Finally gave up charcoal for wood splits after a 10 year brisket battle in Kansas City

I was a diehard charcoal guy since I started smoking meat back in 2014. Thought wood was just for show or flavor that burned off. Then my buddy at Smokehouse BBQ in KC let me try his brisket cooked on straight oak splits. The bark was way better, not as bitter. He said I was overcomplicating it. Switched last month and my first full packer came out way juicier. Anyone else make the switch and struggle getting the fire right with splits?

3 comments

3 Comments

karen_roberts44h agoTop Commenter

Man I feel you on that struggle with the fire. I switched over from charcoal about two years ago and the first month was rough. I kept chasing temps and ended up with either a raging fire or barely any coals. What finally clicked for me was letting the splits catch completely before putting them in the cook chamber and not opening the door so much. The bark difference is real though, once you get it dialed in you won't go back. Your buddy at Smokehouse knows what's up.

scott.miles2h ago

Well I'll be, that sounds just like something I read in an old Texas barbecue book from the 80s. The author called it "the three temptations" - too much wood, too much air, too much peeking. Said you gotta treat the fire like a sleeping baby, don't disturb it unless you absolutely have to. Your mention of letting splits catch fully reminded me of that. It's funny how something that seems so basic can be the thing that trips up most folks starting out. I think the key thing people miss is that offset smokers want a lazy, steady fire not a roaring inferno. That bark you're getting now is probably night and day from what you had before.

mila_brown102h ago

Letting the splits catch completely" sounds so simple but man, my first week I kept throwing in barely lit wood and wondered why my fire looked like a sad campfire someone just poured water on. Ended up with a brisket that had more TLC than my ex boyfriend ever got and still tasted like regret. The whole "not opening the door so much" thing is me trying to quit my nervous habit of peeking every 20 minutes like it's a reality show.