Chunks??? We don't need no steenkin chunks!!!

[Smokin Mike]

I've tried various things in my New Braunfels offset as far as fuel and fire maintenance is concerned. I've burnt only sticks. I've used a combo of chunks and lump. I've even tried lump and chunks and a briquette combo. My goal has been to get the longest burn time keeping a nice ribbon of thin blue smoke as well. Running only sticks has always been a hassle because I have to feed the firebox about every hour. I can usually run a three hour burn on lump and chunks but the chunks seem to peter out rather quickly requiring a refresh to keep the smoke going. My friends, I believe I have stumbled onto the answer. Here's what I've done on my last two cooks and the results have been consistent.

First, I layer in some lump in the bottom of my basket. Then I take as big of a split that I can fit in the basket, allowing some perimeter room to fill in with additional lump around it.


Here's the filled in version with the top of the pile being lit.


Ok, I get things fired up, shut the doors, adjust dampers and within 30 minutes I got some nice blue smoke. You can kinda see it against my storage building.


Ok... all is well. I'm getting blue smoke for a good 2-1/2 hours and then it turns into the really thin smoke. Here's what the basket looks like after 3 hours. The remainder of the split is the black coal on the top. At this point I still have my desired temperatures.


Knowing my cooker usually needs a refresh at about 3 hours, I put another large split onto the bed of coals.


And then I fill it in with fresh lump and top it off with a lit chimney of lump.


I shut the firebox door, crack open the inlet damper a bit, let her get back to temp, then we're off and running for another 3 hours. I do note that I get a bit of white smoke at this time but I'm thinking if I throw down a bed of fresh lump on top of the coals, throw in the split, fill it in... then it might result in a better transition. I'll try that next. Anyway, things look good in these regards and I think I'm done with chunks. It's big splits and lump combo for me. It looks like I can get my 3 hour burn and have the right smoke along with it. I just wanted to share.
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My current cookers: 80 gallon vertical tank
The Ultimate New Braunfels Makeover

[Inner10]

Solid technique, I like it.

[Virginiasmoke]

What are the approx dimensions of your basket?
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BBQ is a fundamental element in all American culture.
It’s perhaps the only truly American cuisine and like anything else that’s purely American, it’s a mutation of influences from around the globe. – A. Bourdain

[Smokin Mike]

Virginiasmoke, My basket is 16" x 10" x 7-3/4" deep. I made it as big as possible but with enough clearance to slide it in the end door.

I made another run last weekend and I think I figured out why this works so well, at least for me. My air intake is on the end and the fresh air actually gets under my log. When I look into the air vent it looks like what you would see in a wood stove. Nice glowing red hot coal, but the whole basket is not fired up. The log is being consumed from the bottom up and as the material on the vent side gets consumed the fire propagates its way towards the cooker.

I'm still working on my replenishment method. I'm not happy with the white smoke that i get when I refuel the basket. The thick smoke eventually calms down but it's still enough to concern me. This is a work in progress. If anybody else tries this, please post up your results.

[RollinontheRvr]

I seem to remeber someone talking about this same type of situation and if I remember right they put the split on top of a warming box to warm it up prior to dropping it in the fire.
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UDS
MUDS



Four years active duty Infantry - '81 -'85

My Local Dive Shop: Oregon City Scuba

[Jarhead]

[Smokin Mike]

[Virginiasmoke]

Looking through this thread again, something occurs to me... I'm surprised you don't have runaway temps using that much fuel. If I ever used that much charcoal (briquettes no less) and a split that large, I would have a 400° cook chamber.
_________________
BBQ is a fundamental element in all American culture.
It’s perhaps the only truly American cuisine and like anything else that’s purely American, it’s a mutation of influences from around the globe. – A. Bourdain

[Smokin Mike]

[Virginiasmoke]

Mine is an odd damper set-up. It has a twist nob that moves a flap, that's hinged at the top, in and out.
Once I build a proper basket, like yours, it may take care of itself.
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BBQ is a fundamental element in all American culture.
It’s perhaps the only truly American cuisine and like anything else that’s purely American, it’s a mutation of influences from around the globe. – A. Bourdain

[Harry Nutczak]

another option for you if wood is free.

Instead of buying lump charcoal, just burn down some splits and shovel them into your firebox, keep a fire going outside of the cooker and add coals as needed.
Have you tried splitting your wood way smaller and burning just wood yet?
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

[Smokin Mike]

[tommy69z]

Interesting idea! I wonder how a big split would work buried in the basket of a UDS? I do miss my offset, but the lack of tending required by a UDS sure spoils ya!