/pine
Super Star Member
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cardboard boxes make great "disposable" smokers...(or can be used in a pinch)
Need DIY plans for a smoker
- Thread starter alltoys
- Start date
- Views: 25439
OP
alltoys
Silver Member
Well tried it today with an old stove it worked pretty good mind you this was my first time. I smoked a turkey just the fun of it with apple wood that I picked up from my Barby store. Soaked it for 2 days the apple wood used a 2 burner electric hot plate. Didn't cost me anything for the stove only the hot plate.
That smoke taste is phenomenal. Kept the temps at 200* cooked it for 12 hours till the finaly temp of the meat reached 160*. Very juicy excellent tasting bird. Can't wait to try something else.
That smoke taste is phenomenal. Kept the temps at 200* cooked it for 12 hours till the finaly temp of the meat reached 160*. Very juicy excellent tasting bird. Can't wait to try something else.
aggiehortguy91
Silver Member
The old stove is a good idea, I would not have thought of that. It is somewhat insulated and has a built in exhaust. Necessity is the mother of invention! How did you deal with the drippings?
Now, get you a whole untrimmed brisket. Rub it down with your favorite cajun seasoning and a little extra cayenne pepper and let it sit for a day in the fridge. Pull it out and set it on the counter to warm up, then put it in your smoker for about 1.5 hrs/lb at 200 degrees. Just before it is done, pull it out, cover it with honey, wrap it in foil, and put it back to finish up. That will make you quit eatin' those birds!
Now, get you a whole untrimmed brisket. Rub it down with your favorite cajun seasoning and a little extra cayenne pepper and let it sit for a day in the fridge. Pull it out and set it on the counter to warm up, then put it in your smoker for about 1.5 hrs/lb at 200 degrees. Just before it is done, pull it out, cover it with honey, wrap it in foil, and put it back to finish up. That will make you quit eatin' those birds!
OP
alltoys
Silver Member
For the drippings I used a large fry pan suspended the bird just like is done with a beer can chicken.
Brisket sounds good I have to go into the city today anyway I will try it. Might have to wait till next weekend when I get some time. Does it matter how long the brisket sits with the seasoning on it?
Brisket sounds good I have to go into the city today anyway I will try it. Might have to wait till next weekend when I get some time. Does it matter how long the brisket sits with the seasoning on it?
Alan L.
Elite Member
Around here, if it ain't black, it ain't smoked!
Willl
Elite Member
Little hint if using an old refrigerator, NO PLASTIC. 
nunyabinis
Gold Member
Ohhhhh, BBQ..... one of my favorite subjects!!! I've been using this smoker for about 15 years:
It's made by Brinkman and is 1/4" steel so it will literally last a lifetime. I made a few modifications to make it cook "Q" better:
1) I lowered where the smoke stack comes out the side of the smoke chamber so that it is just BELOW where the meat sits on the grates. That allows it to fill with heat and smoke which allows you to cook with much less heat in the firebox. Before I lowered the smoke stack, all of the smoke and heat were going out the top and I had to keep the firebox HOT. Now it uses very little wood/charcoal. If you look close you can see where the smoke stack used to come out the side near the top.
2) I lengthened the smoke stack by welding some more pipe to it. This makes it draw better and also keeps the smoke out your eyes. You can clearly see where I welded the extra piece of galvanized pipe on.
3) I put a metal plate between the firebox and the smoke chamber so that it blocked the radiant heat off the meat. Before I did that there was direct line of sight from the firebox to the underside of the meat and it was over cooking the meat near the firebox.
Once I get this sucker cookin' and "balanced" I only have to check on it every 3 or 4 hours. In really cold weather I'll throw a large hot water heater blanket over the smoke chamber to keep the heat in. I used to shuttle it back and forth to the Hunt Club for special occasions but it is HEAVY so we ended up buying a cheaper version from Wally World for the Hunt Club that only cost $180 and once I made the same modifications to the cheap one it cooks just as good as the heavy duty version.
FYI, I'm a South Carolina BBQ Association BBQ judge and there's one thing I've learned about cookin' BBQ Pork.... it don't matter if you cook it fast/slow/sauce/no sauce/rub/no rub/fat side up/fat side down/etc...... it ain't "Q" until the interior temperature hits 195 degrees.
Once it hits 195 degrees.... it's BBQ, baby!!!
.
It's made by Brinkman and is 1/4" steel so it will literally last a lifetime. I made a few modifications to make it cook "Q" better:
1) I lowered where the smoke stack comes out the side of the smoke chamber so that it is just BELOW where the meat sits on the grates. That allows it to fill with heat and smoke which allows you to cook with much less heat in the firebox. Before I lowered the smoke stack, all of the smoke and heat were going out the top and I had to keep the firebox HOT. Now it uses very little wood/charcoal. If you look close you can see where the smoke stack used to come out the side near the top.
2) I lengthened the smoke stack by welding some more pipe to it. This makes it draw better and also keeps the smoke out your eyes. You can clearly see where I welded the extra piece of galvanized pipe on.
3) I put a metal plate between the firebox and the smoke chamber so that it blocked the radiant heat off the meat. Before I did that there was direct line of sight from the firebox to the underside of the meat and it was over cooking the meat near the firebox.
Once I get this sucker cookin' and "balanced" I only have to check on it every 3 or 4 hours. In really cold weather I'll throw a large hot water heater blanket over the smoke chamber to keep the heat in. I used to shuttle it back and forth to the Hunt Club for special occasions but it is HEAVY so we ended up buying a cheaper version from Wally World for the Hunt Club that only cost $180 and once I made the same modifications to the cheap one it cooks just as good as the heavy duty version.
FYI, I'm a South Carolina BBQ Association BBQ judge and there's one thing I've learned about cookin' BBQ Pork.... it don't matter if you cook it fast/slow/sauce/no sauce/rub/no rub/fat side up/fat side down/etc...... it ain't "Q" until the interior temperature hits 195 degrees.
Once it hits 195 degrees.... it's BBQ, baby!!!
.
OP
alltoys
Silver Member
Do you have any pics of your improvements on the interior of your smoker?
I have some large pipe laying around this would make an excellent smoker.
195* is that for internal temperature of you smoker or the internal temp. of the meat?
I have some large pipe laying around this would make an excellent smoker.
195* is that for internal temperature of you smoker or the internal temp. of the meat?
aggiehortguy91
Silver Member
If you are going to do a brisket, consider using a disposable aluminum roasting pan or something else large. You will get ALOT of drippings. As for the rub, it only gets better with time. I would be hesitant to go past 3 days in the fridge because of the salt and because of food poisoning. Whole untrimmed briskets usually come to the meat market in a cryovac bag so their shelf life (unopened) is quite long in the fridge.
When I've done birds on the pit, I brine them overnight then put them on the pit breast down for the first half of the cooking so the fat can run to the white meat to keep it moist. I've also found that a good mop sauce (basting) makes all of the difference. A mop sauce isn't necessary on a brisket because of the fat content, they are considered self-basting.
aggiehortguy91
Silver Member
Nunyabinis, that is a good looking little pit. I have a New Braunsfels Hondo and have done some similar mods. I thought about moving the stack, but just used some aluminum flashing inside to lower the stack to the grate. I lost some cooking space, but it got me cooking quickly rather than adding to my to-do list!
Alltoys, the main thing is to make it look kind of like the pic Nunyabinis posted. It's hard to go wrong on a smaller pit and that design is a proven one. When things get bigger, then you have to start designing in baffles and a way to move it around. The main thing is to remember that heat and smoke rises and that fire needs to breathe. Put the fire below the grate and the grate in roughtly the middle of the pipe. If you have the tools and skills to build a pit, you have the tools and skills to make it better.
Alltoys, the main thing is to make it look kind of like the pic Nunyabinis posted. It's hard to go wrong on a smaller pit and that design is a proven one. When things get bigger, then you have to start designing in baffles and a way to move it around. The main thing is to remember that heat and smoke rises and that fire needs to breathe. Put the fire below the grate and the grate in roughtly the middle of the pipe. If you have the tools and skills to build a pit, you have the tools and skills to make it better.
