Horizontal offset smokers

Another very popular style of charcoal smoker is the horizontal offset smoker. The Char-Broil Silver and the Brinkmann Smoke ’n Pit are two of the most popular, but there are untold numbers of other brands and models that all basically work the same way, with slight differences in metal thickness and grate size.

The design is quite simple: a large horizontal barrel is cut in half lengthwise. The top half is the lid and the bottom half is the cooking chamber where the grate sits and the meat is cooked. A smaller barrel, called the firebox, is attached to one end of and just slightly lower than the cooking chamber. A cutout between the two barrels allows the heat to pass between them. The firebox has a lid to facilitate the adding of charcoal and wood, and adjustable vents allow much-needed air to enter and stoke the fire. The larger smoke chamber usually has a 3- to 4-inch diameter chimney protruding up about 12 to 16 inches, which allows the smoke to escape.