...new Bandera and things

[texashaze]

If you read my notes on cattle call, just got my Bandera last week and popped my cherry Sat. Pretty sweet.... anyway I've got a few comments...

Bought the NB cover... man that thing puts fur all over your box... what's up with that? Whats everyone out there use for cover? Any subs better than this...

When I was buying my mods at Home Depot I saw a Char Broil Bandera for 100 bucks more than the NB one I got at Academy. It was the exact same thing as my NB... they looked like they were made in the same factory... didn't NB bother to put a patten on that thing?? Or did they sell out? Anyway heads up if you buy one get the NB and save youself some $$

Miss Bertha is a fuel hog... any way to lower that usage? The only mod I put in so far was the baffle and subbing sand for water in the bowl and putting a foiled divider halfway in box.

What benefit do these baskets do?

Did the pork butt Sat... what's next? Any suggestions for a rookie? We're thinking of doing a turkey for t-day...

texashaze

 

[Mike(Mi)]

Welcome and congratulations on your good buy. As I understand it the NB's are the last of the Made in USA stock that can still be found and Char-Broil label (they bought NB) is made in China ...I might be wrong though.

My NB cover did the same thing for a while, eventually the shedding calms down. But there's alot of guys around here that would just like to be able to find one ..maybe someone will make you an offer if you really want to get rid of it.

Ms. Bertha is just like her kin ...likes to eat a lot. I am hoping that the baskets Big Al is making will give me a semi lazy-Q with several hours of running Black Bart unattended ..something he's not used to.

Just use it and get practice. Try different things and see what you like best. Get some kitchen trays and utensils ..oh, and latex gloves, lots of heavy duty foil, rubs, beer, etc. It will all come together. 8)

 

[egkor]

Made in China

Hi,

I just got a NB Bandera from Wally World.

Out of the box, the sticker on the cooking chamber door, in barely visible print, reads "Made in China".

So there are some NBs that are made in China. Don't know the year they made the switch.

-egkor

 

[BBQchef33]

Miss Bertha is a fuel hog... any way to lower that usage? The only mod I put in so far was the baffle and subbing sand for water in the bowl and putting a foiled divider halfway in box.

texashaze

i really dont mean to sound repetitive.. but download the bandera 101 document. it has a section on the beast being a fuel hog. And after flying NY to LA and gettin up at 3AM I'm too pooped to explain today.


Bottom line though...

YUP, its a fuel hog. gotta reign that in with fire managment techniques, damper settings, etsc.... which will come with time.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

your foil covered divider in the smoke chamber? you said box. Just want to make sure.

Anyway, my 2 cents. The mod you didn;t mention was a polder (or two). One for the smoke chamber for sure.

I use the heat shield, and get great results. 2 weekends ago, about 8 pounds charcoal, 2-3 pounds lump, and a couple cherry splits, if I remember correctly.

Kept 240 - 255 for about 6 hours, and it was windy.

Key for me, don't burn it all at once. I don't risk minion, cuz it would all light up too quick. Get it up to 240, then add a couple briquettes here and there. about 3 hours in, I'll risk a low spike by pouring in a second helping of lump. This is the keep a nice coal bed going. Then add a split and instant ignition.

So just keep experimenting. Yes, it will eat fuel. But ween her off of full meals, and she'll treat you right.

 

[BigAl]

What benefit do these baskets do?

texashaze

They have multiple benefits.

1. Using the removable dividers, you load up the left side with lit coals and then later the right side coals self light giving longer unattended burn times for Brisket cooking. You can get more sleep.

2. The rebar rod spacing allows the burning coals to stay in the basket longer instead of prematurily falling into the ash. More efficent, coals last longer saving you money.

3. Using the divider along with the heat sheild spaced correctly in the smoke chamber allows smoking smaller meals efficently.

4. The basket is height adjustable so that you get more ash room for long burns and tthen can be lowered if you want to grill over the fire box.

5. The steel plates on the front and back of the basket help keep down heat loss in the fire box.

6. The removalbe dividers allow up to 15 inch logs to be used.