What is the burn rate for your offset smoker - burning sticks (ironbark)?

  • Hey dudes

    I'm trying to do the sums to work out if it is cheaper to cook in my Hark Texas Pro Pit with charcoal (Firebrand briquettes) or sticks (split western red ironbark).

    I know that for a 12hr brisket cook using the Firebrand briquettes I used about 8kg of charcoal.

    I haven't yet committed to a brisket cook using wood as my fuel source, and by all accounts it may be a shorter cook given the temp may run a bit hotter than 225F to get the right draw of air to feed the fire.

    So! Has anyone here worked out how many kgs of ironbark is required to maintain say 250F in a 20" offset like the Hark Texas Pro Pit?

    I honestly have no idea. I would like to think that 20kg of ironbark is about the right fuel bill. I buy my ironbark in 100kg crates, so i would like to get 5 cooks out of each crate that I buy. Incidentally, 100kg costs me $39 in Sydney which equates to about $195 per cubic metre (500kg). It's just nice to be able to buy it in small lots and not get charged a premium for it.

    I will experiment and I will probably go for the one that tastes the best. There is just something special and primordial about feeding timber to a fire. Sure it's so much more effort, but you only live once!

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