DIY rack fix....

[SonnyE]

I had a brain fart today and found a possible answer to my dilemma of sticky old racks for my converted Brinkman Smoke N Grill.
I had two Grillin Mats I picked up several years ago thinking I might use them on the BBQ, and I did... once I think.
Anyway, the thought was to cut strips, and weave them through my racks to help support my Salmon I like to smoke, with less sticking.
So I got out my paper cutter and found out it wasn't big enough to make an entire strip, or cut, across the sheet. I thought hey I can finish it with scissors. Then realised having the one edge together might be better.
So I began weaving the semi-separated strips into the rack.
It came out well enough that I thought maybe somebody else would like the idea.
I'm thawing out some salmon right now to run a batch, probably tomorrow.
In the last picture you can see how I believe it will let the smoke travel to the bottom of my batch. I'll let you know how it works. ;)

Looks like dis:

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please remove

 

[SonnyE]

For sticky old racks a 3 minute soak in Purple Power mixed at 20/80 PP/water cleans racks in minutes. The paper sure looks pretty but your going to block a lot of smoke. I've never had a support/sticking issue with just putting fish right on clean racks and letting'er rip. If the chrome on the racks is eroded a light coat of cooking spray will work a treat.

Been there, did that...
So I think I'll try this.
BTW, it's not paper, but pure PTFE teflon non-stick sheet.
I'm going to run them tomorrow.
Thanks for looking.

These old Brinkman's aren't made anymore, or I'd replace the rusty old racks.
I've been looking, but this was my best right now option.

 

[motocrash]

Dang Dude....did you take Underwater Basket Weaving as an elective in high school?
Nice job.It'll be interesting to see how it works.

 

[JckDanls 07]

MAN... That's a lot of real estate for the fish to sit on and it blocks the smoke and air flow through the smoker ... maybe take out every other one if the air won't flow ... and still have extra support

 

[motocrash]

I had a brain fart today and found a possible answer to my dilemma of sticky old racks for my converted Brinkman Smoke N Grill.
I had two Grillin Mats I picked up several years ago thinking I might use them on the BBQ, and I did... once I think.
Anyway, the thought was to cut strips, and weave them through my racks to help support my Salmon I like to smoke, with less sticking.
So I got out my paper cutter and found out it wasn't big enough to make an entire strip, or cut, across the sheet. I thought hey I can finish it with scissors. Then realised having the one edge together might be better.
So I began weaving the semi-separated strips into the rack.
It came out well enough that I thought maybe somebody else would like the idea.
I'm thawing out some salmon right now to run a batch, probably tomorrow.
In the last picture you can see how I believe it will let the smoke travel to the bottom of my batch. I'll let you know how it works. ;)

Looks like dis:

View attachment 347618 View attachment 347620 View attachment 347621 View attachment 347622 View attachment 347623 View attachment 347624

Well,how did the experiment go? If not well,try these.They can be reused MANY times:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Expert-Grill-Disposable-Grill-Topper-3-ct-Pack/198264567

 

[SonnyE]

It went very well! I did 3 pounds of Salmon I brined with Brown Sugar and Salt. Very basic.
2 cups total of Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup of salt, 15 hours in the Fridge, rinsed in cold water (because the mixture did not all dissolve. Probably put on too much? ), let the salmon dry, then smoked.
I made 1 cup of br sug and salt, but made a second because I thought it wasn't enough.
Total of 4 hours of Bradley pucks (12), then turned up the heat for the finish line. When the temperature in the thickest hit 144.6, I checked the flakiness and called the game. The smoker temperature hit 220 F on my thermometer.
After the load cooled down, I brought in the rack and found the salmon came off almost entirely clean with only a few sticky spots. Super nice. (By comparison)
The openings where the strips wove over and under the rack did let the smoke get to almost all of the rack side.
Probably the best tasting I've made, certainly the best of lately. I gave about 1/2 a pound of it to the BIL and SIL today. So it had to come out pretty good for me to do that.

Final thoughts...
Highly successful, but...
I think some of those grilling mesh things would do as well or better, IMHO. (Frogmats)
I finally found something round, like my racks are, although a bit big. Need 15", not 17".
Since I prefer skinless salmon, a mesh is probably going to be required.

Aside of that, I'm thinking about ways to improve the smoker itself. Like build a new one that can hold regular sheets and racks... ;)