Two fires in the same smoker, which one do you want?

rikun · Dec 4, 2016

Just a quick question,

Revisited the old topic, "OK, stickburners... let's see those small and hot fires." and though my fire looks nothing like that.

Those small fires in those pics looked to me that the wood was just barely burning, is that still a clean fire? I've always though you need to have the whole stick engulfed in flames to be burning clean, but I guess I've been dead wrong.

Inspired by the topic, shot two videos. Both done in the same smoker, bigger fire with intakes fully open, smaller one with intakes almost closed down.

1 - Small fire (intakes almost closed)

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dbs3W5Qy1M"]Small fire? - YouTube[/ame]

2 - Bigger fire (intakes fully open)

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWccoXVB2-o"]Big fire? - YouTube[/ame]

Which one do you want? Neither have a very big coal bed, I'm always losing it...

My feeling is that fire management is easier with the smaller fire, the bigger fire feels it's out of control and just burns how it wants to burn. But is the smaller fire still clean?

Free Mr. Tony · Dec 4, 2016

How far along into the cook are you at this point? The big fire vid looks more like mine when Im getting it started to create my coal bed. The smaller fire looks similar to mine when I'm running after awhile. How many logs do you start with?

m-fine · Dec 4, 2016

It depends on your target temp, but the entire log usually should not be fully engulfed unless you are cooking hot. To cook slow with that kind of fire you need way too much airflow to keep temps down and too much fuel to keep it going like that. Burning clean is judged by the smoke, not the flame.

BBQ Freak · Dec 4, 2016

small fire but depends on what temp too

sparctek · Dec 4, 2016

I may be wrong, but from the first video it looks like you are loosing some of your coal bed through the expanded metal.
I had the same issue on my cooker and bought a piece of thin expanded metal that I laid at 90 degrees to the existing expanded metal. That makes the openings a little smaller so you don't lose your coals bed as fast.

On my cooker the smaller fire in your video is about what keeps it at ~275. Perfect for how I cook.

BBQ Freak · Dec 4, 2016

sparctek said:
I may be wrong, but from the first video it looks like you are loosing some of your coal bed through the expanded metal.
I had the same issue on my cooker and bought a piece of thin expanded metal that I laid at 90 degrees to the existing expanded metal. That makes the openings a little smaller so you don't lose your coals bed as fast.

On my cooker the smaller fire in your video is about what keeps it at ~275. Perfect for how I cook.

I agree on another piece of expanded metal .

MeatyOakerSmoker · Dec 5, 2016

sparctek said:
I may be wrong, but from the first video it looks like you are loosing some of your coal bed through the expanded metal.
I had the same issue on my cooker and bought a piece of thin expanded metal that I laid at 90 degrees to the existing expanded metal. That makes the openings a little smaller so you don't lose your coals bed as fast.

On my cooker the smaller fire in your video is about what keeps it at ~275. Perfect for how I cook.

BBQ Freak said:
I agree on another piece of expanded metal .

Does that restrict airflow?

sparctek · Dec 5, 2016

it doesn't restrict airflow at all. The additional piece of expanded metal just allows the coals to hold stay together longer. You should not see any difference in airflow.

rikun · Dec 5, 2016

I already have two pieces of expanded in there, you can see them on the first vid, but they are not perfectly aligned. I guess I would need to get something with smaller holes, since I really struggle to keep a coal bed.

I cook HnF 275-325 F being my target range.

The are both well into the cook, if I was trying to create a coal bed, I'd have at least 5-6 big splits fully engulfed lol. That's how I usually start my cook.

Guess what? I also have a problem with fuel usage and I have to feed my cooker a split every 15 minutes. Soooo.. trying to keep my splits burning 100% might have something to do with it

So I think choking the intake makes sense, I guess I've been burning clean since food tastes good and smoke looks good. Although it's usually dark outside when I cook, so all smoke looks pretty dense on a dark background...

BBQ Freak · Dec 5, 2016

If your going though wood that quick your wood must be very well seasoned ?

Two fires in the same smoker, which one do you want?

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