new to smokin meat

[markeli]

I built a smoker out of a 1950's era fridge. I started with an electric heat source and it burned up the hot plate so I took an old table top grill and mounted it in the bottom of the fridge. I couldn't get the temp down low enough even on low. then I found an old camp trailer stove and took the oven burner from the oven pilot and temp senser and all built a burner box and mounted it under the fridge then mounted the four burner cook top to the side of the fridge. the smoker is thermostat controlled and will maintain temps from 120 deg to 450 deg. the unit looks like a real red neck contraption. Now I need to learn how to cook with it.

 

[dacdots]

Mark your a man after mine own heart.What you have done is true redneck ingenuity.I have a unit pretty much like yours.The oven element in the bottom controlled by the old oven thermostat works great.I put a piece of sheet metal over top of it covering the entire element to reduce direct heat.My smoke source is external,piped in to the lower side of the fridge.As far as smoking with your unit it works like most any smoker,just keep your temps right and the thin blue smoke rolling.I take it you have a damper on top,very important,to keep a good draft going.Please post a picture of your smoker for me and everyone else to see.Theres a pic of mine on the forum,use the search and look up a post I sent....Old Hoss

 

[markeli]

I will see if I can get some pics tomorrow and post them.

here are some pic I took this morning

 

[cheech]

Now that is great. Mine is similiar to this too but I am using a hot plate from walmart. I tied it into an outlet where I wired that to a relay then to a temp controller complete with PID controls. I can get my temp to hold with in a degree of my set point. A true set it and forget it.