Starting a Fire in a Backyard Wood Offset Smoker

[veryolddog]

I made some ribs today and I thought that I would document the process by which I prepared the offset smoker and started the fire. I also share some information on how to manage the airflow in order to maintain a set temperature. In this case, this temperature is 225 degrees. There are some very good videos that I viewed to get tips on the starting of the fire. Rob Green does a very good one on SmokingPit.com. This one is longer than I had hoped but it does illustrate the management of the temperature during the process.

This cook lasted for 5 1/2 hours. During the process, I showed that I do not add any more fuel to my fire for the last two hours so that by the end of the process the coals will diminish and be cool by late that evening. However, by managing the damper, one can continue an even temperature by opening the damper while the coals die down.

If this website ever puts together a section for video instruction, this one may be helpful for those that are new to wood smoking with an offset smoker. Experience people will find this of no value. But considering that I had the the wood smoker ordered and delivered in June of this year, one can make a lot of process by reading, and listening to the good folks on this forum.

Here is that video.

Oh, by the way, the ribs were my best yet. My wife likes fall off the bone, tender and juicy ribs and today, I was able to deliver what she wanted.

Ed

[drholly]

Very well done, Ed. Even though I don't have an offset, and there isn't one on the horizon, I enjoyed watching the entire video. Lot's of good information!

[veryolddog]

Thank you very much. DR.

When I watch a slew of videos on starting a wood fire in a offset smoker, there were a lot of unanswered questions. I was trying to fill in the blanks.

Ed

[LostArrow]

When I'm in a hurry I use a weber charcoal chimney.
When I'm not ill start like you while prepping food.

[smokeasaurus]

Ed, this is a great video for newcomers and old smokey veterans. The two biggest problems for somebody that is considering an off-set smoker is the el cheapo models at the home improvement stores and no resources on-line.

The el cheapo models have to be modded heavily to work semi efficient. Then you get it assembled and then you go "Now what do I do?" So you fill it full of lit charcoal and a bunch of wood and then in two weeks you trash it and or don't use it anymore cause your meat is over-smoked.

I tip my hat to you for your effort.

[smokeasaurus]

Ed, got some questions for you.

Now your Yoder is 1/4 thick steel which will take longer to heat up than lets say my 3/16 Old Country. How long do you think the heat up process takes from the time you start to fill up the fire-box with charcoal to the time you actually place your meat in the smoking chamber?

I ask this because a big mistake newbie stick owners make is putting the meat the smoker before the fire has stabilized. I am guessing 1-1.5 hours before the meat is in the smoker...........

also while it is important to build the fire properly, but how about maintaining the fire. Would you say you add a split about 1 per hour? Or do you go off the temp. Lets say you see your target temp start to drop, then the wood is added?

[veryolddog]

Hey Smoke,

Those are great questions. I actually cut the clips from this video that actually addressed those questions because I thought that it was running too long. The original collection of video was approximately 17 minutes.

Actually, to arrive at cooking temperature takes about 1 hour and sometimes less. If I keep the lid to the pit closed while even the lid to the firebox and the door to the fire box are open the pit will heat to 150 degrees quickly. This takes about 30 minutes. Then I put small pieces of wood on top of the coals, close the lid to the fire box, leave the door open and that will bring the pit to 215 to 225 plus degrees within 15 minutes. Then I put one of my larger logs on the fire, which are approximately 11 to 12 inches long and 6 inches wide. Because the firebox and the coals are so nice and hot now, this catches within a minute. I then close the door to the firebox with the vents wide open and within a few minutes, I turn the vents to 50 per cent. I have been keeping the temp at 225 degrees which is a nice comfortable temperature to cook ribs or anything. That big piece will last almost 2 hours, at which time, I will add another piece of wood or two smaller pieces of wood depending on what I have, adjust the damper to wide open and let it run for 10 minutes and back down to 50 per cent.

The Maverick Remote: the Maverick will never be in sync with the thermometer in the lid. I go by the thermometer in the lid. There usually is a 25 degree difference between the Lid and the Maverick where the Lid indicates 225 and the Maverick indicates 200. However, if I see the Maverick rise in my home, I know that the Lid has also risen. The converse is also true. When the Maverick starts to decline by 7 to 10 degrees, then I know it is time to put another log on the fire or open the damper. I usually add the log and open the damper, come back in five minutes and close the damper to 50 per cent.

For the last hour to hour and a half, I add no fuel. If the pit is running at 225, I just keep opening the damper to keep that temperature or the door, till I remove the food. I do this on purpose so that the coals will burn down and eventually, later that evening the unit will be cool to the touch. The next morning, I empty the unit and cover it. However, while the unit is still hot, I clean the pit, grates and heat management plate, because it is easier to remove grease and other collections with a paper towel and a scraper while the metal is warm. Yes, I wear gloves, but my unit is always clean and ready to go. It's a brainwashed thing.

I generally use between 4 to 6 spits of wood for a six hour cook. A bag (1.5 cubic feet) will last a month. A split an hour is a good rule of thumb. However, as I said earlier, if the piece is large like the one I added above, you can easily get 1.5 to 2 hours out of it at 225 degrees. Hotter or higher temperatures will, of course, require more fuel. I seem to like 225 for beef or pork ribs and 250 for a whole chicken.

I originally titled this video: "Starting a Wood Fire and Maintaining Temperature" But I cut it back when I edited it. I did not think anyone would even want to view it at 14 minutes except those who had a real interest. But, if we have a library some where on this site, this might be good reference material. I could always add the those clips back in to this video or cut a new one just on maintaining a fire. But, I did think of that.

Too bad, we could not collaborate on a video. I am sure that with you knowledge and experience you could fill the gaps.

I hope that this answers your questions.

Ed

[smokeasaurus]

Thanks Ed. I think I speak for all the forum that your videos rock. They are made by a back yard warrior for us back yard warriors.
I enjoy the videos so much, they do not seem long at all...especially when it is about a subject near and dear to my heart.

I have a bunch of mini splits which are only six inches in length. I will probably add 2-3 every hour based on seeing the size of the wood you used.

Again, I take this time to thank Ed and Jaxon for their most excellent stick burner videos. You are both a great asset to our little home here on the web 

So for Ed and Jaxon and all the members that have posted instructional videos:  SALUTE!!

[sliding_billy]

+1.  Great work!

[GrillGeek]

Good stuff Ed! I've got a Cheyenne coming for myself tomorrow in my Yoder shipment, and I can't wait to cook on an offset again. 

It's always good to see how other's do it! A million ways to skin a cat, and you may see something that someone else does that forever changes the way you do something.

[veryolddog]

Congratulations on your Cheyenne!

Here's a suggestion. Everything in moderation on the Wood Smoker. Modest bed of charcoal, modest use of wood, and modest use of air flow in increments that you can see results. You can always add more. If Smoke is close, he can show you.

Purchase a 1/2 gallon of peanut oil. Fill a bowl with it and get a sponge, clean if you can. Dip that sponge in the peanut oil, and rub it all over the inside of your pit including the heat management plate, both side. Inside the lid, bottom of the pit, everything. Do it also in the fire box. Then, hit the outside of the entire pit. Once you fire this up, keep it running on high heat, 350 degrees, for six hours. The oil on the outside will dry up and the inside should get a nice black sheen. Just wipe it down with paper towels afterwards. Then all you will have to do after every cook is use your wire brush and paper towels. It is actually easier to keep clean than the pellet smoker.

Jaxon has some great videos on a variety of cooks. Check those out.

Good luck and may all of you cooks be happy ones.

Ed

[Sailor1]

Great video Ed....thank you for posting.  Why are you getting a 20 degree swing between the Maverick and the smoker gauge?  Which one is correct?  I have never used a stick burner before but looks like you really enjoy using your pit. I guess I am pretty lazy and for me a stick burner looks like a lot of work.  Personally I like to set my PID put the meat on and forget about it.  I get the same readings with my PID and the Maverick in the cabinet.  I never go by the temp gauge on the smoker because it is never correct.  So I was just wondering which temp you are really relying on when you use your stick burner.

[veryolddog]

Great video Ed....thank you for posting.  Why are you getting a 20 degree swing between the Maverick and the smoker gauge?  Which one is correct?  I have never used a stick burner before but looks like you really enjoy using your pit. I guess I am pretty lazy and for me a stick burner looks like a lot of work.  Personally I like to set my PID put the meat on and forget about it.  I get the same readings with my PID and the Maverick in the cabinet.  I never go by the temp gauge on the smoker because it is never correct.  So I was just wondering which temp you are really relying on when you use your stick burner.

Those are very good questions.

Very rarely do I ever have the same pit temperature on the Maverick and Yoder Pellet Smoker or the analogue thermometer on the Yoder wood smoker. In the pellet smoker, the Yoder is designed to compute the average temperature for the center of the grill. The wood smoker provides the analogue temperature on the lid as the heat rises towards the lid and the chimney. I have placed surface grill thermometers in the location of the center of the grill on the wood smoker and the reading is the same as the lid thermometer in the wood smoker. So, I go by that thermometer rather than the Maverick.

In the pellet smoker, I place the Maverick in center of the grill on the back wall. In the wood smoker I place the Maverick on the grill just under the chimney. There is always a difference between the reading of the Maverick and the other thermometers. I trust the analogue best in the wood smoker and the controller reading of the pellet smoker. What I do know is that if there is a 15 degree difference in the readings, the Maverick is useful because it shows variation as the plus or minus of heat within the unit. This signal tells me that the heat is declining in the wood smoker, for example, and requires me to check the fire and take action as appropriate. The converse of this is also true for a rise in temperature in the wood smoker.

The pellet smoker is fairly consistent and less action is required.

Now, where the Maverick is really accurate is in reading the food temperature. There it is right on target. I know because I have another digital thermometer, not a remote reader, also plugged into the meat and they are both dead on in agreement. The final result is confirmed with a thermapen. As the benefit of the remote readout, it is absolutely essential with either unit for both the pit and food and makes life that much easier to manage the outcome.

I hope that his answers your question.

Ed