hi from the UK

[kitobi]

hi all

real names Andy and I live in the south west UK

recently scrapped our rusty old barrel BBQ and invested in a new Char Griller system with offset firebox that as yet I have only admired it in the garden but yet to use it.

been cooking on a BBQ for some years and have dabbled in smoking food, but without great success. mainly due to poor equipment and lack of real knowledge.

which is why I'm here. been reading the forum for some time, got a great amount of info already and some fantastic ideas to " fine tune" the smoker and add a few mods before I start using it.

looking forward to learning from you guys and enjoying some really good food

andy

 

[SmokinAl]

Welcome aboard Andy!

Check out the free 5 day e-course.

It's a great place to start!

http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-basics-ecourse

Al

 

[smokin monkey]

Hi Andy, Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"

Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.

Please take time to look at the UK Smokers Group,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/3161/uk-smokers

And introduce your self on the UK Roll Call
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229926/roll-call

The UK Smokers Group Is where UK members can ask and share information that is unique to smoking and curing in the UK and does not obviously fit into any of the main forum categories.

We are in the planning stages for our 4th Annual UK Smokes weekend, where members attend and cooked over the weekend, 21st - 22nd July 2017. Please use the link below to view the website.

http://www.uk-smf.co.uk

Smokin Monkey [emoji]133660013031[/emoji]

 

[kitobi]

hi guys

thank you for the warm welcome, I have subbed to the free 5 day course and already received the first installment that has whetted my appetite.

I didn't know there was a UK roll call so I will pop over there now and say hello :)

itching to spark the thing up and try it out but I will wait til I have installed the mods and seasoned it well before trying.

thank you for the additional links, plenty of reading to be had there also

warm regards

andy

 

[wade]

Hi Andy - Welcome to the forum

Which Char Grill smoker do you have?

The most important thing to learn with your new smoker is the temperature control. This will take a few tries to get right bit once you have mastered it you will be able to smoke almost anything in there successfully. Do not be too ambitious with your first cook. Try something that is quite forgiving and inexpensive to begin with. Some start with a a chicken or some ribs or even some sausages. If the temperature fluctuates a bit then these will still be edible and they don't take too long. After that... pulled pork... then brisket.... and then the world.

One piece of kit to invest in is a twin probe digital thermometer. This will let you keep better track of what is going on in your smoking chamber and also in your meat.

Looking forward to photos 

Wade

 

[sauced]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new smoker!!

 

[kitobi]

thank you guys for the warm welcome.

wade its the super pro 2121 main grill plus the side box 22424.

looking for some 3" flexi pipe to do the chimney mod and I had a small brainwave regarding a baffle insert, and will cut down a steel incinerator bin to form a reverse baffle next week when I get a day off, then its just seasoning and fun to follow.

I was thinking of a chicken just to test the waters and have been eyeballing the dual thermometers on amazon, any good recommendations?

the only thing I'm struggling with is a decent firebox upgrade as I know the supplied one is pants, I may be able to get hold of an angle grinder to shape some expanded steel, unless anyone know of a decent supplier for premade baskets??

cheers fellas

andy  

 

[smokin monkey]

looking for some 3" flexi pipe to do the chimney mod and I had a small brainwave regarding a baffle insert, and will cut down a steel incinerator bin to form a reverse baffle next week when I get a day off, then its just seasoning and fun to follow.

andy  

Hi Andy, cutting down an old incinerator bin? We are back on the old discussion of, whether the zinc/galvanize gives off harmful gases.

 

[wade]

 

[kitobi]

hmm yes I had thought of that, I trained as a welder after schooling was completed and know that galvanized metal gives off lots of zinc gas, I used to have to down a pint of milk if some of the smoke passed my extractor, ill check the vaporisation level of zinc, but if memory serves me well if we reach that the BBQ would have melted first.

wade I'm not sure what your doing to the donkey but I am sure there's laws against it lol

 ( btw I do know what is was but wanted to use that smiley)

Andy

 

[kitobi]

just checked, zinc vaporises at 906 degrees centigrade but melts just past 400c

ill research if i can still use it but ill burn it off first with a blowtorch after I have the size cut to shape

if all else fails I also have a idea to insert some cast iron square skillets to act as a baffle instead as well as the thermal mass they will also provide.

having fun planning this already and its not been lit yet :)

 

[wade]

Hi Andy - The dead donkey was being flogged again - LOL.

There is an urban myth about not using galvanised nuts/bolts/metal etc in a smoker because of the dangers of zinc vapour. In the forums you will see various people quoting others peoples quotes that it is dangerous - however when you try to find any official guidance on it there is nothing there.The regulating/safety bodies (who regulate just about anything you can imagine) have very little to say about zinc in food preparation/cooking other than it must not come in direct contact with the food or be where anything can drip from it onto food.

At the end of the day it is down to the individual. If you feel uncomfortable using it then don't but there does not appear to be any official evidence to support this.

 

[smokin monkey]

I would burn it off with a blow torch first before installing, then do an initial burn in at a higher temperature than you would generally use while cooking.

 

[wade]

Lol - Sorry Steve - I was not trying to suggest that you were advocating not to use it. Just musing how regularly this subject comes up 

 

[kitobi]

thank you guys

that sounds like a fantastic working solution without over complicating issues.

when I start ill take some photos for info purposes, but wont be for a few days at least yet.

Andy

 

[smokin monkey]

Lol - Sorry Steve - I was not trying to suggest that you were advocating not to use it. Just musing how regularly this subject comes up Thumbs Up

Wade, I know and you know that this subject is a contentious point. I stay away from zinc & galv as a personal preference.

This is a recent post on the forum, http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/261494/galvanized-metal-on-outside-of-smoker#post_1695200

The subject of zinc and Galv will always be debated.