Smokers (BBQ - not grilling)

[Fred W]

I tilted my GenIII shield using fuel line as my spacer. Using longer bolts for the bottom holes and cutting the spacers 3/8 long it worked out great.
Ideally a wedge and tapered washers would be best but this is working for me.

Having lived with multiple smokers for a couple of years now, I feel there is good reason to have both a vertical (drum, WSM, or Brinkman clone) and an offset horizontal smoker for different types of cooking.
The vertical smokers are far more fuel efficient, making a long, low and slow cook so easy to do. And the horizontal is far more convenient for any cooking that will require regular attending to the meat (and/or firebox) without screwing up the temperatures as much as you do when opening up a vertical.

So for me, a pork shoulder, brisket, or beef chuck roast are all candidates for the vertical drum, and pretty much everything else goes on the offset. You just need to have an understanding wife.

 

[Knifemaker]

Understanding wife inside making blueberry tortes with fresh blueberries.

I'm outside "tendering"

Ribs coated with rub, racked, and in the smoker at 9am.

And of course smoking essentials...glass of scotch, and a cigar...(yes I'm drinking at 9am...it's a holiday!)

The wife relaxing on the cedar bench I built:

 

[eflyguy]

Good man!

I was considering smoking something but I'm solo this evening so decided instead to braise another lamb shank.

The brinkman was my first smoke - I think I paid $5 from a yard sale. It was enough to convince me to get a "real" smoker. HEAVY side-box style, then an electric which I've used perhaps a half-dozen times. Lost the Brinkman in a small fire in the bed of my truck.. Kept the side-box until I got my kamado a few years back, then gave it away.

I would agree on the side-box being good, but once you get the hang of working with a kamado, you don't really need to get in at the meat unless it's to baste late in the cook, and you can close the bottom vent to prevent the fuel from heating up while open.

 

[Knifemaker]

I'm still thinking about getting an UDS. The propane conversation option on my reverse does work really well, but I've seen it still doesn't get the "big smoke" I can get using charcoal and wood. I pretty much just feed wood into it during a cook (not using the propane) so I'll call it kind of a stick smoker even though I'll toss in some charcoal now and then.

Today I'm using a mix of hickory, mesquite, apple, and some seasoned oak my neighbor brought me. I'm not planning on opening it up to spay down the racks this time, temps hovering at 220-225.

The pork butts I've done and finished inside in the oven came out really good, so I'm not in a hurry for getting the UDS, but can see going there in a few years. ..

 

[Knifemaker]

And the food porn:

Ribs were "meaty" but a bit more fatty than the last batch. Wife said they were like cocaine....

 

[PhilJet09]

Just ordered my first smoker, should be here by the end of the week. Now I have to go back and read all 80 pages of this...better find my glasses, this could take a while.

 

[eflyguy]

Yum..

As my lamb was not smoked, I'll refrain from sharing the awesomeness..

 

[Fred W]

Procrastinated shopping for a labor day "guest" until yesterday morning. Got to the normally well stocked market and they had no more ribs except the precooked and sauced type. Thought about doing a beef roast, but opted for a few coils of fresh Kielbasa instead.

Used up a bunch of old charcoal that I'd saved from prior longer cooks and some leftover Mesquite chunks I had hanging around. Smoked the sausage at ~200F for the first hour and a half and then brought the cooking temp up to 225F for the next hour and a half to bring the IT up to 165F.

To finish them up I tossed them onto the gas grille to put some color onto the casings. Some became more colorful than others.

As they say: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." Nice little smoke ring inside:

 

[eflyguy]

Looks good. Johnsonville has been advertising their chipotle & monterey jack brats, but can't find them anywhere. If I do, I may have to buy several packages and freeze them!

Ever smoked beef ribs? I think we discussed that here before..

 

[Fred W]

I saw a lot of packages of Johnsonville Brats of all different flavors. They were all frozen, which meant no-go for me yesterday, but would be worth throwing in the freezer and trying at some later date.

I have cooked Beef Ribs once before, but wasn't thrilled at how they came out. I think I rushed them too much, which is a big problem. They are very hard to find in the northeast. Much easier to find pork ribs, except (apparently) on Labor Day.

 

[Knifemaker]

Never been a fan of Johnsonville brats. My thinking always has been that sausage that they put cheese in just means less meat

Haven't found any beef ribs around here that have meat on them other than a package of tiny short ribs. Guess I need to visit the beef farm down the road and ask....

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Rib rack - 2.0

The stanchions come out to be cleaned. Width is expandable to fit the ribs. The prototype is mild steel. If I can find stainless I will build it out of stainless. Will make a third holder for wider racks. Since it is just me and the Mrs, I normally only do one rack split in half. I will also make additional stanchions for more racks.

Rack assembled:

Rack disassembled:

Ribs on the rack:

Finished ribs:

 

[Knifemaker]

Nice. I would have done mine like that but I don't have a welder. As my smoker opens from the side, I needed a handle.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Nice. I would have done mine like that but I don't have a welder. As my smoker opens from the side, I needed a handle.

Nice thing about version 2.0 is you don't need a welder, just a drill and metal saw.

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, I like that design a lot, Scott. It looks like you made it so that you can slide the upright stanchions on the long rods to accommodate different length racks of ribs? And maybe add a third support in the middle for the longer ones?

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Yeah, I like that design a lot, Scott. It looks like you made it so that you can slide the upright stanchions on the long rods to accommodate different length racks of ribs? And maybe add a third support in the middle for the longer ones?

Correct.

 

[Bounce]

I like how it flat packs for storage and cleaning.

Would you think of making a few for your fans?

 

[Blind Squirrel]

I like how it flat packs for storage and cleaning.
Would you think of making a few for your fans?

Sure. I have enough material in mild steel to bring you one to EOM free of charge. If you're not coming to EOM you will have to pay shipping. I have to find a source for stainless steel before I can make the Rib Rack 2.1.

How many rib racks are you looking for? I think I can get 5 into 12".

 

[08FJR4ME]

I brought some scrap stainless rounds home today. After seeing your idea I was interested in making one. Even though I could weld it I still like how you can take it apart for cleaning and storage.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[Blind Squirrel]

I just looked into some stainless from online sources... It isn't cheap!! Raw materials for one rack would be almost $40!!!

I am going to go to the place where I get my mild steel from and see if they have stainless scrap at a cheaper price. Another alternative may be to look into aluminum. Until then, I am going to stick with the mild steel and make sure to dry it well after washing and apply a thin coat of oil.