My smoker's hot spots ruined every brisket until last Saturday | BBQ Pitmasters

Charlie Stone · 2026-03-03T07:01:30.474278+00:00

I've had this offset smoker for a while, and the heat never spreads evenly. One side always cooks faster, burning the bark while the other stays pale. Last cook, I placed a cheap foil pan over the fiery section to block direct heat. It actually worked and the brisket came out with a uniform, dark bark all over. I'm thrilled this simple trick solved my biggest headache. Now I feel ready to tackle a bigger piece without worry. What a relief after so many messy attempts!

theamason6mo ago

My first offset smoker (a cheap one from a garage sale) had a vicious hot spot on the left side. I used a cast iron skillet as a heat diffuser, and it saved so many pork butts. Your foil pan idea is just as clever, and I'm stoked it worked for you.

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the_eric6mo ago

Foil pan trick is a total game changer for hotspots.

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parkerh286mo ago

Man, @theamason talking about that cast iron skillet takes me back. My old barrel smoker had one brutal spot right over the firebox. I once ruined a full rack of ribs because the ends over that spot turned into jerky before the middle even cooked. Felt so dumb. I ended up using some old fire bricks as a heat sink, just laid them on the grate. It's wild what you can rig up when you're desperate. That brisket looks perfect, so glad the pan worked.

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