Running the Mini Smokeslinger in Reverse Flow (Fire Setup, Zones, and Pit Behavior)

This video isn’t really about cooking a tri-tip — it’s about how the Mini Smokeslinger behaves when run in reverse flow, and how to read what the pit is doing from start to finish. The cook is simply the context. In this run, I walk through: How I set up the tuning plates for reverse flow Why reverse flow still allows effective two-zone cooking How radiant and convective heat work together on this pit Fire startup, coal bed establishment, and letting the cooker settle What I’m actually watching during the cook — instead of chasing numbers When and why food moves based on pit behavior, not time You’ll see how I bring the pit up past target temperature, let it settle back down, and then let it run calmly with minimal intervention. When the fire structure and airflow are right, the Mini Smokeslinger does the work. This video is especially useful if: You own a Mini Smokeslinger and want it to feel more predictable You’re considering one and want to see how it runs in real use You want to understand zones, fire behavior, and heat movement — not just recipes If you’re interested in owning a Smokeslinger or want more details on configurations and options, you can request pricing and availability here: 👉 Get a Quote: https://smokeslinger.com/pages/get-a-... Experiment, take your time, and pay attention to what the pit is telling you. Cheers — and I’ll see you in the next video. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – What this video is really about 00:38 – Reverse flow overview and why it works on the Mini 01:55 – Tuning plate layout for reverse flow 03:06 – Fire startup strategy and coal bed establishment 04:44 – Target zones vs chasing exact temperatures 06:36 – Adding wood and reading smoke quality 08:31 – Damper positions and letting the pit settle 09:22 – Grate layout and food placement 10:29 – Letting the pit run without intervention 11:18 – Two-zone cooking and moving to direct heat 12:30 – Managing carryover temperature 14:15 – Pulling, resting, and why bark matters 16:18 – Slicing and final results 18:00 – Final thoughts on pit behavior and experimentation