brinkmann questions

[Xentrik1]

I'm thinking of getting a brinkmann gourmet electric smoker, but would like to use charcoal in it. If possible I would still like to be able to use it with the cord every once in a while too.

I know I will have to do several mods to it to get it running efficiently. I have seen many people putting the intake vents on the bottom pan of this smoker. Is there a reason why I couldn't just use the opening in the side for the intake and get something that I could put over it to adjust the size?

Also has anyone been able to do a propane conversion on this model? It seems like you could just run a propane burner through the hole for the electric?

Also it seems that running the electric version on charcoal or propane will possibly run at higher temps, Is this model made to withstand that?


thanks

[chad]

If you want to use charcoal get the charcoal model. Otherwise you'll have to come up with a charcoal basket, etc. and the vent holes will be different. The charcoal model is cheaper, too.

A propane burner in the Gourmet would be way too much heat. You'd do better to get the charcoal model and a hotplate (I got a table-top "grill" from a thrift shop for about $3.00) to try electric mode. The element is probably about 800-1200 watts on the electric model so a small hotplate would work.

[Xentrik1]

Thanks Chad for the hotplate idea. I will look into that. The problem for me is I have a gift card for home depot and they only sell the electric version or the Smoke and grill, so I was thinking it would be better for me to get the gourmet electric.

[El Ropo]

For $59 you can get the Master Forge brand Gourmet knock off at lowes. IMO, it's a better cooker out of the box, and the same Gourmet mods work great.

It would be easy to add a hot plate for electric smoking, plus when running on charcoal in a modded gourmet type cooker it's easy to cruise at higher temps in the mid 300s for poultry cooks.

[Toast]

The gourmet is for sure the way to go no matter what you end up doing for dual fuel.

[Xentrik1]

El ropo I would probably just get the one at Lowes but I have a 50$ gift card for home depot, so the electric one will be about $20

[rg02]

Get a charcoal master forge smoker from lowes. Use your HD gift card to buy the materials for your modifications to make the smoker more consistent and efficient. If you have anything left over use it for charcoal:)......

I will dig up the link for my mods I made on my brinkmann gourmet charcoal here in a sec....

[rg02]

Link to my ECB mods:
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23257

Link to the grand daddy how to mod an ECB type cooker and what I based my mods from:
http://home.comcast.net/~day_trippr/smoker_mods.htm

[El Ropo]

Originally Posted by rg02

Get a charcoal master forge smoker from lowes. Use your HD gift card to buy the materials for your modifications to make the smoker more consistent and efficient. If you have anything left over use it for charcoal:)

This sounds like a pretty good idea. It depends on the store locations, but around here, there is a Lowe's 4 blocks away and a HD 8 blocks away, so it's not a big road trip to hit both places.

Forgot to mention HD also carries 5 lb bags of Char Broil brand wood chunks in hard to find varieties of apple, cherry and pecan. You could grab some of that with any leftover $$ on your card.