Offset Smoking Made Easier
Love the flavor of offset smoking but tired of babysitting your fire every hour? We get it. That’s exactly why the Yoder Smokers Charcoal Basket exists to give you a break without sacrificing results.
At All Things Barbecue, we know how satisfying it is to cook the old-school way with wood splits. Yoder Smokers Charcoal Basket takes the stress out of fire management so you can focus on the food, friends, and family.
What Exactly Is a Charcoal Basket?
This heavy-duty charcoal basket slides right into the firebox of your offset smoker. It’s made from expanded metal for great airflow and features a double-wall design that creates a smart, slow “snaking” burn. That means your charcoal ignites gradually from one side to the other, keeping your temps steady without constant adjustments.
No more tossing in wood every 30–40 minutes. Instead, burn lump charcoal and toss in a few wood chunks for flavor with ease, efficiency, and effectiveness.
How To Use a Charcoal Basket Getting started is simple:
- Load it up with lump charcoal.
- Leave one end open for your hot coals.
- Add a couple of wood chunks on top we like Cattleman’s Grill kiln-dried hickory.
- Light half a chimney of charcoal, let it ash over, and dump it into the open space.
Once it’s lit, open your damper and chimney stack. In our test with the Yoder Smokers Kingman, the pit climbed to a temperature of 275°F and locked in at within 30 to 45 minutes. And the best part? It stayed there with almost no effort. No running back and forth, no late-night fire tending, just stable heat, smooth smoking.
Great Results for Great Taste
We smoked a whole chicken using this setup, and it came out with deep color, crispy bark, and spot-on texture. You still get that classic wood-fired flavor without the hassle.
Not Just for Yoder Smokers
Even if you don’t own a Yoder pit, this basket’s got you covered. The charcoal basket fits a wide range of offset smokers. Full dimensions can be on our Charcoal Basket for Offset Pits product page.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re prepping for a long brisket cook or just want to enjoy your Sunday without constantly feeding the fire, the Yoder Charcoal Basket is a game-changer. Learn some basics of offset smoking.
Transcript:
Hey, everyone. I'm Chef Tom with All Things Barbecue, and today I'm going to show you the Yoder Smokers Charcoal Basket for offset smokers.
This charcoal basket is designed to sit inside the firebox of your offset smoker and allows you to cook with charcoal and wood chunks rather than managing the fire with split wood. It’s ideal for those overnight cooks when you want to get some sleep or when you just don’t have time to tend the pit all day.
The design is simple. Expanded metal provides solid airflow to the charcoal, while the double steel walls allow the charcoal to burn in a snaking fashion. The double steel also helps prevent charcoal on one side from igniting too early, which ensures a more even burn and consistent temperature.
We’ve got the basket set up inside our Yoder Smokers Kingman offset pit, loaded with Timber Natural Oak Lump Charcoal. We’re leaving space at the butterfly end of the firebox for lit coals. On top of the first half of the unlit charcoal, I’m placing a couple of Cattleman’s Grill kiln-dried hickory wood chunks since we’re smoking a chicken today.
Next, I’ll light about half a chimney’s worth of charcoal in a chimney starter and let it get nice and hot until it ashes over. Once they’re ready, I’ll dump the lit coals into the basket and make sure the butterfly damper and chimney stack are fully open so the pit can come up to temp.
After 30 to 45 minutes, the pit is running steady at 275ºF and ready for cooking. Temperature control with the charcoal basket really couldn’t be easier. I’ve only made a few small adjustments since lighting it, and it’s held steady.
Let’s take a look at our chicken. It looks fantastic—great color and a nice texture forming on the outside.
The great thing about these charcoal baskets is that you don’t need a Yoder Smokers pit to use one. They’re compatible with a wide range of offset cookers and come in three different sizes. You can find the dimensions and details on our website—there’s a link in the description below.
Thanks so much for watching. As always, you can find this charcoal basket and any of the products featured in our videos at atbbq.com. And if you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.
