After 15 years of experience as a weekend warrior and cooking at one of the best BBQ restaurants in the world, I give you everything that I think about when it comes to fire management!
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nice one Joe!
Hi Joe, awesome video. I found it very very helpful. I saw you at Leroy and Lewis a little over a month ago. I was a bit star struck, lol. I saw that you were extremely busy so I didn't want to take any of your time away by going up and saying hi. Thank you for all you do for the BBQ community.
My dude- I have a oyler 700 I’m just now learning to use and would love some input on how to keep the best fire – as in cracking the box door so the damper doesn’t smother it – if I’d benifit from a grate being fabricated for the round chamber for ash clean out etc. have you ever cooked off one of these before? Thanks!
Joe,
Glad you are doing videos again! Very informative. Why does it matter at the start when building a coal bed if you use coals or burn down wood to make coals?
Thanks for this, great to learn from you! I’m going to try the Z method next cook
I did close up the heat exchange mouth by putting a few heat bricks to block the bottom of of it
Awesome!! I will use these the best i can as I still have the Academy job from Old Country pits. I have been splitting splits, then cutting in half (to not create a wood chunk for short side) but maybe I will for the kettle cookers i have, that way I have just a bit longer splits to work with.
Great video Joe. I use my offset for smoking pork belly for bacon. This is a GREAT help. You rock!
Hands down the best fire management videos I’ve seen over the year. Thanks Joe!!!
Thank you so much mighty joe! This video explained the final aspects of offset cooking that I've been curious about for years. I'm excited that I will now feel confident about when to implement a water pan!
Most importantly, I understand much better how my workhorse 1975 cooks the way it does and why it has so much convection. Makes me love it and appreciate the purchase that much more.
Solid advice
thanks Joe for the info. def will try these new tips
MJY glad to see you in another video.
Thank you, I just started a major house fire. 😂
Joe thank you for all this info. You are a great teacher. 🔥
Thank you for this video. I've been smoking for years but I always wanted an offset. I finally got a 94 Gallon one. With a 24×24 inch firebox. 1/4 inch steel.
My question is about wood. I found a supplier and I'm thankful. I have access to different types of wood but at this point I'm starting with Pennsylvania white oak.
He asked me how long I want my logs and I started with 10 inches but I think it would be more ideal to go 12. That said, do you prefer various lengths or do you like to work with one specific length?
Thank you in advance..
I have a workhorse 1969. I know it’s similar to the designs of primitive pits, only smaller. I’m able to just run it stack wide open, running evenly at just about any temperature I also use a Z pattern but that’s too much BTU unless I’m trying to replenish my coal bed. 180-200 looks like a hot coal bed with alternating feeding 1 and 2 splits respectively. 225-250 looks like a larger coal bed with 2-3 splits feeding. And so on. I do not manage temperature by ever choking my fire. I think about wood in terms of btu. Just like you were saying, lower heat moving fast is less abrasive than higher heat at the same speed. So I’ve found that a smaller fire with stack wide open is totally fine. I do whole briskets without ever choking the stack. Great video. Thanks.
I would love to see your take on fire management for the minichudbox and larger direct heat cookers.
What is the size of the fire box on that primitive pit smoker that you were using? I have a workhorse 1975 so I was just wanting to know what what size that was and what size are your splits are that you did the Z pattern with?
joe yim with the k paper
Question on ash in the firebox…do you ever end up having to take out ash during a cook? If so, how do you go about that? If not, do you just keep the coal bed above the ash?
I enjoyed the vid Joe. Greatly appreciated your passion of sharing your golden nuggets of knowledge!!!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video, Joe! Looking forward to trying out some of your fire configurations!!!
Great video Joe help me learn how to cross my fire box over for my cold smoke to convection
This is the kind of info that alot of people needed years ago. The info on throat size and fire and air is exactly what is sought after but hidden somewhere sometimes never to be found. For you to talk about this is like finally someone decided to bring it out into the open. I have a 500 gallon pit with a 7×14 inch throat hole and I'll be damned if your candle example didnt just open my eyes to why its pulling the way it does and why it does with different settings and yes I do have trouble getting the smoke right with it having an insulated firebox. Theres so much info out there but once in awhile theres something that comes out that is invaluable to so many. Thank you sir for helping not only us backyarders but other professionals that need info like this. You are a gem, my friend.
Thank you brother
What ideas from here can you apply to a Weber kettle? I’ve found not crowding your indirect heat source (coals, woods) makes the flavor profile less “charcoal”-Ly. Would constantly adding wood chunks like hickory or pecan enhance or bitter the flavor of the brisket? I’m mindful that lack of convection ultimately hurts the flavor profile but I’m trying to find a middle ground. Thanks!
I have the same 250 Primitive Pits, but it has temperature automation modified by Double Barrel Metal Works. Building fire's and managing the pit was really cool for the first 2 years, but when trying to make sides and desserts, it does get a little tiresome. Now I can build my goldees/bar a method you mentioned at 9:55 which I call "compressed method" for my initial start and cold smoke. My automated intake then takes over for hours. From then I go onto the 4 Lincoln log, but a little more compressed than you showed at 7:48
Great video! This is something that I have struggled with. Thank you!!!
Great Stuff,Joe. Keep the Videos coming when time permits!👍
When you put out your own pit you should call it Chunky Coal Medina
Im smoking ribs and in the shower currently, knowing I need to go check the fire and don't want to. Already been working for 16 hours today! Maaaan
Right on time brother I've been trying to figure out a new pit and this has a lot of super useful ideas. Also pleased to announce a Korean quick stop store just opened up near me and I think they just might have the knewspaper available for purchase
Maybe I missed it, but I didn’t see you add any Korean newspaper… for the flavor of course- so, re-take!!!! 😂
Joe, these fire types are very much like the ones I run on my 130 gallon. Excellent fire management instruction! Really appreciate all the terrific BBQ content – glad to see you’re back. Your brisket stuff is among my favorite.
Great video, post more often. Really enjoy the nerdy side of Smoking.
Great video!
Loved this, not seen anything like this before. I'll definitely be using this as a reference. Thanks!
Can you consider doing a backyard smoker version? I think that's probably where the majority of your viewership is sitting. After watching many of these videos, it seems the larger smokers are more forgiving.
Super informative, thank you!
Let’s open a bbq restaurant
These are my fav videos. I need to watch it a few times to get all the diff topics you touched but I love these
Mighty Joe for the win!!!!
Dude just light briquettes from Kingsford Ina chimney and toss it in the pit. Youll win all comps