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New smokerperson could use a little guidance

J

jamman

Guest
Hello all,

I got my first smoker this week. I have some mods to do and some questions on my first smoke this weekend.

About me:
I have had a grill very similar to the old standby Weber cans. I have learned from the BBQU show and the books how to indirect grill. I’ve done country style ribs(I know, not really ribs) on it and beer can chicken as well as huge pork loins. So I have a little experience with the whole smoke/indirect grill thing. But I haven’t had a “real” smoker before now and not done anything that took more than 1.5hours to cook.

About my smoker:
My smoker is a New Braunsfel Hondo Deluxe. Here’s a link to a picture--- and I can't make it active as I'm new on here.--- But look for it at academy dot com and you'll find it. It's the only place I found it online. I got it at a discount house after I dickered with them for $100 plus tax.
I’ve done a burn off/seasoning in it using vegetable oil and seasoned oak. I’m going to modify the chimney by making it come down further as well as looking for a shield to put at the juncture of the firebox and the chamber to help diffuse the heat more evenly. You can tell by the burn pattern after the burn off that it gets very hot right there where the firebox joins up. Still scratching my head to find a good source of the light gauge metal to use for that. I’m even looking at using aluminum flashing to just get it done this for this weekend. Any suggestions on that is welcome. My smoker doesn’t have a thermometer and I’m working to hunt one down. If I don’t find one, I’m not sure what to do other than use my meat thermometer lots and keep a medium bed of coals in there.

As far as fuel, I’m going to keep a fire made of oak burning to the side and shovel coals into the firebox. I was going to burn straight in the firebox, but after lots of reading found out it’s not recommended in a smoker of this size.

What I want to BBQ:
We have some Boston Butts available (1.29/lb) for them. But these are big boys of 12-15lbs. I figure this would be a good cut to start with, but do I need to cut these in half so as to reduce cooking time and make it a little easier? Also, I read where someone suggested doing a brisket and butt at the same time and putting the butt on the rack above it to self baste it. Should I rig up another grill in there above it (think old grill laying on a few bricks above new grill) to maximize the smoker time?

I’m also thinking of putting on a chicken or two, or else some breasts or legs and thighs. A few brats or polish to have something to throw to people to keep them off of my back as we cook. Read where someone puts whole Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage rolls on there for a couple of hours. Also thinking of tossing on a pack of country style ribs(1.49/lb). Even debating having some pork spare ribs (1.80/lb).

What I am wondering is how much is too much and any suggestions on what to do to pull things off successfully. I’ll have10-12 adults and 3 kids or so eating off of this right up front. I’m hoping to have lots of leftovers for the next day(s).

Any and all helpful posts are most welcome.
 
Welcome to the board. I can't answer all your questions, but I'll help where I can. Don't try a brisket for your first cook, get to know your cooker first. Butts are a decent choice for a first cook since they are so forgiving and cook well over a range of temperatures. They will take a while though, so you'll be learning about fire control pretty quick if you do butts. You're really going to need some kind of thermometer to let you know what's going on in the cooker. Are you sure the butts your talking about are 12-15 lbs each? Most of the time when you see a package that big, there's 2 in there, each about 7 to 8 lbs.
If you do chickens and or sausages, they won't take nearly as long, so you won't have to deal with refueling as much. They're a good way to get to know your cooker too. As far as the Jimmy Dean sausage (aka "The Fatty"), they use a coase grind which some people do not prefer. I happen to like Bob Evan's and some of the other brands that grind a little finer. Check the roadmap to this forum for more info about fatties and other topics as well. Here's the link: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7818

Oops! My kid's crying. Gotta go, I'll check back on you later.
 
jamman said:
Hello all,

I got my first smoker this week. I have some mods to do and some questions on my first smoke this weekend.

About me:
I have had a grill very similar to the old standby Weber cans. I have learned from the BBQU show and the books how to indirect grill. I’ve done country style ribs(I know, not really ribs) on it and beer can chicken as well as huge pork loins. So I have a little experience with the whole smoke/indirect grill thing. But I haven’t had a “real” smoker before now and not done anything that took more than 1.5hours to cook.

About my smoker:
My smoker is a New Braunsfel Hondo Deluxe. Here’s a link to a picture--- and I can't make it active as I'm new on here.--- But look for it at academy dot com and you'll find it. It's the only place I found it online. I got it at a discount house after I dickered with them for $100 plus tax.
I’ve done a burn off/seasoning in it using vegetable oil and seasoned oak. I’m going to modify the chimney by making it come down further as well as looking for a shield to put at the juncture of the firebox and the chamber to help diffuse the heat more evenly. You can tell by the burn pattern after the burn off that it gets very hot right there where the firebox joins up. Still scratching my head to find a good source of the light gauge metal to use for that. I’m even looking at using aluminum flashing to just get it done this for this weekend. Any suggestions on that is welcome. My smoker doesn’t have a thermometer and I’m working to hunt one down. If I don’t find one, I’m not sure what to do other than use my meat thermometer lots and keep a medium bed of coals in there.

As far as fuel, I’m going to keep a fire made of oak burning to the side and shovel coals into the firebox. I was going to burn straight in the firebox, but after lots of reading found out it’s not recommended in a smoker of this size.

What I want to BBQ:
We have some Boston Butts available (1.29/lb) for them. But these are big boys of 12-15lbs. I figure this would be a good cut to start with, but do I need to cut these in half so as to reduce cooking time and make it a little easier? Also, I read where someone suggested doing a brisket and butt at the same time and putting the butt on the rack above it to self baste it. Should I rig up another grill in there above it (think old grill laying on a few bricks above new grill) to maximize the smoker time?

I’m also thinking of putting on a chicken or two, or else some breasts or legs and thighs. A few brats or polish to have something to throw to people to keep them off of my back as we cook. Read where someone puts whole Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage rolls on there for a couple of hours. Also thinking of tossing on a pack of country style ribs(1.49/lb). Even debating having some pork spare ribs (1.80/lb).

What I am wondering is how much is too much and any suggestions on what to do to pull things off successfully. I’ll have10-12 adults and 3 kids or so eating off of this right up front. I’m hoping to have lots of leftovers for the next day(s).

Any and all helpful posts are most welcome.
Click to expand...

I'll see what I can do with a few of your questions.

Mods. If you don't have any hardware/home improvement stores that carry small pieces of sheet metal in you area, call around to some metal fab shops and see if any of them will allow you to check out their scrap bins. You idea for aluminum for a temp fix is fine. I susupect you've read this already but I'll mention it just in case, do not use galvanized metal in you smoker. Toxic fumes, zinc poisoning, just bad news, don't use it.

The other mod you'll want to consider is raising the firegrate in the firebox. I'm not directly familiar with the Hondo's firegrate arrangement, but virtually every mass produced small offset has a factory firegrate arrangement that would benefit from being farther from the bottom of the firebox (more room for ash and proper oxygen supplied to the fire).

Wood burning. In a smaller offset, you will need to exercise some care, but you can burn in the firebox just fine. Keep in mind that you're looking for clean combustion so use small pieces of wood (no longer than a foot, no bigger than a beer can) and ensure you have an adequate coalbed to cleanly ignite fresh sticks. This may require you to either use some preburned wood or charcoal to replenish the coal bed from time to time, but if you avoid any heavy white or dark smoke (a few minutes of white smoke as the wood ignites is ok, you just don't want a steady stream of it) you'll be fine burning in the firebox and you'll use less wood.
If you're more comfortable with preburning, by all means that fine, but it does take a lot of wood and some of us don't have a cheap enough source for wood to make that economically practical.

Some one around here has/had a Hondo maybe they can supply a little additional input:wink:

Kirk has adressed the meats so I'll shut my chatty ass up now:-D

Best of luck, have a great holiday weekend!!!
 
1st smoke

Man, you have alot going on here, slow down!! First thing you need to do is get a thermometer Home depot, Lowes or Academy any of these places will carry what you need..Learn how to control your fire and heat in your firebox with your dampers, you can keep that smoker at 225-235 range without shoveling coles...This is one of the most important thing you will learn, so if it takes some trial and error so be it, you will get it...I would'nt cook that much food on my first run you have several things listed that require different times and methods. Start off simple, I would go with just the butts and chicken with the sausage for apps..This will be alot of food!!!! but the most Important thing is to learn that smoker, once you get that, skys the limit!!! Good luck..
 
for a temporary baffle, use a disposable AL cooking pan that you can open up and cut/bend to fit your needs

At a minimum, you gotta have a thermometer that's gonna give you pit temp and it's very helpful wit a butt to have a temp to monitor internal temp.
 
look in our files section. I have loaded several document a while back for mods to horizontal smokers. On the silver, ya need 3 mods.

1- extend smokestack to grate level. Easy to do with a soup can split don the side, bothe ends removed and then inserted into the chimney. When it springs open, lower it to grate level.

2- move thermometer to grate level.
3- build a baffle. Baffle designs are in the document.

this will help get u started.


For the firebox, I used a firegrate larger than the one that came with it. I used a grate that i got from HD and cut it to size. This raised the grate about 3 inchs, leaving more room underneath for ash. Before finding the grate, I had the stock grate sitting on sections of firebrick.

the baffle design will work with any horizontal thats to narrow to accomodate tuning plates.
 
To the great advice you've received so far, I'll add that you will learn more everytime you fire up your cooker, so take accurate notes of the time, the weather-- temp, wind, etc...what you used for fuel and when you added more of what, the rubs and sauces that you use, and so on.

Don't try to change everything at once, but if you're rub is too sweet, make a note and adjust it, see how that changes the end product. Small changes are key-- even in controlling your fire, make small adjustments, wait a few minutes and see what happens. Resist the urge to make radical adjustments and to change everything. Oh, and don't worry about smokey flavor-- a little goes a long way, so try to use less wood than you think you need. And even if you don't see smoke coming out of the stack, the flavor will be there.

Most importantly: have fun! Start with some simpler stuff like butts, as suggested and most likely even your "mistakes" will be a nice meal.

Enjoy! :lol: :lol:
 
So I guess I shouldn't use one of the really old metal garbage cans to make baffles out of, should I??
 
I started with an oven thermometer inside to feel better about temp external thermometer read. Walmart sells one. Probably not the best, but easily/quickly available. @ $14.00 I say go with the Butts. I am new also and have had rave reviews on mine.
 
jrick33 said:
So I guess I shouldn't use one of the really old metal garbage cans to make baffles out of, should I??
Click to expand...

Absolutely not, bro. Galvanized bad. Stainless or aluminum, or anything BUT galvy gud.
 
Well, you've probably seen all of them.

I just kept finding good sites and figured I would benefit from everyone's experience. I'm a newbie and as such have lots to learn.

Is that a problem? Do most that come here go to the other places?

On the baffles.... is that license plate ok? I may have to look around. Or would a cookie sheet be better? How do I want to baffle it? I have some pictures coming so I can have folks look at it and tell me exactly what it should look like.

Thanks for all the help!
 
jamman said:
Well, you've probably seen all of them.

I just kept finding good sites and figured I would benefit from everyone's experience. I'm a newbie and as such have lots to learn.

Is that a problem? Do most that come here go to the other places?

On the baffles.... is that license plate ok? I may have to look around. Or would a cookie sheet be better? How do I want to baffle it? I have some pictures coming so I can have folks look at it and tell me exactly what it should look like.

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
i'm new here so i don't know how the regulars feel, but personally i find cross posting annoying. i read different forums to read different messages.

here's a pic of the baffle in my offset. i mounted it with the screws that old the sfb to the cooking chamber and then bent it so that its ~ 45 degrees.



also i would suggest you get a few good cooks under belt before cooking for 10 - 12 adults. speaking from experience, its a lot easier to tell your wife/kids that they're having pizza for dinner because the bbq won't be done unil 10 pm and a patio full of guest. :-D
 
brian j said:
also i would suggest you get a few good cooks under belt before cooking for 10 - 12 adults. speaking from experience, its a lot easier to tell your wife/kids that they're having pizza for dinner because the bbq won't be done unil 10 pm and a patio full of guest. :-D
Click to expand...
It all depends on how much alcohol you are serving...
 
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