Offset Smoker Experiments & Cooking.

[Worth1]

Glad I did flat end tender and juicy.
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[Worth1]

Oh hell yeah.
Point not cooled off enough yet eating flat end and fresh bratwurst.
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[Rajun Gardener]

That looks good! That layer of fat is nothing but flavor especially on the flat.

I saw that first pic last night before I went to bed and dreamed of brisket. I have on in the smoker now and plan on it being done by 4.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

That looks good! That layer of fat is nothing but flavor especially on the flat.

I saw that first pic last night before I went to bed and dreamed of brisket. I have on in the smoker now and plan on it being done by 4.

I need to figure out some way to get this thing to hold more heat.
It eats wood because the metal is so thin.
I'm honestly considering fireplace tiles or some sort of insulation.

[Rajun Gardener]

That's one of the reasons I did all those modifications to mine, the other was to distribute the heat as evenly as possible across the grates.

I lowered the firebox to let the heat flow easier into the cook chamber.

Installed 1/4" plates in the bottom of the cook chamber to hold heat and spread it out evenly. It works like a baffle that are an after market item you can buy.

And lowered the exhaust to the grate level to hold the heat in longer. Most of the high end pits do this, even Franklins pits are famous for that style.

Even with all those mods I still have to throw a log in about every 20 minutes. I buy my wood from an old guy who sells firewood and cut the splits in half, that maintains 225-275 depending on the wind and temperature.

[Rajun Gardener]

If you want to spend more cash on a new smoker Walmart is starting to mark down smokers and the Oklahoma Joe Barrel smoker is a fuel saving smoker that cooks excellent. Some people found them for $74 up to $184 marked down from $299.

Enter your zipcode and check your stores.
https://brickseek.com/walmart-invent...?sku=475458441

[Worth1]

I did lower the fire box hole but there is nothing you can do to make the thin metal retain heat.
The temps inside are perfect for the way I cook you just have to keep stoking the thing.

It is like a cast iron kettle will boil and keep boiling at a much lower amount of BTU's at the burner than an aluminum or thin metal one will.
There is no replacement for mass.

[Rajun Gardener]

I know, that's why you do the other things to help it hold heat. You can make a new firebox out of thick walled pipe, that might help but there's a reason these are called COS=cheap offset smokers.

It's a starter smoker and a BBQ grill at best, the rest is up to the user to make it work. That's why people who smoke all the time buy a good, thick metal offset. These days it doesn't pay to spend 1K on a good offset considering all the options available that are basically an easy bake smoker that takes less time to run and burn less fuel.

You could always use it to smoke for the first 3 hours then finish it in the oven and that's what I'm gonna do from now on but I'll use the pellet smoker to finish it.

OR YOU CAN BUILD ONE!! I know you have the tools and you can take your time to build it the way you want it. A custom offset with a vertical box for low heat smoking is what you need to do sausage and the other smoked/cured meats you make.

Check out this guy from Louisiana that makes them to sell in his back yard. If you dig through his channel he explains all the tips and tricks he's discovered along the way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-nd32AU5IQ

[Worth1]

I look at the video tonight.
I prefer to finish off in the Dutch Oven it is more energy efficient.

[Worth1]

Saw the video, I am looking at 1/4 to 5/16 thick steel at least if I built one.
But more than likely would build one from fire brick.

[Worth1]

One of my young coworkers last name of Nunez found this on the side of the road and has been asking me questions and advice on how to restore it.
Rust removal shelves and so on.
Here is what he did.
Looks nice and very proud of him.

PS I never told him to put a shelf on the fir box but he did,it might get too hot and catch on fire.
Live and learn.
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[SueCT]

Looks Beautiful!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by SueCT

Looks Beautiful!

Thanks.
He is a so called millennial, almost all of my coworkers are millennials.
If you can identify ,relate and gain their trust they are like information sponges.
The ones closer to my age are critical and negative towards them.