Lone Star Grillz Vertical Insulated Cabinet Smoker-For the new Owner

[jrben1]

I would be concerned about the bark being even using foil pans without flipping meats (not a fan of touching the food before wrapping). Also, can you find pans that fit 18 to 20lb briskets? How big are those pans? Everyone says "full size", but never quote the dimensions. I have foil pans, but i am sure they are not that big...

Do you really get the same results using foil pans? I am not willing to try this on $100 prime brisket and be disappointed with the results...

These are standard restaurant steam table pans, usually metal when used in steam tables. You can buy the full sized or half sized foil pans at Sam's Club or Costco's. Sam's Club also sells lids for both sizes. Here is a link to Sam's Club http://www.samsclub.com/sams/bakers-chefs-aluminum-foil-steam-table-pans-full-size-15-ct/200079.ip
The pans are 20 3/4" long, 12 7/8" wide and 3 9/16" deep.
The meat is elevated on a wire rack and you don't have to flip the meat. I put some apple juice beneath the wire rack before wrapping - leave the meat in the pan. You can use the lids instead of wrapping for ribs and chicken parts, but will have to use aluminum foil for larger pieces of meat.
I can't tell any difference in the meat with or without pans. They are also great for transporting the food out to the smoker and back into the house.
You can buy the wire racks at Ace Mart, Allied Kenco, or a kitchen supply house.

 

[mmotown]

Smoker Cover

Guys before I pull the trigger on a $300+ cover for my smoker, do you guys know of an alternative. My patio isn't covered so right now I am using a tarp secured with bungee cords.

Guys I found a few places. Even found the company that did my cover for my Stumps smoker when I had it and I paid $300 for it through Stumps and the cover looks to be about $80. :evil:
http://www.vinylcoveringsbymel.com/gallery.html

 

[darkoozy]

These are standard restaurant steam table pans, usually metal when used in steam tables. You can buy the full sized or half sized foil pans at Sam's Club or Costco's. Sam's Club also sells lids for both sizes. Here is a link to Sam's Club http://www.samsclub.com/sams/bakers-chefs-aluminum-foil-steam-table-pans-full-size-15-ct/200079.ip
The pans are 20 3/4" long, 12 7/8" wide and 3 9/16" deep.
The meat is elevated on a wire rack and you don't have to flip the meat. I put some apple juice beneath the wire rack before wrapping - leave the meat in the pan. You can use the lids instead of wrapping for ribs and chicken parts, but will have to use aluminum foil for larger pieces of meat.
I can't tell any difference in the meat with or without pans. They are also great for transporting the food out to the smoker and back into the house.
You can buy the wire racks at Ace Mart, Allied Kenco, or a kitchen supply house.

Thanks for the feedback! I think I will try the foil pans on spare ribs and baby ribs first, when I am ready to wrap. That will save me the hassle of foil and the mess. Then I will go one step further and do the entire cook in the pan. I think I will try it on pork butts as well.

I appreciate the links as well, very helpful!

 

[jrben1]

Guys before I pull the trigger on a $300+ cover for my smoker, do you guys know of an alternative. My patio isn't covered so right now I am using a tarp secured with bungee cords.

Guys I found a few places. Even found the company that did my cover for my Stumps smoker when I had it and I paid $300 for it through Stumps and the cover looks to be about $80. :evil:
http://www.vinylcoveringsbymel.com/gallery.html

Here is another source for Sunbrella covers:
http://www.covergrillsetc.com/

 

[pjtexas1]

Guys before I pull the trigger on a $300+ cover for my smoker, do you guys know of an alternative. My patio isn't covered so right now I am using a tarp secured with bungee cords.

Guys I found a few places. Even found the company that did my cover for my Stumps smoker when I had it and I paid $300 for it through Stumps and the cover looks to be about $80. :evil:
http://www.vinylcoveringsbymel.com/gallery.html

www.coverus.com made my cover. heavy cover but they missed a half an inch of seam cover. no holes just that where two pieces are sewed together the edge cover piece is not sewn properly. not a big deal because mine is under a covered patio. It was right around $70 with shipping. i don't even tie it down because it is so heavy I don't think it could blow off. Hopefully the mistake on mine was just a fluke. i am not sure what triple laminated vinyl is but hopefully it will last a few years.

 

[jrben1]

Guys this is the problem I was having. When I first got my smoker and seasoned it, I did not use my guru and it held temp well and I was able to raise it to 250-275 easily. However on my first cook, I had issues. My guru and teltru thermometer was off by 20+ degrees. I didn't know which thermometer to believe. Not until I bought a oven thermometer to place on my grates was I convinced that the guru was off.

I'm not sure your Guru temp was off. I place the Guru pit temp as close as I can to the TelTru probe and the Guru runs up to 10 degrees hotter and even more if the Guru pit probe is placed further back. I've decided to set the Guru temp wherever it is needed to keep the TelTru temp at 225 degrees. I know how long the food will need at that temp. That seems to work for me. My loin backs usually take 4 hours plus 15 minutes glaze time. I did one cook with the Guru temp at 225 and the TelTru was 205 - the ribs took 5 hours to cook.
I had a similar experience using the Guru on my Weber Smokey Mountain.

 

[darkoozy]

I place my Guru pit probe on the middle rack immediately in front of the TelTru, and it reads almost the same temp as the TelTru (give or take a few). I place my Maverick right next to it, and it read 10 degrees hotter than all of them...go figure. I have learned to work with all 3 readings and keep the Guru at 225 for my cooks.

The rear of the smoker is definitely a few degrees warmer, especially on the top rack. I have seen food like bacon wrapped jalapenos or sausage cook a lot faster (char up quicker) if placed at the rear of the top racks.

 

[mmotown]

JRBen I looked at that company and there prices are in the $300 range. PJTexas I spoke to Aiden I believe was his name and he said production would start back on 7/14/2014. I was at about $105 with his estimate. I just need a quality weather proof cover. I just thought $300 was too much for something that was going to be out in the weather and I know there's alot of profit margin in that price.

 

[ssv3]

My wife said try Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and Windex to clean the grease off your SS doors. They make an outdoor magic eraser. I have no idea but she swears by those things to get statins out of any hard surface.

Good call. Magic eraser does work for sure. I've used them on the weber kettles, my weber performer table and I use it on my car's door sills. It brings it back to factory new. Nothing else has worked better for me personally.

 

[darkoozy]

JRBen I looked at that company and there prices are in the $300 range. PJTexas I spoke to Aiden I believe was his name and he said production would start back on 7/14/2014. I was at about $105 with his estimate. I just need a quality weather proof cover. I just thought $300 was too much for something that was going to be out in the weather and I know there's alot of profit margin in that price.

I struggled with the idea of paying $300 for a cover as well, and eventually bit the bullet. It still seems like a lot of money to me for a cover. I figured, the amount of money I spent on the smoker, hopefully this will protect it from the harsh Texas sun and rain.

I ended up ordering mine from http://www.grillwraps.com

It's pretty well made, snug fit, has adjustable straps at the bottom all around, and a zipper for easy access, so you don't have to loosen the straps. The quality is quite good as well. The lead time was a killer. I waited 6 weeks to get mine. So far I am pretty happy with it, and they have the dimensions for the smoker on file.

 

[ggee6688]

Temp goes up easy but not down w/o water

 

[jrben1]

The rear of the smoker is definitely a few degrees warmer, especially on the top rack. I have seen food like bacon wrapped jalapenos or sausage cook a lot faster (char up quicker) if placed at the rear of the top racks.

I learned the same thing on my Backwoods Smoker. I started out smoking ribs which I placed side to side. The rack of ribs in the back cooked faster than the one in front.
I quickly learned to lay the ribs fore and aft with the thicker end of the slab towards the back of the cooker. They come out much more even that way.
Also when you cook a whole turkey put the turkey in with the thighs at the back of the cooker.

 

[mmotown]

This is what I need. I am going to try to fabricate something myself so when I open the main chamber door, I can place it on the top of the firebox door and it is held in place by magnets...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151584

 

[GrillsGoneWild]

This is what I need. I am going to try to fabricate something myself so when I open the main chamber door, I can place it on the top of the firebox door and it is held in place by magnets...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151584

I would need my kid's shin guards with that thing on there.

 

[pjtexas1]

This is what I need. I am going to try to fabricate something myself so when I open the main chamber door, I can place it on the top of the firebox door and it is held in place by magnets...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151584

Get some strong magnet tape and use aluminum flashing. The flashing is light weight, won't rust and may sort of match your doors. Will a magnet stick to those SS doors?

 

[jrben1]

This is what I need. I am going to try to fabricate something myself so when I open the main chamber door, I can place it on the top of the firebox door and it is held in place by magnets...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151584

If you use foil pans, you won't have anything dripping on the lower door.

The Pitmaker Vault has one of these as standard. It's not quite as big and shouldn't be a shin buster: http://www.pitmaker.com/gallery/?vin=23362368#1920p-BBQ-Vault-Color-2b.jpg

 

[darkoozy]

If you use foil pans, you won't have anything dripping on the lower door.

How will foil pans prevent this if I have food on every rack, and slide racks in/out?

I just want to protect the lower door from grease and drippings. I bought a heavy duty grill mat to protect the concrete patio, and rinse it off with degreaser when I am done cooking. Grease drippings on the door is the problem for me.

I will think of a mod using foil pans to deflect the drippings and see how it works/looks. I am sure you can mold something that will hug the bottom door and not need a shin smasher

 

[GrillsGoneWild]

The Pitmaker Vault has one of these as standard. It's not quite as big and shouldn't be a shin buster: http://www.pitmaker.com/gallery/?vin=23362368#1920p-BBQ-Vault-Color-2b.jpg

That is a nice feature.

 

[clweed]

Why not just wipe the top of the door off before closing?

If you fabricate a piece of stainless to protect the top of the door, you will still have he same problem if you don't wipe it off.

 

[darkoozy]

Why not just wipe the top of the door off before closing?

If you fabricate a piece of stainless to protect the top of the door, you will still have he same problem if you don't wipe it off.

Totally agree. I was just thinking the small stainless shelf would look really dirty over time and stained. I was thinking more along the lines of something disposable made out of the foil pans to catch the drippings.

Wiping off is what I do today, but the bottom door fairly hot, and by the time I get to wiping off, some of the grease is already baked on, and stained the door already...My OCD is just taking over after that