Just a rundown..

[Hoots]

I've always loved grilling and smoking food and born into a very culinary family as well as married into a culinary family. My married life through the years has produced a family of Weber enthusiasts and myself, have three different sizes of their grills that I've added accessories to as well as modded for functional use, but being charcoal, I'm getting older now and my health has been up and down the past ten years or so, and it's a bit more than I can deal with. Found myself using my equipment less and less, while missing my smoked food. I went on a quest to update my situation for the better. Looked at different fuel sources for grilling and smoking . I have a few choices that I love and added to my list, but they are still more than I probably need..I have four steps to maneuver down to my patio. Though I have good days with bad days, eventually it's going to get me, and during summer it sure does get hot and humid in Illinois . So I looked at small vertical smokers for my little patio porch, a good fit for a small area, but nah, still didn't fit my needs and wants. So my brain started working on something else.. something that I can smoke in, decent temperature ranges, giving me the results I'm looking for in my foods, and fitting the bill for my physical comfort. Win win.. pictures coming up pretty soon... I've been having the most fun with this thing, and probably in the past 5 months that I've had it, I've used it more than anything else I have ever had.

 

[Hoots]

Summer sausage making is definitely not a game for the faint of heart..the waiting . Temp is climbing,finally.. mistake #1 my 6 inch smoke tube was a little too close to them, affecting

the ends a little on a couple. Usually my tube is clear of things, but this was a new rack and longer than my others. Mistake #2 was my extension cord weight pulled from the oven's cord and was 30 minutes before I noticed a drop off in temp. Gotta watch the dangle...ugh. And #3, my old but good fatty thermometer leaves holes too big for my liking. It's ok for birds but awful for finer things. Note to get a new one. But it's getting there. ..Won't be long. This roaster oven has smoke roasted a lot of awesome stuff with fantastic results. Love the smell of alder wood by the way. Can't wait to taste this.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Looking forward to the finish... it's all a learning game!

Ryan

 

[Fueling Around]

You are a very creative person to use a roaster oven as a smoke vessel. Never occurred to me. I've got one in the shed that hasn't been used in years.
Change from pellets to sawdust and it reduces the heat (and the smoke). Maybe sawdust in the tube is the smoke hint you desire.
Sorry to read of physical health issues. Aging sucks

 

[Hoots]

You are a very creative person to use a roaster oven as a smoke vessel. Never occurred to me. I've got one in the shed that hasn't been used in years.
Change from pellets to sawdust and it reduces the heat (and the smoke). Maybe sawdust in the tube is the smoke hint you desire.
Sorry to read of physical health issues. Aging sucks

Thank you..it bakes cake better than my regular oven does. I tried that Cameron's oak dust I had when I first got the roaster, but the dust goes right through the holes of the tube.. and I can't even use the dust to fill in with other woods I have . Gets really messy inside the oven too. Today, my alder was in the form of pucks. I know the company says on their boxes to only use with their smokers, but it's only wood, right? Well, and the stuff that binds it together I think. But I can break a puck in half and put three halves in my tube and get two + hours of smoke with their oak, today was a bit shorter using alder. And I have very little ash. Maybe I'm getting too much heat from the tube . Oak is usually my choice, but I sometimes throw in a pellet combo, but only a small amount, or a few hickory chips too at times, because I will mix woods.. I've learned never to fill my tube more than half full, and most of the time I'm just under half. Now I'm curious what the temperature actually is inside while I smoke. Time to investigate . Thank you for your concern with my health...yes, getting old does suck... Like today, an all day smoke, that wore me out. Be a while before I do that again...lol. I did sneak a slice of the sausage though... not dry, not crumbly. I really can't believe I pulled that off. And the flavor is perfectly balanced, I have a slight tang , the wood choice is amazing for this, and the texture isn't bad at all...hmmm . Pretty cool

 

[hoity toit]

Thank you..it bakes cake better than my regular oven does. I tried that Cameron's oak dust I had when I first got the roaster, but the dust goes right through the holes of the tube.. and I can't even use the dust to fill in with other woods I have . Gets really messy inside the oven too. Today, my alder was in the form of pucks. I know the company says on their boxes to only use with their smokers, but it's only wood, right? Well, and the stuff that binds it together I think. But I can break a puck in half and put three halves in my tube and get two + hours of smoke with their oak, today was a bit shorter using alder. And I have very little ash. Maybe I'm getting too much heat from the tube . Oak is usually my choice, but I sometimes throw in a pellet combo, but only a small amount, or a few hickory chips too at times, because I will mix woods.. I've learned never to fill my tube more than half full, and most of the time I'm just under half. Now I'm curious what the temperature actually is inside while I smoke. Time to investigate . Thank you for your concern with my health...yes, getting old does suck... Like today, an all day smoke, that wore me out. Be a while before I do that again...lol. I did sneak a slice of the sausage though... not dry, not crumbly. I really can't believe I pulled that off. And the flavor is perfectly balanced, I have a slight tang , the wood choice is amazing for this, and the texture isn't bad at all...hmmm . Pretty cool

Alder = good choice for wood, mild and not overpowerful. I use it on cold smoked cheese.

HT

 

[Hoots]

Alder = good choice for wood, mild and not overpowerful. I use it on cold smoked cheese.

HT

It sure did something special here. The ground meat took on the smoke perfectly. In combination with the type of seasonings used it's exactly what I hoped for.

 

[Hoots]

Alder = good choice for wood, mild and not overpowerful. I use it on cold smoked cheese.

HT

My son was born in New Braunfels by the way.. over forty years ago I can still smell that town's smokehouse

 

[Up_In_Smoke]

Using the roaster is nothing short of brilliant.
I'm gonna have to try this real soon.

 

[normanaj]

I'd really be interested to see the entire inside and how you set it up for smoking.

 

[Hoots]

Using the roaster is nothing short of brilliant.
I'm gonna have to try this real soon.

Well thank you! It really works for me at the time. I even bought a really nice rolling cart for it so I can maneuver out on my patio porch easily and back inside with no problem. Plus I use it inside for some things... Ninja ain't got nothin on me

 

[Hoots]

I'd really be interested to see the entire inside and how you set it up for smoking.

Ok, my next smoke I'll take a couple pictures for you. It's actually pretty straightforward, with my six inch tube offset at one end. I can even do multiple layers of food with my racks, depending what I'm doing at the time. It's an 18 quart roaster and a very high lid. Says it will fit a 20 pound turkey but I've only done a 12 pound so far. You want to leave enough room for the tube without causing any issues. Since it's just the two of us and I don't entertain like I used to, it's perfect for me. The temps range from 150-450, and for me that's all I need. Wanting to do a three day ferment on a good pizza dough soon and do a quick smoke for it which will also be a first for that. I do a lot of pit beans and chicken many ways in this thing . FUN

 

[Hoots]

Not bad at all ..I'd do a few things different, I mean if I were to do this again, but nothing too major. Not too dry or crumbly but a little moisture wouldn't hurt. The tang is definitely there but I would add a little bit more.

 

[Colin1230]

I totally agree with Up_In_Smoke , using a roaster oven as a smoker IS brilliant!
Hoots, I think you are going to fit right in around here.

 

[Hoots]

I totally agree with Up_In_Smoke , using a roaster oven as a smoker IS brilliant!
Hoots, I think you are going to fit right in around here.

Thank you ..you are so kind . I was a little bit afraid some people might laugh, I mean it's not a beast or anything . But I'm able to get some awesome results... and have fun at the same time . And eat goodies too

 

[Up_In_Smoke]

I noticed that my roaster is only a 6 qt, but it's big enough to smoke the loin chops I cut.

 

[Hoots]

I noticed that my roaster is only a 6 qt, but it's big enough to smoke the loin chops I cut.

You might want to do a pouch situation for the smoke , I wonder. I bet you'll figure it out .