mini loin roast on new mini reverse flow q-view

[duck killer 1]

this is a diagram of a reverse flow smoker i found on one of the threads on here hope it helps!

 

[bob1961]

thx, that makes the picture i had in my head more clear

..........bob

....

 

[amosis16]

I like the gas stick burner! How dows that work with hot embers from the sticks falling down on the burner? Was thinking about incorporating one of those into mine, and was wondering about the ash from the sticks clogging the burner.

 

[garretthall29]

Does filling the drip pan with water somehow hold more heat than just the heated steel would?

 

[flyinbrian]

I will apologize in advance for very complicated answers.

Yes.

Water holds a lot of heat (specific heat is thermal heat per unit weight).  You could start by adding 2 gallons or 20 gallons of boiling water, and there would be a lot of heat held in there.  This would create a lot of thermal inertia, and it would be resistant to spikes or dips in temperature.  All good?

No.

Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.  This means that the water could be boiling, but until the water is gone, the water boiling process would be pulling extra heat out of the smoke stream and essentially cooling the smoke.  This would work to temper or stabilize the temperature of the smoke stream.  (again, only until all the water had boiled off)  This would limit the amount of heat that would be transferred from the smoke stream into the meat.  The amount of heat is directly related/proportional to the temperature difference.

Punchline??

Not totally sure, I'm an engineer, and fan of Q.  (Not a pit master.)  But this I do know.  A lot of the thermal energy in the smoke stream will be required to boil off the water, so a lot of water will require extra fuel.  I speculate that a couple of gallons of boiling water as the fire settles down would help more than hurt.  (It just seems that good Q will always take a long and steady and exacting burn, but a lot of good pieces of meat get ruined in the first half hour.  You also would not want to start by adding boiling water in a cold smoker.  Condensation on the walls could rain down soot and rust onto your meat.)

still converting my $30 offset smoker into a reverse flow

 

[cowdohn]

If I brought the air tanks and extra materials and parts to you would you cut and weld me one??? I love this "mini smoker" but don't have the tools to diy. What's your price!