New TuscaloosaQ Shirley Fabrication Smoker

I finally got her home. After many a phone calls and back and forth, I settled on a smoker from Paul (TuscaloosaQ) and Tyler at Shirley Fabrication. I cant say enough good things about Paul and the product they put out. Ive so much good things to say about the level of service and the smoker they made I dont know where to start. On the trip to bring it back to Florida I was approached every time I stopped. Once at smokehouse and meat shop where the owner and his helper/pit master walked out to see the pit. Another time fueling up where another gentlemen who owned three bbq restaurants came over to check it out. All three guys were thoroughly impressed and took down Pauls info. Which in-turn impressed me even more that three professionals in the business were so impressed with the pit. Paul really made me feel comfortable buying a smoker sight unseen. I have never seen his level of commitment to service in a business before. Never having cooked on or seen an offset smoker in operation I had a lot of questions and a lot of phone calls, none of which Paul seemed to mind, but rather welcomed. I was able to meet Tyler when I picked up the smoker and he was just as courteous and professional as Paul.

I have seen a good bit of smokers at different local comps. and the quality of this smoker I would put up against any. Being the first time using an offset smoker, I had no idea what I was doing. Once I got the pit up to temp it was extremely easy to keep it where I wanted it to.

I would highly recommend Brother TuscaloosaQ and Shirley Fabrications to anyone looking for a smoker.

Here are the earlier build threads:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177756

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177462

I really like the firebox and warmer doors on the front.









Getting this beast off the trailer and into the back yard solo was rough. But where theres a coonass theres a way. A bunch of straps, a boat anchor and a come a long later shes resting under the patio.







Pay no attention to all the weeds. The yard gets a pass during hunting season.

Garrett said:

The cooker is awesome as always, but the thing I'm impressed the most with is the use of the boat anchor. The ground is too hard to do that here.

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On the way to the house with it I kept thinking how I was going to get this thing off the trailer and through the yard. This was what I came up with. Its what I keep in the boat in case I get it stuck. The ground is pretty soft and sandy here. I had to use a big maul to drive it into the ground then stand on it to keep it from pulling out. :bow:

fnbish said:

Drake how did the cook go? What temp did it settle in at?

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So far the temps run around 300* on the top rack and 250* on the bottom rack on the few cooks I have done. Which was perfect for the brisket up top and the ribs on the bottom rack. Still playing around with adjusting the exhaust, the intake, and the warmer to learn the pit and what it can do. So far I am really impressed.

I had to run to the store on the first cook (I know, mistake but I had to do it) came back and the pit was down to 180* (not for long). Threw a couple splits on and the temp was back up to 250/300 in a matter of only a few minutes.