Anyone try this with a SF cooker?

[MOTU]

I currently own a Lang 36 which I ran a piece of flashing inside from the smoke stack down to about top shelf level which greatly leveled out the temp variance between the top and bottom grate by forcing the heat and smoke to escape lower. Great cooker putting out fantastic food but I quickly have outgrown it. Shudda known I would!!

Lately I've been checking out the Shirley's. Wow! I'm liking the 24" x 65". My options would include flat back extended height with three shelves, insulated firebox, SS front work area shelf, spare tire. I'm sure others.

Here's my question. So the cook area is really big compared to what I currently have and that smoke stack is huge diameter. I imagine the flow of heat going straight up to that top shelf area and quickly exiting the monster stack leaving big temp variations between the top and bottom shelf. That's to be expected but unless I'm missing something in the design I can't see for example food parked on the bottom right side getting much smoke and convection heat. You can't put flashing as far as I can see because the top shelf runs under the stack.

So I started to think about it and wondered what if I left the main smoke stack closed and opened the damper to the warmer which is located on the lower right part of the cook chamber and then left the warmer smoke stack open? Doing this i can imagine a huge improvement in the heat and smoke evenness throughout the main cook chamber. Is my theory correct? Has this been discussed before on these SF smokers?

I'm sure Paul would custom build the smoke stack in the main chamber anyway the customer wants and wonder if many folks are asking for an extended internal stack or perhaps my theory is false and somehow the convection heat and smoke more evenly is distributed throughout the chamber.

 

[Shagdog]

The Shirleys cook fine with the stack how it is. There is little to no temp variance, and you couldn't tell the difference in smoke flavor between top rack or bottom. There is a lot of air flow cruising through that cabinet, everything gets a good smoke bath.

Yes, you can open the damper and draft out through the warmer. It works just as well, but I wouldn't say you will notice a difference between that and just cooking through the main stack, unless you're really obsessing over a 5 degree difference, which is about as big a temp differential as I see in my shirley.

Overall, I would say that there really isn't a need to draft through the warmer unless you're loading her down and using all the space. Its a really even cooker.

 

[MOTU]

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear!! Watching those SF vids at this point it's 10% because of what you get for the price which is an amazing smoker and 90% to support what looks like a fine family run business with traditional American values and who are not afraid to say God Bless in their vids. My kinda peeps!!

Thanks Matt!

 

[Meyert1]

I have a 24x65 SF with warmer and I have never been able to even out my temps. I have a 20 degree difference from top to bottom left to right. My lower left rack can be at 225 and my upper rack at the stack is nearly 75 degrees hotter. Doesn't bother me though because I can cook at different temps. I must say that i thought a reverse flow was supposed to give even temps verses my old offset. Anyway...still love my cooker and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[pjtexas1]

I have a 24x65 SF with warmer and I have never been able to even out my temps. I have a 20 degree difference from top to bottom left to right. My lower left rack can be at 225 and my upper rack at the stack is nearly 75 degrees hotter. Doesn't bother me though because I can cook at different temps. I must say that i thought a reverse flow was supposed to give even temps verses my old offset. Anyway...still love my cooker and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Aee you starting out with the cabinet doors open when you start up the cooker? That's what helps even out the temp. After about 20-30 minutes close the doors and it should even out.

 

[Meyert1]

I haven't tried it with the doors open. I'll give it try this weekend!!

 

[Thatgrimguy]

My SF is very even left to right when it's not loaded down. But there is a definite temp variance top to bottom. usually runs about 40 degrees top to bottom. And there are a couple hot spots. The bottom corner nearest the fire box runs hotter and right where the air turns opposite the firebox. But I expected both of those. My cooker is tall compared to most. I have 4 racks in my cooker and the top rack is pretty tight. I love that rack for chicken and appetizers.

 

[MI Smoke]

Mine is the same as Thatgrimguy. I have tried to preheat with the doors open, and other ideas offered up here with no success.
Drafting through the warmer helps improve the side to side difference.

 

[Papa Don]

Knowing and learning how to work your pit is what it's all about. I've never had as much fun as mastering my Shirley. Every pit is different and has each their own unique qualities. I have to say, my pit seems to get better and puts out better tasting meats the more I use it.
Try not to over think it, this coming from one of the biggest "over thinkers" here. Smoke on!

 

[viking72]

Try using your pit with no therms at all. You will learn your pit!

Later,
Doug

 

[Jason TQ]

Aee you starting out with the cabinet doors open when you start up the cooker? That's what helps even out the temp. After about 20-30 minutes close the doors and it should even out.

My left to right is even on each rack, but the bottom rack is 20-30 degrees cooler depending on how hot i'm running. The door thing never worked for me on my round pit or the new one. But I like the different temp zones.

 

[pjtexas1]

My left to right is even on each rack, but the bottom rack is 20-30 degrees cooler depending on how hot i'm running. The door thing never worked for me on my round pit or the new one. But I like the different temp zones.

I would call that just about even. My insulated cabinet is 15 degrees different top to bottom. Maybe I should double check my shirley again or maybe it's my smaller cook chamber but I don't remember big temp differences when I did the seasoning and had 4 maverick probes setup. Biscuit test was almost all done the same.

 

[dadymat]

I get even temps from side to side, about 20-30 degrees difference from top to bottom