Size of wood?

[MGM]

I’m getting a Lang 60 Deluxe Smoker in a few weeks. It will be my first stick burner. I picked up some Cherry and Hickory today and the wood has been split into different sizes/thicknesses. How big should the wood splits be, or does it matter? Thanks for your help.

 

[MGM]

 

[JckDanls 07]

They look perfect(about 16" long) ??... your gonna love the new way of cooking...

 

[SonnyE]

Cord wood is 16" in length. A cord is 4' x 4' x 8'.

Stacked tight enough a squirrel can get through it, but not the cat chasing the squirrel.
(That also allows good air circulation for seasoning the wood.)

Stove wood is usually 12" in length, and is a bit more labor intensive to produce.
I don't know the stacking requirement for stove wood, but imagine it is more along the lines of a mouse.

What you have there is about 1 rik, or 1/3 of a cord. A rik is 16" splits, 4' high, 8' long. A single row from a cord.

So now you have a gauge when buying wood.

Weight wise, 1 cord of oak weighs 5200 pounds by U.S. Government weights and standards. So if someone tells you they can get a cord of wood on their pick-up, they are not being honest with you.

Enjoy your new Lang... drool, drool, drool...
Prepare to haul wood.

 

[ravenclan]

If it fits, it smokes!

 

[MGM]

Most of the splits are 14”-19” long and between 3” to 5” wide. Actually, I think that the 3” would produce a more controlled fire.

 

[SonnyE]

Most of the splits are 14”-19” long and between 3” to 5” wide. Actually, I think that the 3” would produce a more controlled fire.

You can always split it smaller, but you can't split it bigger.

You'll figure it out. You'll be feedin that baby a lot.

I always used bigger to hold my fire, smaller to heat it up. But those were cookin and heatin fires.

 

[archeryrob]

I think you are correct on the 3" and I like this size in my smokehouse. It is nice to have a few thicker pieces after a bed of coals is formed and drop them on to slow cook though.

 

[phathead69]

80% of what I feed my smoker is split down to the size of my wrist. The other 20 % is little bigger or an occasional smaller split. They all start in 10 to 12 lenght.

 

[phatbac]

I can get big wood in my smoker (Lang 48) but it works better with 12-14" length thickness of a coke can or a little bigger. the firebox is 18x18 and you can (and i do) lay my wood diagonally in the firebox. I usually start with a little bit of charcoal surrounded by a few pieces of wood to get he fire going and then a few wood splits to get it hot and a split every 45 minutes or so.

there is really good you tube videos on how to start and maintain a fire in a lang. check out lang smoker tips and ben lang youtube channels.

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[InThePittBBQ]

I run a mix of thickness all cut to 16" length in my 84D, it will take a much longer log but I try to keep the coals to the rear of the firebox as this cuts down on the hot spot to the far right side of the cooker and I get more even heat that way.

I use smaller diameters and more of them to get them gassing off and down to coals faster at startup to get the cooker up (and a bit above desired temperature) then larger splits with the stack damper all the way open and the two front firebox inlets closed and both rears at 25% open to maintain 250* with a reload of 3 splits every 45 minutes or so.

Don't be hesitant to bring the cooker up past desired temps prior to loading it up, you can easily adjust that extra heat down and most times you'll give it up when the door(s) are open and your loading meat on the cooker.

 

[MGM]

I appreciate all of the detailed responses. I can’t wait to get my Lang 60D in a couple weeks and fireing her up. In the meantime, I’m going to re-split some of the larger pieces this weekend.

 

[InThePittBBQ]

You'll find those smaller splits come in really handy for both start up and those times when you let it go 10-15 minutes longer than what would have been ideal for a refuel.

Enjoy that Lang! You'll love the unique flavor it imparts to your cooks, were almost to the seasons end of being able to get any good sweetcorn but if you can find it soak and run a dozen or two ears in the husk around 250* for two hours.

Much as we all love BBQ, ears of sweet corn roasted in the husk on a Lang is the ultimate test of the cooker's ability to punch flavor into food. Your taste buds will tell the rest of the story, you may never salt or butter it again it's so good.