Hello fellow Wrangler owners. I recently purchased my Wrangler and I'm having real difficulties keeping the cook chamber temperature under control.
I run with the exhaust vent fully open and the fire box vent half closed. My fuel is Double split post oak, about 16-18 inches long. Not too big not too small. You can see the general size of my splits on the shelf under the cook chamber in my signature. I burn my fire to the back-right side of the fire box while looking into the box from the side door. I also pre-heat my next split inside, on the left side of the fire box. With my next three splits sitting on top of the fire box warming plate.
The problem I'm having is, every time I add a split, my cook chamber temperature jumps by at least 30-40 degrees as the split burns down. So, if I'm targeting 235º, I wait for the temperature to drop down to 225º-230º before adding the next split. As soon as I move the split from the left side of the fire box, over onto the coals, it ignites and the temperature begins to climb to about 260º-265º. I then wait for the temperature to drop back down and star over again.
This past weekend, I tried smoking a brisket at 275º per Franklin's recommendations, but the cook chamber temperature was swinging from 260º to over 300º. Because of the high temperatures, my 13lb brisket ended up reaching 205º internal temperature in the Flat, within only 9.5 hours, and came out dry & tough.
Can one of you more seasonded Wrangler owners please help me out, or tell me where I may be going wrong?
Any advice would be Greatly Appreciated!
Your splits are too big. Cut those 16" splits in half. Or get a Kindling Cracker and split them one or two more times. Ya have to downsize the splits to the size of the cooker. Yes, you have to add more often, but that's the only way to lessen your temp swings.
But temp swings on a small offset just part of it. They're gonna happen. It really doesn't matter. Your electric oven in the kitchen may have just as large temp swings.