Smokers and Grillers Thread

[Rogan]

If you're anything like me, you ain't scared to eat. And meat is a large importance in that. I've made my own jerky for years. Last year, I started smoking meat and it's become my hobby and greater enjoyments in life.. I don't have a high dollar smoker, but it serve the purpose (for now.) This is my 3rd one. First one was 2 clay pots, a hot plate, and a Weber grill grate. Works quite well, but hot plates are getting weaker and more scarce. My current go-to smoker is a Char-Griller with woodbox attachment. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=558550&stc=1&d=1289415338 It's not the best, but is a great 'both-worlds' grill setup. I've done a couple mods to it to make it a 'better' smoker, and a few more are slated. So far, I've reconfigured the woodbox's fire pit design and height. Also, a water heater blanket addition to help retain and regulate heat stability. This weekend, I'll be extending the 3" dia. chimney's inner length to grate-level, rather than it's factory 1" depth into the lid. The factory configuration lets out too much heat and smoke, too quickly. After that, I'll be adding woodstove rope sealing gasket to the lid section, again to help retain smoke and heat that otherwise escapes from everywhere. Wood of choice: mesquite or apple. Apple is everywhere, here, beings that there are hundreds of apple orchards in the immediate are. Mesquite is not native here, and obviously doesn't grow in this part of the country. So I either have relatives ship me mesquite wood from Texas, or I buy bulk chunk bags, which isn't cheap here. so, if any of you are into smoking meat, let's converse/share

[Clanton24v]

I also have had a good time smoking meats and making mods to my smoker. It's another never ending process lol one of the first things I did was add thermometers one in the top center and one on each lower corner of the lid so that I can better watch the different temperature "zones" and position the meat accordingly

[98whitelightnin]

I enjoy smoking meat and really enjoy eating smoked meat. I dont have a smoker now but if I make a trip back to Tx with the truck, im bringing one back my grandpa made.

[Mopar1973Man]

Where is a slobber rag wipe up the keyboard? Oh, smoked meats and me don't last long at all.

[ISX]

I can just imagine what the smoke rolling off that thing smells like. I'll park to the left of it and leave the windows down, hopefully the smell will soak in.

[Rogan]

We should make a automotive air freshener that smells like Mesquite smoke

[Rogan]

http://forum.mopar1973man.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4283&d=1342801591 From the Galaxy S3

[dorkweed]

http://forum.mopar1973man.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4283&d=1342801591 From the Galaxy S3

Overdone!!!!!!!!!!IMHO, it looks like you should've pulled it off about 10-15 minutes sooner!! That's going solely by the color of the meat though!! Love your set-up by the way. Does the smoke chamber feed into both grill sections??? Hard to tell from the picture. You're doing the right thing by lowering the "chimney" in the grill section also. Keeps heat and smoke in the chamber longer. You'll use much less wood and/or charcoal. Hickory, pear, maple wood are excellent woods also. Just make sure the wood it totally dry first. Then soak and use. Mesquite, apple are awesome, but you already mentioned those. A few years ago, on a duck hunting trip to TX, I was voted camp chef. Our local guide was the former ranch manager from the ranch we were hunting on. I grill smoked duck and goose for the guys + cowboy Bob (guide) 3 nights straight; while one of the other guys made up the other vittles in the regular kitchen. Cowboy Bob, said that was the best duck and goose he'd ever had................and this is from a "hardcore" cattle/beef man his whole life. He even told me, if I ever wanted to come down to run the "chuck wagon" on the ranch for the cowboys rounding up cattle, he could arrange it. It was really cool to hear that!! Have you ever brined, then smoked salmon???? If not give it a try. Even if you FUBAR it up, the salmon will still be more than edible. And yes, I do know from experience there!!!!

[War Eagle]

I've been smoking for a few years now and I use a propane fired smoker and use a smoking box that I fill with wood pellets for the specific flavor in the meat or fish I plan on smoking.I believe the pellet brand is Traeger but I have seen others coming on the market lately. There are probably a dozen or more pellet kinds available. I use mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, garlic flavored pellets depending what I am smoking.The bags are 20 pounds and when on sale they go for $10-12. I usually stock up on them when they are on sale. I burn about 2-3 pounds each time I smoke so a bag will last a long time. I have found the price to be much more attractive than the chunks or shavings that you can buy at more stores that stock grilling or smoking supplies.The pellets are easy to store in the bags and require no further processing.

[Clanton24v]

I converted my smoker to propane and also use pellets. The propane is so much easier to keep the temp dialed in.

[Rogan]

Overdone!!!!!!!!!!IMHO, it looks like you should've pulled it off about 10-15 minutes sooner!! That's going solely by the color of the meat though!! Love your set-up by the way. Does the smoke chamber feed into both grill sections??? Hard to tell from the picture. You're doing the right thing by lowering the "chimney" in the grill section also. Keeps heat and smoke in the chamber longer. You'll use much less wood and/or charcoal. Have you ever brined, then smoked salmon???? If not give it a try. Even if you FUBAR it up, the salmon will still be more than edible. And yes, I do know from experience there!!!!

Hey, Chef! ;) Yeah, they were slightly overdone, but still dee-lish! I've never brined anything.. yet. But I will, soon.

I've been smoking for a few years now and I use a propane fired smoker and use a smoking box that I fill with wood pellets for the specific flavor in the meat or fish I plan on smoking. I believe the pellet brand is Traeger but I have seen others coming on the market lately. There are probably a dozen or more pellet kinds available. I use mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, garlic flavored pellets depending what I am smoking. The bags are 20 pounds and when on sale they go for $10-12. I usually stock up on them when they are on sale. I burn about 2-3 pounds each time I smoke so a bag will last a long time. I have found the price to be much more attractive than the chunks or shavings that you can buy at more stores that stock grilling or smoking supplies. The pellets are easy to store in the bags and require no further processing.

I checked out the Treager smoker grills, but at 700$, I passed. I did toy with the idea about using their pellets, however. I see they often have them at Costco, but not very often.

I converted my smoker to propane and also use pellets. The propane is so much easier to keep the temp dialed in.

I have both a propane smoker and a wood smoker. I can say that, IMPO, I think the wood smoker seems to produce better tasting food. However, I have also considered fabbing up a propane burner to slide into the SWB (Side Wood Box). Then I can do the initial 4hrs of smoking with charcoal/wood, then after the 4 or so hrs, switch over to propane by simply sliding out the ash drawer, and slide in the propane burner.

[hex0rz]

Well well well! I say this thread is perfect timing! Since I will only have the weekends to do things now, one of my projects is going to be this! http://www.doublebarrelsmoker.com/ I already have 2 55-gal barrels to get this started. Just need to get the other parts to get it going. I have been looking everywhere for a PERFECT bbq. The local Big R here carries a bbq'er that has propane on one side, and charcoal on the other with a smoke box. I despise propane! Charcoal and wood is gonna give the best flavor for the most cancer! Wal-mart carries a certain charcoal bbq, but it does'nt have the smoke box. So, the one day I was at the fire dept. when we burned down the house, we had a caterer come in with their tow behind barrel bbq. It was not made out of barrels, but huge pipe. All of it was built out of 1/4" plate steel! This got me thinking. Looking at the extra barrels I had and having saved them to actually save it for a specific idea to use them as a smoker, I decided googling something would be best. Well, the link above is GOLD! Not only will I have a smoker, but I will have a bbq'er! WOOO! I have about 24 large milk crates full of apricot wood that I chunked up to save for when I get my next elk. I'll be having alot of meat to smoke! We already smoked up some horse meat made up into smokies with the apricot wood and it was unbelievable! Matter of fact, we are going to be bbq'ing elk steak tonight, I'll post up some pictures!

[Rogan]

Hex,

I like that double barrel smoke WAY BETTER than the one I contemplated building..

But I AM kinda diggin this one..

[ADawg]

I just bought this bbq you can purchase the smoker in which I will try and purchase later. I have never smoked anything but I cannot wait to give it a whirl! Especially after watching BBQ pit-masters But with the smoker portion do you put charcoal in with wood chips to give flavor? I cannot wait to give it a shot I do wish I had the money for a better one but you can only do what you can do

[Rogan]

Adrian, you can still do decent indirect smoking/cooking on that grill, depending on how much you do at a time. It's definitely harder to do, but sure is feasible. The SWB (Side wood box) will be a great addition to it. Even with your new grill, a few mods and you'll have an excellent smoker for personal use. And by "a few mods", even small things like a water heater blanket to help the thinner metal retain the heat, making a cheap metal baffle for the heat dispersion, etc. You'll also want some 3" dryer hose (metal) and extend the stack down to grate-level, inside.IMO, it's best to start off smoking something like pork, say, ribs or a pork tenderloin. This will be a relatively short smoke time (3-4hrs), and pork is more forgiving if you over-cook it. With beef, the "window of opportunity" is much smaller, and they can go from perfect to overdone in a heartbeat! Hit it at about 250*F grill temp and monitor the temp of the grill AND the meat. Usually, with the PTL, I'll pull it, wrap in foil, and put it back on the grill when it reaches about 140*, and pull it to rest at about 165-170.

[Rogan]

From the Galaxy S3

[white01]

it is 7:38 and my stomach is growling for that!!!

[Rogan]

ha! I smoked a 12 pound pork butt yesterday. 13hrs over mesquite wood!

[flagmanruss]

It wasn't mine but the best bbq I've seen was a huge propane tank... maybe 10 feet long. Even with counter weights the top cover needed a winch. Freakin tank was like 1/2" thick. They must have brought in hardwood charcoal in a dump truck. The guys ran an auto repair & welding shop in front (specializing in raised roof bus conversions) & had a wedding site by the pond out back. A little cookout for 1000 of your closest friends. SORRY, no digital picts. Must be in the film archive.

[Rogan]

I don't want anything that hard-core.. but it would be nice ;)