Considering a mod for the Brinkman Vertical Smoker

[va_connoisseur]

I need to get a new charcoal pan. And instead of getting this one http://http://www.brinkmann.net/Shop...501-0)&id=1002

I am thinking of replacing it with a Stainless Steel Colander like this
http://http://www.target.com/Tovolo-...olander&page=1

And the plan is to place it on the floor of the smoker. Making it closer to the vents and further from the food. Any feedback would be great.

For instance, burning wood in stainless steel will not produce fumes that will kill my family will it?

 

[richoso1]

Moving a firebox closer to intake vents is a good idea, if you can control the intake.
Stainless steel is safe for burning wood. Until recently, all the stove top smokers like BURTON were made of stainless steel, and they used wood chips. Now they're moved on to cast iron units, but some of the other models may still be available.

 

[vlap]

Looking at the holes on the colander I would think they wouldn't allow the ash to drop out easily.

Take a look at this square wok. I put this in my brinkman square vert and it solved all my problems. All it took was a slight bend to the handles and it fits on the rails perfectly.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...571&lpage=none

I get all the heat I can ask for, the ash falls away easily and I use less fuel. I am not sure what benefit you would get from lowering the heat source.

 

[crusty ol salt]

Here is what i with my GOSM used a veggie wok and placed rails on the bottom so ash could drop thru.



Picked up the wok, rails, nuts bolts and washers less than $15.00 at Lowes



It all sits right in the original charcoal box.

Good Luck

 

[va_connoisseur]

Thanks for all the replies. I am also considering replacing the water pan with a terra cotta pot for heat conduction.

 

[crusty ol salt]

I just replaced my water with sand. great heat sink for stabilizing temps.

 

[gitmosmoke]

I did exactly the same thing for my vertical Brinkman. I also added a flower pot saucer under the colander tocatch the ashes.

 

[va_connoisseur]

I'm looking to do the same thing but I'm using the "old school" single door unit.

 

[crusty ol salt]

our smokers are very close in design



single door, my door sweeps the opposite way but they have a lot of common features

 

[va_connoisseur]

OK. Doing some testing. Got a grill wok and a 5.5qt colander. Tried the colander first. Using Cowboy Lump with some mesquite, just testing.

The Cowboy creates a ton of ash and it appears to have clogged the holes of the colander. Filling the colander and using the minion method, I was about to get about 3.5 hours of 220-250 degree temps.

The lump produces so much ash that it may have choked and shortened the length of the burn. Going to try tomorrow using the grill wok and Cowboy, just to keep it an even test.

Here is a random thought...Using the colander does give an advantage if you can get 4 hours out of it. Considering it cost $6.99, it is conceivable that I could just buy to and have one on the ready when the first one drops below 200 degrees. Just a thought.

 

[jaynik]

I use the original pan in my vertical brinkmann and drilled some holes and added a grate to keep the coals up and mine works nicely.

I don't use water anymore. I put foil over the water pan (aka piedmont method) which acts simply as a heat break. It's a lot neater this way and I get better temps.

p.s. replace the la gloria with a rocky patel decade and you'll be in business!

 

[va_connoisseur]

I plan on using terra cotta 12 inch pot bottom covered in foil in place of the water pan.

As for the Rocky Patels, I tried them before, not too bad. I been enjoying the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero and Camacho Triple Maduro lately. Excellent smoke.

 

[va_connoisseur]

OK, I was walking around Lowes and came across this http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-.../dp/B00062VZOW

And I thought "I wonder what would happen if I put little legs on this and used it as a charcoal basket?"

Its larger than the included charcoal pan or the grill wok. I will give you all feedback when I get it done

 

[crusty ol salt]

bbq bubba post this thread a while back.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...hlight=no+weld

I was thinking about something like that when my veggie wok wears out

 

[smokeless]

This Kingsford mini charcoal grill will greatly improve this smoker as if it was made for it.

http://common.csnstores.com/common/products/KGS/KGS1026_l.jpg

 

[cochon]

I'm new to the forums, but have been reading them to get ideas on my first smoker.  Thanks for all the help and reviews on this smoker. 

I picked it up yesterday and got the wok basket thing right away.  Did a test run/season last night with lump charcoal and hickory and it shot up to 400 degrees.  So no issues with high heat... not just have to get it to stay down :-)

 

[mrbooker]

I put lava rock in the water pan (no water) of my Char broil  vertical gas smoker and could not get the heat below 250. I guess it worked a little TO well.

I also was going to try the wok mod (with the rails) but couldnt find rails on Sat in my small town so I used nine, 3" bolts and nuts and made legs on it which are adjustable. Havent tried it yet.

 

[jared101]

I took expanded metal and made a charcoal basket.  I then took the original charcoal pan and set it in the bottom of the smoker with the new charcoal basket sitting on top.  It provides plenty of room for the ashes to fall and still provides airflow. 

 

[johnyd]

I use about 6 heat beads to get things going and use an extruded form of charcoal that comes in foot long logs ( has a hexagonal shape and a 3/4 inch hole through the middle and about 2 inches in diameter ) I break the charcoal logs into pieces about 4 inches long. They burn real hot and slow....... sometimes at the end of a smoke I dunk the unburnt pieces in water and they are good to go again next time!

When I run an extended smoke time at low temps of about 150 or less, I throw on rings of tree branches about 1/4 inch thick, this provides a good smoke (TBS)

I try and use real small quantities of fuel to get long slow smokes and just enjoy tending it every hr or so. to give you an idea its probably 2 heaped hands in size of charcoal and one of heat beads, then 1 or 2 slices of smoking wood on top and after an hr add 1 hand full charcoal and another slice of wood. I get hardly any ash.......at least not enough to smother the coals and dont clean out the pan for 3 or 4 smokes. All the dampers run at about 50% open depending on breeze direction........ I close the wind side down to 10 - 20%

This is in a single door Brinkman.

I have had such success with this cheap little unit I bought one for my son (28) But you know the modern generation, he cut a big as hole in the bottom and bolted in one of those single burner cast iron gas rings! then uses the bottom pan to hold wood chips.

I'm wise enough these days to just smile and walk away and let him enjoy himslf rather than get a lecture in "that ain't right boy!" ....... gotta hand it to him though ....he's a clever little bugger! when I have a camera and I'm at his house I'll post his "mods"

 

[mrbooker]

I used five 1/4 ins bolts and wing nuts and made adjustable legs on my wok. Haven't tried it yet