CEL555 Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 Just tried my first ‘smoke’ on a landmann Kentucky smoker. Done quite a lot of research before trying it and I’m quite good at standard BBQ 😃 but this smoking has got me completely stumped. 🥴 possibly not the right place to start with a post like this (apologies) but I need some help please 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icefever Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Morning Cel555 & welcome....so let's get this sorted...an offset is not the easiest of smokers to start with, I know I also have a Kentucky. 3 hours ago, CEL555 said: Done quite a lot of research before trying it and I’m quite good at standard BBQ 😃 What's your idea of a standard BBQ?? a kettle (Weber style?) using charcoal? 3 hours ago, CEL555 said: possibly not the right place to start with a post like this (apologies) but I need some help please 🙂 First off there's no need for apologies, the forum is here for that reason to help where we can....so start by telling us what you're trying to smoke or grill? how have you set up the smoker, what food are you cooking??. What fuel did you use? any info you can give us will help to sort out and we'll have you smoking in no time. Ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jockaneezer Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Welcome aboard mate. Good advice from Ice, post some more info and we'll get you sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEL555 Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 Morning - thanks for your replies. :) Sorry there was definatley not enough info on my first post. Standard BBQ - using an open charcoal type for many years, never had one with a lid before. Always used charcoal on this. I was trying to smoke a smallish piece of Brisket. Dry rubbed with salt and black pepper, left in the fridge wrapped in cling film for a few hours before I started. I got the fire going in the smoking chamber by lighting some briquettes, wouldnt normaly use these at all, but cheap enough for using as an ignition source for the wook chunks and most of the info I'd seen before suggested this was the way forward. So, I got the fire going, closed the lid. Temperature up to around 110 degrees C. Put a tray of water under the meat in the main chamber and put the meat on the cooking area. Struggled to keep the temperature constant big time! Though became a little easier as time went on. There was a lot of white smoke all the time and couldnt do much about that really. I found the cleaner the wood was burning ( less smoke) the temperature was getting out of control. Up to around 180 degrees C Left the meat in the smoker for around 4 hours, then took it out, didn't look great so I cut a piece off the end and tried it. Not pleasant to be honest, way too smoky! I didn't get chance to wrap in foil and leave it for another few hours because it was getting into the middle of the night.. The wood I used - possibly not the right type. I bought it from a 'log shop'. Net bag of mixed (apparently) seasoned hard wood. I'm waiting for a delivery of oak chunks and am planning round 2 when they arrive! Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jockaneezer Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Some useful info here about the Kentucky. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icefever Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Ok Chris...I'm + 1 with Jockaneezer on the above OP. Another way of finding out where the heat is in the chamber is to place a few slices of bread around the chamber and keep watch as to how the bread cooks. For the wood not knowing what you were using is a tricky one....some woods are not all that suitable for grilling with, and that could be the cause of the bitter taste, and for us, we only like a mild smoke so I only use wood sparingly. You have oak on order that's better you know what your using then. Keeping the temp steady is the trick you have to learn by using the air vents, and don't rely on the temp probe on the lid that comes with the Kentucky, if you haven't already got a digi thermo, buy one. Here's to the next time, you will have better luck... Ice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEL555 Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 Yes - I had noticed the temperature gauge on the BBQ is not too accurate! I bought a probe for the meat which I stuck in the main chamber while it was smoking. Big difference. Not sure I'm ready to commit to spending so much on a thermometer at the moment, will probably be more confident if I manage a successful ‘smoke’ Didn’t think too much about it last night, but of course it makes sense to not have too much smoke which obviously means less wood. Guess I got carried away with the whole ‘smoker’ thing and assumed loads of smoke was the right way to go. How do you keep the temperature up using just charcoal or briquettes, is there sufficient heat to keep the chamber at the right temperature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Hi and welcome to the group. Lots of help on this forum. If this was one of your first low n slow then brisket may not be the easiest to start with. There’s a few threads about not only how difficult it is to attempt the brisket but if it is the right cut or the difference between uk meat and us. Hope you find lots of help on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icefever Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 2 hours ago, CEL555 said: How do you keep the temperature up using just charcoal or briquettes, is there sufficient heat to keep the chamber at the right temperature? This is where you learn about the control of the air vents, the fire needs oxygen to survive, by using the fire box air vent along with the one on top of the chimney on the Kentucky. Wide open the fire goes wild, shut the vents by half and watch what happens. Ice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikewh13 Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Just a quick question please, Ice I have seen some USA videos where the keep the chimney wide open and control the cooking temp by opening and closing the smoke box door/ door vents. Is this what you would suggest ? Thanks in advance. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icefever Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 Funny that I was given this info only 3 weeks back, tried it on my ProQ last week and it seemed to work ok. When you think it through it's all down to how much oxygen is available to the fire, with the chimney wide open and the air vent on the fire box used then you are still restricting the air flow....so yes give it a go and see what's best for you...let us all know how it goes. Ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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