Recent content by mcguyver

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  1. mcguyver

    Small SFB upgraded

    2 days ago I got a chance to try another batch of beef jerky.  The little smoker worked flawlessly.  I absolutely love it.  You can adjust how much smoke your meat gets by adjusting the temp of the electric element verses the temp of the fire box damper control.  I got the smoker up to temp...
  2. mcguyver

    Small SFB upgraded

    I put my info in the "calculator" and it says my firebox is undersized but I suppose I make up for it a little with the electric element.  It said that my smoke box flue/chimney needed to be 73 inches long at it's current diameter of 1.25 inches.  If I go up to a 2 inch flue I only need 23...
  3. mcguyver

    Small SFB upgraded

    BTW Sprky, I was kind of wondering if I needed more ventilation.  I'm going to try making one more batch of jerky and see how it goes.  I just used the 1 1/4 pipe hole that was already on the tank.  I can easily cut a bigger hole and install a bigger flue.  The last batch of jerky I made in the...
  4. mcguyver

    Small SFB upgraded

    The idea was actually to make it simple to operate.  Hopefully I can make a fire and just come by and add fuel when necessary.  We'll see if that theory holds up in practical use.  So far it holds what ever temp I set perfectly.  Now to get some meat and see how it works. 
  5. mcguyver

    Small SFB upgraded

    I built this little smoker primarily to make smoked beef jerky. It is made almost entirely from stuff I had laying around.  My thinking was I only needed to maintain about 145F for a few hours fueled by large lump charcoal and hickory wood.  Easy enough..not so much.  The first batch I started...
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  10. mcguyver

    SFB build questions

    ThsMormanSmokes, If the tank is full of water then there isn't enough air available to provide the 96% air required to allow propane to burn. I've cut a bunch of propane tanks without issue.  We just run a hose from the exhaust of our "diesel" lawnmower into the propane tank and let it run...
  11. mcguyver

    rinse or not rinse the meat?

    I'm new so bear with me, when you say cure do you mean just letting the meat sit in curing salts/seasoning for 24  hours or are you using heat like an oven or dehydrator? I've been making jerky for years using a dehydrator and a soy sauce/Worcestershire sauce based recipe.  I use several...
  12. mcguyver

    Fuel for smoker

    Venture, there is a damper between the firebox and the the smoke box.  The firebox has it's own flue and that flue has a damper.  When the damper between the firebox and the smoke box closes (to stop the smoke box from getting too hot) the damper on the firebox flue opens so that the fire...
  13. mcguyver

    Fuel for smoker

    Dave, I didn't know that.  So, if I install an electric element then I should start on electricity and then start a fire and finish on smoke.  I'll try that.Thanks. -Richard
  14. mcguyver

    Fuel for smoker

    Dave, I've read where others have smoked their jerky for a couple of hours and then finished it in a dehydrator or an oven.  That may well be what I have to do.  I was hoping to do my jerky from start to finish in my smoker but that may not happen.  I've also been looking into installing an...
  15. mcguyver

    Newbie from Kentucky

    Thanks so much everyone for the warm welcome.  I feel right at home.  I was feeling a little discouraged with my first attempt at making jerky a complete failure (literally the dog wouldn't eat it).  I've been making jerky in a dehydrator for years and everyone around here loves it.  I'm feeling...
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