My hats off to you stick burners

[gregzee]

Ive been a propane GOSM guy for a long time.  I have mastered smoking with it in almost freezer weather to 100 degree weather with awesome results. 

But, i tell you what, tending to the fire to maintian an even temp across the grate of a horizontal offset fire box brinkmann has just about made me crazy. 

Cheers from my chair by the smoker at 227am and heres to more practice,

Greg

 

[SmokinAl]

It's all worth it cause you can't beat the flavor of a wood fire.

 

[alblancher]

The bigger the smoker the easier to maintain temps. Small horizontal offset are the most difficult but I don't mind tending because I like the results so much more.

 

[lovinspoonful]

Clearly you are not drinking enough beer.

 

[3montes]

I've been using a SNP for some years now and have gotten quite proficcent at it. I have found out that the cutting and splitting of wood, starting the fire and then tending the fire during the cook has become relaxing to me. I enjoy that aspect of it. Once you get a few cooks under your belt and learn what process works for you, you will love it.

I think it's the most rewarding way of smoking because it is the most demanding.

Also you may need to some mods to that Brinkmann to make it easier to stick burn with.

I just purchased a new 20X48 stick burner made out of 1/4 steel. I'm sure there will be a bit of a learning curve for me graduating to a bigger and better unit. Once you go stick you never go back..

 

[Dutch]

Greg- I have a GOSM big block that I use from time to time- mainly when I only have a couple of small items to smoke. Most of the time it goes on the Lang.  Right now I have two 12 pound packer briskets gong on the Lang; later they will be joined by a boneless turkey roast and a 5 pound yard bird.

Like Al mentioned, the bigger the smoker, the easier it is to maintain your heat control.

In a nut shell, it's all about patience and practice, practice, practice.

 

[gregzee]

Thanks for the responses guys,  

I pulled the brisket and shoulder around 6am, They had made it up to the 160s and I was as tired as a person could be.  One of these days I need to plan better so I can have the time to smoked em to 205 without wrapping them.  They spent 4 hours wrapped in the oven before gettting to 205 and then rested for 3 hours in the cooler.  I was definetly over worrying about it all, because Ive never had a better smoked brisket and shoulder. The bark was absolutely amazing.   It was completely worth the extra effort over my GOSM and the flavor was much better.  

Greg 

 

[alblancher]

Greg,

I feel it,  I feel it coming all the way from Wichita.  You are learning the Zen of sick burning.  The mythical experience of tending a wood fire and cooking food.  An experience you share with countless generations.  You are now one with our wood burning brothers and sisters.   Welcome, may your journey to total smoke awareness be peaceful and guided by the thin blue smoke.

Al 

 

[rbranstner]

It was a bit of a challenge for me when I switched from propane to my UDS but once I figured out how the drum ran I never looked back. I love smoking on my UDS. I have yet to use a horizontal smoker yet though. My buddy has a small cheap one and I have watched him several times fight with controlling his temps. Its all what you are use to I guess.