Re: [CH] OT: smoker questions (fwd)

=Mark (mstevens@exit109.com)
Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:47:04 -0400 

Now you know why the Brinkmann earned the ECB label.

Instead of getting another grill to start charcoal mid settion, get a chimney
starter and a pair of tongs to transfer lit charcoal to the fire pan through
the side door.

By using the ECB for a year or so, given the total lack of adjustable vents,
you REALLY come to understand fire control.  This is a real bonus when you
finally come to your senses and buy a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker.  Many
Competition BBQ teams have won plenty of trophys with the WSM...

On Sun, 20 Jun 2010 22:47:51 -0500, Jim Graham wrote
> Well, I can't find it, but I seem to recall saying I'd post a 
> summary of yesterday's barbecue, so here goes.
> 
> First, I never knew that the water pan was regulating the 
> temperature and keeping it in the exact range I wanted (until a 
> friend told me later last night in an e-mail about the smoker and 
> the day's smoking).  So, I was surprised to find that, when I used 
> an oven thermometer to back up the ECB (El Cheapo Brinkmann ... what 
> my Brinkmann Smoke N' Grill is called), that I hit 225°F on the dot. 
>  Whatever...temperature was perfect. Until....
> 
> The fire burned out a *LOT* faster than when I cured the smoker.
> Probably the regular Kingsford charcoal (which I used for curing) vs
> the Kingsford charcoal/hickory mix that I used yesterday.
> 
> Major issues:  can't service the charcoal pan without opening up the
> smoker, taking both racks and the water pan out ... and taking that water
> pan out is bound to spill, killing any fire you have left.  Only option
> 
> (messy---ash getting tossed about) is to toss fresh briquettes in through
> the port on the side.  Bad juju.
> 
> Next are the lack of a real thermometer, and the lack of a proper
> adjustable vent.
> 
> http://www.smoking-meat.com/modify-brinkmann-ecb-smoker.html has all
> of the answers, quick, easy to implement, inexpensive, and very 
> simple solutions.
> 
> The fire did go out...as I mentioned, the speed at which this stuff
> burned caught me completely by surprise after just the night before
> finally giving up on it going out on its own and getting the water
> hose.  So I finished the ribs and the chicken up in the oven at 
> 225°F. I basted it all before going into the oven, and for the ribs, 
> again about 20 minutes later when they were done, and a few times 
> for the chicken until it was done ... and basted both with sauce 
> when they were done.
> 
> Result:  there isn't much left....I need some Boston Butt and more
> chickens.  I've got veges (and two Anaheim peppers to cover the most
> important food group:  chiles) that I was going to smoke yesterday until
> the fire died, and they need to be done (so I might as well do more
> meat, right?).
> 
> One (or more) of the chickens I'll be doing in the next few days 
> will be going to a local sandwich shop owner who, since I reappeared 
> after the cancer, refuses to allow me to pay or tip.  I like to do 
> nice things for her---always cooking or baking (she loves my 
> cooking/baking)....  :-)
> 
> So there's the summary.  Today I bought a real thermometer, just 
> need to get the drill out, find an outlet that works, and drill one 
> hole and I'll have a real thermometer.  Re-doing the charcoal pan 
> setup is next, and then the vent on top.
> 
> Some new terms regarding the inability to open the smoker to check 
> the temps on the oven thermometer without opening the lid and thus changing
> the temps I was trying to measure:  "the Heisensmoker effect".  That,
> and "quantum smoker" and (and this one was reaching a bit, but I'd
> already gotten started)....  "Schroedinger's Chicken".  Ok, I'll stop
> now.  You had to be there....  :-)
> 
> One other idea I thought of:  when I get the feeling (or when I 
> SHOULD have) that the fire is about to die out, use one of those $10 
> charcoal grills to light up some charcoal and let it burn down, then 
> lift the smoker up off of the charcoal pan and its new base, dump 
> the ashes into a metal pail, and slide the new hot coals into the 
> charcoal pan, and add more as needed before putting the smoker back 
> onto the charcoal pan.
> 
> Now I just need to get the property management/repair guy to pour me 
> a nice, level, and FLAT concrete area to use not only for the smoker,
>  but also for the jet-type burner I use when brewing.  After the temperature
> in Hell reaches absolute zero, it might happen.
> 
> Later,
>    --jim
> 
> -- 
> 73 DE N5IAL (/4)        MiSTie #49997  < Running FreeBSD 7.0 >
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> 
>         Do not look into waveguide with remaining eye!


--
=Mark

http://www.exit109.com/~mstevens