Sealing my new pit

[brianburns77]

Ok, so i just got a new Old Country smoker. I did a brisket last weekend which came out decent but I have a question. Do i absolutely have to seal up the cooking chamber? it didnt seem like i got a ton of heat loss.............just curious..pros/cons. Thanks!

 

[Bob In Fla.]

HAVE to? No, there's plenty of pits that turn out good BBQ that aren't sealed.

But, as if you say, there's "ton of heat loss", think of all the fuel (and $$.$$) you could save if you did some sealing. Aluminum foil packed into the leaky spots can be a quick and pretty inexpensive temporary fix to see what kind of benefit you could expect.

Having said that, I'm not the best person to be giving advise on sealing pits, 'cuz mine are already air tight,

BOB

 

[brianburns77]

yeah, i hear you. I will try the foil and see what happens. here is a pic of it smoking.

 

[Goober]

I would not worry about it. There is normally enough smoke to have plenty left over. Now as far as heat loss what matters most on that is dont be fanning the door as in being overly anal retentive obsessive compulsive on checking on stuff each five mins. This be especially true with upward opening doors..as is the way most lazy folks build a pit. A good pit should open from the front like an ice box with a lip around the edge. One like that cooks at about the same temp whether the door is open or shut. No just teasing it drops some but nothing critical as in losing all your heat etc. Hot air rises bear that in mind from Physics 101.

 

[brianburns77]

ya, i hear that. this pit has 1/4 in steel so it stays pretty hot. i definitely dont open the door up unless i have too!

 

[1MoreFord]

Looks to me like you need to fully open the exhaust and control the fire with the intake controls. You have way too much smoke and it sure looks like ugly white smoke whitch means a smothered fire.

 

[bigwheel]

Dittos on that exhaust. Just noticed it being shut down some. Good recipe for getting over smoked. Now white billowy smoke don't bother me much. Its the green black and brown stuff which I am scared of.

 

[brianburns77]

it was a super foggy morning which even makes your breath look like white smoke. haha.

 

[bigwheel]

Yeah It been getting frosty breath weather in the morning around these parts too. I seen the cat huffing white smoke the other AM. No joking on that exhaust. Let it have all it wants. That one More Ford is a highly astute fella. Not sure why he dont do Dodges