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Message |
    
Jim O'Conner
Advanced Member
Username: Roguejim
Post Number: 531
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2005 - 07:59 am: | 
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I guess I'm looking for brand names that I can check out on-line. Don't tell me to build one. It ain't happenin'. I'm more interested in a smoker than the barbecue, although if it could do double duty, that would be nice. Thanks.
Jim
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Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 3247
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2005 - 08:17 pm: |
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I have been pretty happy with my Brinkmann water smoker for brisket, ribs, chicken, etc. These are available at most Wallyworld-type stores. For smoking fish, sausage, jerky, etc. I have been pleased with this:
http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=232 |
Ron Siddall
Member
Username: Listerdister
Post Number: 242
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2005 - 08:54 pm: |
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Jim, I have this one:
http://www.bbqgalore.com/store/item.bbq?invky=5823520
What is great about it is that the tray that you put the fire on is adjustable up and down for grilling or smoking. I do both. The grills themselfs are cast iron and give you those grill marks that some folks want. |
Ken Anderson
Advanced Member
Username: Ken75
Post Number: 855
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, June 04, 2005 - 12:43 pm: |
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I have some friends who own a pellet grill. It set them back a nice chunk of change, but they love the thing. It does work well. Smokes and cooks. Doesn't sear though.
http://www.traegergrills.com |
Ric Heinz
Member
Username: Rheinz
Post Number: 244
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, June 04, 2005 - 01:28 pm: |
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Check out Pitts and Spitts, Houston. A thriving business.
Here's a link to many BBQ/Smoker websites.
http://southernbarbecue.com/backyard_grills.htm
Ric
Flatfender Brewing, NW Houston
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Wayne M
Member
Username: Bigfun_wayne
Post Number: 172
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 04, 2005 - 02:51 pm: |
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Know you don't want to build one from scrtch but I have had great luck with this type of setup:
http://www.randyq.addr.com/ecb/ecbmods.html
Great entry level smoker for someone who likes to build and tweak gadgets... Add a digital thermometer and you have a very nice small smoker. Does need tending every hour or so but that is half the fun.
All for about $40.
(Message edited by bigfun_wayne on June 04, 2005)
(Message edited by bigfun_wayne on June 04, 2005) |
Akgg
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, June 06, 2005 - 01:25 am: |
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Anything and everthing smoking related.
http://www.rbjb.com/rbjb/rbjbboard/
BBQ board.
I recommend a WSM, Weber Smokey Mountain. |
Okierat
Junior Member
Username: Okierat
Post Number: 69
Registered: 05-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 10:06 pm: |
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This is the one I have been using for about eight years now and love it.
http://www.americasbestbbq.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=455627977 |
Paul Erbe
Intermediate Member
Username: Perbe
Post Number: 267
Registered: 05-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 04:51 pm: |
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I have a brinkman water smoker. I wish I had an offset smoker like the one Okierat shows.
A water smoke is too limiting as the hotest you can get it is around 200 degrees. You have almost no control of the temp but it is a steady temp.
"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least, you need a beer."
-- Frank Zappa
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Wayne M
Member
Username: Bigfun_wayne
Post Number: 173
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 04:22 pm: |
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Paul:
You gain a good amount of control when you modify the Brinkman with the suggestions listed on that linked site. If you are not happy with your smoker, you have nothing to lose if you modify it...
Lump charcoal burns hotter makes a big difference with the El Cheapo Brinkman Smoker. Kingsford coal based charcoal has just too much ash for this type of smoker and smothers the fire after the first hour. I understand that Kingsford might now be made in China and produces more ash than ever.
I have switched to lump charcoal and would never go back to regular charcoal.
Consider lump charcoal as another tweak to the ECB... |
ELK
Senior Member
Username: Elkski
Post Number: 1114
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 09:47 pm: |
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Where do you get lump charcoal? I have the ECM plus a Weber round and a weber gas grill..
I had allready added a grate to my fire pan bottom because the ash would smother my fire. My pan has one 1' dia hole in the middle...I can see where it would be nice to have better access to your fire pan with that leg mod...HMMmm.
How important is it to have the rails and air slot?
I wonder how many brewers also smoke meat??? I think they go good together on a brew day. |
Nate Kendrick
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 04:09 am: |
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Elk,
Been lurkin, now postin.
You asked how many brewers also smoke meat? Here's one! I smoked 30lbs pork butt two weeks ago for my nephews graduation. 9 hours on the trusty Webber with oak log smoldering away and drinking a (a few)strong CAP brewed and kegged the month before.
What a day! |
ELK
Senior Member
Username: Elkski
Post Number: 1115
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 06:04 pm: |
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Ok boys/girl the BBQ is at my house at 5pm...
Reading on this thread and links got me in the Texas mood..I spent almost 10 years in that chigger fireant infested Hell hole. (Its a long story best told over some BBQ and Beer.)
Ended up with a cute petite Texas/Cajun wife and moved back to the mountains where real men live!!
What I really wanted to say is that I made some of "Randyq" modifications see link above to my brinkmann and am now smoking (mesquite) 10#'s of pork ribs. I hope they will be ready for our local brew club picnic today at the owner of the LBHS! Otherwise the wife and kids are at the art festival and I will be drinking more home brew and practicing archery and tinkering around the garage/yard/watching nascar/lab hunting dog training and general lounging under the deck.
ELK |
ELK
Senior Member
Username: Elkski
Post Number: 1118
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 07:37 pm: |
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Ok been cooking for ever an hour now but having problems getting my temp up to 225 on this water smoker??? I am following the ECB minion method and but maybe I should have followed the BRITU method of having all the charcoal stoked up first. I have that channel in the firbox now and am wondering if to much air is going straight up. I think I will drop a cap plate in forcing the air to the side of the channell and thus into the charcoal. I do have Kingsford. I am only at 160 now. |
Wayne M
Member
Username: Bigfun_wayne
Post Number: 174
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 11:32 pm: |
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ELK:
I get Royal Oak lump at Wally World and Cowboy Brand at Lowes. My fav liquor store, Ray's in MKE also sells Cowboy brand. Cowboy looks to be chared hardwood pallets while Royal looks to be more regular wood parts...
I made an expanded metal grate that keeps the charcoal above the 3 large vent holes that I drilled in the bottom pan. I have a adjustable vent on the bottom and close it when thing get too hot. Surpising small amount of ash with lump charcoal when you first use it. Again much hotter fire IMHO.
I always start the charcoal in a chimney type starter until it is grey then add it to the smoker pan. Use a wick type sterno warmer and just light that, set the filled chimney over it and in 15-20 mins you have started coals without the mess of lighter fluid or ashes from newspapers. One of those little cans lasts all season.
I check the fire every 45 mins and then add another started load as needed. By reversing the legs you can just lift the smoker without taking off the cover or opening the access door. Add the hot coals and you are good to go for another hour...
I heard the rule of thumb is that everytime you open that type of smoker you add 15 mins to your cooking time. I now avoid that as much as possible.
When measured by digital probe Polder thermometer, I can reach 250F on startup and can hold 220-230 by adding 1/2 full chimney starter every 45-60 mins or so depending on the outside temps...
The ECB smoker requires TLC for best results.
Boy am I hungry for some ribs....
My fav rib rub...
5 parts white sugar
5 parts brown sugar
2 parts salt
1 part fresh ground black pepper
1 part sweet paprika
Optional
1 or 2 parts Penzey's Galena Street Rib Rub |
ELK
Senior Member
Username: Elkski
Post Number: 1121
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 03, 2005 - 12:52 am: |
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How far above the bottom of the fire pan is your grate? How big are hte holes? I need to get some lump. |
Wayne M
Member
Username: Bigfun_wayne
Post Number: 175
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, July 03, 2005 - 04:37 pm: |
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Elk:
The grate sits above the bottom vent holes by about 1.5 inches supported by two small pieces of angle iron.
I used a 7/8 inch bi metal hole saw to cut three holes spaced on the bottom. These filled with ash when using Kingsford. No problem with lump charcoal.
Make sure you fill your water pan with HOT HOT water and have your ribs/shoudler/brisket at room temp when you start out.
Ribs tomorrow!!!! |
Gary Muehe
Member
Username: Garymuehe
Post Number: 112
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, August 27, 2005 - 03:33 am: |
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Kingsford says right on the bag "made in USA" |
Connie
Advanced Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 758
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 05:03 pm: |
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I've had a couple of the "Big Green Eggs".
http://www.biggreenegg.com/ |
ELK
Senior Member
Username: Elkski
Post Number: 1615
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 04:32 am: |
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Ive added a weber smokey mountain grill.
about 230$ at walmart.com to your door. it is basically a ECB el cheapo brinkman with all the mods made and it is very nice... Some folks do switch to the larger ECB water pan.
This past Sat I became a KCBS certified BBq judge.
a 5 hour class and most of the BBQ was good. Raw chicken was thrown in. We dont have many competetions out here but we do have the first big one this August 24 in SLC.. and it is the last chance qualifier so many folks from amny states will be here.. Unfortunately is it the archery ELK hunt then. Who would schedule it like that? |
Jerry Hays
New Member
Username: Jlh8643
Post Number: 16
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, January 28, 2007 - 05:07 am: |
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I have a propane fired cabnet from Smoky Mountain. Just above the burner sits the cast iron box you put your wood chips in and above that sits your maranade/water pan. I've got 6 grates to sit meat on which slide out for adjusting of height or haning meat from. My SWMBO volunteered me this past Friday to smoke a pork loin and a bone in turkey breast for her bunko club. Six hours at 215* pork and turkey was at 170*. One of the things I really like about this smoker is I don't have to baby sit the fire. I insert my remote thermometer and have a brew or two. I woulk highly suggest in getting one of these if you are gonna be smoking. |
Connie
Advanced Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 935
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 - 12:38 am: |
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Well, I've picked up an older model offset smoker (Braunfels) and started cleaning it up. I also read about the modifications and got a link for lump charcoal ratings...looks like the "Big Green Egg Lump Charcoal rates pretty high...20# around $12-13 long lasting and low ash~
http://www.homegardenandpatio.com/patio/brinkmann_grills_smokers.htm
(Message edited by connie on February 05, 2007) |
Belly Buster Bob
Senior Member
Username: Canman
Post Number: 2710
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 - 01:27 am: |
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I've always thought those offsets would be hot on the left end and cool on the right.I have seen them modified with a baffle extending from the firebox across the bottom to distribute the heat more evenly
Bellybuster Bob
www.bellybuster.netfirms.com
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Connie
Advanced Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 936
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 - 02:00 pm: |
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Yeah Bob, that's one of the modifications mentioned on a info website. Another is to move the thermometer down to the meat cooking level and extend the chimney down to cooking level. My old smoker was a ancient David Bradley jerry rigged for indirect heat~
I have a lot to learn about slow cooking and this smoker. Might even gain a couple pounds with the BBQ and home brew.  |
ELK
Senior Member
Username: Elkski
Post Number: 1804
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 - 03:58 pm: |
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Connie, I bet you can fix that up or leave it like it is and smoke some great chow.
If you make all the mods you mentioned I think you will be very happy for cooks less than 8 hours. Don't show the person who gave it to you as he/she might want it back. You will be surprised what 10 minutes of sanding on that front table will do for looks.
Its all about Function here who cares what it looks like on the outside. Hardest part after the mods will be to clean the grates.
Was that between the box hole enlarged or something?? I think you should do the baffle and down chimney as a minimum. does the firebox lid and ash door fit tight?
I would suggest some cheaper but challenging cut of meat like some whole chickens to test out your modifications. It will allow you to check heat distribution and fire control for only a 4-6 hour period
A beer a day keeps the Mormons away!!
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Connie
Advanced Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 937
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 - 05:06 pm: |
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Elk, thanks.
I picked it up off craigslist for $45, so it's not going back. I think the sanding and maybe a coat of grill paint will do wonders. I'll have to pick up a thermometer and the rest should be easy. I'm thinking I'll just pick up some new grates and if the wood doesn't clean up, I'll replace it, too. I don't mind spending a little money on it. I haven't fired it up, but the ash door seems to be reasonably tight...meanwhile I picked up a used SS Holland Legacy Grill yesterday, more clean up  |
Connie
Advanced Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 944
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 08:40 pm: |
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The after pictures~
extended the smoke stack down, added a thermometer at meat level and added a ss baffel between the firebox and cooking area. And a little sanding and paint~ Looks pretty good, now.
 |
Rick Dau
New Member
Username: Rcthd
Post Number: 13
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 11:09 pm: |
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Looks good!!
I have one of these and have a hard time with even heating.
What does the baffel look like?
Thanks
Rick |
Connie
Advanced Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 945
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 12:22 am: |
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Hey Rick,
Look at this link. When I can get to my upstairs computer, I'll post the pictures I took today. I had a SS shelf bracket that looks like it should be just the thing~ We'll see.
http://www.bbqinstitute.com/SmokerModifications.pdf |
Connie
Advanced Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 946
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 03:11 am: |
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Here's how I did the baffle and smoke stack extension.
 |
Rick Dau
New Member
Username: Rcthd
Post Number: 14
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 12:56 am: |
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Thanks
Rick |
The Brewer's Kitchen