Master Forge 36-in 376 sq in Baked Enamel Green Charcoal Vertical Smoker

handymanstan · Feb 16, 2013

My Lowe's shows the 36 in charcoal smoker on sale for 48.00 till 4/26/13. I ordered one to pick up at the store. If it cost one more dollar i could have got free delivery but since not they want 69.00 to deliver...LOL pick up is free. This smoker is the same as my electric smoker the lids, grates, bodys are interchangeable. I could start a smoke with charcoal then switch over to electric just by lifting the body and set on the other base. Thinking this might be good for a butt. I could get the smoke ring and smoke then when foiling move to electric to finish For $48.00 I can play and experiment. What do you think?

http://www.lowes.com/webapp/wcs/sto...=10151&catalogId=10051&productId=3294734&cId=

Stan

kingfishcam · Feb 16, 2013

I think for $48, I should get one just to try something new!

handymanstan · Feb 17, 2013

Well I went and picked up the new smoker. Got it home and put it together.

Her siting next to the electric.

smoke 097.jpg

handymanstan
Feb 17, 2013

smoke 098.jpg

handymanstan
Feb 17, 2013

Everything is interchangeable.

smoke 099.jpg

handymanstan
Feb 17, 2013

smoke 100.jpg

handymanstan
Feb 17, 2013

Got the label off... PITA and set on electric base to burn out and season.

smoke 101.jpg

handymanstan
Feb 17, 2013

The light in the greenhouse is plugged in to the pid output and shows when the element is on. I can see it flashing when at temp from the kitchen window.

smoke 102.jpg

handymanstan
Feb 17, 2013

This will give me more options as now i can put 4 racks in one for cold smoking cheese or doing jerky or three racks for ribs. I plan on doing the mod on the green top for vents and add air supply for the pid to the bottom.

Need to mod the charcoal basket too. FUN FUN FUN

Meijers has charcoal on sale and pork shoulder for .99 lb that's my next stop.

Stan

bigjoesimpson · Feb 17, 2013

I went to my local Lowes to get one of these today. Unfortunately, they were all out. They had the 'new' model, which looks the same, but is about 8" shorter. It has the same 2 cooking grates, so I'm guessing it's lacking the water pan. I went to customer service, and all the closest stores were also sold out, but there was one about 60 miles away. They're doing free ship-to-store, and I'll pick it up later this week.

It'll be my first smoker, and I'm looking forward to doing some mods to it for air/temp control and joining the world of smoking!

handymanstan · Feb 17, 2013

Good luck with the new smoker here's a great link for mods. http://home.comcast.net/~day_trippr/smoker_mods.htm

Stan

kingfishcam · Feb 17, 2013

How much is the electric model?

handymanstan · Feb 17, 2013

kingfishcam said:
How much is the electric model?

$79.00 online only. So with the $48.00 for this I have two for $127.00

kingfishcam · Feb 17, 2013

You electric looks to have a insulation jacket?? Is that needed in the summer? What kind of max temp can you get from the electric?

gigantor · Feb 19, 2013

This smoker is in need of mods. I got one on clearance at Lowe's dirt cheap.

I dunno why they design it w/ little ventilation top & bottom. If you need dampers, Brinkmann has them or you can make them

using the mod link above. Since the grates are only 15.5" you'll need a rib rack. A decent unit though.

kingfishcam · Feb 19, 2013

Why don't they just make this smoker correctly and charge accordingly? Seems like a lot of work to get these smoking properly??

mdboatbum · Feb 19, 2013

kingfishcam said:
Why don't they just make this smoker correctly and charge accordingly? Seems like a lot of work to get these smoking properly??

They do, it's called a Weber Smokey Mountain. These cheapo smokers are annoying and frustrating, but a LOT more people are willing to pull the trigger to try smoking for $50 than they are for $300. Don't knock them, they bring a lot of people into the fold and give the "modders" endless hours of enjoyment.

kingfishcam · Feb 19, 2013

Thanks MD, that is the answers I was looking for. I suppose it is the perfect start for us rookies. Especially with the price!
I was thinking about getting something inexpensive for doing a small cook, but the mod page had me thinking a different path.

handymanstan · Feb 20, 2013

kingfishcam said:
You electric looks to have a insulation jacket?? Is that needed in the summer? What kind of max temp can you get from the electric?

I don't know KFC as I got this in the fall and have not gone through a summer with it yet. I am now planing to keep it insulated since I have the other body to be uninsulated. I can use either on either base.

I used the charcoal one yesterday to test and see and it was 24* outside and very windy. I thought I would have a hard time keeping temps but that's not what happened.

I could not keep the temp down below 300* and it wanted to go 350* most of the time. I even wrapped a old beach towel around the base to constrict air with little success. I used cherry chunks and the smoke was good. I had a 8 lb pork shoulder in the smoker and after 4 hrs of fighting the temps I pulled it off and it was at 180* so I foiled it and finished in the oven. The shoulder took 8 1/2 hrs total time to get to 200*. I thought to fast but you know what the PP was great. I guess I have lots of learning to do with this charcoal smoker. It's all fun.

Stan

kingfishcam · Feb 20, 2013

Thanks Stan. I am guessing you will have it dialed in for a summer Q in time!

kingfishcam · Feb 24, 2013

Stan,
How is the dual smokers coming? I have a couple questions.

What mods have you done in the electric?

Where did you get the insulation?

Are you using wood chunks on the element, or an Amazin smoker?

Water in the pan, sand or nothing?

Thanks in advance!

handymanstan · Feb 24, 2013

kingfishcam said:
Stan,
How is the dual smokers coming? I have a couple questions.
I have only used the charcoal one once because of snow and wind.. Hope to get out and smoke something this week.
What mods have you done in the electric?
Three bricks in the bottom, Sand in the water pan, pid, insulation and I drilled a 3/4 hole in the top.
Where did you get the insulation?
Lowes, I had it left over from my greenhouse. They sell it by the roll.
Are you using wood chunks on the element, or an Amazin smoker?
Depends on what I am smoking. If I am going to smoke at 225 for a short time like BB ribs then I like chunks and I cover the heat element with the lava rocks and put the chunks on top of the rocks. If i am going for a long hot smoke I will start out with chunks and when they die out I will then add pellets on top of the water pan. And cold smokes get the dust. When ever I can use chips or chunks for the first couple hrs I do. I think I get a stronger flavor then with dust or pellets
Water in the pan, sand or nothing?
Sand in the electric. Am going to play with sand and water with the charcoal till I get it figured out.
Thanks in advance!

Stan

kingfishcam · Feb 24, 2013

Thank you Stan!

I must confess, I am also looking at a MF verticle in propane. I am thinking portable, but not sure I want to try charcoal yet.

handymanstan · Feb 25, 2013

Well KFC, I have to say that a electric is by far the cheapest way to smoke. With the mods I have done the electric works better than my oven and I can hold any temp up to 275* that I want. I am sure that the first smoke on charcoal cost me as much in fuel as most of my electric smokes together. Did I taste a difference…not really but I am willing to keep trying to see if I can make anything taste better and it just seems more like actually smoking with the charcoal then cooking with the electric. I don't know how the propane MF smokers work. I am sure you will have to mod it but that is part of the fun. Let us know what you end up with.

Stan

kingfishcam · Feb 25, 2013

I think I just need a traveling smoker. :). Plus a smaller size than I have now for the small family cooks.
Mods will be needed, and that will give me something to do until the lakes thaw out.

Master Forge 36-in 376 sq in Baked Enamel Green Charcoal Vertical Smoker

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