sirloinoftexas
Newbie
Thanks for this thread! Just wanting to let you know it still the best example of smoker mods out there.
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Horizonal Offset Smoker Mods
- Thread starter ddave
- Start date
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hickorybutt
Smoking Fanatic
These are perfect mods for my CharBroil American Gourmet... I started out on this pit with no mods, and recently bought a reverse flow as my primary unit, and now the CharBroil is my secondary unit that I never use given it's inherent issues. I'm planning to do these simple mods to my CharBroil this summer and hopefully make it a solid second unit to where I can have both smokers running at once.
overwe1ght bbq
Newbie
- Sep 7, 2014
- 18
- 10
I was about to spend a lot of money on a new smoker. I think theses mods might just save me. There is only one brisket size section on my smoker that's the right temp. Everything else just burns. To close to fire box. Thank you again
overwe1ght bbq
Newbie
- Sep 7, 2014
- 18
- 10
I too have a question I have this style exhaust. (Shown in pic). How would I add a chimney extension to my smoker.
sparkie1952
Newbie
Hello all;
I just recently found all this new info about smoking meat. I have had smokers for several years with varied results. Reading here has really enlightened me. Here are a few of my ideas and modifications.
First, instead of buying a baffle for $90 I went to the local Home Improvement store and bought 4 bricks with holes in them. (49 cents each) I staked them like shown in pictures. This is working great. I have been able to hold between 210 and 240 degrees easily. I used a couple pieces of foil to block the holes.
You will notice the coals are in a tray with holes in it and that cost $5.99. A lot cheaper than the stainless ones sold on some of the sites.
I am doing my first test righ now and have been able to hold the temp for over an hour on one chimney of charcoal and a couple handfuls of chips.
I bought this smoker at Lowe's to replace a much cheaper side-by-side from charbroil. This is labeled Royal Oak but I have not seen anyone else post about this brand.
Steve
I just recently found all this new info about smoking meat. I have had smokers for several years with varied results. Reading here has really enlightened me. Here are a few of my ideas and modifications.
First, instead of buying a baffle for $90 I went to the local Home Improvement store and bought 4 bricks with holes in them. (49 cents each) I staked them like shown in pictures. This is working great. I have been able to hold between 210 and 240 degrees easily. I used a couple pieces of foil to block the holes.
You will notice the coals are in a tray with holes in it and that cost $5.99. A lot cheaper than the stainless ones sold on some of the sites.
I am doing my first test righ now and have been able to hold the temp for over an hour on one chimney of charcoal and a couple handfuls of chips.
I bought this smoker at Lowe's to replace a much cheaper side-by-side from charbroil. This is labeled Royal Oak but I have not seen anyone else post about this brand.
Steve
Looks like a horizon pit. What did pay for it? Your mods...to say the least.. Innovative
As long as it works
As long as it works
sparkie1952
Newbie
I bought it on sale at Lowe's for less than $300. ($279 I think) I was just at Lowe's getting some chunks and they have another one that is similar (Oklahoma Joe maybe) for $479. Mine has ceramic grills and has six separate grill plates. The one at Lowe's now has two pieces on the left side and 1 piece n the fire pit side. They grills don't look like they are as well coated as mine.
We will know about 7 PM if the mods are going to work like they did on a small sausage for an hour and a half yesterday. I am doing 2 racks of ribs and a chicken starting in about 30 mins. I got a big bag of lump charcoal too.
Steve
sparkie1952
Newbie
Ok, 1 hour into this and all is well. I am pretty excited to be able to control the temp like this. The bricks are doing great. Holding around 250 deg and just adding a few pcs of pecan chunk and then a few lumps of charcoal. I think I have the air flow right where it should be now. I have always had problems with this thing running away with me.
sparkie1952
Newbie
Here's some more pics. I guess next is getting this thing sealed up. I have a plan for that also.
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sparkie1952
Newbie
Everything was great. I think I will let the temp come up a bit more the next time. I was a little scared of a runaway but know now that I can control it. I smoked the ribs for 7.5 hrs. (3-3-1.5) I did the chicken for 5+ and it finally reached 160 deg. Ribs could have been a little more tender but the flavor was great.
Steve
Steve
overwe1ght bbq
Newbie
- Sep 7, 2014
- 18
- 10
Just finished installing my baffle and tuning plates. Test them out tomorrow. Cooking the bacon wrapped chicken thighs from the news letter.
sparkie1952
Newbie
Well being the frugal one(aka cheap, tight) I came up with this for a charcoal basket. I use these things for crabbing and it occurred to me that with a little wire and some creativity I could make a charcoal basket out of one. They are only about $5 at Walmart. I made the bottom double by using the top.
Sparkie
Sparkie
stokinsmokebbq
Fire Starter
Hiw is it with cleaning the coal as? When u take it out to dump the coal does alot of ash fall out the bottom?
sparkie1952
Newbie
This basket sits on top of the original grate. I open the side door on my smoker and use a fireplace shovel to scoop ashes hat fall through the basket and grate into a metal can that sits right next to the smoker. I don't try to lift this out . I use a larger shovel to clean the firebox before starting a new fire.
Sparkie
Sparkie
sparkie1952
Newbie
Ok, here's the setup I plan to try tomorrow. I added the 90 deg elbow at the stack and have my new cheap charcoal basket ready to go. I took the foil wads out of the bricks to allow a little more heat in the smoke chamber. Going to do a Butt and a fattie tomorrow.
sparkie1952
Newbie
Had to put this off for a day. Very windy here today anyway.
Ok, here's the setup I plan to try tomorrow. I added the 90 deg elbow at the stack and have my new cheap charcoal basket ready to go. I took the foil wads out of the bricks to allow a little more heat in the smoke chamber. Going to do a Butt and a fattie tomorrow.
Sparkie
"there I go quoting myself again"!!!
sparkie1952
Newbie
Ok, I got started on my first real "fattie". Did the bacon lattice and everything. Using the cheapo charcoal basket I made out of the crab trap. It has been holding steady at 265. I checked the accuracy of the thermometer with my digital hanging right next to it and found it to be pretty accurate. That seems to be where it is happy and I don't have to "tend to it" so much. Started checking temp every 20 mins, now every hour. Added wet Apple chunks twice so far.
Fattie was done at 2 1/2 hour point at temp of 165.
Added maybe 1 1/2 lbs of lump about 45 min ago. Started with mix of lump and briquets.
Took 90 degree elbow off at 40 mins to try to get temp down a few degrees. Made no difference. Hangs around 265 deg. Stack wide open and the firebox vent just barely open. I see stove rope in my future and ordered a set of latches from Amazon today. ($9 for 4)
Pictures in reverse order.
Sparkie
Fattie was done at 2 1/2 hour point at temp of 165.
Added maybe 1 1/2 lbs of lump about 45 min ago. Started with mix of lump and briquets.
Took 90 degree elbow off at 40 mins to try to get temp down a few degrees. Made no difference. Hangs around 265 deg. Stack wide open and the firebox vent just barely open. I see stove rope in my future and ordered a set of latches from Amazon today. ($9 for 4)
Pictures in reverse order.
Sparkie
sparkie1952
Newbie
WoW
This my best effort yet. The butt stalled at 159 degrees for about 3 1/2 hours. I added coals two times and it took 10 hours. It was worth the wait and we settled for turkey club sandwiches for dinner. I used Jeff's rub on both the butt and lightly on the fattie before I rolled the sausage in bacon. Course black pepper on fattie. I am looking forward to the next big family gathering so I can do three or four of these butts. I also have a recipe from a pilot I worked with from NC. I don't want to call it a sauce so here it is ...
1 gallon of apple cider vinegar
one small bottle of A1 sauce
3.6 oz. of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup course black pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
cayenne pepper to taste ( I use about a teaspoon)
crushed dry red pepper (pizza pepper) to taste (I use about a 1/4 cup)
Good squirt of ketchup
Good squirt of pancake syrup
Combine all the above in a sauce pan that has a cover. Heat to slow boil COVERED and simmer for 20 minutes COVERED. Stir frequently. It will really stink up the house if done indoors and gets real thick in the air if it has a lot of cayenne.
I usually put mine in a big jug after it cools.
I have used this stuff for years when I cook whole pigs. When the pig is ready I slash the meat all over the pig, hams, shoulders and split the loin to open it. Then I shake up the jug and pour the mixture all over the pig stopping and shaking it so all the settled spices get on the pig. Then let the pig rest for about 10-20 minutes and eat the thing.
This is what I did with this little butt and it was every bit as good as any pig I have ever done. I made up a quarter batch of the "Juice". This is true East Carolina style pig cookin sauce.
Sparkie
This my best effort yet. The butt stalled at 159 degrees for about 3 1/2 hours. I added coals two times and it took 10 hours. It was worth the wait and we settled for turkey club sandwiches for dinner. I used Jeff's rub on both the butt and lightly on the fattie before I rolled the sausage in bacon. Course black pepper on fattie. I am looking forward to the next big family gathering so I can do three or four of these butts. I also have a recipe from a pilot I worked with from NC. I don't want to call it a sauce so here it is ...
1 gallon of apple cider vinegar
one small bottle of A1 sauce
3.6 oz. of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup course black pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
cayenne pepper to taste ( I use about a teaspoon)
crushed dry red pepper (pizza pepper) to taste (I use about a 1/4 cup)
Good squirt of ketchup
Good squirt of pancake syrup
Combine all the above in a sauce pan that has a cover. Heat to slow boil COVERED and simmer for 20 minutes COVERED. Stir frequently. It will really stink up the house if done indoors and gets real thick in the air if it has a lot of cayenne.
I usually put mine in a big jug after it cools.
I have used this stuff for years when I cook whole pigs. When the pig is ready I slash the meat all over the pig, hams, shoulders and split the loin to open it. Then I shake up the jug and pour the mixture all over the pig stopping and shaking it so all the settled spices get on the pig. Then let the pig rest for about 10-20 minutes and eat the thing.
This is what I did with this little butt and it was every bit as good as any pig I have ever done. I made up a quarter batch of the "Juice". This is true East Carolina style pig cookin sauce.
Sparkie
bkaps
Newbie
- May 3, 2015
- 1
- 10
Thanks to all the great ideas...I did a few small and cheap mods this weekend with good results.
$8 roll of roofing flashing rolled up into smoke stack to lower it to grill leveL. Bought at Home Depot near roofing supplies.
Vegetable grill basket for fire box; the small holes allowed me to retain most ash in the basket so that airflow is not blocked. 1 1/2 chimneys of Kingsford burned hot for almost 4 hours.
$8 roll of roofing flashing rolled up into smoke stack to lower it to grill leveL. Bought at Home Depot near roofing supplies.
Vegetable grill basket for fire box; the small holes allowed me to retain most ash in the basket so that airflow is not blocked. 1 1/2 chimneys of Kingsford burned hot for almost 4 hours.
hogtownsmoke
Newbie
Old thread, I know... But I just cut an aluminum pan to use as a baffle and it fit perfectly I to my CGSP. If you cut it right it fits snugly against the wall braced on the upper side by the charcoal tray brackets and on the lower side by the bolts connecting the SFB to the main body. Now all I need is some ⅛ inch steel and she's ready to go!
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