Chodempole
Knows what a fatty is.
Just got my Jambo today. Fired it up no problem and seasoned it but found it very difficult to keep a stable temp. Using logs only. Was trying to maintain 310. Any advice??
Tips for stable temps in Jambo???
- Thread starter Chodempole
- Start date
SmittyJonz
somebody shut me the fark up.
stick burners don't run stable temps. they run in a temp range of target temp +/- 25*.
if you want to average 275* temps will bounce between 250 and 300*. Hits 250*, add a split, it climbs to 300* and slowly falls back to 250*, add a split etc.. etc..etc...
If your Temp swings are more than that - add smaller wood more often. Most run a bed of burning charcoal to help maintain temps. I will add a chimney of burning charcoal mid cook if needed.
if you want to average 275* temps will bounce between 250 and 300*. Hits 250*, add a split, it climbs to 300* and slowly falls back to 250*, add a split etc.. etc..etc...
If your Temp swings are more than that - add smaller wood more often. Most run a bed of burning charcoal to help maintain temps. I will add a chimney of burning charcoal mid cook if needed.
Last edited:
SmittyJonz
somebody shut me the fark up.
pjtexas1
somebody shut me the fark up.
Rockinar
is Blowin Smoke!
What Smitty said.
I have a Klose patio size smoker and it bouces between about 250-300 with half a split about every 30 minutes. Half a split is not much wood to maintain a coal bed so on occassion on long cooks will throw in some chunks, lump or briquettes to give it a boost. You just have to figure out how your smoker works.
My advice is to buy a cheap mitre saw for cutting splits in half and making chunks. It makes quick work. Also can use a moisture meter on a fresh cut to see what the real moisture content is. Testing the outside seems to give me serious false numbers.
I have a Klose patio size smoker and it bouces between about 250-300 with half a split about every 30 minutes. Half a split is not much wood to maintain a coal bed so on occassion on long cooks will throw in some chunks, lump or briquettes to give it a boost. You just have to figure out how your smoker works.
My advice is to buy a cheap mitre saw for cutting splits in half and making chunks. It makes quick work. Also can use a moisture meter on a fresh cut to see what the real moisture content is. Testing the outside seems to give me serious false numbers.
SmoothBoarBBQ
is Blowin Smoke!
I have personally watched Tuffy Stone keep 300°, almost exactly, in his Jambo for about 8 straight hours. I will say it was exhausting watching him and his father run that cooker, but they maintained temps perfectly during a whole KCBS style cook during their BBQ class.
-he used pretty small splits all cut to the same size and he added 2 of those splits every 15 minutes
-he was pretty busy / active in opening and closing the exhaust damper as necessary to control the temps
-he also wasn't shy about cracking the door to the cooking chamber to let out excess heat if necessary
It was kind of exhausting watching him work that pit but it's worth it to him as he's a very well accomplished pitmaster.
All of that being said I would never run a pit like that... just way too much work. I keep mine usually at about + / - 25° as everybody else is suggesting and it produces amazing food. A Jambo is absolutely capable of keeping insanely accurate temps but it requires CONSTANT attention and manipulation... though I suppose if I were extremely anal about it I could achieve similar results on my offset cooker if I wanted.
-he used pretty small splits all cut to the same size and he added 2 of those splits every 15 minutes
-he was pretty busy / active in opening and closing the exhaust damper as necessary to control the temps
-he also wasn't shy about cracking the door to the cooking chamber to let out excess heat if necessary
It was kind of exhausting watching him work that pit but it's worth it to him as he's a very well accomplished pitmaster.
All of that being said I would never run a pit like that... just way too much work. I keep mine usually at about + / - 25° as everybody else is suggesting and it produces amazing food. A Jambo is absolutely capable of keeping insanely accurate temps but it requires CONSTANT attention and manipulation... though I suppose if I were extremely anal about it I could achieve similar results on my offset cooker if I wanted.
