smelling smoke but not stopping, dropping or rolling

[angerhesmiles]

So just dove head first into the world of smoke. Just bought this 2nd hand Custom Pits beast. It was 2 years old and never saw a single piece of meat touch it's racks. (used once to warm 100 potatoes). I rescued her and she's got 3 Picnic Hams in her belly as I type after a first test run of ribs on Saturday.

I'm currently figuring things out, trying to figure out what type of fuel I should use. Gonna be using it commercially so I want to be as authentic as a guy can get out here in Massachusetts. Should I be using just logs, should I be mixing lump and logs? Much like when I bought the Led Zepplin Box set when I was 14 and knew nothing about them prior, I'm jumping right in, "whole hog" as they say. If this goes as well as the revelation of that Box Set did, I should be golden.

I'm fighting the urge to call Aaron Franklin to take me under his wing and teach me all he knows out of the kindness of his heart, (particularly since he's dealing with his own problems right now, and it would be insane to do anyway) so in the interim, I would love any advice you folks might have.

smoker.jpg

• angerhesmiles
• Sep 5, 2017

smoker2.jpg

• angerhesmiles
• Sep 5, 2017

 

[tropics]

Nice rig Welcome to SMF what part of Ma. are you in?

Hope one of the stick burner guys can help you out,I think the top vent should be open a lot more.Good Luck with it

Richie

 

[phatbac]

I will take a stab at some stick burning advice (Your Mileage May Vary).  you want to start with a small hot fire. 2-3 stick on some kindling. i personally use a half a chimney of lit charcoal (briqs work for me but you can spend a little more on lump if ya want) and i put that on a small pieces of wood in a charcoal basket with a couple sticks on top of that. leave everything wide open at first (firebox door, dampers cook chamber, stacks) when you get some good flames start closing things but never the stacks control from the firebox dampers and let the exhaust  flow wide open work into a nice coal bed and add another stick about every 45 min-hour depending on how hot you want to run and how big your sticks are. for the best flavor you can use a burn barrel, but that is labor intensive. (you basically burn the wood in the barrel and shovel the coals into the smoker.

a few things i recommend if you don't have get for your smoker..

elbow length heat gloves for food ( so you don't burn your forearm putting on a butt or brisket.

other heat gloves for managing your fire

Fire Extinguisher you wont really need one until you really need one

Fire poker set (poker, brush, shovel, etc.)

Meat thermometers i use an instant read and wireless probe thermometers

some good locking tongs and other BBQ utensils

a small pencil torch or weed burner helps but not necessary -- i know a lot people use these and like these but i can light my smoker with a                                                                                                            little bit of paper and some briquettes.

Starter chimney (if you are going to use charcoal to light the wood)

you need a pile of wood (anything hardwood/fruit wood) I am currently using 2/3 pecan and 1/3 cherry i have used oak, hickory, apple, plum in the past. each wood gives different flavors and works better with different meat.

Any questions you have make sure to do search first and feel free to ask as well!

Hope this Helps,

phatbac (Aaron)

 

[angerhesmiles]

Thx guys. Great stuff. In the process of picking up most of those items as we speak.

Temp control, mainly getting up to up above 250 and staying there has been my initial biggest hurdle. Trying to find the fine line btw conserving fuel and wasting it

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[foamheart]

Nice looking rig!!

Didn't I read somewhere recently that Franklin's burnt down?

Oh, and welcome to the boards.

 

[tropics]

Thx guys. Great stuff. In the process of picking up most of those items as we speak.

Temp control, mainly getting up to up above 250 and staying there has been my initial biggest hurdle. Trying to find the fine line btw conserving fuel and wasting it

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Seal the leaks around the CC

Richie

 

[angerhesmiles]

@tropics  - Sorry I forgot to answer, I'm in Gloucester, MA

I'm new to the lingo...CC? looks to me like there are leaks everywhere. 

 

[lotgod]

 
Nice looking rig!!

Didn't I read somewhere recently that Franklin's burnt down?

Oh, and welcome to the boards.

Looks like a good fire, but not a complete loss.

http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2...ue-to-rebuild-following-devastating-fire.html

 

[gary s]

  Good morning and welcome to the forum from a beautiful sunny day here in East Texas, and the best site on the web.   Lots of               great people with tons of information on just about everything.

Nice Smoker !       

        Gary