Smoker Tips
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    This discussion was created from comments split from: How are you making your thanksgiving turkey? Here is mine..
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    Try injecting the bird with "creole butter" you can find it at your local grocer, I love that stuff for injecting poultry, not spicy, just flavorful.

    I love my offset smoker, it was a bit of a learning curve over my old vertical bullet smoker, but I love the results now that I know what I'm doing on it!



    i assume 'offset smoker' is similar to the one i just picked up.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    i really liked the results i got today doing some simple breasts and dogs.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    i had way too much charcoal in there for such a small amount of meat, but i was able to shift coals around and adjust the flue and damper to get exactly what i wanted
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    I have a horizontal smoker, with a separate 'offset' fire box on one end. Is this what you have?
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    Sounds like it. Here is mine
    smoker.jpg
    1920 x 2560 - 1M
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Yup, looks similar to mine, I did some of the common mods to mine to improve performance, I lowered the exhaust stack to cooking grate level, shielded the cooking chamber from the firebox with a shield, and added distribution plates to the bottom for more even heating, now it cooks like a dream!
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    that was my 'curing' test run
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    Yup, looks similar to mine, I did some of the common mods to mine to improve performance, I lowered the exhaust stack to cooking grate level, shielded the cooking chamber from the firebox with a shield, and added distribution plates to the bottom for more even heating, now it cooks like a dream!



    can you post pictures of your mods?

    also, why would you want the exhaust stack lower?
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    the first mod i plan to do is reinforce the little wire shelf under the grill. it's too flimsy to be useful.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    I will snap a few pics soon, the hot smoke is what cooks the meat and adds flavor, most offset smokers have the exhaust port right near the top, so the smoke and heat roll out of the firebox, along the top of the lid and out of the smoker without really getting good smoke flavor or more importantly heat to the food, by lowering the port to grate level, the smoke must build and fill the cooking chamber thus surrounding the food before it can exit through the lowered port. This gets you better flavor, and more even cooking, and is a real simple mod.
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    My exhaust port is made from a stainless pipe leftover from an exhaust build, I trimmed it to fit flush with the grate inside, been working great for like nine years or so.
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    I will snap a few pics soon, the hot smoke is what cooks the meat and adds flavor, most offset smokers have the exhaust port right near the top, so the smoke and heat roll out of the firebox, along the top of the lid and out of the smoker without really getting good smoke flavor or more importantly heat to the food, by lowering the port to grate level, the smoke must build and fill the cooking chamber thus surrounding the food before it can exit through the lowered port. This gets you better flavor, and more even cooking, and is a real simple mod.



    well, that makes sense, except that in my test run, the chicken cooked to doneness very fast and some of the first pieces were over-smoked, so im wondering if that would be an improvement or if it will make it harder to control. closing the stack damper pretty much filled that barrel with thick smoke and shot the internal temp up to 400 without adding any fuel.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    My exhaust port is made from a stainless pipe leftover from an exhaust build, I trimmed it to fit flush with the grate inside, been working great for like nine years or so.



    did you just insert it into the existing stack from underneath?
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    oh, and my firebox has two level of grates in it. one down at the bottom, and a second set at the mid point. i pulled the upper grates out and just put the charcoal and wood on the lower grate. I dont really understand what the upper grates are for.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    My exhaust port is made from a stainless pipe leftover from an exhaust build, I trimmed it to fit flush with the grate inside, been working great for like nine years or so.



    did you just insert it into the existing stack from underneath?


    Yup
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Lakewood said:

    oh, and my firebox has two level of grates in it. one down at the bottom, and a second set at the mid point. i pulled the upper grates out and just put the charcoal and wood on the lower grate. I dont really understand what the upper grates are for.



    I use the fire box as a small grill quite often, that's what the second grate is for, my smoker also came with a few charcoal grates so I could use the main cooking chamber as a standard grill as well if I wanted.
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Here is an action shot of the firebox used as a small grill.
    2012-02-129518.06.38.jpg
    1280 x 960 - 140K
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    oh, and my firebox has two level of grates in it. one down at the bottom, and a second set at the mid point. i pulled the upper grates out and just put the charcoal and wood on the lower grate. I dont really understand what the upper grates are for.



    I use the fire box as a small grill quite often, that's what the second grate is for, my smoker also came with a few charcoal grates so I could use the main cooking chamber as a standard grill as well if I wanted.


    the upper grates are kinda tough to get into the firebox on mine. doubt i'd want to stick my hand in there after the coals are going. but maybe.

    yeah, the main chamber has a long charcoal grate in it. I plan on putting a few pounds of charcoal in there, as well as keeping the firebox humming. I figure with the coals up top i can get a little direct heat if i want to crisp things up a bit.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    Here is an action shot of the firebox used as a small grill.



    didn't show. gotta wait for it to upload
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    Here is an action shot of the firebox used as a small grill.



    does your firebox have a pull out drawer for ash removal?
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    I was told never to close the exhaust damper, leave it wide open and control the temp with only the air inlet and fire size, by closing the exhaust damper you can get creosote in the meat making it bitter and foul.
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    Here is an action shot of the firebox used as a small grill.



    does your firebox have a pull out drawer for ash removal?


    No, mine is a scoop it out when done setup.
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    I was told never to close the exhaust damper, leave it wide open and control the temp with only the air inlet and fire size, by closing the exhaust damper you can get creosote in the meat making it bitter and foul.



    yeah, it think that's a risk if you choke the fire. i just shut it about half way and it seemed like the temperature went up a good bit.

    but i was just reading a few other places that suggest the same thing you are saying.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    Here is an action shot of the firebox used as a small grill.



    does your firebox have a pull out drawer for ash removal?


    No, mine is a scoop it out when done setup.


    same with mine. i'm not sure if the tray thing is a gimmick or if it would really be helpful
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    i'll look around the house for some piping that i could use to lower the exhaust.

    mines mounted a little below the 3/4 point, so it's not like it's sticking straight out of the top
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    Lakewood said:

    i'll look around the house for some piping that i could use to lower the exhaust.

    mines mounted a little below the 3/4 point, so it's not like it's sticking straight out of the top



    it's probably about 4 inches above the cooking surface
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    I'm used to my setup now, I put one fire grate in at an angle, and another one opposite it, this makes for a bigger area below the fire for ashes without choking off the flame, mosly I only use it when smoking brisket or similar food that smokes for an epic long time
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    I'm used to my setup now, I put one fire grate in at an angle, and another one opposite it, this makes for a bigger area below the fire for ashes without choking off the flame, mosly I only use it when smoking brisket or similar food that smokes for an epic long time



    mine seems to have a few inches of space below the grate, i'm thinking that should keep me solid for the 14 hrs i'll be cooking this turkey.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    it's a single piece charcoal grate on this one
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    brisket sounds good. maybe a thanksgiving brisket next to the turkey.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Here is my model smoker and most of the mods I did we're based on this thread:

    http://thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1943&highlight=brinkmann+smoke++pit
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    azscoob said:

    Here is my model smoker and most of the mods I did we're based on this thread:

    http://thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1943&highlight=brinkmann+smoke++pit



    nice. same basic model, different year. i'll probably do a couple of those mods.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    I will snap a few pics soon, the hot smoke is what cooks the meat and adds flavor, most offset smokers have the exhaust port right near the top, so the smoke and heat roll out of the firebox, along the top of the lid and out of the smoker without really getting good smoke flavor or more importantly heat to the food, by lowering the port to grate level, the smoke must build and fill the cooking chamber thus surrounding the food before it can exit through the lowered port. This gets you better flavor, and more even cooking, and is a real simple mod.



    well, that makes sense, except that in my test run, the chicken cooked to doneness very fast and some of the first pieces were over-smoked, so im wondering if that would be an improvement or if it will make it harder to control. closing the stack damper pretty much filled that barrel with thick smoke and shot the internal temp up to 400 without adding any fuel.


    yeah, i've seen that mod frequently, but it limits the use of your smoker since you lose some control of the smoke.

    to cold smoke you want thin smoke pulled across the meat for a long time. if the pipe is extended down, that becomes very difficult.

    also, with everything i have ever hot smoked, smoke has always been rolling out from the lid and any nook and cranny, so the chamber is getting flooded with smoke no matter what.

    the longer the smoke is trapped inside, the more creosote, essentially, gets deposited on your meat. you might not taste it everytime, but it will kill you just the same.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    azscoob said:

    distribution plates to the bottom for more even heating, now it cooks like a dream!



    this is a problem solver for almost all the horizontal smokers that i've ever seen.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,419
    FromZwolle said:

    azscoob said:

    distribution plates to the bottom for more even heating, now it cooks like a dream!



    this is a problem solver for almost all the horizontal smokers that i've ever seen.

    I'm going to need to do this. And a couple other things to my new (cheap cheap) horizontal smoker.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,419
    Well, I'm actually not sure whether it is a grill or a smoker. It has a stack like a smoker but no side box. Soooo, small horizontal smoker? That's how I'm going to use it.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    CB said:

    Well, I'm actually not sure whether it is a grill or a smoker. It has a stack like a smoker but no side box. Soooo, small horizontal smoker? That's how I'm going to use it.



    if you piles your coasl to one end and cook on the other it'll work. otherwise it'll just grill.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    CB said:

    Well, I'm actually not sure whether it is a grill or a smoker. It has a stack like a smoker but no side box. Soooo, small horizontal smoker? That's how I'm going to use it.



    what brand? does it look like lake's but without the side box? a bunch of them are sold without it, but you can buy it separately.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,419
    Lakewood said:

    CB said:

    Well, I'm actually not sure whether it is a grill or a smoker. It has a stack like a smoker but no side box. Soooo, small horizontal smoker? That's how I'm going to use it.



    if you piles your coasl to one end and cook on the other it'll work. otherwise it'll just grill.


    That's what I'm planning. Maybe even some appropriately placed heat shields.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,419
    FromZwolle said:

    CB said:

    Well, I'm actually not sure whether it is a grill or a smoker. It has a stack like a smoker but no side box. Soooo, small horizontal smoker? That's how I'm going to use it.



    what brand? does it look like lake's but without the side box? a bunch of them are sold without it, but you can buy it separately.

    Is craptastic a brand?
    It isn't very big, but there still may be a smoker box attachment.
    I thought I had a pick of it closed, bit here's on open.
    IMAG0664.jpg
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    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    CB said:

    Lakewood said:

    CB said:

    Well, I'm actually not sure whether it is a grill or a smoker. It has a stack like a smoker but no side box. Soooo, small horizontal smoker? That's how I'm going to use it.



    if you piles your coasl to one end and cook on the other it'll work. otherwise it'll just grill.


    That's what I'm planning. Maybe even some appropriately placed heat shields.


    yeah, if yours is even close to the size mine is, you only really need one grate to do a single turkey. mine has three grates. one has never even been inside the thing yet.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    i made a tester chicken yesterday. came out fantastic. about 3.5 hours - which is almost exactly 1 hr / lb of chicken.

    probably used a few pounds of lump charcoal and 1 lb of hickory and mesquite mixed together.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    my wife actually said she liked it. she usually complains about everything. so that was a win.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    image
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,419
    That looks epic good. I read up today and was so drooling when you and scoob were talking about it.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,419
    Lakewood said:

    i made a tester chicken yesterday. came out fantastic. about 3.5 hours - which is almost exactly 1 hr / lb of chicken.

    probably used a few pounds of lump charcoal and 1 lb of hickory and mesquite mixed together.



    I need to run a couple tests. Smaller chickens and stuff.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    CB said:

    That looks epic good. I read up today and was so drooling when you and scoob were talking about it.



    i ate the last wing and thigh that was left when i got home tonight. it was easily as good cold as it was hot. different, but just as good.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    CB said:

    Lakewood said:

    i made a tester chicken yesterday. came out fantastic. about 3.5 hours - which is almost exactly 1 hr / lb of chicken.

    probably used a few pounds of lump charcoal and 1 lb of hickory and mesquite mixed together.



    I need to run a couple tests. Smaller chickens and stuff.


    yeah, this was a 3.5 lb young chicken. quick to brine and smoke. well worth it to get a feel for the smoker.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    i was contemplating doing another one tomorrow, but i think i'm ok without. i feel pretty comfortable that i know what worked well and what could be improved process wise from the test run last night.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Lakewood said:

    i was contemplating doing another one tomorrow, but i think i'm ok without. i feel pretty comfortable that i know what worked well and what could be improved process wise from the test run last night.



    I hate to open the smoker, but when I didn't have the heat diffuser and whatnot, I had to rotate the turkey midway through cooking to keep it cooking evenly..
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    CB said:

    FromZwolle said:

    CB said:

    Well, I'm actually not sure whether it is a grill or a smoker. It has a stack like a smoker but no side box. Soooo, small horizontal smoker? That's how I'm going to use it.



    what brand? does it look like lake's but without the side box? a bunch of them are sold without it, but you can buy it separately.

    Is craptastic a brand?
    It isn't very big, but there still may be a smoker box attachment.
    I thought I had a pick of it closed, bit here's on open.


    looks the same as all the other cheap (under $300 8-| ) brands. you should be able to find an add on firebox.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    I prefer to punch my cigars versus cut.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    jlw said:

    I prefer to punch my cigars versus cut.



    less wrapper falls off that way.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,419
    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    i was contemplating doing another one tomorrow, but i think i'm ok without. i feel pretty comfortable that i know what worked well and what could be improved process wise from the test run last night.



    I hate to open the smoker, but when I didn't have the heat diffuser and whatnot, I had to rotate the turkey midway through cooking to keep it cooking evenly..

    What did you use as a heat diffuser?
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    jlw said:

    I prefer to punch my cigars versus cut.



    I can go either way. I used to punch them, but a quality cigar won't fall apart when you cut it. Not that I smoke quality cigars as a rule, just sayin'. Oh and a vee cut is probably the best compromise in my opinion.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    Here's the turkey day setup, dual temp probes, one in the breast, one measuring smoker ambient at the grate level.
    IMG-20121122-00129.jpg
    2560 x 1920 - 1M
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    Got her cookin.
    IMG-20121122-00132.jpg
    1280 x 960 - 282K
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    nothin in the drip pan? toss in something in there!
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,573
    FromZwolle said:

    nothin in the drip pan? toss in something in there!



    Yeah I put something there right after the pic.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
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