Simple explanation. Everything you did makes good sense and my wife will thank you since I can do this to mine instead of buying a new smoker. Only things I might add is a welders blanket to insulate from the outside and on the shelving to change out the wood. Mine seemed to go pretty quick. I may find some cedar fencing cut to sized and glued together to double the thickness to replace mine. Thanks for sharing.
Got a suggestion when working with silicon sealer. When you tighten you fasteners get them as tight as required the first time, because if you come back later when it is set the sealing surface will separate and you will have an open void in which a leak will occur. If you do have a leak take apart then clean and reassemble with fresh sealant then if you wish can be repainted. Great video.
You had me until the Eagles comment...! Very informative, I've saved it for when I buy my next smoker (which should be soon). That motion-correction just about got me seasick, though! This was six years ago (almost exactly), so I hope you've figured out how to shoot a steady video without the headaches by now. Loved the tips, and especially the lava rock idea -- never would've thought of that!
Hello, Great video. I'm a first time watcher and now subscriber. I'm getting my first smoker this coming week and this video is very helpful in ideas of ways to modify a smoker and why. Keep up the great work! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your ideas
I have the same smoker, not the best I've used, but it will do with modifications. I covered half of the firebox opening with 1/8" steel plate, welded another 1/8" plate at about 20 degree's to force the heat down into the cooker, placed on top of the angled metal an aluminum bread sheet with holes drilled to allow heat and smoke to escape. Also put an extension for the vent. Placed 2 thermometers, each 4 inches from each side and sealed fire box and smoker. Has even heat, but it took awhile to get this smoker to perform as I wanted. If I had it to do over again, I would invest in a better smoker or make an UDS.Good video and you made some simple improvements to improve the performance of this cheap smoker.
Earl, thanks do much for the comments. I love the idea of what you did with the plates to force the smoke down. I left the drip pan in to chanel the smoke differently. Thanks again and happy smokin'.
I enjoyed your video. I'm thinking of getting this model. There is a 6 tray vertical model for the same price. But this one seems more efficient and I would seldom being using 6 trays. btw, it's good to see you are from the Philly area. Go Eagles!
You should ditch the lava rock keep the bricks and turn your ash pan upside down and seal it next to the fire box opening with some foil it works so much better that way
Awesome video, I just purchased same smoker from my neighbor retired father who only used it 2-3 times $50 Question: What size cookie sheet did you use??
I just noticed the legs are on backwards. The wheels on the Smokin Pro are supposed to be opposite the firebox. I know this video is 4 years old, but I just refinished my #1224 after un-assembling it and reassembling with new hardware using the instructions.
Zaren thanks for the comment. I had noticed that when I bought it and left it that way. From a safely view, I thought if I have to move it when in use, I'd prefer the almost 200 degree fire box on the opposite side I'd be on for pushing or pulling. Thanks for the comment !
I just ordered this model from walmart (rewards+free!) Hoping its worth it ! Where Im from , almost everyone has a home made smoker the size of a Volkswagen$$$ lol, I just needed an upgrade from my brinkman can ! Ill be coming back to this as soon as I put it together ! Great video ( well. except the Go Eagles part haha...)#gocowboys Thanks from Texas
If you have a welder or if you weld, you probably could weld that part of the firebox shut. You could probably insure a more closed in box and keep more smoke in. Great Mods though. Nice blueprint to follow when I pick up my smoker. Thanks for the tip. PS. Let's go Giants lmao (had to throw that in there) thanks again.
Awesome Video! Really liked the fact that you showed, What , Why and Where and How! I am planning on buying one of the CharGrillers, so I know what Mods to make while we are putting it together!
Rachelle Williams think you so much, I hope you were able to get something from this. Did you end up doing mods and if so, did you do anything differently that may have worked better? Happy Smoking!
I know this has been a few years ago but I really enjoyed this video. Thanks video. Thanks for taking us along on your repairing of this Char_Griller. Do you know what model this is? Looking for one like this that's used a bit like yours to go through it a lot lilt you did.
Looks like a chargriller super pro with the additional fire box or the smoking pro which is basically the same.the firebox grill is not a mod, it's a cooking grill for direct heat BBQ or for searing. I'm in the middle of modding mine just now, didn't need to seal the firebox to the main grill, did add a gasket to the fire box lid and the front of the lid, did the back as well which is mostly sealed with three levels of gasket. Still to do the side seals and the flue
So just curious if you placed the Charcoal and smoker wood on the cast iron grates in the smoker box? You have lava rocks on the fire box grates on the bottom so wasn't sure...thanks.
Great video and yes I am a new scribes! Getting a American Gourmet 1289 Smoker for Christmas from wifey and will be making mods (Tel Tru thermometers near the cooking area) and will be using your suggestions…How did you measure the flex pipe to know how close to get to the cooking surface? How did you get the pipe to stay in place? What recommendations can you make if I want to attach wheels to all the legs?
Thanks Jeffrey Murray! The length of the flex pipe I measured from the base of the exhaust pipe to the bottom of the lid. Cut to fit. The flex pipe I used actually fit snug so no mounting clamps or screws needed. The wheels were on mine already but I'm sure if you buy some you could drill holes to fit. Best of luck and Merry Christmas!
@fatman, sorry you don't have time for that. I don't think it's fair for you to speak for others than yourself. Thanks for taking the time to comment and watch.
+Carl Grisham I have done apple, cherry, orange, oak, Mesquite but my favorite is hickory. I like using different woods to add layers of flavor say a 6 hour smoke, the first 5 with hickory and oak and finish the last our with a citrus wood to add a little depth.
When you put the bolts back in, did you use any bolt locking fluid? Is it necessary, I just bought this model new and want to make sure I do it right when I assemble and make mods..
Brian Lawrence I did not use any thread sealant and I have had no issues. I move mine a lot and I'm not always so gentle with her. lol. Thanks for watching!
Question, I've seen this done on more then just one video. Why are people extending the exhaust vent lower? I'm trying to think of a reason but i can't. Can anyone explain?
Keeps the smoke and heat in the grill longer. Instead of coming from the heat box up and over to the vent the heat and smoke has to travel through the grill to get out.
PartTime Trucker it helps retain additional heat and control smoke flow a bit more. You must be careful though because if you don't adjust the lower baffles correctly you could let all the smoke out without getting it to the proteins
very informative! what is that red stuff called and what size is the hose to extend the stack? i got a similar pit and it needs a lot of TLC. thanks for your time.
nice video I just purchased a new smoker. being new to the smoking game with an offset smoker how important are the baffles that you used to maintaining Heat?
the baffles really help on maintaining heat and also redirecting the smoke depending on what and how much you are smoking. Also, they catch any over flow from the tin pans I put on them that I fill with water and juice to keep the smoking area moisturized, you don't want your meat dry, or what ever else you smoke lol. Thanks for watching and asking away! What kind of smoker did you get? Happy smokin'.
+Carl Grisham I picked up the Char-Griller smoking champ 1624. Only cooked on it twice and I am really trying to get the hang of using it. I see that you have your setup for smoking. what modifications should I do for grilling and smoking? I like the modification of the two temperature probes on each end of the the lid, do you have any issues with the probes being and far enough to get a accurate temperature reading?
Follow the directions on the rtv that you use and then after the cure time, I would suggest doing a cook with no food to check for leaks. Thanks for viewing and the question, happy smoking!
Charles Donohuee the extension to the stack does two things. One. Heat rises and like water will find the path of least resistance. Lowering the stack will force the rising heat to remain inside the chamber longer to find the lower stack to escape. Two, in the same manner as the rising escaping heat, the lowered stack will keep smoke in the chamber longer. All of the sealing of the chamber with the gasket sealer is useless if the heat and smoke makes a direct path from the fire box across the chamber and up and out.
The flex pipe forces the heat and smoke back down to grate level before exiting the smoker. The idea is without the flex pipe the heat and smoke travel above what ever you are smoking and goes straight out the chimney.
I would be very hesitant to eat anything off this grill, the heating grade extension , the RTV and the dollar store baking sheets leeching gaseous chemicals into our food does not sound appetizing at all.
I just fired mine up for the first time at midnight last night for what was supposed to be a 15 hour (10lb) pork shoulder roast. 18 19 hours later, One bag of charcoal and 3 bags of hickory wood chunks later, and no sleep, It is still not done (internal temp of 175 goal is min of 190) This is due to SEVERE leaking of the smoke where the top of the grill meets the bottom when you close it, there is a bit of a gap on the sides and the back. I stuffed allumium foil in there to try and seal it but it did not work. HELP anybody else with this issue???
Kyle Fraser I have an unmodifided Char-Griller and dealt with this same problem. It can be frustrating, but once you get the hang of this model's quirks, it's actually not so bad and is quite capable of producing some very fine barbecue. For one thing, don't trust the readings on the stock lid thermometer, it's junk. Only use it as a general indication of when the fire is down a bit; I've recalibrated mine many times and it still reads 50-75 degrees low. The temperature at cook grate level is more important. A cheap solution that works well is to buy a free-standing oven thermometer and place it on the cooking grate near the meat. As for firing the thing, I have found two solutions that work. 1.) Flip the charcoal pan over in the main chamber and use it as a baffle / tuning plate, using the small side firebox cooking grates as supports. Fill your side firebox up to the to lip of the main chamber entrance with unlit lump charcoal (or briquettes, if you prefer), then use the Minion Method to start a long, progressive burn; a half-chimney of lit briquettes on top of this pile works well and provides decent initial heat. On 12-hour smoke with an 11lb turkey last Thanksgiving, it was 6 hours before I even needed to add fuel (other than chunks of smoke wood every 30 minutes for the first several hours, of course). Temperatures stayed between 225 - 250. 2.) You can use what the Weber Bulletin refers to as the "Standard Method." Basically, you start with two full chimneys of briquettes (I imagine lump would work just as well, but I haven't tried it yet). Light both chimneys and let them burn until flames start to lick the briquettes on top and they begin to show just a bit of grey on the edges (about 10-15 minutes). Don't worry if the top briquettes are not all completely ashed-over. Dump both chimneys in the side firebox and spread the coals out with a firepoker (a piece of rebar works well for this), then close the side firebox lid. Add your smoking wood chips or chunks to the coals just after you add your meat. I smoked a batch of chicken thighs this way the other night and it has quickly become my preferred method. I didn't feel like flipping my charcoal pan, so instead, I placed a water pan on top of it at the opposite end of the cook chamber from the firebox, so all the meat was under the smokestack. I also rotated my meat; after 1 hour, the thighs at the front of the group were moved to the back and the next two rows moved up, so they all cooked evenly. Repeat as necessary. As it was only a 3 hr smoke, I left the side firebox damper wide-open and controlled everything with the stack damper (kept it open less than halfway to keep the heat and smoke in). After 2 or so hours, my temps dipped slightly, so I added another half-chimney of lit briquettes to carry it over the hump. I imagine I could probably get a longer burn if I closed the side damper a bit. Temps held a pretty steady 300+ degrees. All things considered, this method yielded the best performance I've ever gotten out of my Char-griller; the chicken turned out perfect! This method also offers a simple solution to the problem of ash-buildup on a long smoke. When you need to empty the ash drawer and your old coals are burning-down towards the end, light two fresh chimneys of coals. Keep your old coal going as long as you can to keep things warm, and when the chimneys are ready, quickly pull out the drawer and dump it in a metal ash bucket and replace it. Add your chimneys of fresh lit coals and your good to go for a few more hours. You shouldn't lose too much heat. In either case, set a timer and only open your cook chamber once per hour and don't peek! Remember: "If you're looking, you're not cooking." Hope this helps!
@gabriel bennett thank you for the reply. I have now added the dryer duct mod to her, and it seems to have helped a lot. I also lined the bottom with aluminum foil and added ceramic rocks on top all across the bottom. This really helps hold the heat. I have a cookie sheet all the way to the right where the side firebox attaches, to act as kind of a baffle, and i fill a tray up on top of that with water to keep my meats moist. I did a rack of ribs using the 2-2-1 method and it came out perfect and on time. (Actually the best ribs I ever had in my life and baby backs are my absolute favorite food in the world.) I am still getting a ton of smoke leakage from the back and sides of the main grill area....I put some aluminum foil in there to try to help but it doesn't really seem to do much. And yeah that thermometer is straight junk! It is probably 50-75 degrees low like you said. I will consider getting an oven thermometer, but I think with one full chimney and a few wood chunks in the fire box, I am smoking around 250 now. I think 2 full chimneys would be an awful lot and it would get too hot! I also think that my chimney starter might be bigger than most, it is a weber brand. .... So I have done ribs, a pork butt, and a few tenderloins. The ribs and the pork butt did come out really good, not sure what I am going to smoke next!
Kyle Fraser You're welcome! I actually have two different-sized charcoal chimneys. One is the large Weber chimney, like yours, the other is a slightly smaller Backyard Grill brand chimney from Walmart. I used the smaller one when I added that half-chimney of coals during the final hour. And you're right, starting with two lit chimneys of coals, it does put out a lot of heat; it actually made it work better, IMO. But, if you didn't need or want to run so hot, you could always use reduced charcoal loads, such as starting with just the Weber chimney and using the smaller one to add additional lit coals later. Controlling the amount of lit fuel added is a great way to control the heat. Glad to hear the modifications worked for you. Thats the most important thing with something like this: find a method that works well for YOU and go with it. I may eventually do the stack mod, myself. I also do conventional grilling, though, using just the main cook chamber, so prefer not to modify mine into a dedicated smoker.
I am single and no kids and I have a small portable charcoal grill that is designed for travel/camping and the like. If I am doing chicken quarters/halves, hot dogs, hamburgers, its just for myself and I just use the little guy for that. If you did do the duct mod, It wouldn't effect conventional grilling at all. I highly recommend it. The smoke is forced to build up in there and wont escape until it passes thru your meat instead of just escape immediatly out of the MANY exists that this model unfortunately has. Heat rises, its going from the firebox into the grill then striaght out the top I would say more than 60 or 70 percent without the duct. If you have a newer model like me, it is somewhat tricky to get it to fit. You want a 3" aluminum duct but the newer models are beveled and not flat or flush, so it is hard to get it to fit right to tighten a hose clamp around it but somehow I got it to work after a little bit of fidgeting. I had to shove a small portion INSIDE of the hole so that there was enough to go on the outside to clamp. I usually just throw coals in by hand when it starts to get low....(aka when the thermometer reads 150 lol....which means 200 haha) The stack mod is cheap and easy and proably the one single best mod that you can do to it. I am really tasting the smoky flavor of the different wood chunks that I use. For example my ribs I did a 3:1 ratio of cherry and hickory. It tasted amazing. When i did that pork butt I used like 2 bags of hickory wood because i was loosing so much heat and yeah that was a nightmare, it honestly did not have much of the hickory flavor just a subtle hint (ESP given the amoutn of hickory I used!!) With my ribs, (after the mod) I used 3 chunks of cherry one hunk of hickory and you could totally taste the flavor of the woods. Again, I can not stress enough that you do this mod as It will not affect your conventional grilling. I jsut hose clamped it to the opening and thats it....some people in these videos drill thru the grill and attach it with a screw which is pointless....just get a duct that bends most of them do.
Thought a little more about your meat staying at 175 after 19 hrs and I think you ran into the Stall. Basically, at low-and-slow cooking temps of around 225 or so, after your meat reaches a certain temperature, evaporative cooling prevents it from getting any hotter for awhile. In some cases, the Stall can last more than 6 hrs. Pulling the meat off and wrapping it in aluminum foil, then returning it to the heat (also known as a "Texas Crutch" or "Texas Cheat") is an easy way to defeat it. That's what I did with my turkey last Thanksgiving. You can also prevent the Stall altogether by using higher cook temps around 300 degrees. This page has a lot of good info on the Stall, the science behind it and how to beat it: amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/the_stall.html
Nirvalica in the event you have to move the smoker when it is in use, I put the wss wheels on the Firebox side so when pushing, you won't burn yourself on the box
G Potter Well we can disagree on what team is better all day. Go watch your last playoff games and SB that still on VHS tapes. The future of the NFC East will run through Philadelphia!
So just curious if you placed the Charcoal and smoker wood on the cast iron grates in the smoker box? You have lava rocks on the fire box grates on the bottom so wasn't sure...thanks.
Simple explanation. Everything you did makes good sense and my wife will thank you since I can do this to mine instead of buying a new smoker. Only things I might add is a welders blanket to insulate from the outside and on the shelving to change out the wood. Mine seemed to go pretty quick. I may find some cedar fencing cut to sized and glued together to double the thickness to replace mine. Thanks for sharing.
Got a suggestion when working with silicon sealer. When you tighten you fasteners get them as tight as required the first time, because if you come back later when it is set the sealing surface will separate and you will have an open void in which a leak will occur. If you do have a leak take apart then clean and reassemble with fresh sealant then if you wish can be repainted. Great video.
You got me with "Go Eagles!!!"
Fly Eagles Fly!!!
I can appreciate your hard work...But... basically your setup was a wood oven not a smoker but enjoy and cook up a storm.
You had me until the Eagles comment...!
Very informative, I've saved it for when I buy my next smoker (which should be soon). That motion-correction just about got me seasick, though! This was six years ago (almost exactly), so I hope you've figured out how to shoot a steady video without the headaches by now. Loved the tips, and especially the lava rock idea -- never would've thought of that!
Hello,
Great video. I'm a first time watcher and now subscriber. I'm getting my first smoker this coming week and this video is very helpful in ideas of ways to modify a smoker and why. Keep up the great work! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your ideas
Thomas, Thanks so much. I should be putting a short video together on actually cooking on it soon. (Recipe included)
Great video Carl.
Thank you dronezonewithradarrob8592. I envy your videos!
Amazing video! Thank you for all the great information! Showed a lot of things that others leave out. Thanks!
Look at that big SnapOn Deadblow! That baby will set you back some $$$ Nice video.
Chris, Thanks for commenting and thanks for watching. Tha Snap on dead n low is my second favorite tool, lol.
I want to thank MrBBQShooter, Scott Gregg and Skoggit for inspiration on making my first video. All comments and likes would be greatly appreciated.
I have the same smoker, not the best I've used, but it will do with modifications. I covered half of the firebox opening with 1/8" steel plate, welded another 1/8" plate at about 20 degree's to force the heat down into the cooker, placed on top of the angled metal an aluminum bread sheet with holes drilled to allow heat and smoke to escape. Also put an extension for the vent. Placed 2 thermometers, each 4 inches from each side and sealed fire box and smoker. Has even heat, but it took awhile to get this smoker to perform as I wanted. If I had it to do over again, I would invest in a better smoker or make an UDS.Good video and you made some simple improvements to improve the performance of this cheap smoker.
Earl, thanks do much for the comments. I love the idea of what you did with the plates to force the smoke down. I left the drip pan in to chanel the smoke differently. Thanks again and happy smokin'.
Great video. So gonna borrow your Idea with the cookie sheets. Thank you.
You're very welcome
rock dawg, that's why you wipe off any access and do a pre-burn at a higher temp to check for leaks. Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment!
Yes, it helps fill air gaps, I tried making gaskets but it did not work as well.Thanks for the question.
I enjoyed your video. I'm thinking of getting this model. There is a 6 tray vertical model for the same price. But this one seems more efficient and I would seldom being using 6 trays. btw, it's good to see you are from the Philly area. Go Eagles!
You should ditch the lava rock keep the bricks and turn your ash pan upside down and seal it next to the fire box opening with some foil it works so much better that way
Thanks for the comment
Haha 2020 and your video will be my blueprint for my mods. Thanks!
Thanks so much! How did you make out?
@@Amilosinstill smoking ribs so it went well😁
Awesome video, I just purchased same smoker from my neighbor retired father who only used it 2-3 times $50
Question: What size cookie sheet did you use??
I just noticed the legs are on backwards. The wheels on the Smokin Pro are supposed to be opposite the firebox. I know this video is 4 years old, but I just refinished my #1224 after un-assembling it and reassembling with new hardware using the instructions.
Zaren thanks for the comment. I had noticed that when I bought it and left it that way. From a safely view, I thought if I have to move it when in use, I'd prefer the almost 200 degree fire box on the opposite side I'd be on for pushing or pulling. Thanks for the comment !
Zaren ,lol,i have done the same stupid mistake,you just have to unbolt from stand and turn it around.
Jak Buji it wasn't a mistake, it was to make it safer
Um, no,I think its easier/safer to move that way
you can calibrate thermometer by putting in a glass of ice water. should read 32
Been doing that since my first auto shop class
Great video mate.
Thanks JCV!
Your putting a silicone based sealer in a smoker????
I just ordered this model from walmart (rewards+free!) Hoping its worth it !
Where Im from , almost everyone has a home made smoker the size of a Volkswagen$$$ lol, I just needed an upgrade from my brinkman can ! Ill be coming back to this as soon as I put it together ! Great video ( well. except the Go Eagles part haha...)#gocowboys
Thanks from Texas
Mike Vest are you liking it?? Anything you can recommend to me before I put mine together? Just bought it today!
If you have a welder or if you weld, you probably could weld that part of the firebox shut. You could probably insure a more closed in box and keep more smoke in. Great Mods though. Nice blueprint to follow when I pick up my smoker. Thanks for the tip.
PS. Let's go Giants lmao (had to throw that in there)
thanks again.
Thanks for the comments....I respect Giant fans,you folks appreciate football!
Great video, E-A-G-L-E-S!!!!!!!
Awesome Video! Really liked the fact that you showed, What , Why and Where and How! I am planning on buying one of the CharGrillers, so I know what Mods to make while we are putting it together!
Rachelle Williams think you so much, I hope you were able to get something from this. Did you end up doing mods and if so, did you do anything differently that may have worked better? Happy Smoking!
I know this has been a few years ago but I really enjoyed this video. Thanks video. Thanks for taking us along on your repairing of this Char_Griller. Do you know what model this is? Looking for one like this that's used a bit like yours to go through it a lot lilt you did.
Looks like a chargriller super pro with the additional fire box or the smoking pro which is basically the same.the firebox grill is not a mod, it's a cooking grill for direct heat BBQ or for searing. I'm in the middle of modding mine just now, didn't need to seal the firebox to the main grill, did add a gasket to the fire box lid and the front of the lid, did the back as well which is mostly sealed with three levels of gasket. Still to do the side seals and the flue
Great video and thanks for making it. What is the benefit of the lava rocks? Better temp control?
Mark McClanathan It helps maintain/retain temp as well. Thanks for watching.
@@justmi4126 you're not actually cooking with lava rocks. Wood is the fuel in the smoke box off to the side
Thanks for the post!
RAIDER NATION 4 LIFE
So just curious if you placed the Charcoal and smoker wood on the cast iron grates in the smoker box? You have lava rocks on the fire box grates on the bottom so wasn't sure...thanks.
Great video and yes I am a new scribes! Getting a American Gourmet 1289 Smoker for Christmas from wifey and will be making mods (Tel Tru thermometers near the cooking area) and will be using your suggestions…How did you measure the flex pipe to know how close to get to the cooking surface? How did you get the pipe to stay in place? What recommendations can you make if I want to attach wheels to all the legs?
Thanks Jeffrey Murray! The length of the flex pipe I measured from the base of the exhaust pipe to the bottom of the lid. Cut to fit. The flex pipe I used actually fit snug so no mounting clamps or screws needed. The wheels were on mine already but I'm sure if you buy some you could drill holes to fit. Best of luck and Merry Christmas!
Ain't nobody got time for this!!!!
@fatman, sorry you don't have time for that. I don't think it's fair for you to speak for others than yourself. Thanks for taking the time to comment and watch.
@@Amilosin that's a figure of speech. it was ment as a joke.
Hye. Thank's a lot for the inspiration.
Great mods, I’m going to seal up my smoker, what do the lava rocks do for a cook?
bueller......bueller........
You still got The grill
Yes I do and still loving it
Thanks for the vid. What temp were you able to maintain? What did you burn in the firebox?
sorry for not replying sooner, I just got a new phone and saw some many more comments. Thanks for watching and for your compliment.
+Carl Grisham I have done apple, cherry, orange, oak, Mesquite but my favorite is hickory. I like using different woods to add layers of flavor say a 6 hour smoke, the first 5 with hickory and oak and finish the last our with a citrus wood to add a little depth.
thanks for the video. are the alum foils around for sealing the smoke also?
It helps fill the air gaps. I tried using different gasket materials and I did not have a lot of luck. Thanks for the good question.
Enjoyed the video. Very simple mods. Question. Did you put your charcoal/wood directly on top of the grill grates in the firebox?
Brandon yes I did but I also use the bottom of the fire box sometimes if I want a little lower heat for a longer smoke. Thanks for watching!
When you put the bolts back in, did you use any bolt locking fluid? Is it necessary, I just bought this model new and want to make sure I do it right when I assemble and make mods..
Brian Lawrence I did not use any thread sealant and I have had no issues. I move mine a lot and I'm not always so gentle with her. lol. Thanks for watching!
Question, I've seen this done on more then just one video. Why are people extending the exhaust vent lower? I'm trying to think of a reason but i can't.
Can anyone explain?
PartTime Trucker I saw a video that said it makes it harder for the heat to escape. Making it more efficient
Keeps the smoke and heat in the grill longer. Instead of coming from the heat box up and over to the vent the heat and smoke has to travel through the grill to get out.
PartTime Trucker it helps retain additional heat and control smoke flow a bit more. You must be careful though because if you don't adjust the lower baffles correctly you could let all the smoke out without getting it to the proteins
very informative! what is that red stuff called and what size is the hose to extend the stack? i got a similar pit and it needs a lot of TLC. thanks for your time.
Hi Temp RTV and 3'' on the stack extension. Thanks for watching and I hope it helps.
GO EAGELS BABY YEAAAAAAA
nice video I just purchased a new smoker. being new to the smoking game with an offset smoker how important are the baffles that you used to maintaining Heat?
oh yeah go Eagles , I saw the Eagles symbol on your tape measure LOL
the baffles really help on maintaining heat and also redirecting the smoke depending on what and how much you are smoking. Also, they catch any over flow from the tin pans I put on them that I fill with water and juice to keep the smoking area moisturized, you don't want your meat dry, or what ever else you smoke lol. Thanks for watching and asking away! What kind of smoker did you get? Happy smokin'.
+Carl Grisham I picked up the Char-Griller smoking champ 1624. Only cooked on it twice and I am really trying to get the hang of using it. I see that you have your setup for smoking. what modifications should I do for grilling and smoking? I like the modification of the two temperature probes on each end of the the lid, do you have any issues with the probes being and far enough to get a accurate temperature reading?
Should have used hitemp food safe silicon not rtv it's not food safe
After sealing it off with rtv and putting it back together will I need to cure it due to the rtv before I cook any foods? Thanks
Follow the directions on the rtv that you use and then after the cure time, I would suggest doing a cook with no food to check for leaks. Thanks for viewing and the question, happy smoking!
God damm right Go Eagles!!!
What does the extension stack do?
Charles Donohuee the extension to the stack does two things. One. Heat rises and like water will find the path of least resistance. Lowering the stack will force the rising heat to remain inside the chamber longer to find the lower stack to escape. Two, in the same manner as the rising escaping heat, the lowered stack will keep smoke in the chamber longer. All of the sealing of the chamber with the gasket sealer is useless if the heat and smoke makes a direct path from the fire box across the chamber and up and out.
Where you get it and how much?
Thanks for the question if you watch the video the information is in there
Can someone explain why the flex pipe is used, what is the purpose of brining the exhaust stack lower
The flex pipe forces the heat and smoke back down to grate level before exiting the smoker. The idea is without the flex pipe the heat and smoke travel above what ever you are smoking and goes straight out the chimney.
@@spanky1205 thank you, seems obvious once you explain it
I own this grill it just right for for the average person throwging some meat on the griill. it's not like you're going into competition with it.
I've just paid 500£ for one ! It's an absolute pile of shit, I've had my eyes out .
What’s the purpose of the aluminum foil ?
Just to try to get more of an air tight fit, thanks for watching.
Why the extra piece of aluminum tube on stack?
Helps keep the smoke inside longer. The smoke has to travel down under the grills to escape.
Go Birds!!! Fly Eagles Fly!!
Where did you get your thermostat? I have that same grill
Jia Yang, I got them at a local national do it yourself store. Thanks for asking and thanks for viewing.
I would be very hesitant to eat anything off this grill, the heating grade extension , the RTV and the dollar store baking sheets leeching gaseous chemicals into our food does not sound appetizing at all.
Steve that went thru my head toxic fumes
how long did you cut your,, vent tube to???
Douglas, great question. I cut mine to 7 and 3/4" you will loose cooking area in the back corner but I have not had any issues. Thanks for watching.
Should have been a 3/8 holes for your temp gauges not need washers then food for thought.
supertrucker591 thanks, I did want them counter sunk, t hats why the need for washers. It should give a truer temp.
I just fired mine up for the first time at midnight last night for what was supposed to be a 15 hour (10lb) pork shoulder roast. 18 19 hours later, One bag of charcoal and 3 bags of hickory wood chunks later, and no sleep, It is still not done (internal temp of 175 goal is min of 190) This is due to SEVERE leaking of the smoke where the top of the grill meets the bottom when you close it, there is a bit of a gap on the sides and the back. I stuffed allumium foil in there to try and seal it but it did not work. HELP anybody else with this issue???
Kyle Fraser I have an unmodifided Char-Griller and dealt with this same problem. It can be frustrating, but once you get the hang of this model's quirks, it's actually not so bad and is quite capable of producing some very fine barbecue. For one thing, don't trust the readings on the stock lid thermometer, it's junk. Only use it as a general indication of when the fire is down a bit; I've recalibrated mine many times and it still reads 50-75 degrees low. The temperature at cook grate level is more important. A cheap solution that works well is to buy a free-standing oven thermometer and place it on the cooking grate near the meat. As for firing the thing, I have found two solutions that work.
1.) Flip the charcoal pan over in the main chamber and use it as a baffle / tuning plate, using the small side firebox cooking grates as supports. Fill your side firebox up to the to lip of the main chamber entrance with unlit lump charcoal (or briquettes, if you prefer), then use the Minion Method to start a long, progressive burn; a half-chimney of lit briquettes on top of this pile works well and provides decent initial heat. On 12-hour smoke with an 11lb turkey last Thanksgiving, it was 6 hours before I even needed to add fuel (other than chunks of smoke wood every 30 minutes for the first several hours, of course). Temperatures stayed between 225 - 250.
2.) You can use what the Weber Bulletin refers to as the "Standard Method." Basically, you start with two full chimneys of briquettes (I imagine lump would work just as well, but I haven't tried it yet). Light both chimneys and let them burn until flames start to lick the briquettes on top and they begin to show just a bit of grey on the edges (about 10-15 minutes). Don't worry if the top briquettes are not all completely ashed-over. Dump both chimneys in the side firebox and spread the coals out with a firepoker (a piece of rebar works well for this), then close the side firebox lid. Add your smoking wood chips or chunks to the coals just after you add your meat. I smoked a batch of chicken thighs this way the other night and it has quickly become my preferred method. I didn't feel like flipping my charcoal pan, so instead, I placed a water pan on top of it at the opposite end of the cook chamber from the firebox, so all the meat was under the smokestack. I also rotated my meat; after 1 hour, the thighs at the front of the group were moved to the back and the next two rows moved up, so they all cooked evenly. Repeat as necessary. As it was only a 3 hr smoke, I left the side firebox damper wide-open and controlled everything with the stack damper (kept it open less than halfway to keep the heat and smoke in). After 2 or so hours, my temps dipped slightly, so I added another half-chimney of lit briquettes to carry it over the hump. I imagine I could probably get a longer burn if I closed the side damper a bit. Temps held a pretty steady 300+ degrees. All things considered, this method yielded the best performance I've ever gotten out of my Char-griller; the chicken turned out perfect! This method also offers a simple solution to the problem of ash-buildup on a long smoke. When you need to empty the ash drawer and your old coals are burning-down towards the end, light two fresh chimneys of coals. Keep your old coal going as long as you can to keep things warm, and when the chimneys are ready, quickly pull out the drawer and dump it in a metal ash bucket and replace it. Add your chimneys of fresh lit coals and your good to go for a few more hours. You shouldn't lose too much heat.
In either case, set a timer and only open your cook chamber once per hour and don't peek! Remember: "If you're looking, you're not cooking."
Hope this helps!
@gabriel bennett thank you for the reply. I have now added the dryer duct mod to her, and it seems to have helped a lot. I also lined the bottom with aluminum foil and added ceramic rocks on top all across the bottom. This really helps hold the heat. I have a cookie sheet all the way to the right where the side firebox attaches, to act as kind of a baffle, and i fill a tray up on top of that with water to keep my meats moist. I did a rack of ribs using the 2-2-1 method and it came out perfect and on time. (Actually the best ribs I ever had in my life and baby backs are my absolute favorite food in the world.) I am still getting a ton of smoke leakage from the back and sides of the main grill area....I put some aluminum foil in there to try to help but it doesn't really seem to do much. And yeah that thermometer is straight junk! It is probably 50-75 degrees low like you said. I will consider getting an oven thermometer, but I think with one full chimney and a few wood chunks in the fire box, I am smoking around 250 now. I think 2 full chimneys would be an awful lot and it would get too hot! I also think that my chimney starter might be bigger than most, it is a weber brand. .... So I have done ribs, a pork butt, and a few tenderloins. The ribs and the pork butt did come out really good, not sure what I am going to smoke next!
Kyle Fraser You're welcome! I actually have two different-sized charcoal chimneys. One is the large Weber chimney, like yours, the other is a slightly smaller Backyard Grill brand chimney from Walmart. I used the smaller one when I added that half-chimney of coals during the final hour. And you're right, starting with two lit chimneys of coals, it does put out a lot of heat; it actually made it work better, IMO. But, if you didn't need or want to run so hot, you could always use reduced charcoal loads, such as starting with just the Weber chimney and using the smaller one to add additional lit coals later. Controlling the amount of lit fuel added is a great way to control the heat. Glad to hear the modifications worked for you. Thats the most important thing with something like this: find a method that works well for YOU and go with it. I may eventually do the stack mod, myself. I also do conventional grilling, though, using just the main cook chamber, so prefer not to modify mine into a dedicated smoker.
I am single and no kids and I have a small portable charcoal grill that is designed for travel/camping and the like. If I am doing chicken quarters/halves, hot dogs, hamburgers, its just for myself and I just use the little guy for that. If you did do the duct mod, It wouldn't effect conventional grilling at all. I highly recommend it. The smoke is forced to build up in there and wont escape until it passes thru your meat instead of just escape immediatly out of the MANY exists that this model unfortunately has. Heat rises, its going from the firebox into the grill then striaght out the top I would say more than 60 or 70 percent without the duct. If you have a newer model like me, it is somewhat tricky to get it to fit. You want a 3" aluminum duct but the newer models are beveled and not flat or flush, so it is hard to get it to fit right to tighten a hose clamp around it but somehow I got it to work after a little bit of fidgeting. I had to shove a small portion INSIDE of the hole so that there was enough to go on the outside to clamp. I usually just throw coals in by hand when it starts to get low....(aka when the thermometer reads 150 lol....which means 200 haha) The stack mod is cheap and easy and proably the one single best mod that you can do to it. I am really tasting the smoky flavor of the different wood chunks that I use. For example my ribs I did a 3:1 ratio of cherry and hickory. It tasted amazing. When i did that pork butt I used like 2 bags of hickory wood because i was loosing so much heat and yeah that was a nightmare, it honestly did not have much of the hickory flavor just a subtle hint (ESP given the amoutn of hickory I used!!) With my ribs, (after the mod) I used 3 chunks of cherry one hunk of hickory and you could totally taste the flavor of the woods. Again, I can not stress enough that you do this mod as It will not affect your conventional grilling. I jsut hose clamped it to the opening and thats it....some people in these videos drill thru the grill and attach it with a screw which is pointless....just get a duct that bends most of them do.
Thought a little more about your meat staying at 175 after 19 hrs and I think you ran into the Stall. Basically, at low-and-slow cooking temps of around 225 or so, after your meat reaches a certain temperature, evaporative cooling prevents it from getting any hotter for awhile. In some cases, the Stall can last more than 6 hrs. Pulling the meat off and wrapping it in aluminum foil, then returning it to the heat (also known as a "Texas Crutch" or "Texas Cheat") is an easy way to defeat it. That's what I did with my turkey last Thanksgiving. You can also prevent the Stall altogether by using higher cook temps around 300 degrees. This page has a lot of good info on the Stall, the science behind it and how to beat it:
amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/the_stall.html
your wheels are on the wrong side according to specs.
+TigerSaint Thanks for the comment , not sure what the spec is but I did put some bigger wheels on it and it seems to work fine
+Carl Grisham I just put the Smokin Pro together and it said the firebox should be opposite the wheels. I guess not to tip over.
It's for maneuverability. The handle to move the smoker around is on the firebox, so you can really do much with the wheels on the wrong side.
Nirvalica in the event you have to move the smoker when it is in use, I put the wss wheels on the Firebox side so when pushing, you won't burn yourself on the box
go EAGLES!!
seems like your more of a gizmo guy, then a grill guy ... "RTV" Really ! ... just sayin' !!
I'm both, wanna see me smoke a butt or pepperoni bread?
1Reddogroad -
YES - i'd like to see both ! i'm sure they would be Great, if not for the RTV off gas ! ... just sayin' !!
1Reddogroad there is no gas, only wood and charcoal
This is perfect if you need a steam engine
Just buy a new grill! Geez
You even have to "sweeten" high-end grills. It'll make life easier and food better in the long run. Smokin is a labor of love....in every aspect.
ahartis Spoken like a smokemaster...thanks!
Eagles SUCKS!!!! GO COWBOYS!!!!
G Potter Well we can disagree on what team is better all day. Go watch your last playoff games and SB that still on VHS tapes. The future of the NFC East will run through Philadelphia!
@@Amilosin "How bout the Egulls!!! Lol, NO PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR!!!
KEEP SMOKING!!
So just curious if you placed the Charcoal and smoker wood on the cast iron grates in the smoker box? You have lava rocks on the fire box grates on the bottom so wasn't sure...thanks.
I only had the lava rock in there for heat retention