Could I use Wood Instead of Charcoal?

[remmy700p]

I'm going to disagree wholeheartedly about using the exhaust stack to "control" the hot end of the smoker. Wind, even gusty wind blowing across the top of the stack, isn't going to change the exhaust draft in any measurable way. It would somehow have to artificially create a fairly large zone of lower pressure, and that just isn't going to happen under those conditions with an assembly as simple as the exhaust tube. What it CAN do is force gusty drafts into the firebox INTAKE which WILL have a propensity to increase available O2 to the combustion mass.

 

[vaquero01]

Good Points Bigtexun...I will still argue with the stack though....only playing devils advocate. Regardless of wind conditions, it will be hard to"pull smoke" if your firebox control is adjusted for it. I have smoked in heavy winds and understand what you are saying, but have not run across a point where I could not control the pull by regulating the intake. 

 

[biguglysmoker]

As of lately I am using only stick burning. I use to do charcoal with added chucks, but started stick only almost 3 years ago. I use mainly hickory with some apple or cherry for extra flavor at times depending on the meat I'm smoking. I use slits @ 2-3" around and 10-14" long, I have had lots of luck with this and haven't had a bad cook. I always leave the stack wide open and  control temp at inlet. I've done short cooks and 12-15 hour cooks this way. I got tried of adding charcoal all the time and paying the cost of it.

 

[rtbbq2]

Absolutely, yes you can do it that way......