maintain there temperature.

[mrpogi71]

hello membership, i am quit new to the whole smoking scene. and i was always told that charcoal smokers are harder to maintain there temperature. is this true?

 

[adiochiro3]

They certainly require more attention than electric or propane smokers when it comes to keeping the temps in the ideal range. However, once you learn your particular charcoal or wood smoker and get the general hang of things, it becomes a real pleasure and source of satisfaction (for me) to tend the fire. This really makes you plan ahead for those long smokes; you need to schedule your chores and naps carefully; and don't plan on leaving home for long either (unless you have a back-up pyro around).

Of course, I'm a bit of a pyro at heart, so playing with fire is really recreation for me!

 

[rickw]

It really does depend on what charcoal smoker you have and the method you employ. The WSM and the UDS takes very little tending, if any, to keep running for hours on end.

 

[herkysprings]

This was also my main (mis)conception about charcoal smokers a long time ago.

I got a WSM and the vents acted like precise temp dials, and I never looked back!

 

[chisoxjim]

+1

I find my WSM pretty easy to mantain temps without babysitting. From experience I can easily get 9-10 hours @225 degrees with minimal vent fiddling. Typically I try to see how many hours I can go without opening the WSM, or touching a vent.

 

[dick foster]

That would be true but there is a way to cheat with charcoal or stick feed smokers. you can add a digital temperature controller that in trun controls a stoker fan. When the temp lowers the temp controller senses it and turns on the fan to stoke up the fire when the temp rises the fan turns off. You can buy them all done up as a system or if you're handy you can even make your own like I did.
Here's one to give you the idea.

http://www.rocksbarbque.com/index.html

It was both too expensive and too fancy and over the top for what I wanted so I took the DIY route.
It cost me all of about 50 bucks if even that with parts I ordered from China, some found in my junk box and some from a local salvage store. It's not hard to do so if you want to give it a try I can give you a hand and tell you what and where.

I like making my own stuff anyway. That way I know what's going on and how to fix it should something go awry. Plus it's another excuse to tinker.

 

[jirodriguez]

+2 WSM all the way.

I can run for 10+ hrs. before I even worry about checking the temp... lol.

 

[herkysprings]

Even tho I already posted...

+3

I remember the first time I used my WSM. I went to clean it out the next morning, and I took the top and middle section off, and saw a lot of charcoal left. I went to do something else, came back 15 minutes later... and the charcoal basket started feeling warm. So I did the only thing I could think of...

I re-assembled it (with a dry water pan), ran to the store, got a tri-tip, and BAM I was smoking again within 20 minutes!

 

[jirodriguez]

LOL... that's funny!

 

[meateater]

My UDS is very constant, I can smoke a Butt or Turkey on one load and watch the temp lock in place.