Keeping the Thin Blue Smok Flowing

Troy,

It is going to be fun using all wood in a smaller off-set smoker.  I find a smaller hotter fire will give you better smoke and is easier to control the temps.  Maybe splits about the size of a beer can.  If you start with a bigger fire to get to temp and heat up the smoker let it come back down to embers and add a split or two at a time.  If you can get by with adding wood every 4 hours you have a tremendous offset smoker

If you have a large off-set you are still well served using the smaller splits,  they burn faster and more completely then whole logs.

Definitely pre-burn. Good luck! hope to see how it works

Troy, try reading my Wood burning 101 in the WIKI under instructionals . This will give you the basics of wood burning. The pre-burn is the best for starters and keeps a good constant heat , done right. Once you learn when to add sticks and how big they should be for your smoker ; you can add they direct into the SFB.

What you want is a small hot bed of "EMBERS" like this:

  Not a fully loaded box , but just enough of the heat to git it done , I hold a temp. of (+/-) 20*f of 225*f. Also get a GOOD Thermometer and keep it Calibrated with boiling water(212*f) for more accurate cooking chamber temps. AND a good one for the meat (the new Dual therms.  from Todd Johnson here on SMF are great.Cost appox. $80 , but you'll be glad you invested in one.)

There are guidelines for time of cooking , BUT , go by internal meat temp.(IMT) and monitor the Chamber heat.

Oh, yes. keep the exhaust FULLY open and cook to IMT using the intake on the FB to control the heat.

I am a Native Texan and lived in Temple , but found a pretty Yankee and hooked up with her.  I sure miss the Pecan and at $50 a 1/2 cord ; you stole that , but then Pecans are plentiful down there as Hickory and Maple is here , Have fun (lucky) with that good wood and if you can't use it all,send it to me. LOL

Have fun and...

Troy Fuller said:

I currently use my grill's side burner for my charcoal chimney, so I could load it up with wood instead of charcoal to get it going.  

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You ever have one of the moments when you realize the solution to a problem you've been thinking about has been hiding in plain sight the whole time?  Every time I've ever walked to my smoker to find temps dropping and that I need to add more fuel, I've walked past not only a grill with a side burner, but also a 3 burner Camp Chef stove.  I cannot believe it never occurred to me to start a few charcoals that way.  D-U-M.