# Lava rocks for smoker question



## htc

Hi, I'm planning on trying my hand at smoking a turkey w/ my brinkmann charcoal smoker. I have used it only one other time and found that I kept having to add charcoal every hour so that the temp wouldn't drop. I was thinking this time, I should go buy lava rocks. Will this help keep the temp up? 

Has anyone ever done this for smoking? How do I heat the rocks? When I light the charcoal?

Thanks!


----------



## Andy M.

The lava rocks would be heated up by the charcoal.  

You will witness a moderation of temperature change - it will take longer for the smoker to reach optimal temperature and longer for it to cool down.

You will have to keep adding charcoal.  The lava rocks will not last for a long smoking cycle.


----------



## htc

Oh, too bad. I'll just leave it out then. I was thinking that I would have to feed it a lot less if I had the rocks. I remember feeding it like every hour when I did the pork. 

Thanks!


----------



## Raine

That's correct. That's the art to cooking BBQ, it takes time.


Or as in Bob Garner's book  North Carolina barbecue...flavored by time.

That is why people started using everything cooked on the grill "bbq".  They are trying to cut down on the time involved.

Just remember good bbq is worth the wait!  Or any good food for that matter!


----------



## DugDbold

Newbie here... well newbie to the forum.  Question!  Are smokers worth the effort?  Can you not smoke things anywhere?  On a grill with a packet of smoker wood?  In a sealed pan on your cooktop?

I work for an appliance distributor so I have a Monogram gas grill with a smoker tray built in.  I have used it a couple of times.  Other than the time it caught fire it has worked well [that's a story for another time].

Point of question.. do you need a smoker?  Or can that be simulated by other methods?


----------



## Andy M.

You can smoke in a charcoal grill or a gas grill (if you can control the heat properly).  You can smoke in your oven with enough ventilation.  

A smoker is a specialized piece of equipment that may be 'worth it' if you do a lot of smoking.


----------



## DugDbold

Ahah.. got it.  But you still haven't explained the MOP.


----------



## DampCharcoal

Like Andy M. said, it's worth it if you would like to smoke a lot of meat. I helped my buddy build a smoker based on these plans: http://bbq.netrelief.com/pits/metalpit/bigbaby/build_big_baby_metal_bbq_pit.shtml

When all was said and done, the smoker cost a little less than $200. If you can afford the expense, it's a great project and we have smoked an enormous amount of meat on it with excellent results.


----------



## Phil

*If it is like the one I had...*



			
				htc said:
			
		

> Hi, I'm planning on trying my hand at smoking a turkey w/ my brinkmann charcoal smoker. I have used it only one other time and found that I kept having to add charcoal every hour so that the temp wouldn't drop. I was thinking this time, I should go buy lava rocks. Will this help keep the temp up?
> 
> Has anyone ever done this for smoking? How do I heat the rocks? When I light the charcoal?
> 
> Thanks!


My first smoker was a dome lid , single stage Brinkman. It had a rack, a water pan, and a charcoal pan. The method was to fill the charcoal and water pan. After lighting the charcoal and the coals turn white, you add the meat to the top rack, and put your favorite log of wood on the charcoal. The water pan was between the meat and the charcoal. It would take a lot of charcoal to cook the meat, but few ever do. You set the flavor on the meat in 4-5 hours and finish up by wrapping the meat in foil and finishing it in the oven. I've had the best Thanksgiving birds from that smoker. Smoking meats is about low heat for many hours. But you can cheat.


----------



## htc

Thanks for the info Phil! I still haven't tried it yet. Too cold and rainy in Oregon, I dont want to have to go outside too often. 

Sounds like your smoker is similar to mine. I think mine has 2 smoking racks though. One high on tip and one that sits on top of the water pan. I can't wait until the weather is better.


----------



## Phil

*Lemme throw this atcha..*



			
				htc said:
			
		

> Thanks for the info Phil! I still haven't tried it yet. Too cold and rainy in Oregon, I dont want to have to go outside too often.
> 
> Sounds like your smoker is similar to mine. I think mine has 2 smoking racks though. One high on tip and one that sits on top of the water pan. I can't wait until the weather is better.



Yeah, same one. I think the prep for the bird is essential. I rinse it and dry it thouroghly. I add a couple of stalks of celery and a quarted onion to the cavity. Then I salt it, liberally, inside and out. Salting the skin turns it into it's  own browning bag. Try to keep the heat around 225 and cook it until the temp drops to 200, your coals will be dying out about then. More than likely your bird will not be done, so wrap it in foil and finish in a 350 oven for an hour or so. I'd check it at twenty minute intervals. We've had some fantastic turkeys this way.


----------

