Here are the links to other videos mentioned in this one: Best Wood Choices: ua-cam.com/video/rpaCFw3QvmY/v-deo.html How To Extend Your Stack: ua-cam.com/video/qMCBjzdNWXU/v-deo.html My First Ever Brisket Cook: ua-cam.com/video/zmUmBZ9EDog/v-deo.html Do you have any tips or tricks for beginners that I didn't mention in the video? Let us know below!
@@user-om2tm4fm7x Ok I understand now. If it's a very cheap offset, it would be tough to use splits like I did here anyway, since it's typically too small. Charcoal is the way to go for sure as the main source of fuel. But, I still would not use "chips" as those are for propane smokers where you can soak them or use them in a smoker box for a gas grill. In your case, could you get a bag of wood chunks? Those shouldn't be too bad to find, but I don't know for sure in your area. I'm assuming if you can get chips, you can get chunks.
@@user-om2tm4fm7x Yeah small baseball size is good. Slap one of those guys on every 20 min or so for that smoke flavor. The problem with the chips I have in your case is they just burn fast, at least from what I've seen on offsets the size you described. You could try wrapping in foil, but I think the chunks would serve you so much better.
I'm not a beginner, but I don't mind admitting that this is the best beginners and experienced BBQ lesson on fire management on the Tube ! Thanks so much for your time and consideration too keep our faith and motivation up when we may feel that our cooker has got a mind of it's own, because , brother you have given us BBQ brethren hope !!!
I’m so glad to hear you appreciated this video and it means a lot that you think it’s one of the best lessons you’ve seen! I know it’s so frustrating sometimes, especially on the cheaper smokers.
I too am not a beginner but always looking for new tips and tricks. This is one of the best videos/demonstration on fire management I have ever seen. Nice job!
One thing I picked up for pretty cheap to use when smoking is a pair of Harbor Freight welding gloves. Put those on and I can reach into the firebox and move coals and wood to my hearts content.
Let me say this, I am guessing you are a hell of a father because you are good at explaining and keeping a situation as common sense and as plain as it gets.
Thanks for being so detailed and actually showing the fire as you explained managing it. I’m almost done with my first offset build and looking forward to trying to learn this all myself with your tips!
I'm an avid smoker and griller, but I have been using two drum smokers for the last several years. I'm from Texas, and everyone says I make better briskets than any restaurant around, and the best they've ever had, but I know I can do even better and there is just no challenge with the drum. I have it down to a science and it turns out great every time, but I am finally ready to work for my supper, so to speak; so I bought a stick burner. I quickly learned that I was playing the T Ball league of smoking. I have had it for a couple weeks now, and the wife is getting sick of me doing practice burns every single day, but I just want to say that your advice on fire management has been invaluable to me. Admittedly, I have, in the last two weeks, experimented with every method on UA-cam, but yours is, by far, the most effective; probably because it truly is "keep it simple stupid". I have a reputation to uphold around my neighborhood, and I feel confident that I will soon make a brisket that surpasses all my others, thanks to you. Cheers!
There is such a thing as “too clean” a fire - and you lose flavor as a result. I’m not advocating heavy white dirty smoke, but no need to stress over every little puff of smoke. Throw a prewarmed split on and close it up. As long as you are not using splits WAY to big (as you pointed out) the process is quite forgiving in the long run.
Thanks for all the effort you put into this video. I've been working between a pellet smoker/grill (not a fan) and a weber kettle (solid, but small) and really want to get into an offset smoker next spring. Studying hard, and again appreciate your video here very much!
I have found that using wood about the size of a Pringles container works best for me. I normally buy wood by the truckload and store it similar to the way you do. I bought a load that was supposed to be seasoned oak and hickory. I looked through some of it the next week and there was lots of pine and about half of the load was still "green". Never bought from that guy again. I even told him that I was using it in my smoker!!!
Oh my god…that’s a nightmare. I’d be so pissed if I saw pine in my load. I’m not fully convinced mine was completely dry enough either. Definitely is now but the first few months had me questioning it a bit.
I've been BBQing and using an electric smoker for years. I'll be buying my first offset smoker (Oklahoma Joe's) soon. I really appreciate the backyard, common-sense vibe and non-pretentious advice.
I’m sure you’ve watch chuds bbq. The dirty vs clean smoke is debatable. Jirby, Jeremy Yoder, and Brad have all confirmed you don’t want clear smoke for the first part of the cook. Once I saw that I was actually able to maintain a more consistent temperature and the smoke profile on my food was better. It also allowed me to use larger splits. And I control the temp by how I lay them in the coals. The splits are long enough that they can bridge over the coals perpendicular to the smoker for a little air gap and if it starts to run away I can turn it at a bit of an angle and burry it in the coals to varying degrees to bring the temps down a bit. Just another tool in the box for running that fire.
Maybe I came off a little wrong in the video, but I did mention it’s near impossible to burn a crystal clean fire at low temps and that burning a somewhat dirty fire isn’t the worst thing in the world. I have a brisket video coming out soon where I explain that a little better. I like your idea about the splits. I’ll have to give that a try!
@@FattysFeasts no I heard you say it. I completely agree that there’s a lot more forgiveness in a cook. What I was trying to get at is the consensus is changing to say that you want “dirtier” smoke for the first part of the cook. Not billowing white smoke but also not crystal clear. Looking forward to the video. I recently picked up a pecos so it’s nice seeing videos on something similar. I was rocking on old 1/4” Oklahoma joes before this one. Tough having consistent temps on a 30”x16” cook chamber. The pecos is way easier to run.
@@AlaskaBrisketCo I've heard great things about the pecos! Some days I regret spending up for this one 🤣 I just didn't want to take the chance with out temps up in the northeast.
@@FattysFeasts you are preaching to the choir I’m up in anchorage Alaska. I ran my pit at -20 this last winter. I don’t think the pecos will be able to keep up in those temps. The pecos is a place holder till I build an 80 gallon pit out of a couple 3/16” tanks I have. If I had the opportunity to pick up a brazos I would have done it for sure.
Been smoking ribs and many cuts of pork and finally think am ready for heavier things like beef and exotic meats, I’m now gonna start to smoke a brisket for new years 2024 and thanks for your knowledge I think I can tackle this with no regret. I thank you my man if I hug you I could for this security. Thanks brotha 🤜🏼
I agree with Josh McBride. I have a small splitter like yours and I've had some small splits fly off the end and land 20-30 feet away. Those were mostly dense thick branches and not big log splits but I would err on the side of caution. The kinetic energy of some of those are surprising.
This is the best video on this subject I've seen. Cookout coach covered a lot of this in a short ammount of time, but this feels like the full course on backyard offset fire managment. Even though it's 30 minutes long not a single word is wasted.
man! this helped me tremendously. i watched this video while bbqing today. i have the exact same bbq pit. and everything you said was 100% accurate. i did some of these things before i saw your video and it worked. everything you talked about helped me have the best bbq tonight. i searched how to avoid a lot of smoke in your bbq and came across your video. TY!! loved this
Wow dude I learned more about smoking in a pit from watching you not smoke anything than i have from the last 50 or so smoking videos I've watched Great video. Thanks for posting.
24 yr old just started smoking and messed up some chicken quarters for my first smoking cook. I was bummed as to why it came out so bitter tasting like complete smoke. Then I watched this video and realized it was bad smoke. Can’t wait to do some test runs knowing what I know now! Thank you, brother! 🙏
I started smoking with an off set stick burner about 30 years ago. I no longer have that smoker. Since then I've used electric smokers, propane smokers, ceramic smokers, my trusty 22" Weber and finally pellet smokers. I'm proud to say that i am not the owner of a Oklahoma Joe off set. I'm like a kid on Christmas! I'm happy to come full circle. This video is the bomb; so much great information! I heading off to watch all of your other videos.
Can’t beat the flavor of the offset! Glad you came back to one. Also glad you liked the information in this video and I hope you like some of my others!
Dude, my first smoker experience was a nightmare. Giving it another try tomorrow, and will employ a lot of this information. Best one I’ve found, so thank you.
If you are on your deck i have used a square cement brick from home Depot for the bottom platform with a aluminum pan circular works great. Also i like the use of firestarters cubes or whichever. Gets the flame going
Bought a house in the country (well as country as NJ gets) two years ago...being a city guy never imagined some of the things I would become obsessed with and building a great backyard BBQ and smoker has become one of them. I've watched videos for the last few months on building smokers, buying smokers, wood and fires and by a mile this has been the most educational and straightforward video I've seen. I was stoked because I had a couple trees fall this winter and kept them for firewood and within the first few minutes of this video I realized I would not be able to use that wood for another two years as they've been sitting outside through rain and snow uncovered. From start to end of this video is like taking a class on logic that I thought was simple yet had no clue. Thank you
HAHA dude isn't it hilarious? I moved from the country to the city and was like " as long as I can still BBQ, I don't care" LOL. I really appreciate your feedback truly! Glad you can apply it to make great BBQ. If you have any other questions, let me know!
This was the best video I’ve watched so far on smokers. You deff deserve to be gifted a new smoker from that company you mentioned. Thanks for all the tips !
thank you for this video , i learn a lots of new tips , im a 72 yrs old men who loves to cook out or smoke it , and a appreciated all this information , blessings and good luck
Wow, nice video. Not a beginner here but not a pitmaster either. Just a weekend warrior. I run UDS, electric, and my stick burner. I have the same model you have. If I want a set it and forget it, I run the UDS. I use the electric for low temp smoking of my home made sausages. The Stick Burner is mostly for Brisket or pulled pork. You really covered the important aspects of that size offset smoker. Wood size and keeping the firebox lid open till your wood catches fire. I only run the Offset smoker when I have the whole day to sit and chill out . Therapeutic for me after a long work week. I check my fire every 30 mins. Works for me. Just need to make sure you have enough beer for the cook. No running to the liquor store for more beer if you run out.
Wow you have quite the collection! I wish I could have that variety of options. I feel the same way. Most people don't understand it, but watching a fire all day can be very therapeutic! Especially when you have a few ice cold brews. Unfortunately, I have been in that situation where I run out, but I have some good friends close by that will bring me another case. Just gotta pay them in brisket! 😁
I've been doing this for quite some time and I will say this was a great video for beginners. Have the same smoker - you nailed it. Keep up the good work!
This is a long video and I appreciate the length and depth you went into this. I"m new to bbq and I like to know exactly how things are working and why they are. This has been so great to watch. Thank you so much. Subscribed!
Glad you appreciate the attention to detail. I was the same way when I started. And of course thank you for the sub! Hope you enjoy some of the other stuff I have on this channel.
The clean smoke issue is what im dealing with today...yhe outside bark " after 3 hours its still too wet to really be bark" has a bitter taste to it. Thanks for helping me figure out the problem
I’ve watched so many fire management videos but this 1 has been the most beneficial. I learned the biggest issue I had was my coal bed. Today was the most stress free cook I had thanks to this video
That's awesome! I'm so happy to hear I made fire management less stressful for you. Believe me, I know it can be a complete pain with just one thing not going right!
@FattysFeasts Not to sound like a total Duh, but what is the benefit of using a coal bed? I'm fairly new & using a smaller vertical gas smoker. It has a small tray that rests slightly above the "burner" that allows me to put a small amount of wood on. I use commercial brand chunks & chips. I have a terrible time w/dirty smoke. I never seem to get to that light blue phase. Either my wood burns too fast or too slow. I maybe get about an hour out of it. I definitely need gasket tape, it has gaps & rarely do I get it up to 275°f. Because of this I bought a bag of charcoal hoping it would help up the smoker temp when I cooked. The few times I tried the charcoal, I didn't seem to notice any difference, not in the temp, the wood burn, or the flavor. Was I not using enough maybe or was I doing it wrong?
A "must view" video for beginners at offset smoking. Coming from a pellet smoker recently tried pork ribs on my new OKJ Longhorn and turned out great. Maintained a clean fire (250F grate level) with small wood pieces/ adding more often. First time ribs were not overcooked and falling apart. Next up is a brisket when the weather warms. Thank you for your sage advice and glad I viewed your video before attempting.
I really appreciate the advice. I've watched a few channels on the best way to smoke with wood and I have to admit that while the others were very, very good, they didn't cover every nuance that you did. That being said, I'll take advice from a potato if it knows how to do something better than me.
The potato comment killed me 😂 I’m glad you enjoyed it and that I could help! I noticed the same thing in a lot of those videos and I’m glad you noticed as well!
Omg Yes, yes, yes 🔥loved you talking about your wood, size , and thickness And of course making sure we all stay clean, adjusting our wood position while keeping the Fire going🧘 What wisdom bro Thanks it was truly good for me! You are the grill master 💯 Can’t wait…. Definitely going to feed many a whole lot of amazing Meat!!!
Just bought my first offset. I’ve been using a barrel grill as a makeshift smoker for years. I mean using a two zone fire and small chunks. I can’t wait to give this offset a go. Hopefully I can catch on pretty quick and just throw the barrel on the side of the road.
I gave up on my offset smoker because of my inability to maintain temps and producing dirty nasty tasting smoke. This video is getting me motivated to give it another go. Thanks!
So glad to hear that! Please give it another go. Smoking can be a pain at first. I understand that so well. But you should never give up. It’s all about trial and error!
This video is perfection!!!! Helped me to just go with your set by step and then just add wood or let it die slightly to try to adjust and get temp back. This was so helpful man!
This video was awesome….saved for sure…I am not a first timer, but recently bought an offset after 13 years away from one. Need to rebuild my fire mgmt capability. Keep up the good work.
This opened my eyes , I'm the true beginner. My first rack of ribs were bad due too much dirty white smoke. Edible, but off tasting . This video really helped me understand what to do next, yhe correct way. Thank you.
The video popped up for me on youtube so I clicked. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this was a great video on fire management. I'm not a rookie but you gave me a couple tips like putting another temp probe by the stack and building a larger wood fire first rather than using charcoal. Thanks!
I have been cooking on a stick burner for at least twenty years and your video is right on you have done a fantastic job especially on dirty smoke is going to happen and it's ok and pointing out that not all smokers are the same just like beef or pork no two pigs cook alike again I certainly do appreciate your time in making this for the beginners I know it's very hard to get it right and some give up after one or two cooks that's a shame hell even I make mistakes after twenty years of BBQ it's all bout what you learned from your mistakes thanks again
I appreciate the kind words. I'm all about transparency and no one is perfect, especially when it comes to BBQ. I was extremely discouraged when I first started and it took a while to get everything dialed in, but once you do, it's second nature. I actually just made a video yesterday cooking a brisket and the bark was NOT good and I have no idea why, but I'll still be posting it since I want people to see that it's not always going to work out perfect!
I'm ditching the pellet smoker. It was great to learn on but moving up to Oklahoma Joe and love that you can teach me the basics on wood fire I'll definitely try your suggestions
I have the Oklahoma Joe Highland and his tips apply perfectly with the fire management in those. I use a charcoal basket and start my fires with lump coal with using splits as fuel. Instead of paper and a chimney I just put the charcoal directly in the basket and light it with a torch. I fired those lighters that he is using in this video a long time ago. Lol I do need to look at possibly using even smaller splits or chunks as my temps do have a tendency to spike in the middle of the cook. My damper on the firebox sucks eggs so I just use the firebox door as a damper and keep the smoke stack wide open.
I cut and split my own firewood for cookin and fire inside during the winter. I always end up with lots of things splits and slivers and save them for starting fires. I do use the chimney and paper, the brown paper I get from where we order our dog food, they pack it with that paper, free starter and the best I've ever used. Good video!
I've grilled with charcoal all my life, but got an offset smoker and was so excited to do my first pork butt. I made the rub and smoked it for about 7 hours and the texture was perfect. Made the sauce from a friend's Carolina recipe which tasted awesome. Tried some and it was horrible. Thanks so much for the informative video because my problem was dirty smoke. Didn't realize that smoke billowing out when I added wood would totally ruin a great butt. Now I'm going back and watch more of your videos and subscribed so I can keep up new ones. Thanks so much for this!!!
I too thought the whole "more smoke is better" thing originally, before I really started digging in. Glad I could help! Let me know if you have any other questions!
I built my own wood smoker 30 years ago and still cook on it occasionally, I have a fire tube, smoke exhaust from the fire box end, i still learn something new every time I cook on it, going to try cooking on mostly charcoal and different kinds of fruit wood and cooking at 225 degrees instead of my normal 300 degrees and oak only for Thanksgiving.
Very cool video. New to your channel and did my first offset smoker cook yesterday. I have found on mine, with little experience, that 275 is the cleanest fire i can burn.
What smoker do you have? That sounds about right, especially on a smoker on this size. I did a video recently on dirty smoke, mainly for small cookers like this if you want to check it out. May help you even more!
🎉THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT THIS IS JUST GREAT 👍🏼 VIDEO !!! I have smoked about 3 to 4 times, and this video explains alot of what I went through, ill be a pro after watching your video!! BIG THANK YOU !!! 💥💯💯💯
Thanks for the great, informative vid! I just got an old country Brazos and really appreciate your advice on fire management. Soon as I got it home, I took out the heat baffle, threw away the tuning plates, and extended the smoke stack, which really improved confection and promoted better evenness in the cook chamber.
thank you very much for this Video. I have now my first Smoker (Joe's 16" Special) since last Thursday. Today i burnt him in. Next Week i start with Baby Back Ribs. Sorry for my english. Greetings from Frankfurt/Germany
I’m a regular Webber kettle, lump charcoal backyard bbq kind of guy and I’ve been considering making the jump to one of these offset smoker but been very intimidated by fire control and how to use wood as the main fire source. This video has really simplified a lot. Thank you for such an informative video
Doing the first run on a new higher quality smoker after my King Griller. Wanted to see if theres more tricks to managing one of these Old Country's. Learned a pretty good amount that im trying now. Only thing id add on this video. Is use a haur dryer if you have a piece that won't light. Its cheap and quick while saving you from wasting any wood.
Great video, I been smoking for about a year now. I usually use 16" logs but been thinking about cutting to smaller pieces. Definitely will cut them smaller and try that out .
Definitely give it a try! You have so much more control with smaller splits, especially in a backyard smoker. If you’re running something over 250, the 16in pieces would work well.
Great video, I have a smoker about the same size you have there on the video. I did a smoke of 2 briskets this past weekend and I did the same thing you did; I removed the wood basket from the firebox and just had nothing in there, and my bed of hot coals stayed consistently good. The basket really limits the size of wood and bed of coals you want to have. I've been smoking for about 3 years now and am finally getting the hand of controlling the temps. It took me a while. Keep up the good work. I also purchased a ThermoPro TP25 that I really like.
Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, it does take practice and patience, especially when you have limited time. I feel that simplicity is key when managing the fire. The less variables the better!
Thank you brotha Loved your vid!! Im a first timer getting ready to put together my first offset smoker! I love to bbq and this going to be a challenge using this But like you said learn by trial and error!.. Appreciate what you do for the bbqing community😊 Keep doing what you do!🤙
I am really glad you made this video. I think we have the same exact set up down to the water pan that you are using. I was looking for content because I have been getting the temp swings mainly when I add wood. I'm gonna try the smaller pieces. I am using almost the same diameter splits but they are longer. Thanks for the advise.
Glad you found it! I did the same thing at first...Thin splits that were way too long, because that's what I saw other people doing. It really comes down to trial and error. Let me know how it goes!
Great video. I’ve been spoken for about 15 years and still love to watch a helpful video. You use smaller splits than me and I’m going to try your method tomorrow. 12 pound brisket and our weather is in the teens in west Texas tomorrow but I ain’t scared! Thanks. SMOKE ON!
That’s awesome man! I’m glad I could help. I’m the same way. Love seeing other people’s methods. Let me know how it goes. Up here in CT it’s actually very mild but I know in the next few days it will be brutally cold again 😩
Thank you for the video just got my first offset smoker and trying to learn how to smoke with it vs what I'm use to doing on my charcoal grill. Your video has helped me with not freaking out over a little white smoke.
Glad I could help! Yeah it’s definitely a major change when you start using an offset. I used to freak anytime I had a little smoke also but at the end of the day, it’s no biggy 😃
I've managed mine differently and had what I thought was good success. I usually have charcoal in the bottom grate of my offset, and continually add small amounts throughout my smoke. Then above that I have grates I place my wood on to smoke. If that wood catches fire, a temperature spike occurs.
It's a good concept, I just try to avoid adding more charcoal unless my coal bed is really just not there. I also don't like keeping wood in the firebox itself. I've had it catch too many times.
Thanks for the info man. I learned some good thing and got reassurance that I’m doing a few things correct. Fire control has been my biggest learning area when it comes smoking.
For years I have been using a charcoal grill. I added hardwood to the charcoal for smoke, while I have the meat off set for indirect cooking. I have cooked pork roasts that way. But with my new smoker none of the old grilling methods worked. I see from this video I was making the fires too big. The wood was too large. I was having fluctuations of high and low heat and had to baby sit the smoker all afternoon. It was frustrating. I'm going to try again using some of the tips you taught us. Just two small sticks of wood!
Smoking right now I’ve been waiting almost 10 years for this day. Thank you for your tips and u really helped me today! I thought white smoke was good 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I've just been given an offset smoker by a mate who has upgraded. Your video is really good, and I am heading out to do a test burn to see what she does!
Really nice video. I keep a large pan full of water under the primary cooking area. Helps stabilize temp, and catches most of the drippings and makes cleanup easier.
Glad you enjoyed it! I'm a water pan next to the firebox guy myself, but I also appreciate an easy cleanup! My only concern would be grease fires, but I'm assuming you haven't had an issue with that?
@@FattysFeasts None; the pan is 2 inches deep and has about 1.5 inch of water. Rendered grease just floats on top. Since its in the smoke chamber not in the fire box - never had to worry about a flareup.
I learned something today and am looking forward to a few practices smokes. I will check your page to see if theres a video on cleaning a charcoal grill like thoroughly clean it.
I have one of the original OKLAHOMA JOE vertical offsets and I use about the same splits and it works great for me. I add 2 splits about every 15-20 mins.
You're doing well. Trick is in adding smaller portions of wood. And splitting will result in larger surface to burn (more heat). I also added some more comments.
Great job and nice tips for beginners. I think the most important tip you shared was the size of the wood. Like you, I first thought that bigger was better and it drove me f'n insane. Huge temp spikes, dirty smoke and constantly fanning the fire to keep it going. So like you again 😁, I bought a wood splitter and already had a miter saw in my wood shop. Game changer!!! Again, nice job and keep up the good work!
Here are the links to other videos mentioned in this one:
Best Wood Choices: ua-cam.com/video/rpaCFw3QvmY/v-deo.html
How To Extend Your Stack: ua-cam.com/video/qMCBjzdNWXU/v-deo.html
My First Ever Brisket Cook: ua-cam.com/video/zmUmBZ9EDog/v-deo.html
Do you have any tips or tricks for beginners that I didn't mention in the video? Let us know below!
@@user-om2tm4fm7x I think my first question is what type of smoker are you using? It doesn't sound like it's an offset if you're using chips.
@@user-om2tm4fm7x Ok I understand now. If it's a very cheap offset, it would be tough to use splits like I did here anyway, since it's typically too small. Charcoal is the way to go for sure as the main source of fuel. But, I still would not use "chips" as those are for propane smokers where you can soak them or use them in a smoker box for a gas grill. In your case, could you get a bag of wood chunks? Those shouldn't be too bad to find, but I don't know for sure in your area. I'm assuming if you can get chips, you can get chunks.
@@user-om2tm4fm7x Yeah small baseball size is good. Slap one of those guys on every 20 min or so for that smoke flavor. The problem with the chips I have in your case is they just burn fast, at least from what I've seen on offsets the size you described. You could try wrapping in foil, but I think the chunks would serve you so much better.
I'm not a beginner, but I don't mind admitting that this is the best beginners and experienced BBQ lesson on fire management on the Tube ! Thanks so much for your time and consideration too keep our faith and motivation up when we may feel that our cooker has got a mind of it's own, because , brother you have given us BBQ brethren hope !!!
I’m so glad to hear you appreciated this video and it means a lot that you think it’s one of the best lessons you’ve seen! I know it’s so frustrating sometimes, especially on the cheaper smokers.
This guy is a beginner you are a grifter.
Awesome instruction. The corny jokes helped, too. Never thought I'd watch a UA-cam video about a guy's wood, but here we are! 😁
Funny how life works that way right? 😂
I too am not a beginner but always looking for new tips and tricks. This is one of the best videos/demonstration on fire management I have ever seen. Nice job!
Thanks man! Means a lot to hear that!
One thing I picked up for pretty cheap to use when smoking is a pair of Harbor Freight welding gloves. Put those on and I can reach into the firebox and move coals and wood to my hearts content.
Oh hell yes! Harbor Freight is awesome first of all, but that's an awesome tip!
As a beginner I definitely think it’s easier to avoid temperature spikes by using small chunks of wood and adding them more often
You got the right idea! When I started, everything I saw said use bigger splits, but I just couldn’t get it to work well.
Let me say this, I am guessing you are a hell of a father because you are good at explaining and keeping a situation as common sense and as plain as it gets.
I am actually not a father but I'm glad you appreciated my talkative nature 😂😂
I gotta find a wood place. Hate buying it at the store.
@@FattysFeasts don't wait too long teacher
@@cfletcher1723 I'm waiting as long as I can 😂😂
Shag him
Thanks for being so detailed and actually showing the fire as you explained managing it. I’m almost done with my first offset build and looking forward to trying to learn this all myself with your tips!
That's awesome that you're building your own! I wish I had the skills to do that. I'm glad I could help!!
I'm an avid smoker and griller, but I have been using two drum smokers for the last several years. I'm from Texas, and everyone says I make better briskets than any restaurant around, and the best they've ever had, but I know I can do even better and there is just no challenge with the drum. I have it down to a science and it turns out great every time, but I am finally ready to work for my supper, so to speak; so I bought a stick burner. I quickly learned that I was playing the T Ball league of smoking.
I have had it for a couple weeks now, and the wife is getting sick of me doing practice burns every single day, but I just want to say that your advice on fire management has been invaluable to me. Admittedly, I have, in the last two weeks, experimented with every method on UA-cam, but yours is, by far, the most effective; probably because it truly is "keep it simple stupid".
I have a reputation to uphold around my neighborhood, and I feel confident that I will soon make a brisket that surpasses all my others, thanks to you. Cheers!
Thanks for the kind words! I'm looking forward to you pumping out some killer BBQ and I'm glad I could help!
I just bought a smoker and this video was awesome. My confidence level has gone up exponentially, you did a great job. 🎉🎉🎉
Glad I could help. I'm sure you'll love it. Happy smoking!
There is such a thing as “too clean” a fire - and you lose flavor as a result. I’m not advocating heavy white dirty smoke, but no need to stress over every little puff of smoke. Throw a prewarmed split on and close it up. As long as you are not using splits WAY to big (as you pointed out) the process is quite forgiving in the long run.
You make a valid point. Thanks for throwing that out there!
I have been grilling n smoking for a good while and am a UA-cam nut. This is by far the best video I have ever seen on fire management. Well done sir!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Happy smoking!
Thanks for all the effort you put into this video. I've been working between a pellet smoker/grill (not a fan) and a weber kettle (solid, but small) and really want to get into an offset smoker next spring. Studying hard, and again appreciate your video here very much!
Glad I could help! You definitely can't beat offset smoking. It'll be a learning experience for sure, but once you get it, you'll never turn back!
I like the offset, vut it is alot more babysitting and storage for the wood.
@@chuckheinch It's worth the hassle for some great tasting bbq
24:23 is the greatest take away!!! Thank you 🙏
I have found that using wood about the size of a Pringles container works best for me. I normally buy wood by the truckload and store it similar to the way you do. I bought a load that was supposed to be seasoned oak and hickory. I looked through some of it the next week and there was lots of pine and about half of the load was still "green". Never bought from that guy again. I even told him that I was using it in my smoker!!!
Oh my god…that’s a nightmare. I’d be so pissed if I saw pine in my load. I’m not fully convinced mine was completely dry enough either. Definitely is now but the first few months had me questioning it a bit.
I've been BBQing and using an electric smoker for years. I'll be buying my first offset smoker (Oklahoma Joe's) soon. I really appreciate the backyard, common-sense vibe and non-pretentious advice.
Welcome to the offset fam! Glad you enjoyed the video!
I’m sure you’ve watch chuds bbq. The dirty vs clean smoke is debatable. Jirby, Jeremy Yoder, and Brad have all confirmed you don’t want clear smoke for the first part of the cook. Once I saw that I was actually able to maintain a more consistent temperature and the smoke profile on my food was better. It also allowed me to use larger splits. And I control the temp by how I lay them in the coals. The splits are long enough that they can bridge over the coals perpendicular to the smoker for a little air gap and if it starts to run away I can turn it at a bit of an angle and burry it in the coals to varying degrees to bring the temps down a bit. Just another tool in the box for running that fire.
Maybe I came off a little wrong in the video, but I did mention it’s near impossible to burn a crystal clean fire at low temps and that burning a somewhat dirty fire isn’t the worst thing in the world. I have a brisket video coming out soon where I explain that a little better. I like your idea about the splits. I’ll have to give that a try!
@@FattysFeasts no I heard you say it. I completely agree that there’s a lot more forgiveness in a cook. What I was trying to get at is the consensus is changing to say that you want “dirtier” smoke for the first part of the cook. Not billowing white smoke but also not crystal clear. Looking forward to the video. I recently picked up a pecos so it’s nice seeing videos on something similar. I was rocking on old 1/4” Oklahoma joes before this one. Tough having consistent temps on a 30”x16” cook chamber. The pecos is way easier to run.
@@AlaskaBrisketCo I've heard great things about the pecos! Some days I regret spending up for this one 🤣 I just didn't want to take the chance with out temps up in the northeast.
@@FattysFeasts you are preaching to the choir I’m up in anchorage Alaska. I ran my pit at -20 this last winter. I don’t think the pecos will be able to keep up in those temps. The pecos is a place holder till I build an 80 gallon pit out of a couple 3/16” tanks I have. If I had the opportunity to pick up a brazos I would have done it for sure.
No such thing as clean fire.
Been smoking ribs and many cuts of pork and finally think am ready for heavier things like beef and exotic meats, I’m now gonna start to smoke a brisket for new years 2024 and thanks for your knowledge I think I can tackle this with no regret. I thank you my man if I hug you I could for this security. Thanks brotha 🤜🏼
I would definitely accept your hug!!! Happy new years! How did it turn out??
You're going to get injured splitting your wood in that position. Never put yourself on the side of the splitter like this.
If I were using a bigger splitter, I would agree, but I don’t believe these splits are big enough to do any damage.
I agree with Josh McBride. I have a small splitter like yours and I've had some small splits fly off the end and land 20-30 feet away. Those were mostly dense thick branches and not big log splits but I would err on the side of caution. The kinetic energy of some of those are surprising.
@@FattysFeasts Until a log goes POP and clubs you right in the nuts.
Thank you for a very thorough video for beginners, at 61 an old dog can learn new things ! Appreciate you
Glad you enjoyed it and I (a young buck as some say) could help!! 😁
Ahhh hahahaha lessss go!
This is the best video on this subject I've seen. Cookout coach covered a lot of this in a short ammount of time, but this feels like the full course on backyard offset fire managment. Even though it's 30 minutes long not a single word is wasted.
Glad you enjoyed it and appreciated the attention to detail. I haven’t checked out his video yet but I definitely will!
man! this helped me tremendously. i watched this video while bbqing today. i have the exact same bbq pit. and everything you said was 100% accurate. i did some of these things before i saw your video and it worked. everything you talked about helped me have the best bbq tonight. i searched how to avoid a lot of smoke in your bbq and came across your video. TY!! loved this
I just seasoned my Old Country Brazos and looking forward to using the info from this. Wish me luck. Maiden cook on Saturday
Glad you enjoyed it! Let me know how your first cook goes!
How did it go???
Great video. I have watched so many videos on fire management. This one is by far the best. Thank you
That means alot. Thank you!
Best video on UA-cam ive found so far that talks about this
Wow dude I learned more about smoking in a pit from watching you not smoke anything than i have from the last 50 or so smoking videos I've watched
Great video. Thanks for posting.
Perfect video for a beginner like me who is using an affordable offset smoker... Thanks brother.
Glad I could help! Happy smoking!
24 yr old just started smoking and messed up some chicken quarters for my first smoking cook. I was bummed as to why it came out so bitter tasting like complete smoke. Then I watched this video and realized it was bad smoke. Can’t wait to do some test runs knowing what I know now! Thank you, brother! 🙏
Happy to help man!! At least it was just chicken!!
Start with a Boston Butt (Pork Butt). It is the most forgiving meat to smoke. Almost impossible to mess it up.
I started smoking with an off set stick burner about 30 years ago. I no longer have that smoker. Since then I've used electric smokers, propane smokers, ceramic smokers, my trusty 22" Weber and finally pellet smokers. I'm proud to say that i am not the owner of a Oklahoma Joe off set. I'm like a kid on Christmas! I'm happy to come full circle. This video is the bomb; so much great information! I heading off to watch all of your other videos.
Can’t beat the flavor of the offset! Glad you came back to one. Also glad you liked the information in this video and I hope you like some of my others!
Dude, my first smoker experience was a nightmare. Giving it another try tomorrow, and will employ a lot of this information. Best one I’ve found, so thank you.
Hopefully it went well!!
If you are on your deck i have used a square cement brick from home Depot for the bottom platform with a aluminum pan circular works great. Also i like the use of firestarters cubes or whichever. Gets the flame going
Thank you, very informative. Every one always talks about the finished product. Lots of questions answered, and I thought I had all the answers.
Thank you! I try to always show all the important parts. How you get there is way more important than the finished product, in my opinion.
One of the most informational video's I have seen for the regular smoker, THANK YOU!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Bought a house in the country (well as country as NJ gets) two years ago...being a city guy never imagined some of the things I would become obsessed with and building a great backyard BBQ and smoker has become one of them. I've watched videos for the last few months on building smokers, buying smokers, wood and fires and by a mile this has been the most educational and straightforward video I've seen. I was stoked because I had a couple trees fall this winter and kept them for firewood and within the first few minutes of this video I realized I would not be able to use that wood for another two years as they've been sitting outside through rain and snow uncovered. From start to end of this video is like taking a class on logic that I thought was simple yet had no clue. Thank you
HAHA dude isn't it hilarious? I moved from the country to the city and was like " as long as I can still BBQ, I don't care" LOL. I really appreciate your feedback truly! Glad you can apply it to make great BBQ. If you have any other questions, let me know!
This was the best video I’ve watched so far on smokers. You deff deserve to be gifted a new smoker from that company you mentioned. Thanks for all the tips !
HAHA I wish! Glad you enjoyed it!
thank you for this video , i learn a lots of new tips , im a 72 yrs old men who loves to cook out or smoke it , and a appreciated all this information , blessings and good luck
Thanks and I'm glad I could provide you some tips!!
Wow, nice video. Not a beginner here but not a pitmaster either. Just a weekend warrior. I run UDS, electric, and my stick burner. I have the same model you have. If I want a set it and forget it, I run the UDS. I use the electric for low temp smoking of my home made sausages. The Stick Burner is mostly for Brisket or pulled pork. You really covered the important aspects of that size offset smoker. Wood size and keeping the firebox lid open till your wood catches fire. I only run the Offset smoker when I have the whole day to sit and chill out . Therapeutic for me after a long work week. I check my fire every 30 mins. Works for me. Just need to make sure you have enough beer for the cook. No running to the liquor store for more beer if you run out.
Wow you have quite the collection! I wish I could have that variety of options. I feel the same way. Most people don't understand it, but watching a fire all day can be very therapeutic! Especially when you have a few ice cold brews. Unfortunately, I have been in that situation where I run out, but I have some good friends close by that will bring me another case. Just gotta pay them in brisket! 😁
I've been doing this for quite some time and I will say this was a great video for beginners. Have the same smoker - you nailed it. Keep up the good work!
I've watched a ton of "Beginner" "Smoker 101" vids, this is by far the best one so thank you! Also you're funny so I had a good chuckle
Thank you so much!!
This is a long video and I appreciate the length and depth you went into this. I"m new to bbq and I like to know exactly how things are working and why they are. This has been so great to watch. Thank you so much. Subscribed!
Glad you appreciate the attention to detail. I was the same way when I started. And of course thank you for the sub! Hope you enjoy some of the other stuff I have on this channel.
By far one of the videos, I have seen on this subject!! I definitely will be running test smokes to get my pit dialed in. Thank you!!
Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful! Happy smoking!
The clean smoke issue is what im dealing with today...yhe outside bark " after 3 hours its still too wet to really be bark" has a bitter taste to it. Thanks for helping me figure out the problem
I’ve watched so many fire management videos but this 1 has been the most beneficial. I learned the biggest issue I had was my coal bed. Today was the most stress free cook I had thanks to this video
That's awesome! I'm so happy to hear I made fire management less stressful for you. Believe me, I know it can be a complete pain with just one thing not going right!
@FattysFeasts Not to sound like a total Duh, but what is the benefit of using a coal bed? I'm fairly new & using a smaller vertical gas smoker. It has a small tray that rests slightly above the "burner" that allows me to put a small amount of wood on. I use commercial brand chunks & chips. I have a terrible time w/dirty smoke. I never seem to get to that light blue phase. Either my wood burns too fast or too slow. I maybe get about an hour out of it. I definitely need gasket tape, it has gaps & rarely do I get it up to 275°f. Because of this I bought a bag of charcoal hoping it would help up the smoker temp when I cooked. The few times I tried the charcoal, I didn't seem to notice any difference, not in the temp, the wood burn, or the flavor. Was I not using enough maybe or was I doing it wrong?
Noticed I could add more. Great safety tips!! Your additional info is spot on. I hope everyone pays attention to what you are saying!!
Thank you!!
A "must view" video for beginners at offset smoking. Coming from a pellet smoker recently tried pork ribs on my new OKJ Longhorn and turned out great. Maintained a clean fire (250F grate level) with small wood pieces/ adding more often. First time ribs were not overcooked and falling apart. Next up is a brisket when the weather warms. Thank you for your sage advice and glad I viewed your video before attempting.
So awesome to hear that your switch went well! Thanks for watching and happy smoking!
I really appreciate the advice. I've watched a few channels on the best way to smoke with wood and I have to admit that while the others were very, very good, they didn't cover every nuance that you did. That being said, I'll take advice from a potato if it knows how to do something better than me.
The potato comment killed me 😂 I’m glad you enjoyed it and that I could help! I noticed the same thing in a lot of those videos and I’m glad you noticed as well!
Omg
Yes, yes, yes 🔥loved you talking about your wood, size , and thickness
And of course making sure we all stay clean, adjusting our wood position while keeping the
Fire going🧘
What wisdom bro
Thanks it was truly good for me!
You are the grill master 💯
Can’t wait….
Definitely going to feed many a whole lot of amazing Meat!!!
Glad I could help out! Happy smoking!
This was fantastic. I appreciate the help. Going to try the extended stack for sure.
Awesome! Let me know how it works out!
Just bought my first offset. I’ve been using a barrel grill as a makeshift smoker for years. I mean using a two zone fire and small chunks. I can’t wait to give this offset a go. Hopefully I can catch on pretty quick and just throw the barrel on the side of the road.
I gave up on my offset smoker because of my inability to maintain temps and producing dirty nasty tasting smoke. This video is getting me motivated to give it another go. Thanks!
So glad to hear that! Please give it another go. Smoking can be a pain at first. I understand that so well. But you should never give up. It’s all about trial and error!
This video is perfection!!!! Helped me to just go with your set by step and then just add wood or let it die slightly to try to adjust and get temp back. This was so helpful man!
Glad you enjoyed it and I could help you out!!
I’m a beginner smoker, and look forward to using your tips and tricks. Very well explained.👍🏼
Glad I was able to help!!
This video was awesome….saved for sure…I am not a first timer, but recently bought an offset after 13 years away from one. Need to rebuild my fire mgmt capability. Keep up the good work.
Glad to hear you're back in the game and glad I could help!
I am not new to smoking in a general, but new to offset fire box smoking.
I learned a great deal from this video. Thank you!
Glad I could help! It is definitely a different animal!
This opened my eyes , I'm the true beginner. My first rack of ribs were bad due too much dirty white smoke. Edible, but off tasting . This video really helped me understand what to do next, yhe correct way. Thank you.
Awesome! Glad I could help!
The video popped up for me on youtube so I clicked. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this was a great video on fire management. I'm not a rookie but you gave me a couple tips like putting another temp probe by the stack and building a larger wood fire first rather than using charcoal. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have been cooking on a stick burner for at least twenty years and your video is right on you have done a fantastic job especially on dirty smoke is going to happen and it's ok and pointing out that not all smokers are the same just like beef or pork no two pigs cook alike again I certainly do appreciate your time in making this for the beginners I know it's very hard to get it right and some give up after one or two cooks that's a shame hell even I make mistakes after twenty years of BBQ it's all bout what you learned from your mistakes thanks again
I appreciate the kind words. I'm all about transparency and no one is perfect, especially when it comes to BBQ. I was extremely discouraged when I first started and it took a while to get everything dialed in, but once you do, it's second nature. I actually just made a video yesterday cooking a brisket and the bark was NOT good and I have no idea why, but I'll still be posting it since I want people to see that it's not always going to work out perfect!
I'm ditching the pellet smoker. It was great to learn on but moving up to Oklahoma Joe and love that you can teach me the basics on wood fire I'll definitely try your suggestions
Awesome! The pellet smokers are great for convenience, but you just can't beat the flavor of real wood. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I have the Oklahoma Joe Highland and his tips apply perfectly with the fire management in those. I use a charcoal basket and start my fires with lump coal with using splits as fuel. Instead of paper and a chimney I just put the charcoal directly in the basket and light it with a torch. I fired those lighters that he is using in this video a long time ago. Lol I do need to look at possibly using even smaller splits or chunks as my temps do have a tendency to spike in the middle of the cook. My damper on the firebox sucks eggs so I just use the firebox door as a damper and keep the smoke stack wide open.
Thanks buddy now I don’t need to throw the smoker away. You saved my smoker 😂😂😂 love you ❤❤
Well I'm super glad you're not getting rid of that!!
I cut and split my own firewood for cookin and fire inside during the winter. I always end up with lots of things splits and slivers and save them for starting fires. I do use the chimney and paper, the brown paper I get from where we order our dog food, they pack it with that paper, free starter and the best I've ever used.
Good video!
Love it when you can find random every day objects to keep for BBQ! Glad you enjoyed the video!
This is by far one of the best reviews on the offset smoker i have seen. Thank you very kindly.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you! I am going to do a practice burn on sunday. 1st time. I appreciate this video.
I've grilled with charcoal all my life, but got an offset smoker and was so excited to do my first pork butt. I made the rub and smoked it for about 7 hours and the texture was perfect. Made the sauce from a friend's Carolina recipe which tasted awesome. Tried some and it was horrible. Thanks so much for the informative video because my problem was dirty smoke. Didn't realize that smoke billowing out when I added wood would totally ruin a great butt. Now I'm going back and watch more of your videos and subscribed so I can keep up new ones. Thanks so much for this!!!
I too thought the whole "more smoke is better" thing originally, before I really started digging in. Glad I could help! Let me know if you have any other questions!
I built my own wood smoker 30 years ago and still cook on it occasionally, I have a fire tube, smoke exhaust from the fire box end, i still learn something new every time I cook on it, going to try cooking on mostly charcoal and different kinds of fruit wood and cooking at 225 degrees instead of my normal 300 degrees and oak only for Thanksgiving.
Very cool video. New to your channel and did my first offset smoker cook yesterday. I have found on mine, with little experience, that 275 is the cleanest fire i can burn.
What smoker do you have? That sounds about right, especially on a smoker on this size. I did a video recently on dirty smoke, mainly for small cookers like this if you want to check it out. May help you even more!
I never even thought of being the pit master at a bbq. But your explanation has given me a new goal. Thanks
Glad I could inspire you!! Same thing happened to me. It's a lifestyle, but a fun one for sure!
😂😂lmfao 😂😂 The way you jump into the next scene! Never saw that coming! Outstanding!😂😂Thanks for your tips👍👍
😂😂😂 Glad you enjoyed it!
🎉THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT THIS IS JUST GREAT 👍🏼 VIDEO !!!
I have smoked about 3 to 4 times, and this video explains alot of what I went through, ill be a pro after watching your video!!
BIG THANK YOU !!! 💥💯💯💯
Hell yeah!!! Glad you enjoyed it and learned some things! Let me know how your future cooks go!
Thanks for the great, informative vid! I just got an old country Brazos and really appreciate your advice on fire management. Soon as I got it home, I took out the heat baffle, threw away the tuning plates, and extended the smoke stack, which really improved confection and promoted better evenness in the cook chamber.
Nice! Glad I could help! Have you done a cook on it yet??
I am a newbie at this just bought my first one and this awesome thank you for all your knowledge
Glad to help!! Welcome to the smoking world!
Fantastic video! I finally have a much better understanding of fire management. Thank you!
Awesome! Glad I could help!
You are super entertaining and knowledgeable. Keep up the good work. High quality, fun and informative video.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
thank you very much for this Video. I have now my first Smoker (Joe's 16" Special) since last Thursday. Today i burnt him in. Next Week i start with Baby Back Ribs. Sorry for my english. Greetings from Frankfurt/Germany
Danke! So happy you're joining the offset smoker fam! Let me know how the ribs turn out!
I’m a regular Webber kettle, lump charcoal backyard bbq kind of guy and I’ve been considering making the jump to one of these offset smoker but been very intimidated by fire control and how to use wood as the main fire source. This video has really simplified a lot. Thank you for such an informative video
Hell yeah! Make the jump. You won't be disappointed! If you have any other questions, reach out!!
Can do this on your kettle though. Just build the fire on one side of the grill and set your food on the other
The concept is the same, meaning indirect cooking. But, it's two completely different ways of cooking.@@darkside7109
Doing the first run on a new higher quality smoker after my King Griller. Wanted to see if theres more tricks to managing one of these Old Country's. Learned a pretty good amount that im trying now.
Only thing id add on this video. Is use a haur dryer if you have a piece that won't light. Its cheap and quick while saving you from wasting any wood.
I like that tip! If only I had a hair dryer, but as you could probably assume, I don't need one 😁
Thank you, this is what i was looking for. very precise and on point teaching for the beginner.
Awesome! Glad I could help out. If you have any other questions, don't be afraid to ask!
Great video, I been smoking for about a year now. I usually use 16" logs but been thinking about cutting to smaller pieces. Definitely will cut them smaller and try that out .
Definitely give it a try! You have so much more control with smaller splits, especially in a backyard smoker. If you’re running something over 250, the 16in pieces would work well.
Thank you sir. Have kamado sussed now moving to offset. The firebox open on new logs was great advice. Much love 🤙🏾
Glad I could help! Happy smoking!
Great video, I have a smoker about the same size you have there on the video. I did a smoke of 2 briskets this past weekend and I did the same thing you did; I removed the wood basket from the firebox and just had nothing in there, and my bed of hot coals stayed consistently good. The basket really limits the size of wood and bed of coals you want to have. I've been smoking for about 3 years now and am finally getting the hand of controlling the temps. It took me a while. Keep up the good work. I also purchased a ThermoPro TP25 that I really like.
Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, it does take practice and patience, especially when you have limited time. I feel that simplicity is key when managing the fire. The less variables the better!
Been grilling on charcoal for years! My wife got me an early fathers day present of an offset smoker/grill. Thanks for all the information?
That's awesome! What did you get??
Thank you brotha
Loved your vid!!
Im a first timer getting ready to put together my first offset smoker!
I love to bbq and this going to be a challenge using this
But like you said learn by trial and error!.. Appreciate what you do for the bbqing community😊
Keep doing what you do!🤙
Nice!! So glad I could help! If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out!
I am really glad you made this video. I think we have the same exact set up down to the water pan that you are using. I was looking for content because I have been getting the temp swings mainly when I add wood. I'm gonna try the smaller pieces. I am using almost the same diameter splits but they are longer. Thanks for the advise.
Glad you found it! I did the same thing at first...Thin splits that were way too long, because that's what I saw other people doing. It really comes down to trial and error. Let me know how it goes!
Great video. I’ve been spoken for about 15 years and still love to watch a helpful video. You use smaller splits than me and I’m going to try your method tomorrow. 12 pound brisket and our weather is in the teens in west Texas tomorrow but I ain’t scared! Thanks. SMOKE ON!
That’s awesome man! I’m glad I could help. I’m the same way. Love seeing other people’s methods. Let me know how it goes. Up here in CT it’s actually very mild but I know in the next few days it will be brutally cold again 😩
@@FattysFeasts Just finished an 11 hour cook. Started the day at 12 degrees finished at 24. Used smaller splits and liked it. Thanks! Merry Christmas!
@@jhyde321 Ahhh that's a nice warm smoking day right there! Glad it worked out. Merry Christmas to you as well!
The wood 🪵 part. 😂 as soon as you said John 🗣 John has great 🪵😂
Glad you appreciated that 😂
First time I watch a 30 minutes video, but I learned a lot, thank you for sharing this, now I’m ready to cook on a smoker for the first time,
Glad I could help! Let me know how it goes!
This is Hilariously Dope!!! 😂 Awesome video bro!
Hahaha thank you!
excelente explicacion..de verdad te lo agradezco...muchas muchas gracias!!!!!
Thank you for the video just got my first offset smoker and trying to learn how to smoke with it vs what I'm use to doing on my charcoal grill. Your video has helped me with not freaking out over a little white smoke.
Glad I could help! Yeah it’s definitely a major change when you start using an offset. I used to freak anytime I had a little smoke also but at the end of the day, it’s no biggy 😃
I've managed mine differently and had what I thought was good success.
I usually have charcoal in the bottom grate of my offset, and continually add small amounts throughout my smoke. Then above that I have grates I place my wood on to smoke. If that wood catches fire, a temperature spike occurs.
It's a good concept, I just try to avoid adding more charcoal unless my coal bed is really just not there. I also don't like keeping wood in the firebox itself. I've had it catch too many times.
Thanks Chris. I'm in the market for a offset smoker and your video helps loads. I've used charcoal bbqs and got good flavor. Looking forward to great.
Glad you’re looking to upgrade. You won’t be disappointed!
Thanks for the info man. I learned some good thing and got reassurance that I’m doing a few things correct. Fire control has been my biggest learning area when it comes smoking.
Glad I could help!! Sometimes that reassurance is all we need!
For years I have been using a charcoal grill. I added hardwood to the charcoal for smoke, while I have the meat off set for indirect cooking. I have cooked pork roasts that way. But with my new smoker none of the old grilling methods worked. I see from this video I was making the fires too big. The wood was too large. I was having fluctuations of high and low heat and had to baby sit the smoker all afternoon. It was frustrating. I'm going to try again using some of the tips you taught us. Just two small sticks of wood!
I had the same exact problems! Glad I could prevent you some of the headaches I had!!
Bro you are a lifesaver!!!!
Hey, I just bought an upset smoker. Saw your video and subscribed . Good job.
Awesome! Glad you've joined the stick burning community! If you have any questions, definitely reach out!
Smoking right now I’ve been waiting almost 10 years for this day. Thank you for your tips and u really helped me today! I thought white smoke was good 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Damn! Glad I could help out!!
I've just been given an offset smoker by a mate who has upgraded. Your video is really good, and I am heading out to do a test burn to see what she does!
Awesome! What kind of smoker is it??
@@FattysFeasts home made job by the look of it, body a bit smaller in size than yours, firebox appears to be an old 9kg gas cylinder.
Really nice video. I keep a large pan full of water under the primary cooking area. Helps stabilize temp, and catches most of the drippings and makes cleanup easier.
Glad you enjoyed it! I'm a water pan next to the firebox guy myself, but I also appreciate an easy cleanup! My only concern would be grease fires, but I'm assuming you haven't had an issue with that?
@@FattysFeasts None; the pan is 2 inches deep and has about 1.5 inch of water. Rendered grease just floats on top. Since its in the smoke chamber not in the fire box - never had to worry about a flareup.
@@johnlove4183 Interesting. I may try that at some point!
I learned something today and am looking forward to a few practices smokes. I will check your page to see if theres a video on cleaning a charcoal grill like thoroughly clean it.
Glad you learned something! I made a video about cleaning and seasoning this smoker. ua-cam.com/video/xak7IleOYCo/v-deo.html
I have one of the original OKLAHOMA JOE vertical offsets and I use about the same splits and it works great for me. I add 2 splits about every 15-20 mins.
Glad to hear this way works out for you as well!
You're doing well. Trick is in adding smaller portions of wood. And splitting will result in larger surface to burn (more heat).
I also added some more comments.
Great video ….I’ve learned a lot,everything was explained very well…Thanks alot
Very glad I could help!
@@FattysFeasts he
Great job and nice tips for beginners. I think the most important tip you shared was the size of the wood. Like you, I first thought that bigger was better and it drove me f'n insane. Huge temp spikes, dirty smoke and constantly fanning the fire to keep it going. So like you again 😁, I bought a wood splitter and already had a miter saw in my wood shop. Game changer!!! Again, nice job and keep up the good work!
Glad to hear someone else had the same problem! It was definitely extremely frustrating. The saw and splitter really do make life so easy!