- Jun 9, 2014
- 19
- 10
First of all I live in Huntley, IL just 10 miles south of Woodstock, IL.I moved to Huntley in 1987 and built my third house here. In 1992 I built my fourth house, the house we still live in, right next door to my third house.
I bought my Coleman Smoker probably more than 15 years ago and could never get it to hold heat so it stayed in my shed. My wife and I have a camper at Woodhaven Lakes in Sublette, IL and three weekends ago I went down there alone because Joan and my daughter Kelsey went to a wedding shower in Clinton, IL. At the camper I also have a Charbroil Smoker which I had the same luck with that I had with my Coleman.
Well I had brought up some ribs to put on our Weber kettle grill and thought what the heck I'll give the smoker one more chance. Fired it up, had some mesquit chips and had the best ribs I've had in a long time. Trouble with the Charbroil is that it is all one unit unlike the Coleman where you can lift the upper part smoker off the base to add more charcoals if needed and had no holes in the pan for ash removal. Reversed the legs put them on the outside of the Charbroil and then took the L brackets to hold the charcoal pan off the legs and put them on the bottom of the charcoal pan so that I could lift up the whole cooker off the base and put the base on a 12 inch round by 2 1/2 inch paving stone which gave me room for the ashes to drop. Also put 7/8 inch holes in the pan for ash drainage. My next mod was installing a Weber 4 holed round vent in the top along with a " REAL" thermometer which showed me the actual temp instead of the warm/ideal/hot thermometer which is basically useless. I did the same mods on my Coleman and have been smoking happily ever since.
Made baby backed ribs yesterday using Jeff's recipe and they turned out perfect. I had purchased Jeff's rub and sauce recipe and it's one of the best things that I have ever done. I have never liked sauce on my ribs but this sauce is something else. I used Jeff's rub on the ribs and then 30 minutes b4 taking them off basted them with the sauce and it was just Heavenly. Even my wife who doesn't care for smoked food said OMG! I have to use the apple or cherry wood for her, she doesn't care for the mesquit too intense for her, I like things spicy while my wife does not but Jeff's rub and sauce she both likes. First time we've agreed about something in 24 years.
So here I am letting you folks know I'm here. Any suggestions or further modifications will be well taken. SMOKE ON!!!!!
Craig in Huntley, IL
I bought my Coleman Smoker probably more than 15 years ago and could never get it to hold heat so it stayed in my shed. My wife and I have a camper at Woodhaven Lakes in Sublette, IL and three weekends ago I went down there alone because Joan and my daughter Kelsey went to a wedding shower in Clinton, IL. At the camper I also have a Charbroil Smoker which I had the same luck with that I had with my Coleman.
Well I had brought up some ribs to put on our Weber kettle grill and thought what the heck I'll give the smoker one more chance. Fired it up, had some mesquit chips and had the best ribs I've had in a long time. Trouble with the Charbroil is that it is all one unit unlike the Coleman where you can lift the upper part smoker off the base to add more charcoals if needed and had no holes in the pan for ash removal. Reversed the legs put them on the outside of the Charbroil and then took the L brackets to hold the charcoal pan off the legs and put them on the bottom of the charcoal pan so that I could lift up the whole cooker off the base and put the base on a 12 inch round by 2 1/2 inch paving stone which gave me room for the ashes to drop. Also put 7/8 inch holes in the pan for ash drainage. My next mod was installing a Weber 4 holed round vent in the top along with a " REAL" thermometer which showed me the actual temp instead of the warm/ideal/hot thermometer which is basically useless. I did the same mods on my Coleman and have been smoking happily ever since.
Made baby backed ribs yesterday using Jeff's recipe and they turned out perfect. I had purchased Jeff's rub and sauce recipe and it's one of the best things that I have ever done. I have never liked sauce on my ribs but this sauce is something else. I used Jeff's rub on the ribs and then 30 minutes b4 taking them off basted them with the sauce and it was just Heavenly. Even my wife who doesn't care for smoked food said OMG! I have to use the apple or cherry wood for her, she doesn't care for the mesquit too intense for her, I like things spicy while my wife does not but Jeff's rub and sauce she both likes. First time we've agreed about something in 24 years.
So here I am letting you folks know I'm here. Any suggestions or further modifications will be well taken. SMOKE ON!!!!!
Craig in Huntley, IL
