New Smoker (I can quit when I want)

wyldgecko

Newbie

Original poster

Jun 16, 2008

11

10

Portland, Orygun

• Jun 16, 2008

• #1

Hey all ... Wife got me a smoker for Fathers Day this year (I guess whining about something enough does in fact work into adulthood (using "adult" very loosely here)). I am new to the outdoor smoking ... sure I've smoked our kitchen enough times by forgetting about something or making the oil too hot in the pan. Anyways ...going to be checking out the forum on a regular basis.

I got a Brinkmann All-in-One. LP/Charcoal BBQ, Smoker, and ... turkey fryer (I cannot wait for thanksgiving this year.)

I am looking for mods on these forums but I cannot find any I'm having issues with the search function.

If any of you fine gents can point me in the right direction I'd like to make this all it can be.

Right now my thoughts are:

1) Convert to NG if possible
2) Add a better Thermometer than a Warm/Ideal/Hot stock thermo
3) Figure out some way to control the airflow better when Smoking with Charcoal (which is my prefered method of cooking) Right now there is no control over how much air you can allow into the smoker so from what I understand there is no way to control the rate of burn.

 

abelman

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Jul 14, 2007

1,073

11

Littleton, CO

• Jun 16, 2008

• #2

Welcome aboard, I can't help with the mods but you came to the right place.

 

kratzx4

Smoking Fanatic

Jul 5, 2007

607

10

Mount Orab, Ohio

• Jun 16, 2008

• #3

Welcome to SMF. You think you can quit but after your first smoke and you taste the results, you will be like the rest of us addicted to the hobby. and there is no cure. can't help you on the mods but someone will be along soon to help. Enjoy the path you have chosen

 

erain

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Feb 2, 2008

2,678

30

cental minnesota

• Jun 16, 2008

• #4

welcome to smf, i just have to concurr with the others.... welcome to your new "habit". strange behavior wiill follow such as increased purchases of ketchup,brown sugar,kosher salt,spices in the bulk sizes,meats,if on sale more meat.....etc. have fun and share some smokes with qview!!!

 

cowgirl

Legendary Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Oct 2, 2007

7,644

48

Oklahoma

• Jun 16, 2008

• #5

Welcome to the forum!!

 

kookie

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Mar 27, 2007

2,850

10

Mandan North Dakota

• Jun 16, 2008

• #6

Welcome to the site....................Glad to have you here...................

 

seboke

Master of the Pit

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SMF Premier Member

Aug 11, 2007

1,528

11

Tampa Bay, FL

• Jun 16, 2008

• #7

What erain said and more! You'll find yourself checkin all the grocery ads. You'll stroll thru the meat section even if you're only going to the store for eggs. You'll find your daily conversations creeping more and more to what you smoked last weekend. You'll take pictures of things you never took pictures of before. Your wife, though well fed, will think you are crazy. Welcome to smoking Bro! You're hooked!!!

 

tn_bbq

Smoking Fanatic

Jun 2, 2008

599

11

East Tennessee

• Jun 16, 2008

• #8

Why wait until Thanksgiving to fry a turkey? I think most all of us probably say the same thing on turkey day...."this food is sooo good, why do we cook like this just one day a year?"

Thermometer ideas: FWIW, Tel-Tru makes some great thermometers.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/moretherm.html

Mods for a ECB...might also be helpful for your smoker
http://www.randyq.addr.com/ecb/ecbmods.html

 

pineywoods

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Staff member

Administrator

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OTBS Admin

Group Lead

Mar 22, 2008

28,851

3,940

Florida

• Jun 16, 2008

• #9

Welcome to SMF its a great place for smoking info and sharing with nice people. Happy Smoking
Yea fried turkey is good but guess what smoked turkey is good too hmm you might have to try both before Thanksgiving to make up your mind which is better. You may be like us and figure out you just gotta do both

 

cook1536

Meat Mopper

Dec 20, 2007

170

10

Southeast Missouri

• Jun 16, 2008

• #10

Welcome to the forum. You will quickly find that you won't need a Holiday just to fire up the smoker or fryer or grill or dutch ovens or ground pits or well you get the idea, just the whole experience of outdoor cooking is enough and everyday you do it will be a "Holiday" of some sorts. Also you will find here that most all of these fine people are NOT just fair weather summer time only smokers, you'll see people talking about there smokes during the snow and -20 degrees outside, windy rainy days, and yes your wife will think you have COMPLETELY lost your mind, mine has!!!

Anyway welcome and you have definitly come to the right place.

 

richoso1

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Jun 21, 2007

8,432

41

• Jun 16, 2008

• #11

Welcome to the SMF. I own the same smoker you are discussing. Not sure about NG, you prefer charcoal.Plenty of aftermarket therms that can be installed on the cover for less than $20.You're right about the air flow from the bottom, only mod I would consider is adding some holes with a cover plate to the lid. This would help the flow of air.Hope this helps you out.

 

agmeyer

Meat Mopper

SMF Premier Member

May 9, 2008

189

10

Sedalia, MO

• Jun 16, 2008

• #12

Welcome to the forums and Happy Smoking. I'd say smoke a "Fattie" and read the threads on how to roll them first. Can't go wrong there. the Mods on the Charcoal smokers should work on the vent pipe and I don't know about converting to Natural Gas. I just happened to own a 100 lb bottle so it doesn't run out much. Greetings from Sedalia, MO.

 

meowey

Master of the Pit

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SMF Premier Member

Jul 16, 2006

3,270

63

Northern NY (Adirondacks)

• Jun 16, 2008

• #13

Welcome to SMF! Glad you are here!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

waysideranch

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Apr 17, 2008

2,495

14

Kansas

• Jun 17, 2008

• #14

Hey Gecko. We have all filled the kitchen with smoke of some kind or another. Good luck with your future smokes.

 

tim4mel

Newbie

Jun 17, 2008

5

10

• Jun 17, 2008

• #15

It's not only wives that think you're crazy. My husband and father both think I'm crazy, but they sure do eat the meat.

 

downstatesmoker

Smoking Fanatic

Apr 14, 2008

586

13

Rockville Centre, NY

• Jun 17, 2008

• #16

Funny you should say these things. Found myself going to BJ's club (think Costco/Sam's if you don't have a BJ's in your area) for the office yesterday, needed to pickup paper products, TP, Napkins, etc and found myself "perusing" the meat section... Just to look.

Also find myself talking more and more about the things I am loking forward to trying out, have done, look forward to figuring out.....

Welcome to the madness!