How to Maintain Temperatures In an Offset Smoker

How to maintain a steady cooking temperature in an offset smoker

In this video experienced pit master Blake, from the Sticky Pits BBQ team, takes you through how to manage your temperatures on a Flaming Coals Texas Offset Smoker using only Ironbark as the fuel.

Airflow is important when starting the fire in the firebox so Blake leaves the ashtray slightly open, the top 2 firebox vents closed and the bottom firebox vent completely open. He also has the flue damper completely open. Doing all of this allows the fire to draw in oxygen from the firebox and vent it out through the flue. Start off with smaller pieces of wood to light your fire and don't put any big pieces on until later in the cook or you will smother the fire and it will go out. The best size of timber to use in an offset smoker are spits that are about 4 - 7cm thick and around 30cm long however the length is not that important as long as they fit in your firebox.

Using thicker timber in a smoker initially creates white smoke which is acrid and not what you want. The best smoke is blueish in colour or almost clear to give lots of flavours. Once the fire is going and coals are starting to form, shut the door on the firebox, leave the bottom firebox vent open but now close the chimney a quarter of the way. You want to have your temperature around 225-250F/107-120C for slow-cooking brisket, pork, lamb and even chicken. At this stage, you can also add some smoking timber chunks to your coals.

During the cook, just use the flue damper to increase or decrease the airflow through the smoker. If you find the smoker is getting too hot, just close the damper further. If you find the smoker is cooling down too much open the damper up and consider putting more wood in the firebox. Just remember it takes around 15 minutes for the effect of your damper adjustment to show, be patient. If you find the heat is increasing too much, open the firebox door which will release some of the heat out of the pit.

The most important tool that you should purchase when cooking in a timber charcoal smoker is a Wireless remote thermometer. This gives you the freedom to leave your pit yet still monitor its cooking temperature and your food temperature at a glance on its remote receiver. 

The next tool that you may want to consider purchasing if you wish to automate the temperature control and damper control of your smoker is an automatic smoker temperature control unit. This will regulate the air entering the smoker hence being able to automatically control the temperature in your cooking chamber. No more damper adjustments, just set your temperature and walk away.

For more information and another pitmaster view on smoker temperature control, have a read through our blog on Maintaining steady temperatures in an offset smoker

by: Rhiannon Peterson