A Barbecue/Smoker Question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

bwana · 03-22-2019, 07:33 PM

I built one of these. Much more rewarding when you make your smoker yourself. I added some mods such as removable legs. My neighbor has a body shop and welded my nickname onto it.

I go to an annual BBQ contest and come in second a lot against all the high end expensive smokers brought out by the pros. Word gets out about my contraption and they end on migrating to my camp to check it out.

I use Cowboy lump oak charcoal and add different wood types to match what I am cooking. After smoking pork butts for 12 or so hours, I still have 1/3+ basket full of uncooked charcoal. It is very efficient.

Also the smoke is wet when it comes out the top vents as the food is dripping onto the coals. I was afraid everything would dry out since the fuel is directly under the food, but that is not the case.

This type of cooker is popular in the south.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/hom...5-gallon-drum/

Bought a new 55 gal drum from ULine and most everything else from plumbing supply.

Hunters Pa · 04-01-2019, 07:48 AM

I talked to a customer service "supervisor" a few times. I had to call her back as she did not call me when promised ( she said 2 days, I gave her 3). So, they said they are "upgrading the model i am going to get, at no charge, due to the runaround and also going to refund the cost for the extra rack ($60). This was March 22. Grill was supposed to ship by end of day Monday, March 25 and I would be notified of the tracking number.

I call in Tuesday mid-day because, yet again, I have heard NOTHING. I was told that it had shipped and I would receive on Thursday. Thursday comes and here is my grill!!! But it is the model I originally ordered, NOT the upgraded model i was promised to keep me from cancelling my order altogether. I call in, yet again, and talked to Rebecca, the customer service supervisor I have been dealing with. I get the same answer to all my other questions - "I don't know what happened. It should have been the upgraded model that shipped."

So, they are going to send the upgraded controller (not holding my breath) and a manager (next step up, in different office, could not transfer me, takes a few days for request to get to them in the "system") is supposed to call me by the end of the day tomorrow (3 working days from my call). AND I have still not been credited for the extra rack.

I did not get to assemble the grill until yesterday. Assembly was very straightforward and it came with the tools needed. The grill is very sturdy and appears well made. There is an initial first-firing procedure and you have to run it on high for 45 minutes to burn off any residue from manufacturing. I follow instructions and first-fire kicks in. Success!

I set it on high for the 45 minute burn-in. I come back 20 minutes later to check on it and there is no smoke coming out. There is an error message on the LED. WTF!!!! I reset it and the burn-in goes fine this time.

So, Stater Bros has Porterhouse on sale for $4.99 a pound, so I get 3 nice slabs for a test run. Recipe book says to smoke for 30 minutes and then set to 450 and cook until desired level of doneness. The control dial does not have 450. It goes from 375 to "High". I look through the recipe book and other recipes call for temps of 400, 425, 450. Yet that is not an option on the controller.

SO, I set it on high and pull the steaks at internal temp if 130 on my instant read thermometer. I had done two in our normal marinade and one with just salt and pepper to get a feel for the flavor imparted by the grill.

The steaks were really really good! The way it is designed you do not get a flare up. The wood imparted a richness to the beef fat (my favorite part) that made it incredible. Wife and kids loved it as well. It does not get that "sear", however, if that is what you are looking for. I like a sear, but the steaks did not suffer in its absence.

After cooking there is a run-down cycle to clear the fire pot. At this point I put our mini baked potatoes on the grill to hit them with a bit of the smoke as well, which was the perfect amount.

As it stands right now, the grill seems very well made. The steaks turned out phenomenal. Customer service gets a FAIL across the board. I have talked to 12 people, soon to be 13 or 14 if the manager does not call back by end of day tomorrow. I have not received the credit nor the upgrade promised (shipment of upgraded controller TBD).

Recommendation - it is a really good machine, but pricey. The small bit of savings I got from purchasing at the show was not worth the headache and frustration and delay. Cookbook does not match the capability of the machine.

Sorry for the thread-jack. I wanted to follow up on my previous posts, however, for anyone who had the morbid interest in how the saga continues to unfold.

03-22-2019, 07:33 PM	#1
bwana Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: El Toro, CA Posts: 244	Plans on Popular Mechanic I built one of these. Much more rewarding when you make your smoker yourself. I added some mods such as removable legs. My neighbor has a body shop and welded my nickname onto it. I go to an annual BBQ contest and come in second a lot against all the high end expensive smokers brought out by the pros. Word gets out about my contraption and they end on migrating to my camp to check it out. I use Cowboy lump oak charcoal and add different wood types to match what I am cooking. After smoking pork butts for 12 or so hours, I still have 1/3+ basket full of uncooked charcoal. It is very efficient. Also the smoke is wet when it comes out the top vents as the food is dripping onto the coals. I was afraid everything would dry out since the fuel is directly under the food, but that is not the case. This type of cooker is popular in the south. https://www.popularmechanics.com/hom...5-gallon-drum/ Bought a new 55 gal drum from ULine and most everything else from plumbing supply.

04-01-2019, 07:48 AM	#2
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,358	Latest update I talked to a customer service "supervisor" a few times. I had to call her back as she did not call me when promised ( she said 2 days, I gave her 3). So, they said they are "upgrading the model i am going to get, at no charge, due to the runaround and also going to refund the cost for the extra rack ($60). This was March 22. Grill was supposed to ship by end of day Monday, March 25 and I would be notified of the tracking number. I call in Tuesday mid-day because, yet again, I have heard NOTHING. I was told that it had shipped and I would receive on Thursday. Thursday comes and here is my grill!!! But it is the model I originally ordered, NOT the upgraded model i was promised to keep me from cancelling my order altogether. I call in, yet again, and talked to Rebecca, the customer service supervisor I have been dealing with. I get the same answer to all my other questions - "I don't know what happened. It should have been the upgraded model that shipped." So, they are going to send the upgraded controller (not holding my breath) and a manager (next step up, in different office, could not transfer me, takes a few days for request to get to them in the "system") is supposed to call me by the end of the day tomorrow (3 working days from my call). AND I have still not been credited for the extra rack. I did not get to assemble the grill until yesterday. Assembly was very straightforward and it came with the tools needed. The grill is very sturdy and appears well made. There is an initial first-firing procedure and you have to run it on high for 45 minutes to burn off any residue from manufacturing. I follow instructions and first-fire kicks in. Success! I set it on high for the 45 minute burn-in. I come back 20 minutes later to check on it and there is no smoke coming out. There is an error message on the LED. WTF!!!! I reset it and the burn-in goes fine this time. So, Stater Bros has Porterhouse on sale for $4.99 a pound, so I get 3 nice slabs for a test run. Recipe book says to smoke for 30 minutes and then set to 450 and cook until desired level of doneness. The control dial does not have 450. It goes from 375 to "High". I look through the recipe book and other recipes call for temps of 400, 425, 450. Yet that is not an option on the controller. SO, I set it on high and pull the steaks at internal temp if 130 on my instant read thermometer. I had done two in our normal marinade and one with just salt and pepper to get a feel for the flavor imparted by the grill. The steaks were really really good! The way it is designed you do not get a flare up. The wood imparted a richness to the beef fat (my favorite part) that made it incredible. Wife and kids loved it as well. It does not get that "sear", however, if that is what you are looking for. I like a sear, but the steaks did not suffer in its absence. After cooking there is a run-down cycle to clear the fire pot. At this point I put our mini baked potatoes on the grill to hit them with a bit of the smoke as well, which was the perfect amount. As it stands right now, the grill seems very well made. The steaks turned out phenomenal. Customer service gets a FAIL across the board. I have talked to 12 people, soon to be 13 or 14 if the manager does not call back by end of day tomorrow. I have not received the credit nor the upgrade promised (shipment of upgraded controller TBD). Recommendation - it is a really good machine, but pricey. The small bit of savings I got from purchasing at the show was not worth the headache and frustration and delay. Cookbook does not match the capability of the machine. Sorry for the thread-jack. I wanted to follow up on my previous posts, however, for anyone who had the morbid interest in how the saga continues to unfold.