wood burning too fast

[dannyboy1981]

I have a brinkmann smoke n pit, i finally used it as a smoker a little while ago, my ddad gave.me a bag of hickory wood chunks. The chunks are about the size of my fist, maybe a litle smaller, i soaked them over night in water, but they only seemed to last ten to fifteen minutes before tthey were burned off. I was useing mesquite lump coal with it. Am i using the wrong wood? Do i need bigger chunks or maybe go with logs?

 

[adiochiro3]

We need a fair amount of info to help diagnose your situation.  What were you cook temps?  Are your thermometers calibrated correctly? What was the status of your vents?

The answers to these and maybe a few other questions can help us help ya sort it out.  You may have had too much lump in the fire box or too much oxygen flowing through the system.  I lay the hardwood lumps near the coals or right next to them to keep them smoldering without flaming up.  They only need to barely produce Thin Blue Smoke (TBS) to impart flavor, so they should not be full-on burning.  A chunk that size in a SFB should produce smoke for 45-60 min minimum. 

I personally would not mix mesquite and hickory -- both are distinct flavors that each stand on their own beautifully in the right situations, IMHO.

 

[dannyboy1981]

I am not 100% sure about the temps, i knew by researching on the net that the thermometer on he grill is worthless, it was kinda a spur of the moment idea to smoke some ribs, so i went to the super market and got everything i needed. I looked for an oven thermometer and didnt see once, but i did find a fryer thermometer abd thought "hell, this should work" when i got home i noticed the fine print "not for use in ovens" but honestly i was too lazy to go back out and get a good thermometer. I jyst usedthe fryer thermometer in short burst. I would lay it onthe grate for 5 minutes wih the cooking chamber closed and hen take it out. According to it, my temps were usaully between 215-225°f. I had the exuast vent wide open for the whole smoke, and the intake vent was at about 25% open. I should also bring up the fact that i dont know how old the hickory wood chunks were, knowing my ead, they probaly sat in his garage for a few years before he remembered ge had them, would old wood possibly be my problem? And next time i think i will try laying the chunks next to the coals, i just tossed tthem ontop of tthe coals for this last smoke

 

[michael ark]

Realy old wood goes up the flue quicker.But some of it might be ninja smoke.

 

[SmokinAl]

I think you have the answer. Lay them next to the coals.