Charcoal Basket Question

Speed · Mar 30, 2011

I hope this is the right place for this thread. I have read a few threads on here about fire managment with charcoal. I just recently bought a large offset smoker and have a question about charcoal baskets. Do any of you use these in your large offset smokers? If so, did you build your own or purchase one from a manufacturer? How long of burns are you getting out of them? I was thinking about building one for my smoker when I get back and just wonder if its even a feasible option.

Mitch · Mar 30, 2011

I had one made for my gator pit. Used it once and didn't like the product cooked using charcoal as compared to sticks (wood). Your milage may vary. It would be easy to weld up. Mine was 1 1/2" angle iron for the frame and 3/4" expanded metal for the bottom and sides.

You will be better off using wood IMHO.

Speed · Mar 30, 2011

Mitch said:
I had one made for my gator pit. Used it once and didn't like the product cooked using charcoal as compared to sticks (wood). Your milage may vary. It would be easy to weld up. Mine was 1 1/2" angle iron for the frame and 3/4" expanded metal for the bottom and sides.

You will be better off using wood IMHO.

I've always used wood before and that what I'm most familiar with. Just looking for ways to get longer burns without babysitting the pit. Did the food have a differnet taste to it when you used charcoal? Did you use lump or regular charcoal. Thanks for the response.

Big_Alvin · Mar 30, 2011

i don't have what you'd call a large offset smoker - Chargriller Super Pro and Outlaw but last year i started using charcoal baskets and it has helped alot in terms of my tending to the fire. I use lump hardwood and i can get 6-8 hours burn on one load. i built it myself from a 24" x 24" piece of 3/4" expanded metal. if you're going to use charcoal i say go for it. One day i hope to start going all wood, but not with the smokers i have now.

Full Draw BBQ · Mar 30, 2011

I have a Lang 60D, and had a charcoal basket made about a year ago. It made a HUGE difference in the way the smoker holds temp and behaves. I start with a 20 pound bag of B&B lump, and it fills the basket up. Then light it with a weed burner and let the pit come up to temp. I then start feeding 2-3 logs every 45 min to an hour. It holds temp much better with the base of lump. I have the that faces out about 3 inches lower, to allow me to easily slide or toss logs in. Hope that helps!

Speed · Mar 30, 2011

Thanks everyone for the responses. I forgot to mention the size of my smoker. It is 24" pipe 3/8" thick 5'6" main cooking chamber, 24"X24"X36" box on the front. I dont remember exactly how big the fire box is but I think its 18"X18"X20". I was thinking about starting it off with all wood and then going to the charcoal basket after the pit had come up to temp.

Here is a pic of the smoker,

CBQ · Mar 30, 2011

I use two charcoal rings from a WSM stacked on top of each other in my Klose offset. Using a dense charcoal like Wicked Good, and a Stoker, I get about a 3.5 hour burn per fuel load. I think that is about is good as I'm going to get out of an uninsulated trailer mounted offset cooker.

I also have a Klose charcoal basket, but I found that I didn't get enough airflow to keep the temps up. (This was before I got the Stoker. I never did get around to trying it with the Stoker, just got used to the stacked rings. )

BBQ Bandit · Mar 30, 2011

Speed said:
Thanks everyone for the responses. I forgot to mention the size of my smoker. It is 24" pipe 3/8" thick 5'6" main cooking chamber, 24"X24"X36" box on the front. I dont remember exactly how big the fire box is but I think its 18"X18"X20". I was thinking about starting it off with all wood and then going to the charcoal basket after the pit had come up to temp.

Here is a pic of the smoker,

Nice rig!!!!

Sent you a PM... but more importantly,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE! COME HOME SAFE!

gtr · Mar 30, 2011

Nice looking cooker! I have a Klose and have the basket they make - it's a serpentine kinda thing where the fire works it's way thru the basket - I'll use it at the beginning of a long cook if I wanna try to get a couple hours of sleep. I'm not sure how long I get out of it 'cause I usually wake up to pretty low temps :doh: (at which point I'll throw a little maple lump in and that gets the heat back up quickly). But I'd guess it's probably around 4 hours. I much prefer stick burning all the way through, but sometimes it's just not practical.

Thanks for your service & be careful over there. :thumb:

capnrob97 · Mar 30, 2011

Nice smoker!

I made my own from instructions I found on the internet.

Not hard to do at all, and the instructions I used only used the expanded steel, no screws, bolts, etc.

Took 10 minutes to make. Fits perfectly in my chargriller.

Charcoal Basket Question

Speed

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Mitch

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Speed

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Full Draw BBQ

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Speed

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CBQ

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gtr

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