Brinkmann Smoke N Grill Professional-Smoker Mod

[grilldad]

Got this Grill for Father's Day, Love the 5 burners and rotisserie burner. Discovered that the smoker on Low runs around 300-320. Too high to smoke most meat, so I installed a needle valve in line with the burner. All I could find was 1/4 inch compression fitting needle valves, so I soldered the copper tubing directly to the needle valve because compression fittings aren't recommended for gas applications. I bent the tubing so that the handle of the needle valve would protrude through the rear vents on the BBQ and phlanged the ends. Now I am able to maintain temps under 200 or crank it to well over 300.

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013
• 1

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

 

[grilldad]

Just used my new moded smoker for the first time, I did a beer can chicken. This is something I've done many times before but for the sake of testing my new smoker I felt it was good for a base line test. First off the skin could have been crisper but the meat was very moist and had great flavor! We started off with a big bird around 6#, used a fairly basic rub-S&P, brown sugar, paprika, a little cayenne and put a bit of butter under the breast meat per some advice from other posts/forums for better skin/flavor on the less fatty breast meat. We used a Guiness extra stout in the beer can and smoked with apple and cherry chips. The meat was moister than cooking on the grill in the same way, had good smoke flavor, but not overpowering. We smoked for 2 hours, starting at 250, dropping to 225 at which point I opened the needle valve to maintain a temp of 275. Cooking the chicken this way was easier than regular grilling due to the down time of letting it just smoke. With this modification I now have a nice grill with a built in and functional smoker.  

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

 

[grilldad]

One more improvement...I discovered that when cooking at temps below 250 the smoker chip box didn't get hot enough to produce any smoke. I removed the heat shield/smoke chip pan and I now use two larger chip pans set on a fold out rack that was cut to fit. Now Its easy to slide the pans over the heat more to crank up the smoke or away to mellow it out a bit.

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• grilldad
• Aug 4, 2013

 

[grilldad]

More mods on my two in one grill. After I first posted this thread I've smoked some ribs and a pork butt. I had great results however it could be better, I fixed the smoker tray issue but found that after about 12 hours of total smoke time I had a sticky gooey mess running down the back of my smoker right under the vent. So I installed a smoke stack to vent everything up and away from my grill. Also I found that by covering up some of the burner holes with a piece of brass it makes the remaining flames larger, but with the needle valve mod I can turn it down further and can maintain even lower temps down to 100 degrees. this will come in handy Salmon season! I'm going to smoke some Polish sausage today and need to hold the temp around 140-160.

This is the stock smoker vent "before the mess"

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• grilldad
• Jul 30, 2013

I bent some aluminum plate to fit the 5"x5" vent opening and cut a 3'' hole for the pipe

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• grilldad
• Aug 6, 2013

I ran some self tapping screws through the back of the shelf right into the stack to hold it securely in place

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• grilldad
• Aug 6, 2013

Also drilled holes higher up in the smoke box to give me more room to hang sausage

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• grilldad
• Aug 6, 2013

Polish sausage drying and waiting for the morning!

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• grilldad
• Aug 6, 2013

Also you may need to place some foil under this burner to keep wind gusts from blowing directly on your fire and blowing it out.

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• grilldad
• Aug 6, 2013

 

[welshmanusa]

Thank you so much, I have been battling with this grill for quite a while.

 

[grilldad]

Thanks Check out my youtube video!

 

[smokeman51]

I have just recently purchased this grill and love it.  I also on the first smoke found the problems you have listed, have your mods been holding up and do you have any further advice?

 

[grilldad]

I've been smoking up a storm! all the mods are doing well....I will have to re-calk the stack, I see its starting to leak in a few spots. also would like to make stack cover to keep the rain out when cooking in the rain. gonna do some salmon today and summer sausage in a few days. I made some different smoke chip trays.

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• grilldad
• Nov 12, 2013

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• grilldad
• Nov 12, 2013

 

[mskoch]

Can you tell me which model this Brinkmann Smoke n Grill is? :unsure:

 

[dmordarski]

Just joined the site for the Thread, I just picked up a similar unit from Tractor supply, Ordered a couple of Stainless smoker baskets, and some spacers to drop the shelf. I also find the temp too high, however you can adjust it down by bringing the knob to the closed position I've been able to maintain 200 degrees. I will copy the needle valve mod and smoke stack.  Did you install a inline dampener?

 

[dmordarski]

Can you tell me which model this Brinkmann Smoke n Grill is?

810-1750-S

 

[themeatyone]

I got this grill as a leftover clearance item for less than $200 at Home Depot last year.... I knew it didn't work quite right when I got it but didnt know just how to go about fixing it. After your mods and a few of my own, my BBQ rivals all my veteran buddies! Thank you for sharing!

 

[waterjockey]

GrillDad, could you tell me what the size and name of the fittings you used for the connections for the gas line mods

 

[chefmike]

Great mods! i was thinking this would be the way to go. First I need a new thermocouple though: burner on the smoker will not stay lit and it is brand new!

The rest of the grill is solid.

I love the stack mod!

 

[waterjockey]

made the stack mods and added a damper in the stack this also helps with the temp control would like to make the gas line mods but not sure of the fitting sizes so haven't ordered the parts yet 

 

[grilldad]

An update on my modded smoker. and to answer some questions. The valve and fittings are 1/4''. You will also need a flaring tool or have the hard wear store do it for you like I did. I didn't install a damper in my stack because its really not needed on a gas smoker. I did block some of the vents in the bottom to keep any wind gusts from blowing my flame out.

My newest mod is to increase the size of the smoker for sausage mostly. So this is what I came up with.

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• grilldad
• Oct 29, 2014

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• grilldad
• Oct 29, 2014

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• grilldad
• Oct 29, 2014

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• grilldad
• Oct 29, 2014

Its pretty slick, I can just take my stack off and slip the trash can on without tools.

It can hold temps as high as 230 in the rain but I will operate it at 130-160. I was only able to smoke 5lbs. at the most before but now I think it will do 10-15lbs.

I know all about zinc and how bad it is for you bla bla bla....Zinc doesn't "start" giving off vapors till 750 degrees witch would be impossible to do with this setup! But let me know what you think!

 

[lonwlf]

That is very slick. And I agree with you on the zinc. Also once it gets seasoned it pretty much seals up all surfaces inside the unit. Great job man!

 

[stevep526]

I have this grill, actually the 1751, looks the same, I assume slightly newer.  I am in the process of my first smoke, and am excited.  About 4 months ago I converted to Natural Gas, during the seasoning and today's warm up, I had an issue with the temp creeping well above 250F to about 300F.  Not needing the lower temperatures to smoke sausage at the moment, I decided to remove the post I installed during the NG upgrade, thus allowing me a longer range on the burner control.  Now at lowest setting it locks on at 240F, it gets there slowly from 200F after I opened the door to add water.  

My issue is I can smell the smoke, but I can't see any.  I am using un-soaked apple chips in the provided smoke box, a lot different than the provided smoke box shown above, the holes are smaller.  Let me know what you think, I will let you know how the pork butt turns out.

 

[bigal4773]

Great posts lots of info.

Thanks all
Big AL
/G\

 

[semismoker]

I also have been in a struggle with my smoker. Having all the same issues as the rest of you. Mine set on low was 390 degrees. Instead of the needle valve I did gas control valve. A very simple modification. It's attached right off the regulator hose. I need to close off some intake holes also. The low flame blows out too much.

My next battle is getting more smoke. I've been looking for something to modify to drop the chip box closer to the flame. Also considering a pellet basket. It looks like everything should be good after that. I hope.