Smoker Temperature Control - Controlling Smoker Temp Tips

How to control your smoker temperature when your smoking and cooking barbecue.

Simple tips and information about how to control the air flow into your smoker - and how that effects your smoker and your cooking process.

Regardless of what type of smoker or grill you use, these tips will improve your ability to control your smoker temps.

[wesg]

Thank you for the great tips, Malcolm. Being a beginner smoker, I was having a really tough time controlling the temperature on my vertical charcoal smoker. I was almost ready to give up and go back to just gas grilling. Thanks again!

[Coolarj]

I’m also so glad I caught your video on controlling temperature before we started our Father’s Day bbq, because it was our first time using a Weber as a smoker and our internal temp was flying from 300 to 400F but thanks to you we managed to figure out how to maintain it closer to 300F for a majority of the 3 hours, and we needed to re-add coals once.

[CookingJoeFoods]

You’ve helped me so much brother. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your work. I’ve had pellet and electric smoker in the past and turned out some great food on them but there’s something about learning how to control heat with only vents that always sparked my interest. So I decided to man up and try cooking with wood and through your videos I’ve learned so much. One other thing, can I buy a Killer Hogs shirt like the one you’re wearing in this video? I’d love to support you all I can.

[ryancronk]

These were super helpful I've been grilling on a propane grill since I wasa pre teen but recently been really getting into smoking and low and slow and I love it! Some southern Ontario barbecue 😂 doing a pork shoulder today

[VibesByDom]

These tips worked wonders for me. I'm smoking some meat right now and got the temp right where I want it. Thanks a lot.

[MyBadFool]

I just started grilling and smoking and I find your videos very informative. Thanks Malcolm!

[giovannipacheco]

Thank you for these short clips. I have been struggling to keep the temperatures stable on my new UDS.

[misshiggy]

Just watched this today after getting my first bbq. Great info and advice - i'm off to have a muck about with my pit before my first cook on Sunday :)

[justinmeyer]

Malcom I went out there and I smoked some ribs I sat there and maintained a steady 235 during its process. I did have to tone done the heat one time but it was a success

[d]

Malcolm, would you mind making a temperature control video for stick burners? I know you recently bought your first one.

[W.Vanderbilt]

Well, I've been a subscriber to you for awhile and been cooking all your recipes too. Even bought some of the rub. You are the man!

[Sharky]

Love the q&a series, Malcolm. Please keep em up. It's a perfect thing to refer the beginners to

[Trd]

Malcom your one of my favorite pitmasters.

[vanossclashing]

First time ever smoking something and it’s for a benefit for the passing of my mother n law no help no advice but I found you and I found all my answers I didn’t have time to practice or test it out just kinda need to make over 20 bags of chicken & sausage 😞 wish me luck

[aaronhahn]

Very well explained sir! Thank you for the excellent lesson!

[edbdavis]

The best no nonsense tips I've found! Thanks brother!

[TheLandlordPicker]

Good tips. Thank You....Still trying to master it.

[williambauer]

This is why when it comes to cooking you tube is a great tool

[nikesoap]

I’m trying out my vertical smoker for the first and soon as he said thick white smoke is a bad sign I looked at my smoker and that’s exactly what it was doing 😂

[bailey.nt]

My biggest problem is that I use a WSM 18.5. The cooker is not the issue it is the size. I can get it stable @225 for a good hour. I drop 2 large pieces of meat and boom were at 180. I leave everything the same. Temp stays the same. I adjust the vents to get it hotter and it starts to run away. It's hard to get it back down and keep it @the right temp.

Bigger cookers are easier to work with. You don't have that shock when you drop cool meat in there. By the 2nd hour whatever it is it is. What I mean by run away is like 245 270ish. By the 3rd hour I'm satisfied and close to 230.

You gotta also factor in every time your gonna open up the lid and spritz down the meat... you gotta be lightning quick. On a windy day you will be up to 275 in no time.

I'm having this problem because I chose not to use water in the water

Using water in the water pan in the WSM as it was designed for is a great way to keep you going past 250 at the very least. I don't use water anymore for 2 reasons. #1 the cleanup is horrible, #2 I feel IMHO having that much water in there and it starts to simmer a little. It tastes as if it steams the meat making it really hard to get a good smoke flavor on it. Only way I found to get close to that "stick burner" taste on a WSM is to axe the water completely. I've tried empty, sand, and bricks. Using Brick ATM. Holds heat very well think brick pizza oven.

Malcom is spot on with this video. He gives you the "tools" per say. It just takes a long damn time to be "one" with your smoker. :)