# Fire build/maintenance advice in new to me 16" offset smoker



## Blacklab (Aug 27, 2005)

Rescued and rehabbed our old smoker that had been just sitting around since I was a kid. Pit is a Lyfe Tyme 16" x 40". Need some advice on size of fire to start with and general idea of maintaining it along with whatever fuel or combo of fuel you are using

I did a couple trial burns and smoked a birsquett and some ribs last week. Fire was tempermental and tough to maintain in the 200 range. Used lump as main source with chunks of hickory for smoke. Would typically use straight wood I think but had access to lump. Fire wanted to be in the 250+ range. HAd to fight it to get it down closer to 225/230 but doable. Dampers fully shut and stack shut or barely opened was the only way to come close to getting temps down.

How do ya'll typically start out? 1/2 a chimney of lump, briquaettes, wood? whole chimey of lump.....? 

how often do you have to add fuel?

I've been trying to maintain a temp around 200 to 225 on the high end. Just trying to get a feel for how much fire I need, how often do you tend to have to add fuel etc. Basically, what is your typically routine regarding on building and maintaining your fire.

thanks


----------



## KillaHookset (Jan 6, 2005)

That size pit does not do very well with 100% wood you end up over smoking your meat. You should be able to get away with just using a good lump charcoal utilizing the Minion method and distributing your chunks of wood for smoke in the pile. 

Depending on how tight your smoker is will determine how long it will hold temp along with the wind. I can usually get a solid 7 hours of 225 out of my longhorn smoker with about 12 lbs of lump charcoal and a couple pieces of pecan 3-4" diameter by 10-14" long. Air vent is usually only open 20% and stack is fully open all the time.

Cliff notes on Minion Method:
Pile your fuel up and create a bowl in top, place 10-20 lit white briquettes in bowl. 
As long as you don't give it too much air the fire will burn at a controlled rate for several hours without refueling.


----------



## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

agree on the need for charcoal, maybe go with lump and some real chips for flavor

uncle has one and it is very tough to hold the temp on a long cook


----------



## Blacklab (Aug 27, 2005)

Thanks guys. I didn't think it was all me on the tough time holding temp. I was leaning towards the minion with lump as well. Thanks for the info


----------



## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

I recommend leaving the exhaust wide open, cutting back the inlet as needed, and building the size fire that gives you the temp you want at the cooking surface. For that I use a temp probe inside a potato next to the meat. Most of the temp gauges in the doors are at a different level than the grates and give reading that are quite a bit off.

Cutting the exhaust back or choking down a too-large fire can lead to poor combustion and bad flavor. You should be seeing thin blue smoke, or almost no smoke, and no heavy white smoke.

If you do use mostly lump you should be able to build a bed of coals that make the temp easier to hold steady.


----------



## jdot7749 (Dec 1, 2008)

The minion method will make it easier to keep the heat down. It works for me. Do you not have the Life Tyme with the smoking chamber at the end?


----------



## Blacklab (Aug 27, 2005)

No smoking chamber. Just fire box and standard horizontal cooking chamber


----------



## Blacklab (Aug 27, 2005)

Guy with same pit pm'd me and said he has the same issue maintaining a low temp in that pit. Suggested a faster hotter cook which is where I was headed based on the temp the pit wants to hold at. Also going with minion method , think i may have used to much lit fuel last time making fire to hot and fast. Also Going to confirm the temp at cook surface is consistent with gauge on lid.

Thanks for the input. Open to any other suggestions


----------



## wisslbritches (May 27, 2004)

Looks like you may have the same pit I have. I'll never forget the first time I cooked on it. I used 100% mesquite (no charcoal). My brisket tasted like a telephone pole. It least it seasoned the pit!

Now I use 1 1/2 chimneys (I use a Weber brand chimney. It's bigger than the others) of B & B Lump charcoal and add enough fist sized wood chunks to keep a nice wisp of smoke coming out the chimney (3-4). I leave the smokestack vent 100% open and the firebox vent is cracked about a 1/2" under "normal" ambient conditions. I add wood as needed and I have to add a fresh chimney of lump about every 2 1/2 hours. No problem holding 225 this way. If I need it hotter I open the firebox vent more but that really decreases the amount of time before I need to add more lump.

It's definitely more of an art than a science but once you get it down it'll come 2nd nature.


----------



## Blacklab (Aug 27, 2005)

thanks that helps. did another brisket and ribs this weekend. I agree, a couple chimneys of lump and chunks of wood for smoke with a fresh chimney every 2 -3 seemd to be the trick. Also part of my issue was that the thermometer on the lid is way off. I know it might be showing a different temp than what the temp on the cooking surface is but it is just wrong and shows temp way to hot. I picked up a couple oven thermometers an put them on the cooking surface. the door almost closed, wide open chimney and a couple loads of lump routine holds right around 225 dead center, closer to 250 on fire box end and 200 on stack end. need to replace the thermo but alos goign to get a dual digital remote sensor so I can see meat and pit temp.


----------



## KillaHookset (Jan 6, 2005)

Another tip find a way to bring your smoke stack inlet on the inside of your smoker down to the grate or cooking level, right now most of the smoke and heat is on the top half of the smoker. You can get away with using less wood and helps control temps.
Once you do that you can get some type of sturdy metal plates to put under the cooking grate on the fire box side (tuning plates) to sort of funnel the heat from the firebox to the left third of the cooking chamber this will allow you to utilize 80-90% of your smokers grate for cooking by equalizing the temps so your not jamming all of your food to the left side (cool side) of the smoker. This usually works best if your firebox is low on the cooking chamber, some folks will take it another notch and bolt or weld a plate on the top 1/4 of the firebox pass through hole.
I never needed to cook more than 2 briskets at a time so I dont really need to do this mod yet. If I do chicken or ribs I cook them on the hot side anyways.


----------

