. an 11.5 pound pork butt finished in about 6 hrs

Haha no problem at all! Is that normal how these Lang’s cook or am I doing something wrong??

 

[flatbroke]

Haha no problem at all! Is that normal how these Lang’s cook or am I doing something wrong??

Normal, they cook faster then you are used to. now you have a better idea of the hot spots and can place food in the appropriate locations. I do the sides, mac and cheese etc near the firebox as you noticed it is hotter.

 

[kunkel3269]

Normal, they cook faster then you are used to. now you have a better idea of the hot spots and can place food in the appropriate locations. I do the sides, mac and cheese etc near the firebox as you noticed it is hotter.

Do you used the bottom rack as your main grate or do you use the top grate?

 

[flatbroke]

the first ribs I cooked were on the bottom, I didn't put the top rack on for a long time. Now I use it as much as I can mostly cause im tired of burning my arms
stuff I need cooked hotter I stick next for firebox on bottom. the griddle crisp up wings and such. I wish I got the slide out bottom racks. The area on the top rack closest to the nose cooks hotter too, due to the RF air coming up.

 

[flatbroke]

there was a Kunkel in my town growing up. Todd was his name

 

[kunkel3269]

Really??Not to many of us where I am from. I am in west Texas.

 

[flatbroke]

Really??Not to many of us where I am from. I am in west Texas.

yeah he moved to Oklahoma

 

[Dantij]

All of my cook times are shorter on the Lang. I too overcooked my first rib attempt and my briskets are done in 8 hours. I push my coal bed all the way up front towards the cooking chamber, leaving room INSIDE the firebox to warm my next split. That split will burn immediately when placed on the bed of coals. So in my firebox there is always 1 split on the bed of coals and 1 split close to the door warming up. I still leave the firebox door open 3 or 4 minutes before closing. I also add 1 or 2 pieces of wood chunks to the coal bed along with the warmed up split to keep it from shrinking down too small. That does not need to be done with every split I feed.

 

[SmokinAl]

Lang's do cook faster. Also I put a pan of water next to the firebox & that evens out the temps across the grate.
You will find that you don't need a very big fire to cook at 225. I usually run mine around 250-270. There is a bit of a learning curve, as with any pit. But it won't take you long to figure it out. I'm sure next time will be much smoother.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/mods-to-my-lang-36.280440/
Al

 

[kunkel3269]

Lang's do cook faster. Also I put a pan of water next to the firebox & that evens out the temps across the grate.
You will find that you don't need a very big fire to cook at 225. I usually run mine around 250-270. There is a bit of a learning curve, as with any pit. But it won't take you long to figure it out. I'm sure next time will be much smoother.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/mods-to-my-lang-36.280440/
Al

Thank you! How long of cook are you looking at on ribs cooking at 250-270 on your pit?

 

[SmokinAl]

Thank you! How long of cook are you looking at on ribs cooking at 250-270 on your pit?

Depending on the ribs your cooking, 3-4 hours.
I go by IT & we like them at 195.
Al

 

[worm304]

Did my second cook on my 36 this weekend. Definitely still a struggle. I need to get more of a bed of coals going. I did a full chimney of charcoal and 2 splits to start and thought I had it going good but I was wrong. I was never able to get it going good enough to completely close the FB door. Kept having to leave the FB door at least in the open latch position but mostly half open or my fire would start to die. I am not really focusing on temp across the grate yet. I just want to be able to get it to hold consistent temp on the therm in the lid. Plus I did Turkey breast and pork loin so I was ok with the turkey being on the firebox side and pork being on the far side with a lower temp. My splits were pretty consistent size. Plus I am still struggling with getting clean smoke. We will get there. Just keep tinkering.

 

[kunkel3269]

Did my second cook on my 36 this weekend. Definitely still a struggle. I need to get more of a bed of coals going. I did a full chimney of charcoal and 2 splits to start and thought I had it going good but I was wrong. I was never able to get it going good enough to completely close the FB door. Kept having to leave the FB door at least in the open latch position but mostly half open or my fire would start to die. I am not really focusing on temp across the grate yet. I just want to be able to get it to hold consistent temp on the therm in the lid. Plus I did Turkey breast and pork loin so I was ok with the turkey being on the firebox side and pork being on the far side with a lower temp. My splits were pretty consistent size. Plus I am still struggling with getting clean smoke. We will get there. Just keep tinkering.

Did another practice run on it this afternoon. I just don’t get it. i cannot keep a fire going in here to save my life. Sad to say I had less problems with my old country wrangler than I am having with this one. Had 2 chimneys full of charcoal and 5 beer can sized splits. Let them burn down to coals. Had a great coal bed and wood warming inside the fire box. Added the prewarmed split, keep the door open for about 3 minutes. Closed the door and boom billowing white smoke. Wood I am used is at least 2 years cut and split. I think I may be cutting the expanded metal on the dampers out tomorrow. Who know. Just frustrating

 

[daveomak]

Is there a damper on the exhaust stack ???