Maintaining smoker temps

[innergel]

I've got a CharBroil H2O smoker like the one above and did a brisket yesterday. It was nearly impossible to keep the temps constant. I'd get it into the ideal range and it would drop down pretty quickly. I tried adding extra coals to the fire and/or extra mesquite chunks hoping it would add some heat, but it would never maintain very well. After 6 hours I had the internal temp into the mid-160's but had to finish it off in the grill on low. The brisket turned out pretty good, although one end was a little thin, so it was slightly dried out. I need to get a thicker cut of meat or at least something that is the same thickness from end to end. Everyone seemed to like it though, but I can do better.

Anyway, how do you keep the temps consistent? There is obviously some trick I am missing. I was out there pretty much the whole time baby sitting the thing with not much luck. What does the water in the pan do? Keep the moisture content high? Seems like it boils off pretty quickly, so I had to add some every 30 minutes or so. Can I just leave it out?

FWIW, I think the smoker has kind of a crappy design. It's hard to get the coals in the little door when you have to add and the ash builds up in the bottom pretty quickly. No way to unload it without taking everything out. Plus, the 16" diameter is too small for a decent sized brisket or rack of ribs. Sounds like I need a new smoker to go along with the new grill I need

All right. That's enough rambling. I need some tips. I'm good but definitely could be better.

[cashbuck]

Pick you up one of these.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3342508

It is the "set it and forget it" of smokers.

[innergel]

Pick you up one of these.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3342508

It is the "set it and forget it" of smokers.

After reading some of the various reviews on some smokers, it sounds like the charcoal smokers are termpermental and need lots of tending to get right. Pretty much exactly what I had to do on Sunday. So maybe I did OK after all.

I need to figure out how to mod the smoker I've got to fix the issues, or I need something like that one. Whatever I do, it needs to be bigger! No point in tending a dang fire for 8 hours just to get one brisket out of the deal. And bigger is always better right :thumbsup:

[DrenalinJunkie]

bigger and better! If you are going to do any seriouse smokeing spend the extra money and get a good steel pit. More up front but well worth it in the long run. But as far as controling heat, each pit is different. By useing your vents and and stack dampers is where you get your control. With mine once I get it to that sweet spot it will burn for hours at the same temp. until the wood is gone.

[cashbuck]

I retired the wood burning pipe pit for one of these propane smokers.

It produces better and more consistent results with less effort.

They come in several sizes.

I can dial it in to 200 degrees, throw a couple briskets on, and go to bed. I'll have briskets ready to serve come lunch time the following day.

[eradicator]

Like Drenalin says, once you get to the "sweet spot" it's usually gravy from there. My particular smoker(with oak) I usually have to add one log/hr to maintain temp. Mesquite tends to burn hot and quick and is not usually ideal for smoking(long projects). It's good for smaller cuts, etc. There are a lot of variables involved. Weather, wood, etc. all play a role in it. Ex: It's hard to maintain temp if it's really cold or raining. Practice makes perfect and regardless of what everyone says, it's not an exact science.

[innergel]

Like Drenalin says, once you get to the "sweet spot" it's usually gravy from there. My particular smoker(with oak) I usually have to add one log/hr to maintain temp. Mesquite tends to burn hot and quick and is not usually ideal for smoking(long projects). It's good for smaller cuts, etc. There are a lot of variables involved. Weather, wood, etc. all play a role in it. Ex: It's hard to maintain temp if it's really cold or raining. Practice makes perfect and regardless of what everyone says, it's not an exact science.

Part of the problem was that I was using mesquite chunks and charcoal. I was thinking the charcoal would maintain the temps and the mesquite would add the smoke and some extra heat, but it definitely fluctuated a lot. I'll try some oak next time to try and keep those temps more even. A slow burn is what I was hoping for.

Sounds like I've got some more practicing to do. And the results of the practice can be oh-so tasty

[no1hogkiller]

Like Drenalin says, once you get to the "sweet spot" ......
2nd the motion.
I have had 2 of those smokers back many years ago. Never really liked them. Had much better success with the "Ol' Smokeys"
Have an Ol Smokey on patio along with the Braunfels Smoker.
Go the seperate fire box style on the next purchase innergel.

[The Crippler]

if you have a place to put it, you need a 6' brick smoker with a fire pit/"smoke box" by smoke box i mean a fire pit at the end so you you can adjust your oak to maintain the temp...after you season it, it shouldn't take you more than 2 briskets to figure out how to maintain temp...minus materials, it will take 2 day laborers who know masonry a day to put up, if you have the materials on hand

[axisbuck24]

Pics

if you have a place to put it, you need a 6' brick smoker with a fire pit/"smoke box" by smoke box i mean a fire pit at the end so you you can adjust your oak to maintain the temp...after you season it, it shouldn't take you more than 2 briskets to figure out how to maintain temp...minus materials, it will take 2 day laborers who know masonry a day to put up, if you have the materials on hand

Do you have any pics and dimensions?

[Mason]

Any decently sized separate firebox smoker will work... New Braunfels is what I use.... season Your meat and wrap it up in foil, let it marinate in the fridge while You go out and start a good HOT chacoal fire, medium sized.... once it is a VERY hot pile of glowing coals, put on 1/3 fire box of bark free oak and get it Flaming..... STUFF the firebox full of bark free hardwood, maybe a little mesquite if You like it, I don't,at this point, leaving the smokebox door open, shut the firebox, pull Your brisket out of the foil, put it large end towards the firebox but as close to the smokestack as possible, fatside up, shut the door, throttle OFF the stack and firebox vents, DO NOT OPEN door for 12-16 hours.... I don't know about You, but I have to say that there ain't a BBQ stand in town that can hang with the brisket You'll pull out, the intense heat in the smokebox sears the meat for the first 10-15 minutes, but without oxygen, it chokes off and smolders for up to 18 hours at about 225-250 degrees of temperature and lots of smoke. I like to use 9-11 lb briskets and "Grub-Rub"..... I usually start the brisket around 10 pm and eat it for lunch.

[mesquitecountry]

With the unit you are describing. The water is what keeps the temperature regulated.

[boliverpete]

I've got one of the New Braunfels type smokers as well. Somebody on here posted an article on how to get it to hold the temp. So I tried it and it's worked perfect every time. Put one 20lb bag of charcoal in the firebox with all the dampers closed and it will hold the temp at 220 for about 4-5 hours. At around 6 hours it will drop to 200 degrees.

Here's the article: