The Beginners Guide To Meat Thermometers, The Best Meat Thermometers Under $50 (We List the Top 8 Choices), Best Wi-Fi Meat Thermometers (We Review the 5 Top Models), Best Instant-Read Thermometers for Smoking (Top 6 Picks), What Are Automatic Barbeque Temperature Controllers? Knowing how much charcoal to use when cooking different foods will not only save you money but it will help you maintain an efficient fire. If you are lighting your coal with lighter fluid, you may use a different amount of coal than using a charcoal chimney. What You'll Need. When I first got my weber kettle about 4 years ago, I ran a couple bags of lump charcoal through it as I was learning how to use it and adjust temps, etc. The best approach with these smokers is to fill the charcoal bowl and similar to a Minion method or Soos Donut. However, you cant just use any old paper, it has to be unwaxed, food grade paper. The Slow 'N Sear is made of two laser cut pieces of 16 gauge 304 stainless steel that are machine formed and hand welded/polished. Youll be good to go after 15 or so min or lighting. One of the challenges of using lump charcoal in the Weber Bullet is that the smallest pieces tend to fall through the charcoal grate into the bottom of the cooker. If youre researching to decide if you want to try cooking with charcoal, we have a guide to the best charcoal smokers and best charcoal grills available. Its the same principle. Where to buy and best lump charcoal brands, Resources to help you determine whether to use lump charcoal or briquettes. 1) Weber 8834 searing grate meant to fit inside their 2 piece 22" grate. Instant Read Thermometer: Arguably, the second most important tool you need is a fast and accurate instant-read thermometer. For anything over an hour I prefer using charcoal briquettes because they produce a longer and more even heat source, which I find better when grilling for extended periods of time. Thanks for checking out this article. Unfortunately, thats not just an opinion. Once you burn off some of the unpleasant additives, briquettes are definitely the easier way to go due to the . You are using an out of date browser. For all of the grilling recipes posted on this website, I have used my standard Weber Charcoal Chimney. But even before you ignite your charcoal to get grilling, there's one very important question to ask: What type of charcoal should I use? Charcoal briquettes give you consistent temperatures because they are the same size and burn evenly. The Weber Summit Charcoal is a $1,700 behemoth that looks like Weber's classic kettle grill on steroids. But in all honesty, these are the tools I recommend to my family and friends who are just starting out. $60 at BBQ Guys. Lump charcoal vs briquettes what do the experts say? Getting Ready to Cook. Step 3 Add all of the ingredients of the dry rub to a small bowl. Leave a gap at the end for about five hot coals and the rest will slowly catch fire. Today, the process of making lump charcoal typically begins by stacking wood logs in underground pits and covering them with sheet metal and dirt. What's left is almost pure carbon, also known as char or lump charcoal. Jeff Allen, executive director of theNational Barbecue Association, says I have seen a lot of experts who prefer the lump charcoal over briquettes, simply because charcoal can have a regional, cultural aspect.. Hot Coal: 5-6 Fuel Supply: 130 Time Until the Kettle Stabilizes: 20-30 minutes. That brings us to the end of this article regarding lump charcoal vs. briquettes. Learn More. A full 15.4 pound bag of briquettes should give a 12-15 hour burn in a 22 inch WSM by using a Minion Method or Soos Donut. Generally, this is a difficult thing to grill correctly. I hope you learned a few things. The Snake Method is also a great opportunity to use charcoal starter sticks. Wireless Thermometer: The latest thermometers on the market have no wires and can be controlled by wi-fi via your phone. A well-insulated smoker like the Weber Smokey Mountain, a kamado or a drum smoker can keep the heat locked inside, and therefore use less coal. An episode by Fred Thompson that deep dives into the debate. If you use lump charcoal made from pine, then it would burn fast and hot and it is awesome for searing a steak, says Allen. If youre missing the aromatic smoke that lump charcoal produces, then add wood chunks or chips to the perimeter of the lit hardwood charcoal briquettes. John, Spread out coals on one side of the grill. When the temperature reaches about 150F 180F, begin to close off the bottom vent until its open about 1/4. Attjack Club Member Joined: Aug 2017 My son has tasked with grilling a duck. . Clearly there is some variation here, especially with how each person perceives pain. It just depends on the exact time you begin cooking over your coals. Also, try to raise the bowl so its not sitting on the ground. It is also generally more expensive. I have it or some version of it. Open all the vents until the fire is going, then close off the top vent to 1/4 and the bottom vent to half an inch. This method is a great starting point to make tender, perfectly cooked ribs. It has a 14" diameter making it large enough to cookout food for 2-4 people easily. Spread the smoking wood in and around the coals to provide a consistent smoke over the long cook. As the smoker is approaching your target temperature, close the vents to 1/4. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'meatsmokinghq_com-box-1','ezslot_6',122,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meatsmokinghq_com-box-1-0');report this ad, link to Traeger Pro 34 - In-Depth Review And Comparison, link to Smoke Wings How Long? I noticed you put them under medium heat though so, would you recommend increasing the cooking times to perhaps 20 mins? But you can use charcoal made from wood with a higher density like hickory or oak if you want a slower cook.. Use a 2 temperature zone set up. For a brisket slow smoked in a Weber Smokey Mountain, Harry fills the fire basket to the top of the fire ring. These methods involve pouring a small amount of lit charcoal into the middle crater of a pile of unlit charcoal. The problem is I either get tons of smoke or none at all. To figure out how much charcoal to use inyour grill it is best to start out understanding a few basic principles. In general, a UDS with a charcoal basket that is three-quarters full of briquettes or lump will cook at 250F to 275F. The Great Charcoal Debate: Briquettes Or Lumps? We chose the Jealous Devil All Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal for the top spot due to its smooth, inoffensive flavor and how quickly and consistently it heats up. The logs are lit at one end of the pile and the wood smolders for a few days. When you are cooking hot-and-fast, open the vents wider. Lump charcoal gets broiling hot pretty quickly, usually in 10 or 15 minutes. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'meatsmokinghq_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_9',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meatsmokinghq_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); The Snake is probably the most popular charcoal method for low-and-slow cooking on a kettle grill, but it can also work with a bullet smoker or a WSM. Weber makes quality cookers, and the WSM is well sealed which makes it very fuel efficient. Fill a disposable foil pan or aluminum pan three-quarters with boiling water (or your choice of liquid). Its intense heat can sear food in seconds, browning the surface and scenting it with pure wood smoke aromas. In Im Damien Bernard, the guy behind Meat Smoking HQ. Opening the vents wider allows more oxygen to flow through the fire and burns the charcoal faster, while closing the vents will slow the burn rate. You can overdo the wood so start with just a few. BENEFIT: Lights quickly and produces aromatic smoke that The fire will slowly catch through the unlit coal, providing a consistent temperature . Write the temperature changes every 5-minutes. Make sense? Wrapping your brisket in paper will give you a nice brisket bark. People commonly use the Minion Method with kettle grills, WSMs and UDS charcoal pits.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'meatsmokinghq_com-leader-2','ezslot_16',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meatsmokinghq_com-leader-2-0'); For a low-and-slow cook at 250F over 10 hours, follow these steps: Another way of lighting a Minion is to take an old coffee can and cut off both lids. Using the charcoal baskets, or just pouring . Once you get a taste of what the people at Frankspeech.com provide, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, Fox, all of them, will become even more obsolete than they are now. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Functionally, it's a turbo-charged hair dryer that speeds up lighting time significantly. Most grills and smokers have two oxygen controls: 1) An intake damper that brings oxygen to the fire. How to add more charcoal. Again . It's made to the high standards with durable materials Weber is known for. Step 1 - Make Your Charcoal Pile Step 2 - Light A Few Starter Coals Step 3 - Dump The Hot Coals Step 4 - Reassemble Your WSM Bonus - WSM's Vents System & Water Pan For The Minion Method Pros & Cons The Fuel Lump Vs Briquettes Wood Instead Of Charcoal? If so, you might be very interested in the Documentary 'Died Suddenly' The docu exposes how many people around the globe are just dying suddenly, dropping dead on their feet or dying in their sleep. Light a full or partial Weber chimney starter of charcoal and add the hot coals to the cooker. I then sit the chimney over the flame port and light it for about 2 minutes. 5. I have 2 Weber Grills. The reason why many people go for charcoal lump is because it reflects on their desire to have less additives or chemicals taste in their cooking and their food. That final portion of the bag can be spread on top of the already lit coals if you start to loose heat during your cook (maybe 40 min in?). I've used Wicked Good lump coal and Kingsford blue. Download a PDF hard copy of these charcoal amounts & vent settings shown below, 225-250 DEGREE F. LOW & SLOW For Ribs The ThermoPro TP20 is an Amazon Best Seller because its the easiest thermometer to operate, is durable, highly accurate, and comes with pre-programmed meat settings. A Weber Kettle should have two char-baskets that sit either side of the grill. I get square skillets and cook my sides in one and sear in the other. If you cant hold your hand there for 1 second or less, you are not ready to cook because it is too hot. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. After a few minutes the coals will ignite. 3-2-1 is literally the hours broken down. Using the bottom grate (charcoal grate), place 2 lighter cubes under the chimney starter and light them. Weve turned to the experts to weigh up the pros and cons of cooking with lump charcoal vs charcoal briquettes. When working with charcoal, the standard rule is the more coal you use, the hotter your fire. Brisket is a huge cut of meat though, and once my family (and dog) have eaten our full, theres usually still a few pounds of meat leftover. thanks for you help, I would recommend stacking your coals to one half and searing over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side then move to indirect heat until you reach your desired internal temperature. Apply yellow mustard all over the surface of the brisket. But that shouldnt discourage you from using briquettes so long as you stock up on a reputable brand like Kingsford (make sure you dont get the easy lighting one). Approx. How many bags of charcoal do I need? There are also a few Weber accessories like charcoal baskets or a Vortex. If you want to know what brand lump charcoal burns the hottest and fastest, check out my article: Which Lump Charcoal Burns The Best? Once you have a coal bed for your fire I like to add about 6-8 briquettes every 90 minutes or so along with one chunk of wood. Barbecue is a very time consuming hoby. According to the Weber website, you can place 24 briquettes per basket for high temperature cooking, 18-20 briquettes for a medium heat and 8-14 for low-and-slow cooking. Lump charcoal is made by slowly burning pieces of wood in the absence of oxygen until all the natural chemicals, sap and moisture get out of the wood. (Is Your Weber Kettle Grill Lid Thermometer Opposite The Vent?). The Minion method involves piling your charcoal into the Weber Kettle, but leaving a gap in the middle, almost like a crater. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Just my 2 centsmin, have used the lump coal as well as the Bricketts, i had a Kamado, and weber kettles (3) after few years of using most they both have their advantages. Chimneys are of similar appearance to a large stein or beer mug, so if you didnt have one with yours you can get one at a later date, as far as a direct and indirect spot on the grate, that determines how much area you have, if its 18 inches or greater grill you have a decent amount of room for indirect heat. Its also important for us to be on the same page with methodology. Ive been doing burgers but the guides I have say the ideal is 3/4 thick patties over high heat, grilled for 10-14 mins, flipped once. If you open the vents all the way, more oxygen will flow through the fire and burn the charcoal much faster. One thing that can make a big difference in flavor is how much you use. The smoker comes with a porcelain-coated water pan, heat-resistant handle, and a built-in thermometer. I grill with cast iron. Step 3. Well, I am sure there are some of us who are wondering where to get the best charcoal brands for a successful charcoal barbecue. Although it was first used in a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker (WSM), it works on any smoker or larger charcoal grill. Here is what experts had to say against using lump charcoal. Light the starter. So to begin answering the question of how much charcoal to add we need to establish a few basics: The easiest and cheapest way to light your chimney is to ball up some newspaper and drizzle a few drops of cooking oil on it. So lump charcoal should burn for 4-6 hours versus your briquettes giving you a good 8-10 hours. Yep, I'm guessing the whites of his eyes had turned brown Like many others here, I use it or sometimes mix it. Meat Thermometer: There are dozens of fancy thermometers on the market, but I still use my trusty TP20. You must log in or register to reply here. Light the bigger pieces or light quarter of a chimney and place it on top. In most cases, you will end up tasting what you burn because of the additives used when making briquettes. Using a charcoal chimney, light about 20 briquettes and then pour the hot coals into the middle of the crater in your Weber Kettle. (above the grates). Everything with an asterisk by it. Jeff Allen from the National Barbecue Association points out thatcharcoal generates more smoke than briquettes, which could be a problem with strict rules like apartments, retirement communities or even condos.. Higher temperatures and faster cooking times will require more charcoal, while lower temperatures and slower cooking times will require less. Once you are comfortable with the above information try grilling something like boneless skinless chicken thighs. This is a 22 snake (2 briquettes on the bottom and 2 on top). While they dont produce quite as much heat as lump charcoal or hardwood charcoal, these briquettes do very well at holding a steady temperature. Thanks for this useful & informative article. Even temperature cooking is a vital part of grilling. The charcoal is going to burn hot for longer than you really need but will be hot enough in the time you use it for some serious searing action. I've seen my share of cracked BGE's though. I see lump charcoal as an extension of the organic movement. Weber Q1400 Electric Grill, Gray. The best feature of the Weber grill is the ability to have multiple cooking zones, each providing a different option for your grilling. However, there are so many variables at play when trying to figure out the right amount of charcoal you use in your smoker. A small 12 inch however wont have the same benefit and may not have nearly as much indirect room from the coals. The Ember Spread Method Intersperse unsoaked wood chips or chunks among the unlit charcoal. With these briquettes, it is relatively easy to create a smooth bed of coals, whereas the irregular shapes and sizes of lump charcoal can leave "holes" in the fire. Carol. I would have a medium high area for grilling and some areas with no coal at all for keeping things warm. Count how many seconds you can hold your hand over the coals before you are in pain. Yep, pure "let me say whatever I can think of at the time to make you want to buy my product instead of that one" sales talk. , Smoking is an excellent way to impart some serious flavor into the meat and an excellent cooking technique to cook a large bird like a turkey without drying it out. I usually hold my hand about 1 inch over the grates to do this little test. However it will barely cook your hot dog if you cook them 60 min after lighting. Below are images of the clots. Time Until the Kettle Stabilizes: 20 minutes. The Minion Method is simply a pile of unlit charcoal with a hole in the middle. The Minion Method involves placing unlit briquettes around a small amount of lit briquettes in the center of the smoker, allowing the lit coals to slowly light the others. It weighs just 9 and a half pounds, so it's a breeze to carry and backpack with. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Charcoal briquettes work best for the Snake method because briquettes nestle into one another and burn evenly. Instead of using lit paper with the charcoal chimney, use a starter stick. Tired of all the lies coming from the mainstream news media? Lucky for Weber users, our grills have dampers that give us complete temperature control, so this discrepancy is less of an issue. Place the lit coals into the middle of the crater of unlit briquettes. One of the most common questions that gets debated over and over again is whether to use lump charcoal or briquettes. There are two ways to solve this problem. The plus is that it gives me maximum surface are at 12" (that an additional 2 inches versus option 2. They keep the coals in neat piles on the sides of the grill, leaving plenty of room for a drip pan in the middle of the grill. In many cases the smokiness emanates from one kind of wood only, such as mesquite or oak. Preheat the grill to 225 to 250 F - use the charcoal snake method. It depends how far away the coal is from the cooking grate but assuming it is about 6 inches away I would think a 72 area would perhaps take 1/2 to 3/4 of a big bag of Kingsford. I use a lot of lump - lots of choices out there, so go for it and find the one you like. Hardwood Charcoal and Weber Briquettes Yes he is full of "it". What a coincidence this all started happening after the covid vax rollout Are you aware that embalmers all around the globe are finding synthetic parasitic clots in the veins and arteries of the covid vaccinated dead. Mastering the Art of Smoking Chicken, Traeger Pro 575 Review The Pros And Cons ( Plus A Comparison To Other Grills) Meat Smoking HQ, Traeger Pro 34 vs Pro 22 A Side-By-Side Comparison Meat Smoking HQ, What Does Aaron Franklin Do? A good rule is to add 5 to 6 briquettes every hour to maintain a constant temperature. 6. 1. I went out and bought a bag of lump hardwood charcoal, brought it home, and loaded up my chimney starter with the irregularly shaped shards of petrified-looking wood. Here's those links homeboy. The goal is just to get a few coals lit and then the others will light afterwards. The modified Minion Method involves adding lit briquettes to the center of the smoker as needed to maintain temperature. I will be grilling for the first time tomorrow, and using a cheap charcoal grill that I do not believe even has a chimney. Most people use charcoal briquettes for the heat, and chunks of dry wood for the smoke. There are several ways to smoke wings, so the cooking times vary. After that we are left with less harmful charcoal lump with lots of good qualities; it is little more than carbon, leaves very little ash after burning out, burns hotter and lights faster than briquettes. The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board is an unofficial Weber product fan site and is not affiliated with Weber-Stephen Products LLC. Most experts with an opinion on the matter can relate that each of the two choices come with their advantages and disadvantages. Cheap smokers can burn through a lot of coal because they have thin metal and a lot of leaks. This way once the temp stabilizes I can fine tune using the top vent. If you can hold your hand over the coals for 5-6 seconds, you are dealing with low heat. Cheaper smokers with thin metal and poor insulation may require more charcoal due to their inability to retain heat. The amount of charcoal you use will also depend on the cooking temperature and the length of time you are cooking. Advanced Thermometer and Automatic Temperature Controller:Once youre ready to take things seriously, the FireBoard 2 Drive is a six-channel Bluetooth/Wi-Fi thermometer that can monitor up to 6 pieces of meat, control and graph your cook sessions on your smartphone, and attaches to an an automatic blower that will convert your charcoal smoker to a set-and-forget. However, these amounts/settings will get you in the ball park then you can experiment and see what works best for your kettle grill. Lump charcoal also responds accordingly to oxygen, hence you can easily control the level of heat if your grill features adjustable air vents. I will be hosting a family reunion of approximately 100 people. Create a cool zone for the turkey. Buy The All-New Lumin Electric Grill Now, Pay Later. Check Price at Amazon. There are other things you can purchase to light your chimney including Lighter Cubes, Starter Squares and Straw Bundles. Dial thermometers are mechanical so they do not respond to changes in temp instantly like digital thermometers. The kettle is in perfectly fine condition, so I don't know what that guy was talking about when he claimed that Weber's can't take lump charcoal. The BBQ Dragon was designed for the impatient charcoal griller. Meat has always been a huge part of my life. Other than that when I need to sear something, I prefer to use lump charcoal. For instance, Kingsford, the largest producer of charcoal in the U.S., rarely talk about what their briquettes include. So youve got your new smoker, youve chosen your wood, and youve seasoned your meat. How much charcoal do I need for a small Weber grill? Nothing worse than burning food at a cookout! So should i just put the steaks on the edge of the grill, if there isnt enough space for a direct and indirect heat side? This article will teach you the right amount of charcoal to use for smoking or grilling based on Continue reading "How Much Charcoal To Use For Grilling And Smoking?" With a grate to hold the coals up and a grate to hold the food and a simple frying pan cover with the appropriate holes drilled in the right places a personal grill can cook a burger or steak & baked potato w a minimum of coals. 3 hours in smoke. This type of charcoal is made from hardwood and is usually free of any additives or chemical accelerants. It comes with a circular cooking grate with a monster 452 square inches of grilling . Preventing Lump Charcoal From Falling Through The Grate. A snake this size should give you a over 8-10 hours of burn time. For the rest of the cook, you will only need to add wood every hour to maintain temperature. It is literally a clip on gas pedal for lighting charcoal. Around 10-12 briquettes need to suffice to barbecue some hamburgers and hotdogs no problem. I also use the bottom vent towards the end of a cook if the heat starts dying. Grilling Smackdown: Lump Charcoal vs. Briquettes In depth guide to choosing lump charcoal or briquettes. These numbers and times are an estimate only, because there are so many variables at play such as wind, vent adjustments and the quality of the kettle grill. JavaScript is disabled. Lump charcoal gets broiling hot pretty quickly, usually in 10 or 15 minutes. If you prefer lump wood The Fogo hardwood charcoal burns extremely hot and pure with no additives, producing very low amounts of ash. Here are the steps: A Weber Smokey Mountain is extremely fuel efficient and can run at 250F for 18-20 hours with lump charcoal. Thanks in advance! If you are smoking some meat fast (over 300F), the way you set your coals will be different to what you would if you were cooking low-and-slow in the 220F 250F range. Place a full charcoal chimney of lit coal in your smoker. If you dont have a Weber Performer you can either use an olive oil soaked paper towel or some newspaper. That's a total of 20,000 BTU, which, if spread out over an entire 20-inch Weber kettle grill, is only about 64 BTU/square inch. Time-consuming to set up; Not suitable for hard searing; Only use briquettes; . Behold! The cooking temperature and time can also affect the amount of charcoal needed. Airprobe 3 is the best of this technology. He probably was just trying to make you think that your kettle was not good quallity so he could sell you a BGE. 3-4 seconds medium high heat. The other problem with cheaper smokers is they arent sealed very well, so more air will flow through the fire and burn excess coal. Your email address will not be published. IMHO that mean's it is going to rust and flake a lot more than a regular cast iron piece. You can use charcoal as much as you want. Can I pile unlit briquettes on one side and place hot briquettes on top of them and a) maintain a fairly constant temp and b) maintain that fo 2 1/2 hours? To learn how we use your information, see our privacy policy. A full chimney starter will pack between 80 and 100 charcoal briquettes. If youve ever tried to reheat leftover brisket youve probably noticed that it tastes nothing like the, When you think barbecue, you might think of whiskey or beer as the drink on the side but did you know that wine can also pair fantastically with the robust flavors of smoked and grilled meat? When using the Weber Performer (which has the small propane ignition feature to light charcoal) I fill my chimney either , , or totally full depending on the application. That salesman was either misinformed or just lying. See the photos below. As far back as I can remember, I was hanging meat in the smokehouse. Weber 741001 Original Kettle 22-Inch Charcoal Grill 9.7/10 our score Buy Now Stay true to the modern version of the kettle that started it allthe Original Kettle, invented by Weber's founder, and loved around the world. I like to use lump charcoal instead of briquettes since the lump is 100% natural hardwood whereas charcoal briquettes are a mixture of wood and . The guy is full of crap. Results will vary because some grills or more air tight than others. You can roughly approximate the temperature by how many seconds you can hold your hand over the coals. For slow smoking on a Big Green Egg or kamado, fill the basket to the halfway point of the first ring. There are so many variables, sometimes it's hard to know which type to choose. It also contains no fillers or additives which makes it one of the cleanest ways to barbecue. The puffy, bubbly crust and slightly charred leopard-spotted base that are the signs of a well-cooked Neapolitan style pizza result from a very specific cooking environment. The hot coals are placed beside the fuel pile instead of on top. Today I, Theres no way around it. While it is true that a charcoal smoker is less plug and play than say, an electric smoker, with a little bit of know-how, you can produce amazingly-flavored, restaurant-quality food with minimal fuss. This involves filling the charcoal ring with unlit briquettes, and then lighting a small number of briquettes (around 20), and pouring them over the top. If youre new to cooking with charcoal and havent come across the Charcoal vs. Briquettes debate then dont worry. And if you are also confused about how much charcoal to use, weve got you covered in our separate post on the subject. Weber Kettle Club: http://weberkettleclub.comBig Poppa Smokers: http://weberkettleclub.com/recommends/big-poppa-home/Slow N Sear @ Amazon: http://weberkettle. Most recipes have specific instructions using charcoal briquettes, so if you're using lump charcoal, you'll need to estimate the appropriate amount. Once the 3 pieces of charcoal are lit, close the lid and adjust the vents to obtain a temperature of 225 to 250 degrees. Most people place the wood on top of the coals but others believe the wood smolders better when its at the bottom. This number can vary depending on the type of charcoal and the brand. Then place the newspaper under the chimney and light it. When Im not smoking meat, Im here writing about my passion on Meat Smoking HQ. To expand on this, here is my general rule of thumb for cooking various items at various heats using Kingsford charcoal: Now clearly there are a lot of factors going on here. Nowadays, Ive rediscovered meat smoking, and every weekend youll find me in the backyard smoking something low-and-slow. Step 2 Trim the fat cap. Wood is the primary fuel source for offset smokers, but use charcoal to get the fire going before adding wood. Note: The setup for this cook is different than the rest because its a much longer cook. This will give you between 1- 1 1/2 hours of cook time before needing to add more coals.