Newbie needs help with fire

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Beltboy
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Newbie needs help with fire

Postby Beltboy » Sat Jul 08, 2017 7:09 pm

Ok experts, be nice!!
So I really want to get into smokers, but couldn't find a good smoker to start with..( though pretty sure I am going to order a Johnson now :P ). Meanwhile to get started I went ahead and bought a Chat grilled competition offset from HD...
I've tried 4 times to practice the fire management... first time couldn't get it hot enough... second time couldn't get it hot enough..so added more coals to the ashes then three logs,,, fire got way big... and eventually burned down enough to have used but that was Hours later.. next two times... started with coals until hot ash.. put one log on and it catches fire burns with fire till half way through then I closed fire box lid with dampers wide open but that kills fire and eventually log... or log basically turns to amber with little burn and no heat...

I am using pecan I got at gourmet woods.. but wondering if it may not be dry enough... or does this starter smoker just suck??? I know I suck but 2 sucks = possible give up!!!

This is a pic of attempt 4 today... got to three logs all on fire then closed lid and dampers wide open. It again killed the fire and heat!!
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Re: Newbie needs help with fire

Postby Papa Tom » Sat Jul 08, 2017 8:08 pm

Well For starters I don't know what a Johnson or a "Chat grilled competition offset" is and I'm guessing I am not alone.
Kinda hard to help when we don't know what we are dealing with.
You said the Cgco is off set that tells me you have to create a draft from the air inlet on the firebox through the cooking chamber and out the flue. Sounds maybe like you do not have that when closing the lid kills the fire.
Try starting some charcoal putting it in the firebox with dampers open and lids closed you can leave the FB side door open to start with and add wood chunks or splits after the draft starts.
tarde venientibus ossa....
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Re: Newbie needs help with fire

Postby Chasdev » Mon Jul 10, 2017 7:37 am

To me the issue has always been to get the smallest amount of fuel possible to burn as hot as possible.
Try this as a test, with a dozen charcoal cubes lumps fully lit in the firebox, place a few chunks of wood on them and leave the exhaust AND intake wide open to observe the cook chamber temps for an hour and see what happens.
You want the wood to be burning with flames evident, so keeping the intake open is key here.
Keep in mind that the ideal flavor from wood smoke is best produced when the burning wood gets exposed to as much air as possible so flames are evident and the smoke produced is super heated and purged of bad tasting elements before it reaches the meat.
Coals produce heat and burning wood produces smoke so the trick is to get a bed of coals established and slowly feed new pieces of wood as the coals decline but not too soon or the cook chamber can get too hot.
Not enough coals (caused by not adding wood at the right time) will cause the cook chamber to get too cool and can create sour tasting smoke if the new wood can't catch fire quickly.
I've found that longer thinner pieces of wood are easier to deal with, so if your wood is in baseball size lumps you may create more work for your self than if you use wood that is shaped so that it catches fire more quickly.
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Re: Newbie needs help with fire

Postby outlaw » Mon Jul 10, 2017 7:52 am

Chasdev wrote:To me the issue has always been to get the smallest amount of fuel possible to burn as hot as possible.
Try this as a test, with a dozen charcoal cubes lumps fully lit in the firebox, place a few chunks of wood on them and leave the exhaust AND intake wide open to observe the cook chamber temps for an hour and see what happens.
You want the wood to be burning with flames evident, so keeping the intake open is key here.
Keep in mind that the ideal flavor from wood smoke is best produced when the burning wood gets exposed to as much air as possible so flames are evident and the smoke produced is super heated and purged of bad tasting elements before it reaches the meat.
Coals produce heat and burning wood produces smoke so the trick is to get a bed of coals established and slowly feed new pieces of wood as the coals decline but not too soon or the cook chamber can get too hot.
Not enough coals (caused by not adding wood at the right time) will cause the cook chamber to get too cool and can create sour tasting smoke if the new wood can't catch fire quickly.
I've found that longer thinner pieces of wood are easier to deal with, so if your wood is in baseball size lumps you may create more work for your self than if you use wood that is shaped so that it catches fire more quickly.


I have a Johnson smoker and you will be very happy with it. I could go into a long dissertation about types of wood, fire control etc but it has already been done to death. Check out these from Franklin. He covers all things BBQ well with videos and books, and makes some of the best brisket known to man. This is the Johnson I have and fully recommend if you want a reverse flow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucUy1k86GdA
http://www.johnsonsmokers.com/ultimate-compact-patio/
Bayou Classic Ceramic
PK (Portable Kitchen) Grill
Johnsons Ultimate Compact Patio Smoker
Yoder YS640 Pellet Grill
outlaw USER_AVATAR
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Re: Newbie needs help with fire

Postby outlaw » Mon Jul 10, 2017 7:57 am

OOps, I meant above reply to go to beltboys quote, I guess he will see it anyway.
Bayou Classic Ceramic
PK (Portable Kitchen) Grill
Johnsons Ultimate Compact Patio Smoker
Yoder YS640 Pellet Grill

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