I just bought this thing for $15 and have no idea how to use it (a smoker I was told)

[Cayaco]

Hello!

Starting in the new forum as I am new and I just bought this thing from someone in town for $15 and I do not know how to use it as I have never used a smoker before myself. It is open at the bottom and there are no vents anywhere. A lid, two bowls of some kind. I figure for $15 if I can make it work and cook something I will be happy, but I do not know where to begin or what I am supposed to do. My thought process in this whole thing was "$15, yeah why not" and now that its home I realized I did not think this whole thing through.

Here are all the pictures:

 

[mike243]

Put the charcoal bowl in along with charcoal and a few chunks of hickory, set the water pan in it and fill with hot water, start the fire without using lighter fluid, leave lid off till its roaring along, wipe grates down with oil and load meat on, ck in about 6 hours on the fuel and water level, don't open the lid, hopefully you have a remote probe to tell you when what ever is cooking is done, had 1 for years and never worried about temps. you will get your $ worth out of it

 

[Smkryng]

Here is a YouTube link that should give you the basics of how it works. As far as temp and fire management maybe someone that uses these will chime in and help you in that department.

 

[Cayaco]

With this one having no bottom to it, and none of the vents or valves all of the videos have, I guess I just light it up and hope for the best? All of the fancy people on YouTube talk about all kinds or regulation and how it keep it going for 8 to 12 hours. This one, no? Just turn it all on and see what happens?

 

[mosparky]

That's what is referred to as an ECB (El Cheapo Brinkman). Lots of good food has been cooked on them, despite the nick name, and many a cook cut their teeth on them. (self included)
We have an ECB section here with lots of info and mods to make it a better smoker.
Unfortunately Brinkman closed a couple years ago, so new spare parts are scarce. But good lightly used smokers are fairly plentiful and cheap. The bowls are the hardest to find or substitute.
Here is a link to the Brinkman Manual you can download. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/456951/Brinkmann-Smoke-N-Grill.html
it includes a bit on how to use it.

 

[Cayaco]

Thanks for the manual link. So this thing seems pretty straight forward then, coal at the bottom, water in second pan, meat on top, cook.

As there are no vents or air holes, just light it up and go? Since you can't adjust the air how do you have it maintain a proper temp and not just burn everything at a high heat?

I will need a new temp gauge as suggested by a lot of people, the one on there is pretty trash.

 

[mike243]

I already stated how to use it, so simple anybody can do it lol

 

[Cayaco]

The simple part is what is making it more complicated in my head! I read the whole manual and know the steps but as I have never smoked anything before it seems harder than it should be. On my propane grill I have the adjustment knobs so I can turn burners up or down or on and off, I can adjust them until the grill is a temperature I want and go from there. On this there is nothing like that, you dump in your pounds of coal, and then... ? Since I cant adjust the coal how do you adjust the temps and wouldn't his be just like having my grill on full blast all the time?

 

[forktender]

I already stated how to use it, so simple anybody can do it lol

There is a lot of truth to this...if my father can turn out good grub off of these things anybody can. I love my father too death but the man wasn't blessed with the smoking or cooking gene. He adds 20 to 30 pieces of Kingsford charcoal lets them ash up a bit then every 2 hours he adds 8 to 10 briquettes. Turkey and chicken turn out amazing on these little smokers as does ham and prime rib, I'm sure brisket would be awesome off of them as well.

I'd recommend burning it out and doing a dry run with it before toss and grub on it, so you can work out the kinks on it. Pretty much the same as any other smoker you gotta learn how it runs. I wouldn't worry about trying to maintain a perfect 225 or 250 just roll with it and you'll be impressed with the food, I know I was.

 

[Cayaco]

As I really dont know anything about charcoal.. does charcoal have a maximum temperature? Like if I turn up all 5 burners on my grill to max and let it sit with the lid closed that thing will be 500 or 600 degrees. Since charcoal is either burning or not burning do the temps just keep going up to some high point? How does similar regulation with a gas knob work with burning charcoal?

 

[Cayaco]

Went outside to go use it this morning, now that I know what the pieces are... the water pan is full of tiny pin prick sized holes from being rusted out. Water runs through it like a sieve.

I cant smoke now?

 

[mosparky]

Mine always cooked out. Finally I just lined with foil and filled with sand, and covered with more foil. It acts as a heat sink to hold temps. You can also line with foil and fill with water.