Vertical Charcoal Smoker Setup

Key Concepts

• Fuel sits at the bottom, food on two racks above, and the water pan sits between them
• Minion method: a full ring of unlit charcoal lit from a small pile of hot coals burns 8-12 hours
• Bottom vents control the fire; the top vent stays open
• The water pan is the heat sink and the reason this pit holds steady
• The top rack runs a little hotter and is easier to reach, so larger cuts go there

Put It Into Practice

1. Fill the charcoal ring with unlit briquettes and bury 3-4 wood chunks in it.
2. Light 12-20 briquettes in a chimney and pour them into a hollow in the center of the ring.
3. Assemble the body, fill the water pan with hot water, and set the racks in place.
4. Open all vents fully until the pit reaches about 200°F, then close the bottom vents to one-third open.
5. Adjust one bottom vent at a time and wait 15 minutes before touching another.
6. Refill the water through the access door every 3-4 hours on long cooks.