New Brinkmann Trailmaster Vertical Smoker

[matt darsow]

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[yraen]

Trickyputt,

I've e-mailed TIllman about a blanket that sounds nice.  I'll post the response when I get it.

Matt,

I run a stoker on it and it works fine.  I don't have any experience with the two you had listed.

 

[yraen]

---

Unfortunately I got a response from Tillman saying that they do not have anything suitable for insulating a smoker.  I think I'm going to try to find either of these two local to look at them closer.

http://jtillman.com/products/blankets/extreme-duty/597/

http://jtillman.com/products/blankets/heavy-duty/596/

We're going to be decent on the night of the 26th so I don't need to rush to insulate the outside of this thing yet.

 

[dmitch91950]

How big is the fire box basket??

Thanks

Danny

 

[smokerjoe32]

Good evening all, I have a question that has kinda been posed but I'm gonna put my own twist on it. So the standing winter recommendations is get a blanket of some sort and bricks for the CC. Well today I found some concrete retaining wall bricks, was only able to get one in there, not able to get the blanket until tomorrow. So enough of the info and on to the problem. I have a huge temperature variation between the very bottom to mid CC. I'm looking at about a 30 degree variation. This wouldn't be an issue if the upper half got up to temperature. It only got to 195. Turkey day is coming soon and unless I plan on smoking the turkey where the water pan is I'm in trouble.

 

[yraen]

IMO the big killer on this one is the leaks.  If your cooking chamber is leaking it will be hard to regulate and maintain temperatures.  Another thing is the charcoal grate.  This sits too low and does not allow enough room for ash and airflow.  You will lose airflow below the fire too quickly.  If you don't have a basket or haven't raised the fire grate, use the grilling grates to build your fire.  This will allow adequate airflow under the coals.

You can also use sand or lava rocks (cover with foil for easy cleanup) in the water pan to help even out the temperatures and return to temperature quicker if the chamber has been opened.  I've found using this I don't need a brick in there.  Should you feel you need water in there also, use an aluminum pan on a cooking rack.

Over the next few days I would cook some fatties, ABTs, or something quick and easy to try different things to see what will help you achieve the temperatures you're looking for.  If you've got the capabilities, try to monitor the different grates to get to know the hotter areas of the cooker. This can be helpful down the road when you need to move food around to try and get a little more speed on a slow cooking item.

Once you've got it going, this cooker is pretty nice.  Wed night thru to Thurs morning mine will be cooking a ham, pork shoulder, brisket, baby backs, ABTs, and some mac & cheese.  I'm shooting for cooking it all in one smoker, but depending on the nature of smoking foods (it's done when it's done, not when the clock says it is), I might have to fire up a second smoker to ensure that everything is done on time.

 

[trickyputt]

Good evening all, I have a question that has kinda been posed but I'm gonna put my own twist on it. So the standing winter recommendations is get a blanket of some sort and bricks for the CC. Well today I found some concrete retaining wall bricks, was only able to get one in there, not able to get the blanket until tomorrow. So enough of the info and on to the problem. I have a huge temperature variation between the very bottom to mid CC. I'm looking at about a 30 degree variation. This wouldn't be an issue if the upper half got up to temperature. It only got to 195. Turkey day is coming soon and unless I plan on smoking the turkey where the water pan is I'm in trouble.

in the carnot cycle we use steam to transfer energy, not to food but to a turbine. Please replace the brick with a larger pot of water if you want more mass. By the way, Mass is measured in Kilograms. There are so many to a lb. Google it. Replace the weight of the brick block with the same amount of watter and you wont miss a trick, and the steamy air will carry one helluva lot more heat up to the meat.

 

[trickyputt]

IMO the big killer on this one is the leaks.  If your cooking chamber is leaking it will be hard to regulate and maintain temperatures.  Another thing is the charcoal grate.  This sits too low and does not allow enough room for ash and airflow.  You will lose airflow below the fire too quickly.  If you don't have a basket or haven't raised the fire grate, use the grilling grates to build your fire.  This will allow adequate airflow under the coals.

You can also use sand or lava rocks (cover with foil for easy cleanup) in the water pan to help even out the temperatures and return to temperature quicker if the chamber has been opened.  I've found using this I don't need a brick in there.  Should you feel you need water in there also, use an aluminum pan on a cooking rack.

Over the next few days I would cook some fatties, ABTs, or something quick and easy to try different things to see what will help you achieve the temperatures you're looking for.  If you've got the capabilities, try to monitor the different grates to get to know the hotter areas of the cooker. This can be helpful down the road when you need to move food around to try and get a little more speed on a slow cooking item.

Once you've got it going, this cooker is pretty nice.  Wed night thru to Thurs morning mine will be cooking a ham, pork shoulder, brisket, baby backs, ABTs, and some mac & cheese.  I'm shooting for cooking it all in one smoker, but depending on the nature of smoking foods (it's done when it's done, not when the clock says it is), I might have to fire up a second smoker to ensure that everything is done on time.

I wouldnt risk it, I was trying ribs and a Butt and there is just good reason out there for having more than one smoker. We saved the shoulder for later.

 

[trickyputt]

Real question is this 24 lb turkey I am gonna put in mine this weekend. Dont ask...I havent got that far.

 

[uscg husker]

I smoked up here in cape cod starting around 2am. It was ~25 degrees. Didnt have too much trouble

 

[trickyputt]

Crap. I dont know how I ended up with a turkey and nobody to eat it so I gave it away. They brought me some.I dont like old bird. I bailed. People are going everywhich way with the holidays I guess. My consolation prize was pork tenderloin. The mop with sesame oil! It looks like sammiches until the holiday.

20141123_161218.jpg

• trickyputt
• Nov 23, 2014

 

[davidreynolds]

Has anyone considered just going to an appliance store and buying self adhesive Nomex oven door gasket material? Love the idea of having the cover over the exhaust. Would like to see more details on how it is done

 

[trickyputt]

One interesting aspect of the vertical is that you dont have to use the firebox. A fire grate directly underneath the food in the cc works also for cooler or smaller or more efficient smokes, WSM style.

 

[davidreynolds]

A stove pipe cap will help. Will reduce the wind blowing cold air down the flue.

 

[part time]

Has anyone had issues with the paint on the inside peeling. I don't know if I seasoned it wrong or not. Followed their instructions but after my first use the paint has bubbled up. Just in the smoking chamber and it is on the left side top of door (open) around to the back. Guessing I have a bad thermometer and it was too hot. Any suggestions on redoing the inside would be helpful!

smoker.jpg

• part time
• Feb 7, 2015

smoker2.jpg

• part time
• Feb 7, 2015

 

[gary s]

Wow, I never painted the inside   I would contact whoever you got it from

Gary

 

[gavin16]

Part time I experienced the same problem with mine, just received it over Christmas time.  Mine was not so extreme though, it just occurred on the very top inside the smoker, and I did not notice it until I packed up the smoker to take back to school with me.  My problem is I am not sure I seasoned the smoker properly.. I did the low heat for the couple hours, then did not have the time to crank it up to the 400 degrees that evening, so I let it cool.. and took it to over 400 the next day.  I don't know if that was the problem, or if it was the major temperature fluctuating as I struggled to keep it at 400 during that cold day.  

I don't have pics right now to show, but I am not sure if I will do anything about it... I have some high temp paint for the outside of it, maybe some day if it gets worse I'll break down the inside and repaint. Did you cure it in similar fashion to myself, or did you oil it down before you cured it?  Did you just use the door gauge to monitor your temp?  I have an igrill2 I put on the inside, and noticed there was a tremendous difference between my probe and the stock gauge, with the gauge reading at least 40-50 degrees lower, and then some.. My probe is fairly accurate, within a couple degrees.  

 

[otto1946]

Gotta say thanks Swede for this awesome thread.

 I have been researching smokers the last week or so (ever since my wife told me she was buying me a smoker for Valentines Day, but I had to pick it out) and stumbled across this site while reviewing the Brinkmann Trailmaster Vertical Smoker. I decided I wanted the offset vertical setup (as I wanted a vertical, but I also wanted the option for wood) but I was originally a little turned off by the reviews of the smoker. 

After reading this topic beginning to end I came to the conclusion this was the smoker for me after all. I ordered it Sunday and placed an order threw BBQSmokerMods for 2 firebox gaskets, a 15 ft roll of FDA Gasket, and 2 flat mount pull type latches (I didn't order their kit because I didn't personally like the look of the push type latches). I am gonna pick up 2 sheets of expanded steel for a no weld firebox, the second sheet is for my Brinkmann Dual Function Gas/Charcoal Grill I have already owned for about 2 years and the charcoal basket it cam with got destroyed by the lump-wood charcoal heat. Until I saw this thread I really wasn't sure what options I had other than buy a replacement from Brinkmann for $27 which of course would just get destroyed again. 

I am going to be also installing a vent-cap and 4" cast iron damper like Swede did, but I am also thinking about installing a 2 ft extension pipe between the stack and the vent cap, I saw it on somebody's mod, not sure if it was under this topic or somewhere else, but they mentioned it working well to keep the smoke out of their face. 

The last mod I am considering is either the IQ120, BBQ Guru DigiQ DX2 I'm not sure which to go with. I know both have been mentioned in this thread, I'm kinda leaning towards the Guru. Anyone compare the 2? Any advice?

I saw BBQSmokerMods sells the Guru for this model, but I have seen it in other places on the internet for $20-$30 less, but I'm not sure what length leads to order (BBQSmokerMods doesn't mention what length their cables are). You have the option of 6', 8', or 10' leads. I was thinking I'd need longer than 6', but I was afraid 10' would be too long. I'd appreciate any advice from any who have experience with these. 

Also I have seen mentioned that many who bought the IQ120 also bought the Maverick ET-732 thermometer, I this needed with the Guru? Is it only purchased because of the Portability, or is it more accurate for internal temperature readings? 

Thanks in advance for your advice, I'm new to smoking, Getting pretty excited after seeing allot of your results, unfortunately my smoker won't be here for another 6-8 days. 

 

[thickmeat]

Hello forum.  Thanks to all those that have posted and given us great info on this smoker, especially to rookies like me.  So just so I am clear, when curing, the directions say to put charcoal in both he firebox and cooking chamber.  In the cooking chamber am I supposed to use the water pan?  Thanks 

 

[campsmoke1955]

Hey Thickmeat... when I cured mine, I only had coals and wood in the fire box.  I had no issue getting the heat up where it needed to be.  Please note this was in warmer weather, not the cold many of us are experiencing now.