Old Country BBQ Pits Pecos Owners Thread

[texasjason]

I'm posting as a reply because I can't figure out how to start a new thread. I thought I saw someone using ceramic for tuning plates but can't find it. I cut 4 plates from 5/16" thick tiles. Does anyone know of any experiences using ceramic. Thanks. GJ

Not with ceramic; I ordered mine directly from the manufacturer. I think they were around $40 or so bucks.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I'm an owner of " new to me " Brazos. I've read this thread several times, but am still wondering, those who have moved the firebox grate to the cooking chamber and used it for a tuning plate, how well did that work ?

I'm thinkin either a Horizon convection plate, tuning plates, or the fire grate option.

 

[texasjason]

I'm an owner of " new to me " Brazos. I've read this thread several times, but am still wondering, those who have moved the firebox grate to the cooking chamber and used it for a tuning plate, how well did that work ?

I'm thinkin either a Horizon convection plate, tuning plates, or the fire grate option.

I purchases the tuning plates for my pecos direct from Old Country. They seem to work well but have not tried the firebox grate. They seem to control the heat a little better as compared to without them.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I purchases the tuning plates for my pecos direct from Old Country. They seem to work well but have not tried the firebox grate. They seem to control the heat a little better as compared to without them.

Do you think the tuning plates were worth money spent ?

 

[texasjason]

Do you think the tuning plates were worth money spent ?

I think they helped even out the temps a little but if you have the firebox grate I’d try that first and see how that works for you. I believe I paid around $40 for the plates so it wasn’t a huge investment and tone wirth it. Mine didn’t have the firebox grate so was the only option. If you have a remote with a few probes test your cooker and see how even things are; you may find things are working good and not need the plates.

 

[pbclown]

I just got a Pecos smoker this past weekend. After cleaning it, seasoning it and trying to figure out how it works, I ran into some problems during my first cook. The biggest problem was inconsistent and varying temps. I started with a 3/4 full chimney of Kingsford charcoal, once that got started and was all white I dumped it onto the coal grate and added a log that was about 12 inches long and about 2 and a half inches across. Temp on firebox side got up to almost 300 degrees, smokestack side got up to around 220. I tried using the plate that comes in the firebox as a makeshift convection plate, but that got the stack side up to almost 350 degrees. I was trying to hit a target temp of 225 and never got close to that. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[texasjason]

First off congrats on the new smoker! It will take a few cooks to get to know your hot spots and will also help seal up some gaps you may have around the lid, etc. i too find my smoke stack side can get much hotter than the firebox side. I would try getting some tuning plates made or buy some to help level out the temps. I have seen some DIY ones online as well. Helped with mine although still not perfect.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Try cooking with the FB door open.

I've only done five cooks on my Brazos, but if I open the door wide open, the increased air flow will move the hot spot to the stack end. By keeping the door open about 2" , I can get the temps balanced , end to end. Lotsa variables can impact that, however, like wind direction, size of the fire, etc.

Its not a perfect solution for me, I'm still searching. I've shied away from tuning plates, cuz they can restrict air flow.

 

[Shiraz]

As mentioned keep the firebox door open and use splits.

 

[pbclown]

Got home from work and decided to play around with the smoker for a bit. First thing I learned was split size is crucial, 7-9 inches work great, hold temp under 250, burns for about an hour. Second thing I learned it fire placement plays a big role in keeping wood burning. Third thing, using just the firebox door to control the flow of air let’s me get my temps within just a few degrees from stack to firebox. Thank you for all the advice, will be doing more smoking this weekend.

 

[slimc]

Got home from work and decided to play around with the smoker for a bit. First thing I learned was split size is crucial, 7-9 inches work great, hold temp under 250, burns for about an hour. Second thing I learned it fire placement plays a big role in keeping wood burning. Third thing, using just the firebox door to control the flow of air let’s me get my temps within just a few degrees from stack to firebox. Thank you for all the advice, will be doing more smoking this weekend.

I have since sold my Pecos , but here is what I used to do.
1. I put bbq adhesive gasket on the smoker around the lid , helped tremendously with heat and smoke loss
2. I pulled the metal grate from the firebox and made my fire without it, putting 2 logs along each side and then more rows cross hatch like Lincoln logs really high and let it burn down to a large bed of coals to start the fire and then would feed the fire with 8-10” splits about 3-4” in diameter. Using the door itself is the easiest way to control airflow with the stack pipe wide open always to keep the draw consistent
3. I drilled holes in the lid for a thermometer 2” higher than the cooking grate on each side to see what left and right grate temps are at all times so I know how to adjust the fire
4. I would use a small metal fireplace shovel to push and pull the fire closer or further from the cooling chamber opening in the firebox to control the heat if the right side is too hot, move the whole bed of coals away from the cooking chamber side and vice versus
5. Use steel plates or buy something to use as a he’s deflector for where the smoke enters the chamber , it gets real hot for me Until about 10–12” away from the opening from smoke box to cooking chamber
6. If it’s colder than 40 degrees use an insulated blanket over the cooking chamber
7. Place all of your splits on top of the firebox lid to heat them up prior to putting them in the fire, they will catch right away if you do this and keep you from having to mess around with the fire going out as when you add a log

If I think of anything else I’ll chime in but the thread has a lot of good stuff in older comments with pictures

 

[Smokin Okie]

Got home from work and decided to play around with the smoker for a bit. First thing I learned was split size is crucial, 7-9 inches work great, hold temp under 250, burns for about an hour. Second thing I learned it fire placement plays a big role in keeping wood burning. Third thing, using just the firebox door to control the flow of air let’s me get my temps within just a few degrees from stack to firebox. Thank you for all the advice, will be doing more smoking this weekend.

Yes, I should've added that above. I like them bout as round as a beer can and 8" to 10" long. Cept mine don't burn near that long, I add a split every 30 minutes at max.

I built a new fire grate. I bought a 16" X 23" charcoal grate at Lowes, this one

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Heavy-Duty-BBQ-Parts-Stainless-Steel-Briquette-Grate/3808145

I cut it to size with an angle grinder. Then I put 1/2" expanded metal on top of the grate, wired it on .

This improved my air flow.

 

[texasjason]

I did a little experiment yesterday afternoon on mine trying to get the temps as even as possible acrossrthe cook chamber. Got a fire going and brought it up to about 250. With no tuning plates in or anything I had about a 50 degree difference between the firebox side and stack side, with the hotter side being by the smoke stack. Then I put in the tuning plates sold by Old Country in varying spacing and got it down to about a 20 degree difference, again hotter by the stack. And finally, I picked up the plates that the sell on bbqmods website and after tinkering could only get it down to about a 30 degree difference again hotter at the stack side. Did this all with stack vent wide open and fb door wide open. So, I think I’ll stick with the tuning plates and just know where my hot spot is. I am wondering why it’s so much hotter at the stack side? Most everyone seems to say they have the opposite issue. Could I have too much draw going on? I didn’t think to close the vent a bit until after the fact, maybe that would help.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I did a little experiment yesterday afternoon on mine trying to get the temps as even as possible acrossrthe cook chamber. Got a fire going and brought it up to about 250. With no tuning plates in or anything I had about a 50 degree difference between the firebox side and stack side, with the hotter side being by the smoke stack. Then I put in the tuning plates sold by Old Country in varying spacing and got it down to about a 20 degree difference, again hotter by the stack. And finally, I picked up the plates that the sell on bbqmods website and after tinkering could only get it down to about a 30 degree difference again hotter at the stack side. Did this all with stack vent wide open and fb door wide open. So, I think I’ll stick with the tuning plates and just know where my hot spot is. I am wondering why it’s so much hotter at the stack side? Most everyone seems to say they have the opposite issue. Could I have too much draw going on? I didn’t think to close the vent a bit until after the fact, maybe that would help.

If you had closed your FB door, down to where its open about 2" , then it would've cut down the air flow and the " hot spot " would move toward the FB end.

At least, that's what I've found with my Brazos.

If I close the FB door , I can move the hot spot to the FB end .............depending ........... upon how big my fire is, that's a big variable.

I edited to make a correction, hope I did not get anyone confused

 

[texasjason]

If you had closed your FB door, down to where its open about 2" , then it would've cut down the air flow and the " hot spot " would move toward the FB end.

At least, that's what I've found with my Brazos.

If I close the FB door , I can move the hot spot to the FB end .............depending ........... upon how big my fire is, that's a big variable.

I edited to make a correction, hope I did not get anyone confused

Thanks! I’ll give that a try next time.

 

[pbclown]

What is everyone using for a fb grate? Texasjason where did you buy the tuning plates from Old Country at?

 

[texasjason]

What is everyone using for a fb grate? Texasjason where did you buy the tuning plates from Old Country at?

I bought my plates directly from Old Country. Called and ordered them. I bet you could have some made at a local metal shop too. I can send you the dimensions if you like. Also I don’t use a fb grate. When I bought it for some reason it wasn’t in there and I didn’t realize until after a few cooks. Works perfectly fine without it. I think a grill cooking grate would work that you would find at any store. Might have to cut it to size to fit your fb.

 

[texasjason]

Thanks @smokinokie

Thanks! I’ll give that a try next time.

Closes the fb a bit and jiggered with the tuning plates and this is what I’ve been getting. Thanks again and hopefully this helps a few others out!

 

[Smokin Okie]

Looks like a winner !

 

[Smokin Okie]

I meant to add, I keep the door damper wide open also. If I closed the damper, then I'd have to open the door further.