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I have the same rig and only modified last month after years of working/struggling with it. Should of found this site sooner
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The mods are a great improvement, extend the smokestack to the grill, heat baffle and charcoal basket. I had already changed the therm and use a wireless digital therm for meat temps.

Done a test run two weeks ago with a new charcoal basket and had three hours of 230 - 250 temps with 5 lbs of royal oak lump. Outside temp was around 35f. Smoked some vidalia onions and made a batch of smoked onion sauce (still tweaking the recipe so will post it once i get it right).

I had the sfb vent about 1/4 way open and exhaust vent halfway open.

Going to try a boston butt and a fatty or two tomorrow. Local store is doing butts for $1.39 lb
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Hee hee i done my first fatty back in feb ....... YUMMMMM
 
Ya, keeps goin were gonna have to start up a fatty's anonomous round here, problem is, we'd never have any success stories of anyone quit'n um!

Uh,oh, feel the urge for a fatty fix! Might have to throw one together and put on the new smoker with the pork loins! See, FELL OF THE WAGON ALREADY!
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When i started with mine i used similar tactics....

Learn one thing.... Exhaust all the way open all the time!! use the intake on the firebox to control the temp.. open more = more heat --- close some = less heat....

by idling down the exhaust you can get the bad things from smoke in your food....

The taste will improve...
 
With my chargriller I actually leave the drawer to the fire box open about a quarter inch or so. More air in means cleaner fire. I start with coals and then add wood to get the temp and flavor I want. Some times I dont even see smoke coming from the exhaust. Thats OK. On longer cooks I add unlit coals along with the sticks to maintain my bed of coals. ALWAYS keep the top vent open and NEVER trust that thermometer that came with the unit. Its not only JUNK but its too high in the lid to tell you whats goin on where the food is. Good luck, master the fire and this gets a lot easier.
 
Hey, busted, i done a butt roast and some fatties yesterday and did have the exhaust all the way open. It didn't seem to make too much diff to cooking temp but the flavor was better.

Still learning lots from here
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Even though this event has passed.........

The chemical like smell was likely the paint - since you were using the stock guage, your fire was likely 60-80 degrees off or more. I found the use of basket on a raised coal grate very helpful - almost to the extreme. I had troubles last weekend keeping the temp below 250, and that was in 35 degree weather - and at that grate temp - the stock guage read 175.

I think I'll lower the coal grate some - as I think it's too high now

I noticed a slight unusual smell too a few weeks back, and noticed the paint on the SFB was "melting" in a few spots. so if you get extended flame heating up the SFB - check the paint in that area.
 
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