Newest Old Country Pit - Smokehouse Vertical

Skip the Digi Q. Start with 3/4’s or so of burning charcoal and a split or 2 depending on split size. add a split every 45 minutes to 1 hour. If your would is not producing Good red coals - too Dry and burning to ash- add a another 3/4 chimney of burning coals during the cook.
It has more exhaust than needed so run them both about 1/2 open.

Outside - I keep Rustoleum BBQ paint in buzz can and will wire brush or scotch brite rust And hit it with paint as needed.

The fire grate needs more slots for ash to fall - you will have to work ash when you add splits - too much ash build up will choke your coals. I cut out the center of mine and added 2 layers of expanded metal criss crossed.
 
ntranger said:
I think I need to get commission for these things. I've gotten 6 people to buy them, just on the sheer purpose of doing their own sausage, alone. Doing other stuff on them, is just a bonus. lol

I have been using the heck out of mine, and rockin' like a champ. I'm so glad I found this group. :)
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Vmv4QJOl.jpg
 
The warning stated that this was an old thread and that bumping it "serves no purpose". I'm not sure I entirely agree with that sentiment...:wink:
 
Good to see you back, Brad. I haven't seen you around in a while.
 
ronbrad62 said:
Good to see you back, Brad. I haven't seen you around in a while.
Click to expand...

Between work, a mini stroke and having to help some family get thru some issues...I don't think I've been around for about 8-10 months. Looking to change that!
 
I need help with this smoker!!!

I have wanted this smoker for almost 3 years now and got it last summer. I’m having issues with controlling the fire and burning/over cooking almost all meats. As soon as I got it home, I seasoned it. Because of all the leaks around the cook door I added BGE felt to help control airflow.

First cook configuration after seasoning was a pork butt as follows:
Both top vents open (read best way to run)
Meat on middle rack
I have a meat thermo in all the meats while inside the cooker so I can monitor temps.
Bubba Q’s Meat thermo calibrated and in middle hole
Water pan with 1-2 gallons of water
2 splits over large bed of coals

Temps would only get to 180 this way so I started to close off both top vents to half way and then temps started to rise a little. In the end I had to empty the water pan because I had to have a HUGE fire going to keep the temps at 225.

When it came time to put wood on the fire, I couldn’t get the wood to lite. Constantly having to keep the fire box door open and blow on the fire. Temps are constantly all over the place using firewood from HEB (kiln dried) which apparently may be SOME of my problem.
Once off the pit, ½ thickness of the entire bottom was burnt crispy and dried out but tasted great.
Because of this I now just put the pork put in an aluminum pan and have no more burnt issues.

I met someone with the same smoker at a BBQ cookoff and he recommended to remove the included water pan and shut one top vent completely. He said to use the other vent to help control temps, start at half way and work from there.

At his point I know add an aluminum water pan on the bottom rack with about a ½ gallon of water to all cooks. I ordered a fire management basket from Lonestar Grillz in hopes to help manage the fire and be able to put splits in the fire box without them lighting on fire before I’m ready.

When I do briskets, I go fat side down to protect the meat and can cook a 14lb brisket in a magical “8 hours” cooking from 225-250… Not sure how that happens. When they are done resting for 2 hours they are always dry except for the point. I recently injected one with Kosmos injections and that was a little better but not much.

Last night I put some St. Louis style ribs on at 225 with the meat side up and pulled them off after 3 hours and they were burnt and dried out.

Any suggestions…?
 
DUCKSHOT said:
I have wanted this smoker for almost 3 years now and got it last summer. I’m having issues with controlling the fire and burning/over cooking almost all meats. As soon as I got it home, I seasoned it. Because of all the leaks around the cook door I added BGE felt to help control airflow.

First cook configuration after seasoning was a pork butt as follows:
Both top vents open (read best way to run)
Meat on middle rack
I have a meat thermo in all the meats while inside the cooker so I can monitor temps.
Bubba Q’s Meat thermo calibrated and in middle hole
Water pan with 1-2 gallons of water
2 splits over large bed of coals

Temps would only get to 180 this way so I started to close off both top vents to half way and then temps started to rise a little. In the end I had to empty the water pan because I had to have a HUGE fire going to keep the temps at 225.

When it came time to put wood on the fire, I couldn’t get the wood to lite. Constantly having to keep the fire box door open and blow on the fire. Temps are constantly all over the place using firewood from HEB (kiln dried) which apparently may be SOME of my problem.
Once off the pit, ½ thickness of the entire bottom was burnt crispy and dried out but tasted great.
Because of this I now just put the pork put in an aluminum pan and have no more burnt issues.

I met someone with the same smoker at a BBQ cookoff and he recommended to remove the included water pan and shut one top vent completely. He said to use the other vent to help control temps, start at half way and work from there.

At his point I know add an aluminum water pan on the bottom rack with about a ½ gallon of water to all cooks. I ordered a fire management basket from Lonestar Grillz in hopes to help manage the fire and be able to put splits in the fire box without them lighting on fire before I’m ready.

When I do briskets, I go fat side down to protect the meat and can cook a 14lb brisket in a magical “8 hours” cooking from 225-250… Not sure how that happens. When they are done resting for 2 hours they are always dry except for the point. I recently injected one with Kosmos injections and that was a little better but not much.

Last night I put some St. Louis style ribs on at 225 with the meat side up and pulled them off after 3 hours and they were burnt and dried out.

Any suggestions…?
Click to expand...

What thermometer ? Did you check your thermometer boiling water?

Smokehouse has too big of exhaust - run them 1/3-1/2 Open.

Stock firegrate sucks - ash doesn’t fall well and chokes fire and airflow. I cut the center out of mine and put two layers of expanded metal. When you add a firewood work the coals so the Ash will drop. Leave the firebox door partly open until the sticks catch fire - 2-3 minutes.

The wood not catching - try different wood - buy bag wood from Academy or H-E-B etc - but most of us buy 1/4- 1/3- 1/2 cord of firewood on craigslist

If none of that works - load it in the back of a pick up and drive to Burleson and I’ll show you how it’s done. :heh:
 
DUCKSHOT said:
I have wanted this smoker for almost 3 years now and got it last summer. I’m having issues with controlling the fire and burning/over cooking almost all meats. As soon as I got it home, I seasoned it. Because of all the leaks around the cook door I added BGE felt to help control airflow.



First cook configuration after seasoning was a pork butt as follows:

Both top vents open (read best way to run)

Meat on middle rack

I have a meat thermo in all the meats while inside the cooker so I can monitor temps.

Bubba Q’s Meat thermo calibrated and in middle hole

Water pan with 1-2 gallons of water

2 splits over large bed of coals



Temps would only get to 180 this way so I started to close off both top vents to half way and then temps started to rise a little. In the end I had to empty the water pan because I had to have a HUGE fire going to keep the temps at 225.



When it came time to put wood on the fire, I couldn’t get the wood to lite. Constantly having to keep the fire box door open and blow on the fire. Temps are constantly all over the place using firewood from HEB (kiln dried) which apparently may be SOME of my problem.

Once off the pit, ½ thickness of the entire bottom was burnt crispy and dried out but tasted great.

Because of this I now just put the pork put in an aluminum pan and have no more burnt issues.



I met someone with the same smoker at a BBQ cookoff and he recommended to remove the included water pan and shut one top vent completely. He said to use the other vent to help control temps, start at half way and work from there.



At his point I know add an aluminum water pan on the bottom rack with about a ½ gallon of water to all cooks. I ordered a fire management basket from Lonestar Grillz in hopes to help manage the fire and be able to put splits in the fire box without them lighting on fire before I’m ready.



When I do briskets, I go fat side down to protect the meat and can cook a 14lb brisket in a magical “8 hours” cooking from 225-250… Not sure how that happens. When they are done resting for 2 hours they are always dry except for the point. I recently injected one with Kosmos injections and that was a little better but not much.



Last night I put some St. Louis style ribs on at 225 with the meat side up and pulled them off after 3 hours and they were burnt and dried out.



Any suggestions…?
Click to expand...
My first guess is your therm is off and you're cooking way hotter than what your therm shows.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
SmittyJonz, any word on the unicorn Gravity fed? I’ve sent emails with non being answered. Wondering if they will ever be back?
 
Building my own upright vertical. Just have to finish the doors and the top.


1zE162l
 
Any comments on capacity vs the Old country gravity and how they cook loaded up. I have had this type of cooker before, so familiar with the idiosyncrasies.

Was it determined that the Buccees one had a greater capacity? Might have to find a different Buccees to check.
 
Buccees are the same models, but a few are 3/16" instead of 14 gauge so more $. (Unless he's added a Bucees only model recently)

Capacity tween Smokehouse and Gravity Fed is similar, bottom (3rd) grate on GF is not as wide as the other 2 grates. I can't remember grate measurements on either but Smokehouse might be slightly bigger by 1.5-2" wide. ?
 
Thanks for the info. Went and looked at the GF at Academy yesterday. Didn’t take it home yet as debating the volume. Took me a bit to realize the videos I was watching on it were prototypes that were larger than the production units. Also looked at the MB 1050, and it surprised me. But they are different Duty levels for sure.
 
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