Using Small Wood Chunks vs Larger wood pieces.

Mine is the Chargriller offset.  A little different unit than yours.

When I use chunks of wood?  I put them about half way up a chimney of lump when I light it.

That way the chunks get a little pre-burn and don't dump out all that nasty billowing white smoke.

Also, consider the AMNS or the AMNPS from A-Maze-N Products.  One of our sponsors here and owned by a member of the forum.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

I use the AMNS.

I bought that before Todd came out with the AMNPS.

The AMNS , as I recall, was basically designed for cold smoking?  But many of us use it for hot smoking in some units. Naturally, we have to push a good thing to its limits?  LOL

Many members here now use the AMNPS, especially for hot smoking.

Check with Todd at:

http://www.amazenproducts.com/

He will get you hooked up with the right smoke generator for your unit.

He is a great guy, and his customer service is top notch.

He is a member of the forum.

I only endorse him because of my experience in dealing with him.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

Hi wxmanmac,

Regarding controlling your burn and temp:

Do a search here on the forums for using the " Minion" method on the charcoal.

Also having a charcoal basket helps using this method.

That is what I do in my firebox on the side of my horizontal OKJ smoker. I dump about 7-8 lbs of unlit charcoal in the basket. I hollow out the middle, basically making it concave I guess - like a volcano.

I then put about a dozen or so coals in the chimney starter and light them. Once they are going good - does not take long - I dump them in the middle of the charcoal where it is concaved. I make sure the firebox damper is wide open. ( I always keep the smokestack plate wide open).

I then close the firebox lid and start monitoring my cook chamber temp. ( I have a Maverick ET-732 wireless to monitor with).

After just a few minutes and the temp is rising consistently, I throw about 5-6 chunks of wood on ( hickory usually for me).

Temp continues to rise, some billowy white smoke coming out.

When temp gets to about 20 degrees away from my target temp, I start closing the firebox damper. Eventually I get it pretty much right where I want it. Smoke starts thinning out to TBS. Bingo, time to put the food on!

The above process , once I dump the few lit coals in the middle, is usually around 30 minutes give or take.

During the smoke process, while the food is not covered or foiled - I will throw on 3-4 more hickory chunks every hour or so. I also get several hours out of that first load of charcoal , depending on what temp I am smoking at, the wind, etc.

A final note: If you see smoke escaping anywhere on the smoker other than the smokestack, that is a leak - the more leaks the harder it will be to maintain a constant temp. Best to try and get those sealed up if you can.

Hope this helps,

 

You are going to love that new Maverick! I have used mine about 4 smokes now, and it is awesome.

Curious to hear how you like the AMNPS.

 

I haven't been able to get my Chargriller to ever run hot enough using charcoal. I burn splits in mine, and haven't looked back. It requires pretty much steady tending, but that, to me, is most of the fun. If I wanted set it and forget it, I'd use the oven. lol

 

I use lump charcoal.  I use the minion method and lay the real small stuff on the bottom of the firebox along with a couple of big chunks and then dump the hot stuff i have burning in the chimney.  It keeps the temps a lot higher and longer than charcoal.