First try with my new charcoal smoker (char-broiler silver smoker)

[jm21]

So i picked up my smoker today and rushed to try it out. I had gotten a small load of hardwood firewood from a local firewood supplier (mix of alder/maple), about 20 pounds of briquettes that came with the smoker, and some mesquite/hickory chunks I had left over.

The first thing I did was take the lava rocks from my brinkmann all in one and put them on the charcoal grate in the main compartment.

Then I filled a chimney half full with charcoal on the bottom and the top half with wood from various sources. At this point I noted the firewood I had bought seemed a little on wet side.

Lit the chimney (note to self: use jet burner from Brinkmann next time) and dumped it in the firebox. I had read from another board a guy who said that one chimney with some wood around the edges, then slowly adding the wood from the edges in, was a good way to keep a fire going around 225. I think the guy must have had a much nicer smoker, because mine seems to have very little control over the size of the fire using vents. The cut-out for the door on the side of the firebox lets in a lot of air.

So anyways, with the addition of some wood and a little lighter fluid, I got the fire going where I wanted it, the digital thermometer I had in the middle of the grill read about 230, put the meat on. A beef round roast in the middle and a rack of beef ribs on the side away from the firebox. Had a fatty too I had bought a bit earlier and forgot about. Put it on when I basted the other meat the first time, around 1 hour.

I noted the smoke was a bit biting...I'm pretty sure this firewood I got iisn't seasoned enough...

For the first 30-60 minutes or so, I had trouble keeping the temp near the roast at 250. It would drop to around 230, I'd add a chunk of wood, it would go up to 270, then slowly drop down to 230, put a piece of wood on, back up to 270, etc.

Also noted the wire for my digital thermometer was keeping the lid of the main chamber slightly open and smoke was coming out.

So far (a bit over an hour in) I've used about 15-20 briquettes, 2 small logs, and half of a medium sized log.

I've been cutting up the logs into chunks. They're maybe 14" long normally and I cut them into 4 pieces. Is this too small, and that's why they're not maintaining a stable heat?


Also, I didn't really know wtf I was doing and made the fire on top of the grill instead of on top of the charcoal grate, hahaha. My first time using charcoal and didn't really know what I wasw doing, haha.

If this stuff turns out right, no one sohuld be afraid of BBQing

 

[ds7662]

Guess I will be the first to post. Since I to am pretty new to the art of smoking I can only give my expierences. I have 2 ECB's. Cheap not hard to use, just hard to maintain temps. Search the forum for mods that can be done to help control the airflow and this will help with your temps. I have made some mods to mine and they have worked great. Do I still keep a steady temp throughout? No. It still requires work but less of it. Temps will fluctuate whenever more fuel is added. The mods help to control that fluctuation.
As far as the wood goes all I can say is, that if it is not dry seasoned wood, don't use it.
Read the forum, ask questions, and keep trying new things. You will eventually find a nice medium.

 

[jm21]

was starting to churn out some really good stuff on the all-in-one, now switching to a charcoal offset and trying to do it with mostly or all wood...whole new ball game. Ah well, more to learn I guess. Though I'm a little tempted to stick the burner from the all-in-one in the firebox and convert it to propane, haha.

The first log I don't think was seasoned enough, but the rest have seemed fine. Temp is evening out a bit too. I think I was just too stingy with the wood/charcoal early on. building it on the appropriate grate probably wouldn't hurt either, haha.

That piping down to the grate level or below sounds like a very good idea too. and installing some thermometers instead of sticking the wire under the lid.

Should I be allowing an open flame in the firebox? Seems like it would be damn hard to smoke with a woodfire if you waited for the log to die down to embers first...

Should I be adding wood from the top or the side of the firebox? I was adding to the top at first, but I'm thinking the side is probably where it's supposed to go.

Sorry, I know these are real basic questions. Guess I need to read a bit more, but all of what I've read seemed more advanced than this.

 

[ds7662]

Give it a little time. Someone familiar with a side box smoker will step up and post you some very useful info. The ECB's I have are the charcoal ones. I save the propane for grilling.
As far as I know the fuel should be placed in from the side not from the top. This would help to keep from loosing the heat. Adjust dampers to control that. Easier to start out with a hotter fire then choke it down, than it is to try and play catch up all day.
I think I read somewhere about running the cord for the dig. thermo. througha damper vent so the lid would seal better. Just keep reading and check back for more post later. Someone with a similar model will step up.

 

[jm21]

Ah well, the roast looked like **** but turned out fine. I stuck the thermometer in it about 2 hours 40 minutes in and it was 150 already, a bit over-done, so I pulled it. Tasted fine for a round roast, but nothing like the pot roast I made last weekend. I guess the pot roast has more marbling and is a thinner piece of meat so there's more smoke flavor. I did a rub this time instead of a marinade too, which was a dumb idea for a roast, but I wanted to try the smoker out tonight instead of tomorrow. Had a smoke ring about 1/4 inch on the roast. The inside was pretty bland though. Should be good for steak and eggs for breakfast.

EDIT:
Hmm...just looked a bit closer at the stock thermometer that's in this thing...I'd been looking at it from a distance and don't have the best vision...thought the temp was reading a bit low, but just realized I was looking at celsius instead of fahrenheit. It says 400*?? but my digital thermometer on the grill says 270?

EDIT2:
checked the temp on the fatty, was 170 (i believe the posts here said to take it off at 160). Tasted damn good though.
Just been moving the coals closer together and poking them a bit to keep the temperature up. Snacking a little on each thing as it comes off.

Photos below...it's the smallest my camera will do, hopefully small enough...

Looks like the roast got too cooked on one side [EDIT3: nevermind. I turned it over on its side before cutting it, so that's actually the top of the roast].


EDIT 4:
Foiled the ribs after about 4 hours, put them in the oven@225 for about 1.5 hours. Pretty good flavor, and not as greasy as the ones I've made previously (I trimmed these ones up a bit before starting them). The rub I made was a bit too salty. They're naked in the pic, but I decided to put some sauce on after eating one, glazed it in the oven@400 for 10 minutes first side, 15 second side. Just some sweet baby ray's.

 

[squeezy]

A few observations of mine:

Start with a full chimney of charcoal
Use newspaper to light it ... not lighter fluid (bad taste)
Never trust temp gauges on a smoker ... there is a lot of info available already on this forum.
You have a start ... stay with it !

 

[jm21]

Really didn't turn out THAT bad, for all my mistakes. The first hour or hour and a half was definitely a learning experience though, hahaha.

Next time should be good. Just gotta eat this meat as fast as I can so I can get back to it, heh. Maybe give it another go Sunday afternoon.

 

[hawgheaven]

Yup, what squeezy said, plus I'll add a little something. Next time, build the fire in the firebox, not the smoking chamber...

That will help you with maintaining your temps and help keep your fuel bill down.

You got a good smoke ring, food looks good... just keep at it, you'll get it!

 

[spydermike72]

OK, I started out on the Silver Smoker and you can produce some damn fine Q with some mods. The first thing to do is run a vent pipe all the way down to the grate from the exhaust pipe, this will help even out the heat through out the smoker.

2nd, get some fire bricks and line the bottom of the main chamber (wrap in foil first), this will help hold the heat in the main chamber.

3rd, In the fire box you need to raise the charcoal grate. You can get some expanded metal from your local Home Improvement store and cut it to size, this will provide more airflow to your fire, allow about 4-6 inches below your grate.

4th, but a quality thermo for the door, think Tel-Tru or similliar, or you can always use the Polder + half of Potato method.

I have heard of folks using gaskets from oven on the fire box doors and the main chamber doors as well, but I have not tried that.

I hope this helps!!

 

[seaham358]

I use a silver smoker and love it. The lava rocks are to maintain heat? I don't use them so I'm not sure what they would do.
I got a piece of flashing and cut it about 8-9" long rolled it up and stuck it into the exhaust pipe, then pulled it down when it unrolled in the pipe until it hit the grate. Helped maintain more heat on the right side of cooking chamber.
I also got an old cooking grate from a grill I had and cut it down to fit in the fire box, I now have the grate up higher to allow more air under the coals, this helps alot and is a good mod.
I also took some flashing and have it laying across the fire box chamber opening into the cooking area, I have it at a angle so it deflects some heats down to the bottom of the cooking chamber. This helped getting a more even heat across the cooking chamber. The left side close to the fire box is about 20 degrees higher then the right side.
The thermo in the door is always going to be at least 20 degrees higher then the cooking area near the grate. heat rises so thats where the heat is. Do the mod on the exhaust pipe it will help bring more heat down to the grate.
Fire box, I load up the FB with about 1.5-2 charcoal chimneys of coals make a circle in the middle down to the grate. I then add a full lit CC into the circle and then adjust the air vent on the end to bring it to the temp I need. I run mine most times almost all the way shut and I can run a 225-230 for about 2.5-3 hours before I have to refuel. Leave vent on Chimney open.
I use several digi thermos and that little bit of smoke that gets out around the door is not IMO worth worrying about.
This is a great smoker and don't forget to season it...

Qview looks real good...

 

[crewdawg52]

Try using a big wad of newspaper under the charcoal in the chimney

 

[bbq bubba]

Originally Posted by jm21
So anyways, with the addition of some wood and a little lighter fluid, I got the fire going where I wanted it,


You cant say that word here!!!

 

[jm21]

I put the lava rocks in because I figured they'd serve about the same purpose as fire bricks, thought I had read someone doing it with lava rocks instead, and they were on hand. Figured they'd help even out the temperature a bit and make spikes a bit more subtle. I think I'd need some more of them, and do the baffle and exhaust pipe mods to get the heat going more across the bottom of the smoker, to make it very worthwhile.

I didn't make the fire in the smoking chamber, but on the grilling grate in the fire box....which really isn't much higher than what has been recommended here about raising the charcoal grate's height...hmmm.

OK, no more lighter fluid, I get it, haha. I thought the newspaper would make a bunch of ash, less convenient, and probably about the same taste difference (burning all that ink, and probably some chemicals in the paper).

Guess I'll be getting some flashing and maybe some expanded metal and trying out some of the mods. Thanks for all the advice!

I actually had never seen an off-set smoker in person until very recently, so that's how much of a rookie I am, hahaha.

 

[crewdawg52]

Dont take any previous posts personally. All in jest (except the lighter fluid

). Newspaper is nothing more than ground up wood pulp. The dyes and inks used are totally harmless and no smell/taste to charcoal. When using newspaper, I use a full, double sided sheet AND a full HALF sheet (just tear it down the fold).

Try it next time and let us know the outcome. Good Luck!

 

[jm21]

Used aluminum flashing to lower the exhaust to the grate, but I'm tool impaired at the moment and don't have the money to buy some, so I held off on the baffle/heat shield. Dumped in some ceramic briquettes in with the lava rocks, as I needed some more to even it out and all the stores I went to didn't carry lava rocks.

Got some lump charcoal too (cowboy brand). It was cheap at lowe's ($4 for 8.8lbs or something) so I figured I'd try it. Never used lump before.

Was doing a turkey (don't ask me why I'm doing a turkey so close to thanksgiving...it was cheap though and seemed like a good thing to experiment with+good for sandwiches). I knew I wanted a hotter fire for this, so decided to go as far as my frugal ways would let me, haha.

I put a chimney full of kingsford in the bottom of the firebox, then lit a chimney of the lump over my jet burner. Christ, now sparks flew from that. I had read about that before, but didn't realize how many sparks there were. Not a great thing to do over a wood balcony.

Anyways, dumped them on top once they were going (i held the chimney over the grill until they had got going to stop the sparks from falling on the balcony). The left side of the firebox was going good, but the right didn't do too well. Guess I do need to raise the charcoal grate up a bit. Seemed like some lump had fallen below the grate on the left side and was blocking air to the right.

While the right side was catching, I slipped the cooking grill into the firebox and grilled up a couple lamb chops I had gotten from the bargain bin at the supermarket. Done in about 2 minutes on each side, and a little singed at that. That lump burns hot as ****.

I added two smallish chunks of maple and put the turkey on. added 3 medium chunks of wood so far (a bit bigger than my fist) and the bird is almost done. Held a very steady 300* the whole time without too much adjustment.

Building the fire on the right side of the firebox (closer to the cooking chamber) seemed to help keep the chamber hotter and the vents more effective by quite a bit.

Another question though. Both times I've cooked now, when the fire box gets real hot, the vent gets loose and doesn't want to hold a position. Do I just need to tighten it down as much as I can? I hadn't checked for tightness, and didn't put it together...or is this an inevitable consequence of a hot fire?

 

[jm21]

Pulled the turkey when it was measuring 172 [edit: in the breast].

Screwed around for a bit checking the temperature (a little difficult with only one probe...got a second one but didn't come with batteries and i forgot them at the store). from 1/3 away from the firebox to the exhaust the temps seemed to be pretty even.

Turkey was a bit of a let-down. Texture and moistness inside were great, but the last two sections of the wings got pretty burnt on the outside and the smoke flavor was pretty light. Trying to smoke some cheese after letting the fire die down and lava rocks/briquettes/grills cool down.

Is it a bad idea to stuff the turkey? I rushed in a bit and wasn't thinking again, and stuffed mine. The stuffing was great (made it with some of the leftover fatty), though a bit moist out of the turkey (my fault for adding a little too much broth to it, stuffing it too full, or maybe pulling the turkey a touch early, or a bit of each...), so I don't really have any regrets about stuffing it, but...

EDIT: I should have flipped the bird over half-way through I think. the top part of the smoker seems to be about 50-70 degrees higher than the grill level. Or at least roasted it breast down. After carving it up, the drumettes and part of the thighs weren't quite done.

 

[squeezy]

I think you had a fair bit more than 300º going on from just looking at those pix. Make sure you check the accuracy of your therms before your next smoke. May I suggest trying something more forgiving such as a pork butt ... it'll give you more confidence and less hassles. Poultry will have a rubbery skin if smoked slow & low ( 225º - 240º ) and will be crispier at the 300º - 325º range.
Personally, I like to smoke turkey in parts ... reduces cooking time while at low cooking temps and if need be, I'll crisp the skin up on a medium grill just before serving.
Offsets, in my opinion are probably the hardest to control, but you seem determined my friend ... so, stay with it!

 

[seaham358]

jm21 , with the heat shield I just cut some flashing long enough to cover the opening in the fire box and i have it resting at an angle using the lower grate as a rest. I was gonna drill some holes and attach it using the bolts for the fire box but got lazy and this works well.
Keep playing with it and you'll get the hang of it soon.
What are you using to get the temp of the cooking chamber? and where is it placed..

 

[jm21]

I've been using a digital thermometer laying across the cooking grate, slightly in front of whatever I'm cooking, with the point towards the firebox. I've been reading here about the potato method of keeping the probe off the grill, but putting it on the grill would presumably make it read hotter, not colder, am I right? So if anything I've been reading the temps hotter than they really are? Yet I apparently have the temps too high? The thermo was reading a pretty steady 300* except when I had the lid open to baste the turkey halfway through (at about 1:20 in). It seems unlikely that a digital thermometer is mis-reading, but I'll test it next time.

I think the singed-ness was because the temperature up near the top of the smoker (the top/breast of the turkey was pretty close to the top of the smoker) are quite a bit higher than at the grate level. This is probably especially true since I didn't have a baffle on to direct the heat downward.

I'm WAY too stubborn to give up on something I've started on, haha. But the other cuisines I've learned to cook I had tasted many times before, seen them cooked, etc. Here I've got almost nothing to go on. The one BBQ place I've been to here was god awful horrible tasting and I just don't have practically any exposure to smoking outside jerky and smoked salmon (which doesn't help all that much for hot-smoking).

Ah well, maybe I should grab a basic BBQ book or something. Probably a good investment. Doesn't seem as fun though :/.

 

[bbq bubba]

Just keep shootin us question's and we'll help you master that pit!!
It's all a learning process but luckily a tasty one!!!