Camera for inside smoker

[pdm163]

We are starting a BBQ club and eventually a competition team at the High School I teach at. I would like to add a camera where the students can check in on the smoke inbetween classes, free time or so I could time laps the process for teaching. We will be starting with drum smokers for each protien, but our welding teachers are on board with future bigger builds. Is there a camera and lights that can handle the heat on the inside, outside with window or anything any of you have done like this? I am just trying to think outside the box and be a little more advancded than taking a picture with the lid off.

 

[unclebubbas bbq]

Not sure if it will work, the heat would be an issue and the smoke would cloud the view, but then the film build up on the camera lens would make it impossible to see. I put an oven thermometer in my smoker just to see if the internal temp was the same as my thermometer. The glass on the oven thermometer was brown in less than an hour

 

[SmokinEdge]

That would be neat to be able to do, especially for a tutorial, but I’m not sure a fixed camera is really an option for the reasons bubba posted above. However, you may be able to use something like an automotive scope through a small hole in the lid to peak at the meat, I would think the visual would be horrible for the smoke, but it’s a thought.

 

[Steve H]

There are. But the cost will shock you I'm thinking. And the smoke building up on the lenses will be a problem.

 

[crazzycajun]

Maybe a glass door or sight glass might be a answer similar to the mes

 

[Steve H]

Maybe a glass door or sight glass might be a answer similar to the mes

Good idea. Though the glass gets nasty pretty quick. It might stay clean enough for one smoke.

 

[pdm163]

Not sure if it will work, the heat would be an issue and the smoke would cloud the view, but then the film build up on the camera lens would make it impossible to see. I put an oven thermometer in my smoker just to see if the internal temp was the same as my thermometer. The glass on the oven thermometer was brown in less than an hour

That is what I thought too. I guess if it could be done it would have been done. It sounds like still pictures with notes at the time of the reading will be the ticket then.

 

[Bearcarver]

That is what I thought too. I guess if it could be done it would have been done. It sounds like still pictures with notes at the time of the reading will be the ticket then.

After 12 years with a Big MES window in my Smoker Door, I can vouch for the large amount of Smoke fogging the glass.
I clean that window before every smoke, but it gets pretty bad in a couple hours each time. There is also a small light bulb & lens inside, and even I quit cleaning that years ago.
You could take a Picture now & then, but I wouldn't want to hold the door open often, or for more than a couple seconds at a time, on account of the time it takes for heat recovery. Notes would be no problem, as I take a lot of notes with all my smokes, for my Step by Step "How-To" Index.
However if you're going to take consistent notes, I would figure out what all you want to mention, and create a form to fill out, with Time, Temp, Weather, etc, etc, and then fill it out each time you take a picture.

Hope This Helps,
PS: There are Tons of Pics & notes on my Step by Steps in the Index below:
Just click on "Bear's Step by Steps".

Bear

 

[thirdeye]

We are starting a BBQ club and eventually a competition team at the High School I teach at. I would like to add a camera where the students can check in on the smoke inbetween classes, free time or so I could time laps the process for teaching. We will be starting with drum smokers for each protien, but our welding teachers are on board with future bigger builds. Is there a camera and lights that can handle the heat on the inside, outside with window or anything any of you have done like this? I am just trying to think outside the box and be a little more advancded than taking a picture with the lid off.

Good idea on the club and competition team and high school is the perfect age to learn a hobby that may stick with you the rest of your life. A drum smoker is a great choice (I am biased as I've cooked on them for about 15 years), and a Weber kettle would be another choice as they are very affordable and will be around for a good long time.

If you could come up with some kind affordable 'pit cam' it would be a huge hit. But.... with all the advances with thermometers they should give you plenty of data during a cook (pit temps and meat temps). And some photo's of drum style barbecue can demonstrate quite a lot, and of course hands-on cooking is the best tool. Competition style barbecue is way different than backyard cooking, but there are many excellent videos online that can help in that department.



But please take one suggestion and teach some of the old school barbecue theory of cooking with your senses. Feeling the heat in the pit, smelling the smoke, listening to the sizzle, poking the meat for tenderness etc. Drums are perfect for this method as the 'very raised direct' style of barbecue (aka open pit) was almost lost until folks started using drums.

 

[culpepersmoke]

Teaching by visual is probably not doing the students justice. Like Thirdeye said, "Feeling the heat in the pit, smelling the smoke .." Also, as starting out you can learn a lot of what's going on in your pit by monitoring just the temps (both pit and internal meat) and there a several good thermometers that will work over the internet thus being able to monitor on their phones.
Just my 2cents worth :-)

 

[thirdeye]

And I forgot to mention the option of hanging meats in the drum, which is not typical of some other kinds of cooker. From making jerky, warm smoking (or cold smoking) bacon, smoking ribs and pork loins.... they are very versatile. And what started off with a nickname like 'ugly drum smoker', they have evolved into some high end options.

And BTW, the competition team or club can do an entire contest on drums, they are very popular on the competition circuit.

 

[thirdeye]

And speaking of monitoring a cook.... this is my all time favorite photo.

 

[forktender]

And speaking of monitoring a cook.... this is my all time favorite photo.

View attachment 512620

I sure wish they would ban the use of any and all electrical devices during the cook at every BBQ comp, that is just insane.

 

[thirdeye]

I sure wish they would ban the use of any and all electrical devices during the cook at every BBQ comp, that is just insane.

Yeah , I hear you, but you can't put the genie back in the bottle so to speak. I looked into steak competition after watching a couple of videos, it appeared to be just a man and a grill kind of thing, then looking at the rules... any heat source can be used including sous vide. They are starting to get popular in my area and I'll likely enter one as they are usually on a Friday of a contest weekend.

That said, I have an early BBQ Guru forced draft controller called the Competitor. It's analog, so just a couple of knobs and two probes, one for the pit and one for the meat. I generally just use the pit probe. It's really nice for overnight cooks.

 

[unclebubbas bbq]

They do have KCBS events which bans the use of all electrical devices, no pellet cookers, temperature controllers, rotisseries, ect
Charcoal and wood that's it!

 

[thirdeye]

They do have KCBS events which bans the use of all electrical devices, no pellet cookers, temperature controllers, rotisseries, ect
Charcoal and wood that's it!

So is this a Competitor Series and not the Master Series contest? I know the Competitor Series lets the organizer pick different meats.

 

[unclebubbas bbq]

It is a master series, the contest is called "getting back to basics"