adam cothren
Newbie
- Aug 30, 2014
- 8
- 13
Old Country BBQ Pits Wrangler Smoker Review
- Thread starter lphamilton1
- Start date
-
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glocksrock
Smoking Fanatic
Just remember to use a small fire in that pit, as it's difficult to keep temps low, at least it was for me when I used to own one.
I have had the Wrangler since June of last year. I bought it to replace my thin rusted out Char King.
It took me a while to get it tuned in for me. I agree with a lot of what has been said in this thread. The fire needs to be build near the door, using lump charcoal as the base and throwing one split-split on at a time. The first I built a basket which seems to work the best. I load it with cold charcoal, drop hot coals on top and add already burning split. When adding future splits, I Keep open the door until the split is burning well (Always pre-warming the splits on top of the firebox. I have learned that you need to work with the wind or keep it out of the wind entirely. Wind blowing from the stack side drives my temps down.
I have made the following Mods:
- Pulled door apart and cleaned up the cuts. I added a spring and wing nut to keep the vent tight. I also added a bead of weld on my latch to keep the door closed tight.
- Added 5 tuning plates, the first two are tight together, the third spaced 1/2", the forth spaced 1", and the 5th about 1-1/2" space. I may have been able to get by with 4, but I bought enough metal to cut 5.
-Removed the grate/pan from the bottom of the fire box, I put 2" tube steel in to set my basket on.
-Added 6 fire bricks to help with temp control in the smoking chamber (I also use 3 small water pans on top of the tuning plates.
-Added gasket material & high temp sealant to the fire box and smoke chamber.
-Welded on masonry split nails to allow me to hang my tools on the unit.
-Finally I scuff sanded and sprayed the entire unit with Header paint (IMHO better than high temp paint).
My next mod will be to build a rack to either hang or fasten to the handle to hold items and maybe a table attachment since the table on the front is way to small.
I recently smoked some cheese (my first attempt) I took a coffee can, drilled 12 1/4" holes in the sides and bottom. I bought a Soldering iron, and inserted it into one of the holes. I added chips and turned the iron on. Within 10 minutes I had nice TBS and held the temp at 90 degrees. I smoked the cheese for 2 hours. I tried some when I pulled it, I was upset as it was very bitter. Thinking I had just ruined 6lbs of cheese (yes a bit much for my first time, but hey...go big or go home). I decided to tightly wrap it (as recommended on a few other websites) and put it in the fridge. After two weeks the bitter taste was gone and was better than any store bought smoked cheese I had ever had (confirmed by others). I did learn however that Cheddar does not take on much smoke flavor and would not use it again.
Since buying the smoker I have smoked: Eggs, Mac & Cheese, Pork Shoulder, Pork Tenderloin, Ham, Ribs, Turkey, Turkey breast, Chickens, Brisket, Sausage & Cheese.
While it requires a bit a few mods, for the price if you have the proper tools you can turn the Wrangler into a great smoker.
Smoke on!
Jason
It took me a while to get it tuned in for me. I agree with a lot of what has been said in this thread. The fire needs to be build near the door, using lump charcoal as the base and throwing one split-split on at a time. The first I built a basket which seems to work the best. I load it with cold charcoal, drop hot coals on top and add already burning split. When adding future splits, I Keep open the door until the split is burning well (Always pre-warming the splits on top of the firebox. I have learned that you need to work with the wind or keep it out of the wind entirely. Wind blowing from the stack side drives my temps down.
I have made the following Mods:
- Pulled door apart and cleaned up the cuts. I added a spring and wing nut to keep the vent tight. I also added a bead of weld on my latch to keep the door closed tight.
- Added 5 tuning plates, the first two are tight together, the third spaced 1/2", the forth spaced 1", and the 5th about 1-1/2" space. I may have been able to get by with 4, but I bought enough metal to cut 5.
-Removed the grate/pan from the bottom of the fire box, I put 2" tube steel in to set my basket on.
-Added 6 fire bricks to help with temp control in the smoking chamber (I also use 3 small water pans on top of the tuning plates.
-Added gasket material & high temp sealant to the fire box and smoke chamber.
-Welded on masonry split nails to allow me to hang my tools on the unit.
-Finally I scuff sanded and sprayed the entire unit with Header paint (IMHO better than high temp paint).
My next mod will be to build a rack to either hang or fasten to the handle to hold items and maybe a table attachment since the table on the front is way to small.
I recently smoked some cheese (my first attempt) I took a coffee can, drilled 12 1/4" holes in the sides and bottom. I bought a Soldering iron, and inserted it into one of the holes. I added chips and turned the iron on. Within 10 minutes I had nice TBS and held the temp at 90 degrees. I smoked the cheese for 2 hours. I tried some when I pulled it, I was upset as it was very bitter. Thinking I had just ruined 6lbs of cheese (yes a bit much for my first time, but hey...go big or go home). I decided to tightly wrap it (as recommended on a few other websites) and put it in the fridge. After two weeks the bitter taste was gone and was better than any store bought smoked cheese I had ever had (confirmed by others). I did learn however that Cheddar does not take on much smoke flavor and would not use it again.
Since buying the smoker I have smoked: Eggs, Mac & Cheese, Pork Shoulder, Pork Tenderloin, Ham, Ribs, Turkey, Turkey breast, Chickens, Brisket, Sausage & Cheese.
While it requires a bit a few mods, for the price if you have the proper tools you can turn the Wrangler into a great smoker.
Smoke on!
Jason
josephah2000
Newbie
I wanted to post some pics of the most common meats I've smoked and grilled over the years. IMHO they all tasted great with a lot of help from the Wrangler.
Brisket - 9 hours - Covered 4 - 235+- degrees - Not burnt but smoked!
Beer Can Chicken - 1.5 hours smoked - 235+- degrees
Ribeyes - Grilled over wood - Medium
Baby Backs - 8 hours - Covered 4 - 235+- degrees
Brisket - 9 hours - Covered 4 - 235+- degrees - Not burnt but smoked!
Beer Can Chicken - 1.5 hours smoked - 235+- degrees
Ribeyes - Grilled over wood - Medium
Baby Backs - 8 hours - Covered 4 - 235+- degrees
sopchoppy
Fire Starter
Finally replaced my CharGriller offset and after researching for a couple of weeks, decided on the Wrangler. I started by calling the closest Academy store 70 miles away. My call was auto transferred 3 times before ending up at Customer Service. I gave the associate the item # and after several attempts, she told me they didn't have any. So to the next store 80 miles away, same phone experience with transferring and end result. Finally called the 1-800 # and got a very helpful person who checked all stores in Tennessee and found one store 90 miles away which had 4!!! Called that store and completely different experience, call answered in the department, he must have been on a mobile phone as he was in the stockroom. Said he had 3 in the back and 1 on the salesfloor.
I told him I would come in a couple of days. Got to the store, the manager on duty took me to the stock room, got a pallet jack to move them into the aisle, took off the shrink wrap, and let me take my time inspecting each one. He rolled the one I picked out to the front door and loaded it on the trailer. Outstanding service.
As soon as I got home, I had to fire it up for seasoning. I had a basket that I used in the old smoker, took out the plate in the firebox, used that as a tuning plate. I have 4 bolts in the corner of the basket to elevate it higher in the fire box. Gives better air flow. I put gasket around both doors although it didn't have much smoke leak. The rinky-dink table need work so I made a 16"x36" wood shelf and screwed it to the steel table from underneath, works great.
First smoke was a 4# top round roast for thin slicing and 5# of pepperoni, both of which turned out great. Sorry, no pictures. I consider myself as roadkill on the technology highway, maybe some day I'll figure out how to post pictures.
For the $ and those of us on a limited budget (Social Security), the Wrangler is the way to go.
I told him I would come in a couple of days. Got to the store, the manager on duty took me to the stock room, got a pallet jack to move them into the aisle, took off the shrink wrap, and let me take my time inspecting each one. He rolled the one I picked out to the front door and loaded it on the trailer. Outstanding service.
As soon as I got home, I had to fire it up for seasoning. I had a basket that I used in the old smoker, took out the plate in the firebox, used that as a tuning plate. I have 4 bolts in the corner of the basket to elevate it higher in the fire box. Gives better air flow. I put gasket around both doors although it didn't have much smoke leak. The rinky-dink table need work so I made a 16"x36" wood shelf and screwed it to the steel table from underneath, works great.
First smoke was a 4# top round roast for thin slicing and 5# of pepperoni, both of which turned out great. Sorry, no pictures. I consider myself as roadkill on the technology highway, maybe some day I'll figure out how to post pictures.
For the $ and those of us on a limited budget (Social Security), the Wrangler is the way to go.
Last edited:
- Jan 6, 2011
- 26,255
- 4,708
Great story, glad you got what you were looking for Our Academy here is great service is top notch If only Lowe's and Home Depot had anywhere close to the same service I would be Happy;
Congrats on the smoker and the smoke. But you have to learn to post pics
Gary
Congrats on the smoker and the smoke. But you have to learn to post pics
Gary
whitefish
Fire Starter
Could any of you Wrangler owners describe the placement of your tuning plates in your Wrangler. I just got my four tuning plates today. They are 1/4" thick, 4" wide by 15" long. I would really like to know the dimensions of the gaps you use starting from the stack and working over to the firebox. I understand the stack side is warmer so maybe the gaps need to be larger toward the firebox?
adam cothren
Newbie
- Aug 30, 2014
- 8
- 13
I'll try to get a picture on here - but mine from right (firebox) to left (chimney) are right over the angled deflector against the side of the then 3/4 inch to the next one, then 3/4 inch, then 1", then 1.5" spacings. My plates are a little longer than your 15" ones though and my Wrangler ran warmer on the firebox side. I bought some cheapo thermometers from Academy ($.99/ea) and played with the positioning for about an hour and its been perfect ever since. I expected it to be more difficult - but it was really pretty easy with no meat on the pit. I am currently experiencing about a 7-12 degree swing from side to side on average. Hope this helps!
glocksrock
Smoking Fanatic
You will just have to experiment with the placement, but obviously the plates get farther apart the closer you get to the stack.
jcrevz
Fire Starter
Mine acted different, the deflector at the fire box pushes all the heat to the stack. I experimented with starting the plates basically in the opposite direction - first plate to the left was tight against the drum then spaced gradually larger going to the fire box. Still didnt work like I had hoped. So I took all the plates out, opened both stack and fire box damper wide open, built small fire, and it was consistent 250-275 across the grate using digital thermometers. Now, depending on wind direction, I control temps with stack damper more than with firebox damper. Fires burn faster and its truly a PITA to throw a split every 45 mins or less to keep it going, but anything more and this baby burns HOT.
jcrevz
Fire Starter
Can you point me in the direction of what you used to seal it up, and if it was successful? I used the felt-type thats on BGE but the weight of the doors eventually ruined it. I need to find a better way to seal it up and something that can take the heat of the fire box - this is where I get the most leakage (if not all) so im not that worried about it
Last edited:
sopchoppy
Fire Starter
I used Lavalock, got from eBay. Put all the way to the edge of the firebox door and the half that extends over the lip if the door will survive. The half exposed to the fire is toast but the seal is still tight. The gasket in the cook chamber still looks good. Island Outdoors is the seller and the $12 version is the one I got.
jcrevz
Fire Starter
yeah, thats the type i got, nomex. hasnt held up as well as i thought it should. i think i may go to the local recycle/waste dump and rip out the gasket off a couple discarded ovens and see it this works better, however i think it may be too thick
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