Oklahoma Joe Highland Reverse Flow

[bigbluecrab]

I just replaced an old Char Broil offset smoker with a new Oklahoma Joe Highland Reverse flow. I have it mainly put together but I have a few questions about it

I was thinking of putting Lavalock sealant on the fire box before mounting it to the barrel. Is this overkill or a good idea?

I was also wondering about the grates that came with it. There are two grates (#17 in the instructions) that simply lay at the bottom of the smoking chamber. I'm assuming that you would use those to lay charcoal on if you decided to grill instead of smoke. I'll never use the smoker as a grill so do I even need to put them in?

I doubt that I'll ever use it without the deflector plates, but always as a reverse flow (but who knows?). If I did want to use it as a standard smoker would I simply relocate the smoke stack and remove the deflector plates?

There is also another grate that attaches to clips on the side of the smoking chamber. Is that just another shelf to smoke food on? Or maybe a warming tray? My old smoker only had one level in the smoking chamber.

I was a bit surprised that the main grates are up so high, I feel that on my old Char Broil that they weren't as close to the lid and that I had a bit more vertical clearance, but I don't know for certain as I've already gotten rid of the old Char Broil. I really can't see a turkey breast standing upright in there as it did in my old smoker. Might just be me though.

Any thoughts or advise before I start using this? I'm pretty excited to get it broken in then start smoking, it's been too long...

Thanks!

 

[bigbluecrab]

Used it two times so far. Did two racks of ribs and a pork butt on the first try and a few days later smoked a spatchcocked chicken. Very happy with both.

After using it the first time I added an 18" extension to the smoke stack. I do feel it helped keep the temp more manageable, but that could just be wishful thinking. If nothing else it got the smoke up and out of my eyes.

I didn't use the Lavalock sealant though. I use Lavalock gasket material between the firebox and the smoking chamber and around the door to the firebox. I tried using the gasket around the smoking chamber door but the gasket at the back of the door caused the door to sit up too high so I just got rid of it altogether. I did get some smoke leaking around the door but nothing like my old Char Broil. Perhaps with use it will begin to seal itself.

All in all I'm very happy with the smoker. Much easier to control the temp then with my old smoker.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I was thinking of putting Lavalock sealant on the fire box before mounting it to the barrel. Is this overkill or a good idea?

I have the forward flow and I used the sealant on mine...

There are two grates (#17 in the instructions) that simply lay at the bottom of the smoking chamber. I'm assuming that you would use those to lay charcoal on if you decided to grill instead of smoke

Yes charcoal grates, but can work in the firebox. Watch this video, lots of helpful info. I know it's a forward flow, but some of the tips should also work on your reverse flow...

There is also another grate that attaches to clips on the side of the smoking chamber. Is that just another shelf to smoke food on?

Don't know what that is so no help without pics...

I really can't see a turkey breast standing upright in there as it did in my old smoker.

I lay them down. I have gotten a 17 lb. whole turkey on mine...