The Offset Smoker Explained

What is an offset smoker?An offset smoker is a barbecue smoker with a horizontal cooking chamber and a firebox on the side, designed to cook with indirect heat for "low and slow" barbecue.How does an offset smoker work? The air drafts into the firebox, through the "oven", and out the stack. Temperature is controlled by maintaining a charcoal or wood fire in the firebox and adjusting the flow of oxygen into the firebox and out the stack using adjustable vents.We open the vents wider to give the fire more air and therefore raise the temperature, and we give the fire less air to lower the temperature. Wind, barometric pressure, and outside temperature affect how hot the fire burns and how hard the fire has to work to keep the temperature steady, so while guidelines help, maintaining a consistent temperature and a "clean" fire in an offset smoker relies on a bit of experience and intuition, which come by practice and dedication to the sport.The Downside:Common Challenges With Offset Smoker...