# Help with a Lang



## sacedbysapp (Nov 13, 2018)

this is a 36 stretch, I can’t get the far end left side up too 300 on initial start up. What am I doing wrong? That the temp difference top right bottom is left and size hickory I’m using.


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## 73saint (Nov 13, 2018)

How many splits are you starting out with?  Also, have you built a solid coal bed before you begin to measure temps?   I don’t even worry about temp until I’ve got a good enough bed of coals that a new split will combust immediately.  

Besides that, from what I can see, it looks about right.  The lower digital temp says 228 and the Lang thermo says 225, right?   That’s pretty close, and normal that the firebox side will be hotter, especially early on before the smoker temps settle in.  

Unless I misunderstood you, just trying to help.


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## daveomak (Nov 13, 2018)

That is not near enough information...   Pictures of the exhaust stack, air inlets to the FB...  Size of the fire...   Are there any air leaks....


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## flatbroke (Nov 13, 2018)

What are you meaning by initial start up? I have a 60 and believe it’s the same length as yours but bigger chamber.


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## InThePittBBQ (Nov 15, 2018)

Lang's (even the smallest models) by design are big heat sinks. Your off side end from the firebox needs time for the reverse plate and barrel steel to come up to temperature and that happens slower than the firebox end closer to all those BTU's of heat.

I allow at least an hour in summer months to establish a good bed of coals and longer in windy fall or winter temps before I load up my 84 with meat. You can get there much faster and cook if needed but it requires significantly more firewood to get it all hot fast.

The secret to success cooking on a Lang is to make your heat with a good coal bed, this will get you the most consistent temperatures and nice clear smoke that punches flavor and a nice smoke ring into the meat quickly. Most of us that run catering size Lang's ditch the firegrate and line the floor of the firebox with firebrick. Burn the wood at the rear of the box near the door and shove the hot coals forward when you add more splits.


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## 73saint (Nov 15, 2018)

InThePittBBQ said:


> Lang's (even the smallest models) by design are big heat sinks. Your off side end from the firebox needs time for the reverse plate and barrel steel to come up to temperature and that happens slower than the firebox end closer to all those BTU's of heat.
> 
> I allow at least an hour in summer months to establish a good bed of coals and longer in windy fall or winter temps before I load up my 84 with meat. You can get there much faster and cook if needed but it requires significantly more firewood to get it all hot fast.
> 
> The secret to success cooking on a Lang is to make your heat with a good coal bed, this will get you the most consistent temperatures and nice clear smoke that punches flavor and a nice smoke ring into the meat quickly. Most of us that run catering size Lang's ditch the firegrate and line the floor of the firebox with firebrick. Burn the wood at the rear of the box near the door and shove the hot coals forward when you add more splits.



Couldn’t have said it better.  I tried, but you nailed it.


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## InThePittBBQ (Nov 15, 2018)

73saint said:


> Couldn’t have said it better.  I tried, but you nailed it.


I should have mentioned the quality of the firewood as well, most people's idea of "seasoned" wood is going to get them temperatures that fluctuate all over the place with nasty black soot all over everything inside the cooker meat included.

You have to use firewood with moisture content sub 10%. Anything else is not going to produce good bbq and the cooker just won't ever produce the results it's capable of delivering. 

I cut, split and stack for a minimum of 3 summer seasons before it ever get's burned.


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## neens (Nov 29, 2018)

I know I’m late to the party here but ya i pretty much do a lot of the same things. Stack my firebox full of wood light if up and don’t come back for 45 minutes to an hour to check on things. I usually run all my vents full open and just use the size of the fire to control the temps. 

I actually managed to get the reverse plate to flash a grease fire after I opened the cooking chamber for the first time while heating. Had cooked a hog the day before and forgot to clean it out as I usually do.


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## hardcookin (Nov 30, 2018)

InThePittBBQ said:


> You have to use firewood with moisture content sub 10%. Anything else is not going to produce good bbq and the cooker just won't ever produce the results it's capable of delivering.
> 
> I cut, split and stack for a minimum of 3 summer seasons before it ever get's burned.



10% is to low for moisture content. I like 16-18% for my smoking wood, and for Brisket I like hickory at 22%.

As far as the Lang...make sure it is level. Crib about 6 pieces of wood and light.
Crack your smoker compartment door for about the first 15 minutes. It gets rid of the cold pockets.
You should be able to tell when your smoker is settled in.


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## Tex1911 (Jan 12, 2019)

How are you guys measuring the moisture content in the sticks/wood?


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