12 replies to this topic

[Eddie Z]

Been a while since I busted the smoker out. Today I'm smoking a 19lb turkey. Sort of a second Thanksgiving.

To Recap: I've had a ton of problems with getting this smoker to work the way I wanted. Really difficult to achieve smoking temps, and the food tasted horrible. As it turned out, the problems were design flaws. I bought Version 1 of this particular smoker. It's since been redesigned to Version 2. So with my metal fabrication equipment, I modified the smoker to be more like Version 2. The most significant mod, was to add a second air vent. Today's smoking experiment is to see if that second air vent makes a difference.

To reduce the shitty oversmoked acrid creosote taste, I've developed a "Pipe Bomb" method. 10" long sections of 4" diameter plumbers pipe, with endcaps (with drilled holes in the endcaps). Hickory chips are placed inside, which are then placed atop the charcoal. (Standard Kingsford Briquet charcoal is the primary heat source, instead of logs).

More to follow.

[cj]

good luck!

[elder]

Hopefully I'll get home early enough today to come help you with the smoking part

[Eddie Z]

I achieved 250 briefly, but it's been holding steadily at 200. There can only be one thing left to modify... the hole between the firebox and the cooking chamber has to be made bigger. Damn. That's gonna be tricky to do.

[PeaceFrog]

what will you hippies try to smoke next?

[erocstheparty]

How long do you have to smoke the turkey for Eddie?

[Count P-Funk]

I smoked a 12 lb turkey on Thursday. Took about 6 hours at a pretty steady 250 degrees. I used applewood as I have the last few Turkey Days and it came out fantastic.

[Eddie Z]

Actually, this bird turned out awesome, despite the tech issues I'm having with the smoker. At 4:30pm, just as it was getting dark, I yanked the bird, just shy of it's target internal temp. I put it in my household oven @350 to get the last few degrees i needed, and hold for a short while till the guests came, about 5:30

This bird was to die for. Moist, Succulent, great smoke ring. Not oversmoked. Nice looking bird too.

But the smoker needs some mods anyway. I know what I have to do.

[Eddie Z]

How long do you have to smoke the turkey for Eddie?

This bird was put on at 08:00, it was taken off at 4:30pm, and saw another 30 minutes @ 350. So about 9ish.

The roaster needs servicing every 20 minutes, so I'm kind of chained to the house.

[Eddie Z]

I smoked a 12 lb turkey on Thursday. Took about 6 hours at a pretty steady 250 degrees. I used applewood as I have the last few Turkey Days and it came out fantastic.

What kind of smoker do you use?

Ya know, maybe next time, I should smoke two 12lbers instead...I have the room inside the smoker and it reduces the time I'm chained to the thing. I have to admit, after 9 hours my interest fades, and I'm ready to have a PB&J sandwich.

[Slarti]

trial and error

[Mindbender]

Fine looking bird.

[Eddie Z]

Strange to see my old post resurface.