Fire Management Double Barrel

[cleglue]

I'm posting this here instead of PM Doublebarrelsmoker so I can get everyone's input. I have a doublebarrel smoker that actually needs another top barrel. I may or maynot replace it. I had trouble with too much smoke. I only used wood in the bottom barrel for heat and smoke. After working with my new offset smoker I purchased a month ago I think I could probably get it to work better by using charcoal for fuel and wood for smoke.

I would like your input if you have a double barrel smoker on your way of firing up the pit, adding fuel (wood or charcoal) etc. Say you were cooking a boston butt. Could you explain the fire management you do for this type of cook from start to finish?

Thanks.

[KazQ]

Well if that's your cooker in your avatar then you'll definately need something heavier duty..thick steel only if you want to burn all wood for heat and smoke,lightweight metal will make your wood smoke only and no way will you be able to make good BBQ with allwood,which is what most BBQr's say when they give their 1.2 cents worth,"charcoal for heat,, wood for flavor"STFU..So use charcoal banked,add say 6- 8 pounds of lump in your side firebox and just light 10% of the lump,place your 2-3 chunks of fruitwood to the side of the lump- not in it.Also don't get all worried if you don't see your wood smoking at first,tastes better if your wood smokes after the meat warms up anyway,,"Less smoke ring" Who cares,it tastes better period!Now if you had a thick steel pit then you could bring the cooker up to temperature any way you like,from then on you add preheated wood that's prewarming on top of your firebox,and even then it better be seasoned minimum 2 years,also takes practice.What was the question?

[cleglue]

KazQ,
That is not my double barrel smoker in the Avatar. That is my Bar-B-Chef. I have a double barrel smoker but it needs repairs. It is two 55 gallon drums on top of each other.

Here is the picture of the barrel smoker.

http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=doublebarrelsmokersmall0ia.jpg

[BBQ101]

:shock: KazQ has the right idea. Rig some kind of a charcoal basket and use the Minion Method of adding 10 hot coal to the basket (start cutting back your vents when your at 180 if you are shooting for 225). Once you have the temp you want you can start tossing a couple of chunks of wood in for flavor a couple of chunks a hour should do the trick. If your are still getting to much smoke stop adding wood chunks after a couple of hours. The trouble with the Minion method is your fire can get really hot if you do not control the air in the fire box. So if you fire box leaks air though the door find a way to improve the seal.
:wink: Hope this helps no point trashing the double barrel if you can use her for bigger cooks.

[KazQ]

A basket with charcoal would be a good idea here,allwood is hard enough on a thin offset,and really imposible on an upright double barrel,now i seen your cooking in your other photos cleglue,have to say that you'd be brilliant on a proper thick offset pit.

[DoubleBarrelSmoker]

Cleglue- looking at your pics seems like we have similar but not identical rigs. I use only oak that I cut and split myself,let dry hopefully for two years. I start my fire with alot of wood and let it burn down to very hot coals. then I try to get the temp down where i want it by using the dampers and air intakes.[I can't tell if you have dampers on the two bottom chimneys going into the upper barrel -If you don't they are very helpful in controling temp to upper barrel. I sit a water pan over half of the chimney hole so I can keep meat near there and it deflect the heat a little.] I use a Quik-Chek remote thermometer to check temp. Next put the meat on & let er go. I will say it takes a little experience to keep temps even with these DB's, but it sounds like that is true for other type pits as well. Each time coals start to go down and temp goes lower I put in 2-3 splits of wood[the size of say a 2'' pipe 12-14'' long] You will get alot of smoke with wood but I think this is a plus. I have never used charcoal so I can't give you much help there. Good red or white oak is great to work with because it burns so very hot and if damped down properly will burn for a very long time. I've been using my DB for almost three years now so it's still a work in progress for me. Have added an additional shelf for more capacity and I would like to work on the seal for the door- losing too much heat through there. IMHO these things turn out some great BBQ. Hope you work on yours and we can compare notes.

http://usera.imagecave.com/barryturner/doublebarrel/

[cleglue]

Doublebarrel,

I do have two damper between the fire barrel and the smoke barrel. I also have to exhaust each with a damper. My top barrel rusted out where the plate holding the stove pipe is on both side. I just need another top barrel. A little cutting and fitting and I could have it working again. Right now the smoke barrel is sitting on the ground next to the fire barrel. When it was working I use 2 or 2 1/2 year old hickory. I finally got wise in using only little sticks like you describe. 2" pipe size about 12 or 14 inches long.