Just bought a used Bronco my first cook ribs using lump and a few chunks of wood. Got even burn across the whole basket than set basket in place. Ran top stack (exhaust) wide open. When temp got to 240 I started closing the intake from wide open to 1/2 to1/4 wanted to maintain 275. Temp spiked so high like 350 ish. Wound up removing some hot coals from the basket to get temp down. Next cook brisket used B&B compatition briquettes ranked 3 high across basket.Lit one side and placed 4 wood chunks in simie circle around lit portion. Did my best to control temp working both intake and exhaust. Ended up spiking again. Use garden hose on our side of the unit to bring temp down. finally ran intake completely closes and exhaust closed or barley a crack and was able to 260 through out the cook. Ambient temp was Near 90 in FL. Does sea level have a lot to do with temp control as well. Help
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I can’t help with the bronco, but I would like to welcome you to The Pit - from the Land of Enchantment! -
First off, welcome to the pit from La Crosse Wi.
I only have Weber experience, but if that were my kettles or wsm, I would back off on the amount of lit coal to start, lit charcoal determines temp, unlit and how they are placed, determines time. So, take away more of the lit, hence removing your fire’s power to overshoot.. Also, heat as you stated, and you are sitting in direct sunlight.. I’ve seen that run a cook off the rails.
just a thought, or an observation I have made with my kettles.Comment
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Welcome to The Pit.
I don't have a kamado, but I seem to remember reading that you need to start closing vents down pretty early.Comment
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Welcome to the Pit.
I've had a Bronco for about a year and it generally holds a very stable temperature. I've had the occasional temperature issue, and I think its when I'm a little short on time and hurry the start up process, basically, I'm in a hurry to get up to temp so I open it up a little more aggressively and the temp gets too hot, then I choke it down and put the meat on shortly after it gets to the desired temperature, and it goes down a little more than I'd like, so I open it up and it spikes. Not saying this is what you are doing necessarily, but if it is, then the better practice would be to allow ample time and let it get to the temperature you are aiming for. Let the cooker settle in to the temp for a while so you know it's stable. I think this works for me, but I'm still learning.
The other thing to consider is the B&B charcoal briquettes. I love it, but it does seem to take longer to fire up and settle down that Kingsford, so maybe we need to allow even more time for the cooker to settle down.
Not sure if any of this will apply to what you are doing, good luck.
Once I have mine locked in, it hold temperature great, usually about 235 degrees in my case.Comment
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How is the gasket? Leaky lids will cause temp spikes.Comment
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Hi Frank M and welcome to The Pit! There’s a lot of us here with a Bronco and I’m sure we’ll be able to help you out. If there’s one thing the Bronco is known for, it’s their ability to maintain solid temps. I have no problem keeping a 225* or a 325* temp, if needed. Concerning your first attempt using lump……you said you “got an even burn across the whole basket then set the basket in place” This sounds to me like you had ALL your charcoal burning first, and then set it inside the Bronco and started your cook….is that correct or am I reading something wrong? If so, you should only start a few coals on one side of the basket and when you have a few that are burning good, THEN place the basket inside the Bronco, close the lid with both vents open. You did the rest correctly it sounds like. I believe your problem was trying to do a low and slow cook with a full basket of hot coals.
Concerning your B & B briquettes cook, you did good choosing B & B briquettes, that’s all I use for low and slow. Question, you said you put 4 wood chunks in a semi circle around the lit portion. Without seeing pics, it’s possible you had the chunks too close together and they all lit at once, possibly giving you excess heat. Chunks should be spread out in your coals, not too close to each other. What has worked for me is once 3 or 4 of the coals have lit pretty good, I place the basket inside, close the lid with both vents wide open. Once I get around 30 or 40 degrees from my target temp, I’ll close the bottom vent to about 1/4 open and leave it there. I’ll close the top vent about half….and once I’m close to temp, close it to about 1/3. You’re gonna get this temp management down, it always takes a few cooks to get to know your new cooker. There’s gonna be some more help coming for you soon. This guy here cooks with lump a lot… Calling Uncle Bob.
Just wanted to add something, it takes a while for the temps to go up or down when adjusting the vents, give it about 10 or 15 minutes to settle in. Also, don’t freak out over maintaining the same temp the whole time during your cook. Cooking at 25-30 degrees over or under your target temp for a while isn’t gonna hurt anything.Last edited by Panhead John; August 10, 2023, 10:04 AM.Comment
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What Jerod Broussard said^ Also if you're smoking, you are igniting too much charcoal at the start at least with the rib cook you mentioned. My Bronco is going on 2-years-old. The lid has loosened slightly over time. If I am not careful the gasket does not align properly and the fire gets too much air.Comment
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Don’t have a Bronco, but it is a barrel. And PJ’s post is to dang long. 1. Check with what Jerod said. 2. Suspect lump with full load lit, yup it would get too hot. B&B, Kingsford I don’t give a rip. Sounds like you had a half of a load lit fer that cook. Sounds like to many to me. Make it 1/4 to 1/5 lit briquettes. If it starts blazin starve the air supply. Bronco is a good barrel. Welcome, eat good & have fun!Comment
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Welcome to The Pit from Texas.
I still learning on my 1+year-old Bronco, but my experience is it holds low and slow temps very well on either B&B or Kingsford briquettes. On long cooks I mix in several B&B Char Logs with the briquettes. Never used lump. Sounds like too many coals and wood chunks burning at same time. If I was doing chicken, then I would want the temps to be 350+ and all coals and wood chunks burning. For low and slow, I fill the basket up and either start a few coals with a starter cube in the Bronco basket or pour in a few burning coals started in a chimney. Several wood chunks spread out in the basket. I have done ribs, butts, quarter and half chickens and wings, rack of lamb, etc with no problems. The Bronco is a great barrel smoker. I have smoked for years using my Weber Kettle with and without the SnS.Last edited by Purc; August 9, 2023, 06:06 PM.Comment
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Lots of advice to work with above, but I'll throw another thought on the fire. Since you bought it used I'll ask if you looked under the bottom to see if the drip cap is in place on the intake stack where it goes into the drum base. If that is missing you have a large hole that will let air in directly under the fire rendering the flap valve at the top of the intake tube useless for control.
Just to follow up on PJ's comment, yes, I've never used anything other than lump. I can run low 200s or high 300s, it just depends on starting the fire with a short chimney of lit coals, and then using both intake and exhaust baffles. You'll see a lot of folks advocate for running with the exhaust wide open and throttle with the intake only. Since I've never watched any of them in action I can't call them out, but my experience is that using both is more effective.Comment
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Hi, I do all my smoking on a pellet cooker,so can’t help you. Just wanted to say welcome to the Pit to a fellow Floridian.Comment
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Also have the pellet dream going here however all your questions will be answered here.
Welcome from Nebraska!
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Welcome from south Texas! I’m sure you will get the hand of the Bronco. I don’t have one, but folks here generally rave about theirs.Comment
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Welcome to the Pit from Dallas.Comment
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