Alton Brown Good Eats SMoker

[t-bone49]

This is my first attempt to use a forum such so if I screw it up, oh well...
I watched Alton Brown build a smoker using clay planting pots, about 20" in diameter yesterday on Good Eats. I thought I had a list of everything to buy today and I constructed it according to the way I thought he said. Here is my question. On the bottom of the smoker sits the hotplate. Directly on top is the metal pan with the wood chunks. Suspended above on a grill grate is the pork shoulder. Wnn't the meat drippings fall directly on to the wood chunks and start burning? Is there supposed to be an additional grate with a pan to catch the fat located below the grate holding the meat? What did I miss? Help please!!
Thanks

[qman]

Hey tbone
I saw that segment too, and was intrigued. No, he did not include a drip pan. I think the theory is that the heat is low enough, and the fat release slow enough, that it does not flare-up when the fat hits the pan with the wood chunks. The wood will just be smoldering, and not hot enough to flame.

I do something similar in my vertical pit, no drip pan, no water pan, no sand. Just the meat, seperated from the live coals by at least 24 inches of space.

That was a pretty cool smoker he built, a lot less money than a BGE, that's for sure.

qman

[chad]

We've had a couple of guys do this project. I'm sure they'll start chiming in soon.

Head over to Cattle Call and introduce yourself!! :D

[roknrandy]

T-bone, The steel pan (not alum) that holds the wood chips is also a drip pan. I believe someone one else on the board has either posted about this or tried this. By the way, go over to cattle call and introduce yourself to the others.

[roknrandy]

T-Bone, Here's a link to the finished product that someone built and a couple of mods http://www.donandjanine.com/bbq/index.html

[Brauma]

T-Bone, click on "Discussion Area" below this thread, right under "New Topic" and "Post Reply". Cattle call is the 4th group down; Q-talk being the 1st.

Great question. I have wanted to build a terracotta smoker myself using the biggest pots I could find. But since I lucked into a Bandera, I am working on getting it going now.

[Bigmista]

When that show first aired, it got me interested in making real BBQ and eventually led me here. Whatever cooker you decide to go with, someone here will be able to help you.

Remember, the real secret isn't the cooker, it's the cook!

[Neil]

Remember, the real secret isn't the cooker, it's the cook!

Truer words were never spoken, I'm going to remember that quote.

[t-bone49]

Went out and rounded up all the necessary parts to build this cooker as described earlier. Made some modifications during the process and have some questions. Don't know if I'm supposed to start a new topic or just keep adding to this one?
Bought a cast iron frying pan, sawed and then ground handle off. Used this as a substitute for the metal pie plate to hold the wood pieces. Figure the heat retention of the cast iron would work to my benefit??

I've had it smoking away on it's trial run, no meat yet! I don't know exactly what temperature I should maintain in the smoking area near the top of the clay pot. Ranging 200 - 225 degrees.
Not a tremendous amount of smoke but a small continuous amount. How much should there be?

Should the thermometer completely cover the top hole which forces the smoke out from between the two pots, or should I leave a space at the top for the smoke to exit next to the thermometer?

The blocks of cherry, oak and hickory came from my shop and they are about 3-4 inch cubes for the most part. Too big? THe wood lasted a good 8 hours and then was only charred real black and not too much ash. At what point do you add more or change it out.
Man, I'm just full of questions, but other than relocating it away from the house (dummy) everything is going well. All suggestions are welcome and thanks to all for your kind welcome!
Tom

[Bigmista]

A small amount of thin blue smoke is exactly what you want. Don't cover the hole completely. You need the air circulation.