barbeque smoker

The Offset Barbeque Smoker...

One popular barbeque smoker that is used by many barbeque competitors is the Lang offset smoker. We won several competitions using a Lang 60 smoker which barbeque smokerwe wrote about in our book "Competition BBQ Secrets". Offset or indirect heat as opposed to direct heat or grilling is usually employed by most good slow smoking experts. The Lang is definitely an offset type barbeque smoker. These types of offset smokers are usually employed by the "purist" BBQers who use nothing but their favorite wood for the heat source. Most of them use split hickory, oak, mesquite, or pecan. Maybe a little apple wood or peach thrown in for a little extra subtle smoke flavoring.

What is great about the Lang barbeque smoker is that it has a plate welded in the bottom of the cooking chamber which forces the heat and smoke to travel under the plate, all the way to the other end of the smoker, and then up into the cooking chamber, over the meat, and then out the smokestack. The smokestack is on the same side of the smoker as the firebox. See the diagram below. After the metal plate is brought up to temperature, it helps to maintain even cooking temperatures throughout your cooking chamber. barbeque smoker

In a typical offset type barbeque smoker, the firebox opens up directly into the cooking chamber and the smokestack is on the opposite end of the cooking chamber. This creates a "hot spot" near the firebox and a "cold spot" on the other end of the cooking chamber. This is not very good for slow smoking when consistent temperatures are so important. You rarely see the good bbq competitors using the typical style of offset smoker on the competition circuit. Offset barbeque smokers produce some of the best results, but they have one drawback... they require a lot of attention. The fire has to be maintained and on windy days, you are constantly adjusting the vents to try to maintain a consistent temperature. Burning charcoal in the firebox does reduce the amount of work required, but it is still a lot of work. Go to www.bbq-smoker.net for some easier options where you may get a few hours sleep while slow smoking that large brisket.

Competition BBQ Secrets

Barbecue Pit - Barbecue Smoker Recipe Book

Competition BBQ Secrets