Question for Lang / Offset users

[yelonutz]

To help get that "Sweet Blue"smoke, I keep a couple of logs resting on top of the fire box at all times. When I add wood, I find that the pre-heated wood will start burning instantly and not smolder before igniting. Give it a try, I was really surprised how much it helped.

NUTZ

 

[Bud's BBQ]

hey walt,
thanks for the information and i hope you don't mind if i call you with more stupid problems ok

Ron, you are alwasys welcome to call. You've got our home phone. We'll be home all weekend.

 

[jonboy]

If you dont mind, post those stupid questions here and we all can learn...

jon

 

[Is It Ready Yet?]

Great points everyone. I have had my 108 for about a year now and am still learning. Just built my first charcoal basket and will be using in two weeks.

 

[Sparky]

This has probally already been discussed, I am using a smaller offset smoker and what burns hotter/less ash Charcoal or lump? I am using a basket of sorts and I usually do charcoal, fill the basket almost full and then add 15-20 lit pieces along with soaked wood chunks. Thanks for the tips so far.

 

[jazzspot]

This has probally already been discussed, I am using a smaller offset smoker and what burns hotter/less ash Charcoal or lump? I am using a basket of sorts and I usually do charcoal, fill the basket almost full and then add 15-20 lit pieces along with soaked wood chunks. Thanks for the tips so far.

I guess you mean to say briquettes or lump. Lump usually burns hotter. Less ash? Probably lump, but it can depend on the brand of briquettes/lump.
Also, no sense in soaking chunks... but wood chips sure. In an offset, use chunks not chips. Just throw the chunks in the charcoal basket after the lump/briquettes are lit, unless you need the chunks to get your pit up to your desired temp.

 

[Tennessee Jed]

I know this is an older post but hopefully I can get some new advice. I have a Lang 84 and I’ve got plenty of clearance between the bottom of my grate and the top of my firebricks. But after about 6 or so hours of stickburning I have a lot of ash built up. When I go to empty out the ash I’ve noticed a lot of hot coals still mixed in. Should I be worried about my coal bed below the grate when I remove ash? And how often during long cooks do you guys empty the ash? Thanks in advance for any info!!

 

[Lake Dogs]

I wait a few days and let the embers/coals completely burn out.

 

[Tennessee Jed]

Sorry, I was talking about ash removal while I'm cooking. I usually start taking out ash after 6 hours because I'm afraid of it choking off the air flow.

 

[HBMTN]

I cooked a hog on my 84 for 22 hours and never removed any ash. You should not have to if you start out with no ash when you start a fire.

 

[Oldschoolbbq]

Kennesaw................................

I burn only wood, I keep my fire small,but HOT. That means a lot of checking the fire,not the food. The more you open the lid you lose heat,pressure,and moisture.
In using my pit(a Tejas 2040CC),I start a small (I should say compact),hot fire, leave my exhaust OPEN,controlling by the intake.This fire is appox. 4" above the intake level in the spot the fresh air is best for combustion of the heat source(wood).
I leave my cooking chamber SHUT, until estimated time is past.By opening the firebox door and not the chamber,you lose less heat.
By hot I mean that if you put a piece of your wood in on the embers,it will almost immediatly ignite.This gets you past the bad smoke, and will reduce the bad taste.A little(maybe 2min. ) white smoke will start and then turn blue.You will be watching the chamber temp. for the cue to add wood.Mine is usually every 30 to 45mins.(or a beer and cig. amount of time):becky:If the temp. rises,I close the intake, if it lowers , I add wood.I wait until it is 10* to 20* off then look in the FB and decide your next move. Have your wood the best size your pit likes to eat best . Mine likes sticks 6 to 10" long and aprox. 4"4", heated on the top of the FB.
I hope this helps you and if you still have trouble,PM me.You have a good pit and it will do what YOU tell it to do, it takes practice and patience.
Have fun and.........

 

[Lake Dogs]

Oh, sorry, RE: ash removal while cooking: I keep an ash bucket and shovel right there for both fire security purposes and for this purpose. At this time I've raised my fire grate by a few inches so it's RARE that I'd need to do this (maybe on a whole hog cook), but earlier I'd just get a quick (careful so as to do minimum ash disturbance; in to the air) scoop with the shovel and put in the ash can. It's a standard large fireplace ash can.

 

[GEORGIA BULLHAWGS]

I take a different approach at temp control and have no problems. We use an offset, but not a Lang.

I open the firebox vents wide open, then control the heat in the chamber by dampening off the exhaust. The heat on ours doesn't respond to opening up the fire box at all. When you play with the exhaust stack venting, that is when the temp works really well, you want it to get HOT inside, open stack all the way. If you want to choke the temp down, then close the stack off.

Fire building process. I start one chimney of charcoal, when it gets white, i dump it in the center all the way into the fire box. I then add a stick of wood on each side to form a base for the next logs. I criss cross them 2 x 2, but only put 4 total (2 at bottom of smoker, and then 2 on top of those). I use a good hardwood to creat coals, which in my opinion are what makes your heat base. I usually have to add 2 pieces about every hour. There is no air gap under the coals or the wood, it sits directly on the floor of the firebox.

 

[Tennessee Jed]

Can't thank you guys enough for the great info!! This is my first stick burner... so there's a pretty good learning curve. I can only apply so much of what I picked up with my other charcoal cookers.

Thought I would throw in a pic just for good measure!