What's the point of an offset smoker?

[joetee]

Want some practice try your hand at open fire cooking it is basically the same hands on fire control as a stick burner.

Warren

Now that would be a fun night. Brisket over an open fire. Sipping some bourbon with your friends. Every now and then slicing off a little crusted piece and eating as it cooks.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like joetee it is appreciated.

Warren

 

[Millberry]

FLAVOR!!
The flavor from a wood fired smoker is better than a charcoal/wood fire. Yes it takes some babysitting, and a decent off set will cost you 3 or 4 times the amount of a WSM. I have both, a WSM with a Guru controller for absolute hands off smoking & I have a Lang that needs to be tended to every hour or so. But the flavor from the Lang is much better than the WSM. If you have never tried both you would be completely satisfied with the WSM, but if you tried the Lang you would want to use it every weekend!
Al

 

[Millberry]

Now that would be a fun night. Brisket over an open fire. Sipping some bourbon with your friends. Every now and then slicing off a little crusted piece and eating as it cooks.

OMG--stop it

 

[Millberry]

Good points. I use the following method which is similar to what you describe. However I prefer a good hardwood lump charcoal over briquettes. I don't care for the taste of food cooked over some briquettes.

I set my wood this way. 3 or 4 split logs and sometimes even a few chunks too. I put my lump charcoal over the top of the wood

View attachment 467027

I use the Minion method using a coffee can. I light about 1/3 chimney of lump and pour it into the center using a coffee can sized 6 inch piece of ductwork, and then immediately removing the "can" with a pair of channel lock pliers and letting the hot coals fall into the center of the pile and burn outward.

My WSM lit this way will get me the flavor I want and the temp control is better this way as well.

It does not dry out my food. I use the water pan about 1/3 full of play sand covered with foil.

I can't wait to try your method--Usually how long do you have to wait to put the meat on?

 

[civilsmoker]

Now that would be a fun night. Brisket over an open fire. Sipping some bourbon with your friends. Every now and then slicing off a little crusted piece and eating as it cooks.

you mean something like this.......

It’s not a dream but someone’s reality!!! Especially if you have a X-Fire...lol

 

[joetee]

you mean something like this.......
View attachment 470783
It’s not a dream but someone’s reality!!! Especially if you have a X-Fire...lol

Yes that would be amazing.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

I can't wait to try your method--Usually how long do you have to wait to put the meat on?

Hi Milberry.

The trick is really in lighting it and in using a good quality charcoal.


I have used a coffee can as described in my prior post, I have also used a piece ofgalvvnized ductwork, which I really cannot recommend, because of the zinc in galvanized metals.

But the trick is in lighting the pile.

Just a few coals in the middle. Thats whether you use the can technique, or just dump about a third chimney of well lit coals in the center.

If you're using a good quality lump charcoal, well then you can put your food on when your target temp is hit.

Even if the smoke is not quite as "blue" as optimum.

The reason why you can do it this way, is because a good hardwood lump charcoal is not going to deposit a lot of creosote onto your food.

And because you are only lighting a relatively small fire,, the smoke will eventually take on the thin blue characteristic that you're looking for, and it will stay there.

Of course in lieu of the above, you can "wait" until it turns the optimum blue color. But I have not found that to be as necessary when using this center of the pile lighting method with just about a third chimney of red hot coals, coffee can or not, method and just putting the food on when temp is hit, as long as I'm using one of the more dense hardwood lump charcoals such as Jealous Devil, or Kamado Joe Big Block lump charcoal.. These are made of Guayacan, Guayaibi, and White Quebracho and just Quebracho Blanco for the Jealous Devil. Very hard woods.

These are very dense and are not scrap wood like Royal Oak and Cowboy Lump. Both of which , in my experience, make for a lot of bad tasting creosote..

Hope that helps.

 

[Millberry]

Hi Milberry.

The trick is really in lighting it and in using a good quality charcoal.


I have used a coffee can as described in my prior post, I have also used a piece ofgalvvnized ductwork, which I really cannot recommend, because of the zinc in galvanized metals.

But the trick is in lighting the pile.

Just a few coals in the middle. Thats whether you use the can technique, or just dump about a third chimney of well lit coals in the center.

If you're using a good quality lump charcoal, well then you can put your food on when your target temp is hit.

Even if the smoke is not quite as "blue" as optimum.

The reason why you can do it this way, is because a good hardwood lump charcoal is not going to deposit a lot of creosote onto your food.

And because you are only lighting a relatively small fire,, the smoke will eventually take on the thin blue characteristic that you're looking for, and it will stay there.

Of course in lieu of the above, you can "wait" until it turns the optimum blue color. But I have not found that to be as necessary when using this center of the pile lighting method with just about a third chimney of red hot coals, coffee can or not, method and just putting the food on when temp is hit, as long as I'm using one of the more dense hardwood lump charcoals such as Jealous Devil, or Kamado Joe Big Block lump charcoal.. These are made of Guayacan, Guayaibi, and White Quebracho and just Quebracho Blanco for the Jealous Devil. Very hard woods.

These are very dense and are not scrap wood like Royal Oak and Cowboy Lump. Both of which , in my experience, make for a lot of bad tasting creosote..

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much for taking the time to thoroughly explain this.