New here from CA and looking to learn to use wood!
Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2019 1:40 pm
So I bought an Oklahoma Joe Highland since it was all I could afford and they don’t sell the old country smokers in CA. Was going to build one, but was too impatient.
Fast forward a week....
Welded the Whole thing up. I could not control my fire. Still couldn’t control it. I took the darn elbow everyone says to put in the The CC to bring exhaust to grate level and it worked better. I no longer needed a fan to keep my fire going.
Fast forward a week.....
I have been obsessing over building a good smoker. I can’t find a tank. I decided to do an Aaron Franklin style 4” smoke stack to my OKJ. I also added in a diffuser and chocked the firebox opening a little.
Wow! She pulls one heck of a draft and temps are much more even. The grate level and lid level temps are very close!
I still can’t control a wood fire!!!!! I can get her to stay at 250 on charcoal for 5 hours! I burn a basket of coal switch over to wood since I am now feeling confident and bam up and down temps. Almost a 100 degree swing.
I can maintain transparent smoke no problem, but I can’t fast transparent smoke in my meat. I have decided I need to figure out how to keep a coal bed going add wood on top and try to keep the smoke slightly white.
Fast forward a week....
Welded the Whole thing up. I could not control my fire. Still couldn’t control it. I took the darn elbow everyone says to put in the The CC to bring exhaust to grate level and it worked better. I no longer needed a fan to keep my fire going.
Fast forward a week.....
I have been obsessing over building a good smoker. I can’t find a tank. I decided to do an Aaron Franklin style 4” smoke stack to my OKJ. I also added in a diffuser and chocked the firebox opening a little.
Wow! She pulls one heck of a draft and temps are much more even. The grate level and lid level temps are very close!
I still can’t control a wood fire!!!!! I can get her to stay at 250 on charcoal for 5 hours! I burn a basket of coal switch over to wood since I am now feeling confident and bam up and down temps. Almost a 100 degree swing.
I can maintain transparent smoke no problem, but I can’t fast transparent smoke in my meat. I have decided I need to figure out how to keep a coal bed going add wood on top and try to keep the smoke slightly white.
