Results of Modifications to my NB American Gourmet Smoker

[Hankster]

Okay folks! With the help of a buddy of mine who owns a pipe fitting and welding company, I created a heat shield going into the CC from the FB using some 22 gauge steel that looks sorta like a dryer vent and a heat conductor/diffusing plate that sits on the bottom and covers part of the heat shield on one end and runs over to the other with about 3 mm space before the other end below the grates and the smokestack. The HC/DP has half-moon holes on the edges going down to distribute the heat and the smoke. I have some digital pictures but I don't have any space on the Net I can store them to show what it looks like so I apologize if this frustrates anybody.

After seasoning the metal in a 4 hour fire with bacon grease, I smoked a 12 lb boston butt overnight on July 3rd and did 4 racks of babyback ribs, a rack of spare ribs and a bunch of corn on the cob. I had to add more coals every 3 hours to keep the fire going, but that's no big deal. The thermometer held at 275 degrees up top and at 235 at the grate level. No more excessive heat, hot spots or overcooking.

8) The boston butt had a nice, carmelized rind formed from the JH Pig Rub I used on it. After an hour resting in the foil, the neckbone popped out easily and the pork had a nice, pink smoke ring under the rind from the applewood. It pulled apart really easily for pulled pork and the meat was so freaking tender, juicy and flavorful. We ran out of bread at the Q on the 4th from everyone pigging out on the pulled pork!

This modification was DA BOMB!!! I adapted the idea from what some of ya'll have done with your banderas--I had to do a different sized heat shield for this NB AGS. And the conductor/diffusing plate was an idea I'd read in another forum. Now, I have a custom-tuned smoker which I know will make great pulled pork, ribs, brisket or whatever else you wanna smoke!!!

Mark it, Dudes!! 8)

[kcquer]

. I have some digital pictures but I don't have any space on the Net I can store them to show what it looks like so


Hank, you can post them here. Any screen you post from (except quick reply) will have a "add attachment" button. Click on that and a new page will come up that will allow you to upload your pix. I
think there's a 3 per post limit and a total filesize limit too.

[Bigmofo300lbs]

Would love to see the mods! Mook and I were at HD a few weeks back and were looking at dryer vents to do something similar. I have the same smoker so again, would love to see the mods! 8)

[Hankster]

When I get home later tonight, I'll upload them!

It didn't cost too much because my buddy had a welding toch, welding filler, a drill press and proper circular bits to drill the holes. The steel cost only about 10 bucks for both plates.

[charliec]

i would love to see those pics!!
i have one on order and would like to
see the mods you made.
thanks
charliec

[BBQchef33]

do I have this right.. Isnt the American Gourmet Smoker a horizontal wirh 12x20 main chamber?? Little bitty thing? WE NEED PICTURES!!

[BigAl]

Post "the limit per post is 5, so do two or more post.

[Hankster]

Here are some pictures of the mods

[Hankster]

And another one:

[Hankster]

do I have this right.. Isnt the American Gourmet Smoker a horizontal wirh 12x20 main chamber?? Little bitty thing? WE NEED PICTURES!!

That's the one!!!

Put together...

[jminion]

Can I ask if you measure pit temps from left to right as well as top to grate?
Jim

[kcquer]

Hankster, Nice Work. Cook your friend some ribs, some damn good ribs. Awesome Mod!

[Hankster]

Can I ask if you measure pit temps from left to right as well as top to grate?
Jim

Yes. My buddy has one of those electronic sensors used to test AC heat--we checked cooking level left, right and center. The thermometer that came with the grill was at the top. When the top temp was 250, the left (next to the heat shield) was 235, the center was 225 and the right (next to the smokestack) was 220. a 15 degree differential which is acceptible. That's with a pretty decent fire in the firebox. Before the mod, the same fire would have the top thermometer pushing 350-400. That was WAY overheating even at the cooking level. This mod fixed that problem but good!!! :!:

[Hankster]

Hankster, Nice Work. Cook your friend some ribs, some damn good ribs. Awesome Mod!

My buddy who helped with the welding and shaping of steel, as well as the drilling of the holes was at my place on the 4th, along with his wife and 3 year old son. He ate 4 pulled pork sandwiches and a bunch of caribbean jerk babyback ribs! The mods worked like a Swiss freaking watch, man!!! 8)

[brdbbq]

The mods worked like a Swiss freaking watch, man!!!

So does Photo resizer.

[Hankster]

I was in a hurry--it was late at night and I just loaded them straight from the camera. I'm surprised they were so big becuause I used the smallest setting on the camera! UGH!!!

[jminion]

Hankster
very nice- I have tuned a few offsets but the smallest was a 24X60. We used 6" plates that we could space with or without gaps to get the desired effect.
15 degress is very nice.
Jim

[Bigmofo300lbs]

Thanks for the info. I am all over this.

[tommykendall]

Hankster - looks really nice. I've been trying to get my buddy Mike to put something similar in his, but he likes taking advantage of the hot spot next to the box. All he has in his right now is a much shorter baffle. I'll have to show this to him. Here's the "vertical mod" he did to his cooker.

[Hankster]

Here's some smaller images

[chad]

Very nice! I may have to extend the baffle and tuning plate on my offset! I currently use a water pan where you have the long plate in the bottom of your cooker.

It's nice having friends with the right tools!! :D

[Hankster]

You got that right. Is your name D Fred Little?

[chad]

Frank :D

[badger]

I thought it was Froto.

[parrothead]

I thought it was Froto.

I believe that you are looking for "frodo". Check in the middle earth realm.