Plan B

[2Hounds]

Had plans to fish with a buddy from back home while he was down on vacation last week. Weather were great, but north winds tend to make tarpon more uppity than they usually are and I texted him with a plan b.

He's a bit of a dabbler too when it comes to red meat and had mentioned in the past how he wanted to build a smoker using an old brick shed on his property. I flipped open a notebook after he arrived suggested a trial run on a build since we had nothing better to do. Ten minutes later and we were here...

Few hours later with some power tools from the last millenia and we were here...

He took off back up the mountain the next day and said it'd better be finished by time he got back in May for another attempt at tempting big silver fish with feathers lashed to a hook with some thread.

So here's were I'm at...

While looking for vents, latches, grates, etc... I have begun to wonder if the box is too small to work as a hot box. I originally planned on charcoal as the heat supply, after going down the rabbit hole of smoking meat I'm thinking I've built too small to safely cook pork and chicken.
I saw one build where sheet pans and wire insulators were used as a heat shield in the lower section. If I followed that design, am I still safe using charcoal as a heat source or have I built so small that I've guaranteed this thing will burn down if I do anything other than cold smoking?

I'm all ears for tips on how to bring this pile of cedar, 2x4s, and stainless steel screws over the finish line. I'm working on a parts order for vents, racks, wireless thermo, the last of the door hardware. I also plan on adding a piece of corrugated steel to the top to give the smoker some protection from summer rains and give me something to listen too while it rains. ( Also, I need to tighten up my budget since my wife has already asked more than once whether or not it would have been cheaper to just buy a store bought)

 

[SmokinGame]

Love it when a "plan" comes together!!

 

[tktplz]

I will say I have tasted more than a few single barrel bourbons. Haven't heard of a Taylor before but I bet it was tasty. Yes looking at the dimensions it would take some good insulation to not burn the wood. And then how much space would be left inside? Might be a very nice cold smoker.

 

[jimmyinsd]

flip it to an electric or gas unit so you have a more control able heat source and I think you could make it work, could still likely make charcoal work, but there is always the chance of that running away and sending your work and meat up in smoke.

I think the biggest challenge will be to create a charcoal hot box inside but to be able to control the draft to the charcoal from the outside. I am thinking like a mini uds smoker inside your wooden box with a intake pipe that comes to the outside so you can control the draft without opening the door. It will be a lot of pissing around but I think it will work.

 

[archeryrob]

I think Gas would be your best heat source and Daveomak posted about safety burners and using the correct one. I use wood fire and don't know much else but that. Look for him posting in the builds here.

On the shelves. I bought 3/4" angle and expanded metal. Its heavy, but it works and its custom with welding. Or you can use 2x3 drilled with a forstner bit and and then sawned in half to support dowels. A smaller rack(s) can rest on those. This one is 12x17 and your 14x18. So wood sticking out 2" with routes cut for a 14.25" width?

I used Toggle clamps. They aren't as pretty, but they push that damn door closed.

I only have one issue with your build and its long term. If you were in the SW you might be fine, but your in FL where it rains all the time. You don't want an area where water and get to and wood is in contact with concrete. You house sits on concrete but acts like a roof to it and sheds water away. You have wood sitting in a well where water will trap and the wood with soak it up like a sponge and start rotting. You might need a solid floor in the smoker and spacers to air gap it from the concrete, maybe metal or rubber.

 

[2Hounds]

So yeah.. let's go to work.

VP's in town for a beat down. Managed to go unnoticed for four hours, when I was called to the carpet it turned out to be for a recommendation for a good bbq joint.
An hour later and Mr. VP is asking me if I knew anything about Tampa or Daytona and could I suggest a good place for a casual work dinner tomorrow night. I called a buddy who's owner/chef and got him a chef's table. Boss was pleased, his boss was pleased, I broke leash and dashed for the house.

This used to be a secret. Grab it when you see it, just don't pay more than $30 for it.

Oh yeah, smoker builds.
The other night "Herman" taunted me. I took the dare.

No vents yet, got hot quick. Slowed down and rolled at 250ish for two hours with the door barely cracked. Noted the leaks. The brick work actually has slope to it to drain, so I'm not to worried about wood rot yet. If I need to, I can run studs through the bottom braces and give myself some gap. Hat tip to whoever laid that thing.

Still need to order some gasket, remote temps, and vents. Thinking I'll be using these 5" stainless butterfly vents. Four of them.

Wife dropped a hint today in the fridge.

Smart thing to do would be just straight to gas or electric I know, but I did take a swing at a man with no neck one time, so I'll let you figure that out.

 

[jimmyinsd]

its your bbq... but if you are hell bent on going with wood/coal, I would make sure to line every nook and cranny of at least the lower 1/3 to 1/2 with a fire resistant material. if you get a piece of wood or coal that pops and lays some cinders up on the ledge of your door or in one of those corners you will have a chimney fire in no time flat... but keep swinging, that guy may have no neck, but he still has a nose and a throat.

 

[archeryrob]

I am with Jimmy, Typically smokers with real wood and stuff have the fire outside in a metal grill or brick house and use the smokehouse as a chimney. Electric With proper controls) and gas (with proper unit) can be inside. If that thing catches on fire it will be about gone by the time you notice its on fire.

I have seen plenty of guys with charcoal in a metal mail box and ducted into the smokehouse

 

[jimmyinsd]

I am with Jimmy, Typically smokers with real wood and stuff have the fire outside in a metal grill or brick house and use the smokehouse as a chimney. Electric With proper controls) and gas (with proper unit) can be inside. If that thing catches on fire it will be about gone by the time you notice its on fire.

I have seen plenty of guys with charcoal in a metal mail box and ducted into the smokehouse

I think he could make it work if the fire was contained inside a small metal container and then have the intake sealed to the outside so you could damper the incoming air for temp control.

maybe a weber smokey joe grill with the bottom intake ducted to the outside with a ball valve on it. dump some cold coals in there, a few lit ones on top with a little wood chunk mixed in and then on with the lid. leave the lid damper wide open and it would keep everything contained. ash build up may become an issue but it should work for short cooks like 3 to 4 hours I would think.

 

[2Hounds]

So I listened to a total stranger and skipped waiting on part supplies to arrive.

I took a swing at Herman's nose.

Wife gave me a 20 for pocket money this morning and I promptly went and spent it at Megalow Mart on a bag of charcoal and a one inch spade bit.

First lame attempt at a charcoal snake got the box hot and smoking, but not to the temp I needed and I needed to solve this issue mucho pronto. Stared at Herman for a minute and then remembered something I've toted around for three moves and went immediately to the shed.

Say hello to GrandMa Loomis' cast iron hibachi

Whoops.. that got really hot really fast. Like hot enough I had to google combustion temps of wood in an intense fashion. Scooped out 2/3's of the hot stuff, closed the door, looked over at the water hose and waited. The voices in my head quieted.

Hit cruising temp, added a few cubes here and there to maintain, wrapped for 2 hours, and then promptly sent proof to the better half that I had been "productive".

Nuttin' fancy. salt, pepper, handful of random stuff out of the wife's spice cabinet, and some rust.
Found a few more parts to the sportsman, included a riser set to will let me use the griddle lid as a spark cap/sear plate as soon as I re-season it.

Protip:
Always go for the nose.

 

[myownidaho]

Nice job on the smoker and the bourbon. E. H. Taylor is always a good bet and I think the McKenna 10 year b.i.b. is the best $30 bourbon on the market.

 

[2Hounds]

1/4"

Doesn't sound like much till you realize that's the size of the kidney stone taking the scenic route through your plumbing system. Five hours in the ER combined with a hit of dilaudid and the most painful part was over. The doc handed me a script for Flomax and said to keep hydrated. Wife poured me into the car and said the doctor didn't mean bourbon, but had recommended beer if I was tired of straight Florida tap water. Pulled into the grocery parking lot and she told me to just sit and listen to the radio, she was gonna grab the beer and some chocolate. I do love that woman. Got bored rather quickly, saw a advert in the window, put on some sunglasses, and did my best to look normal as I wobbled my way into the store. Few minutes later I was in line with full hands of assorted sundries and heard a familiar voice say the one word that makes me immediately wonder if what I'm doing is a smart idea.

Her: "Seriously?"
Me: "You do realize that's just enough beer to make me mad."
Her: "Go get a buggy".
Me: "I'd rather use that electric scooter thing over there."
Her: "SERIOUSLY?"

Rubbed up the various sundries, fed Herman some lump, and commenced to following the good doctor's orders.

Nine hours later and 18 beers later, I caught a thief on tape picking my pocket.

Herman was officially made part of the family.

 

[2Hounds]

So I finally had my anniversary dinner with my better half last nite. No foodie pics since it was one of those fancy places that requires socks, collard shirts, and the ability to look at the menu pricing with a "no big deal" expression on your face. It always gives me a smile when I pull into the valet line and I see a quick game of row-sham-bow breakout. As we made our way to the bar to wait on our table, I watched as they parked my truck on a street a block away so as not to disturb the front parking lot's aesthetics of all the high end imports. You'd think a place this high falutin' would attract a clientele that didn't require such plumbing extravagance.

Did some browsing while having coffee this morning and shortly after my second cup I fetched my wallet and counted what change was left from last night. Quick run down the street and an hour later I was here.

Woke up Herman and put him to work.

Just enuff' left over for one solitary ear of corn.

Not awful for a first try. I should have included sausage and after the first bite, it definitely needed more rub in the casing stage. Nothing a good sauce can't smooth over on the leftovers.

The corn was the star player today. Hands down. I'm gonna get downright medieval on some corn next time Herman wakes up.

 

[archeryrob]

Looks like that smokehouse is slowly starting to season and darken a bit. :) Mine is flat out black and smells like it was just running cherry smoke when i walk by it and it makes me hungry.

That Fatty looks good.

 

[2Hounds]

Well, charcoal was on sale. Herman needed a hat. I needed a new observation platform.

Wednesday found this guy all freaked in the middle of a four lane intersection.

no collar, no chip. uh uh.. not going to happen amigo. I do not want to be known as the guy who breeds possums' and dalmations. Thankfully, a little social media shannanigans by my neighbor got him home to his family in time for dinner.

Herman mentioned he always had a thing for Miss Pearl.

Not sure what happened next. Chicken, mushrooms, italian sausage, moz. cheeze, olive oil, salt, pepper, lea and Perins,
corn, taters, sweet peppers, charcoal, and hickory got all hot and bothered together in tight confines. Opened my "chair in a box" and cussed for about 26 minutes.

Pulled everything except the taters and corn. They're still hanging out and the heat is tailing off. They're done, I'm just not in a hurry to go get'm.

sometimes pics do no justice.
Mini sweet pepper stuffed with ital. sausage, chopped mushroom stems, cheese, lee and perins.
Did the same with the mushroom caps. Piled them up in the muffin tin and let the world keep turning.
Mojio marinated thighs, with slapped together rub from the cupboard.
Straight up salt and sugar brined whole chicken.

Wife got home, poured some wine and we dined standing in the kitchen. Either she was really hungry or it was really good. Few worlds were spoken and plates nor silverware were needed. Dropped a few more seeds in the vegetable garden and called it good. Dinner and lunch for the weekend is handled. Dishes done she just asked if I would go get the corn out since she had the munchies.