Brinkmann Stainless Smoke n' Grill

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BeeRich

Sous Chef
Joined
May 20, 2009
Messages
583
Location
Toronto, Canada
Well, I bought a smoker. Yep. Couldn't get the Napoleon to get up to temperature.

In any case, I bought the stainless one (this picture is not the stainless one):

Brinkmann-Smoke-N-Grill-Charcoal-Smoker-and-Grill_0_0.jpg


I did some modifications that should help me out:

http://www.randyq.addr.com/ecb/ecbmods.html

The lid is huge loose. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. If not, how do I fix that? Foil around the lid seems like a complete waste. The unit also didn't ship with hardware, so they have to UPS Ground it up from Texas, and it didn't make it to me yet, and it's a long weekend. Huge pain.

I will be curing the thing this afternoon probably. Then two pulled porks tonight to test out the unit.

Question 1: What should I do to fix the gap around the lid?

Question 2: What thermometer should I get for it? The thermometer on this one is quite vague and they didn't send it to me, nor would I trust it.

Any input?

Cheers
 
Dont worry about the loose lid..they are all like that. Lets the rain through etc. Forget buying a gauge for it..the one thats on there works just fine. Drill a few 1/2-3/8" holes in the firepan so it can get some air. You should be in like Flynn so to speak. Now if you can make the little gauge spin around past hot till it gets back to Ideal you will know that sucker is hot hot and it time to cook schickens:) Sorry to hear about the nuts and bolts shortage. Know that be like a chillins with a new toy and can't use it. I feels your pain.

bigwheel
 
OK, I'll go for it. The t-gauge is missing, so I'm going to wing it tonight. I have a raiser in the firepan which is stainless which I drilled as well. I will film the unit before I light her up.

Cheers
 
LOL I'm in Toronto. Southern Ontario.

Oh, while I got you here...any advice on lighting charcoal properly? I couldn't find any chimneys, as they've run out locally.
 
Well bunch of options on that. I light mine with a propane flame thrower sorta like my Uncle Jim used to light up the Japs in their hidey holes on Iwo Jima..but his run on Ethyl gas and Ivory Snow I think. Anyway harbor freight is the best place to buy one if you want it. Electric charcoal lighter works good for home use. Commonly available at Wally World. Yall got Wally Worlds up in them vast expanses of the frozen North? Could stoop to using chemicals I suppose. Wax cubes or Gulflight. If your stuck with Kingsford and cant fine any lump get the Mesquite flavor. It slightly the lesser of the evils I think. That whut Big Dave say anyway. I dont use the junk myself.

bigwheel
 
Ah I have a propane burner in the garage. Sounds like it will go to good use now. Great idear.

We don't have Harbour Freight here.
Nor Wally World.
Frozen is a way more up North...Toronto is close to Northern California's latitude.

I get natural charcoal.

Thanks for the idea. Save me lots of hassle.

Oh, by the way, video posted on my link below, but I'll embed here:

<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ry_1hqJ2wXA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ry_1hqJ2wXA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

Cheers
 
Looks like you got it going on there. Now I didn't notice any holes in the firepan. Did you follow that piece of advice by any chance. If you didnt good luck on keeping up the heat. You also need more protection for that nice wooden deck than that cake pan. Try a kids plastic swimming pool with a few bags o play sand in it. Already had one yup who burned down his deck which is why they quit putting holes in the firepan of them Brinkmanns supposedly. Make yourself a ball of tinfoil and stick it in the hole where the gauge goes. I got a grill like that too. Meaning it got a big hole where the gauge goes. Keep the water hose handy.

bigwheel
 
Ya nothing yet. I heard of that, but I wanted to throw it together to see how she goes. The heat has subsided a bit, but I didn't fill the pan. I wanted to cure it tonight. I thought I'd be smoking tonight, but not going to happen. Tomorrow.

Any advice as to where to put the holes in the fire pan?

I have a proper pan coming with the shipment, but I have no clue when she'll get here. They shipped it UPS Ground from Texas to Toronto. Might get here September.

So tomorrow should be fun. More videos as I load the sucker. I don't think this thing will be running all day, so I'll have to reload afternoon/evening.
 
Well the original models came with a hole directly in the bottom of the pan about the size of an Americkan fifty cent piece. Now whut that would be in Canadaian coin of the realm I aint got a clue eh? Now I aint got any drill bits that big currently on hand anyway so I would start out with about 4 half in holes equidistant apart direct on the bottom of the pan. If it dont get hot enough to suit ya drill some mo holes. I got firepans on my dedicated chicken blasters which could enroll in Seminary cuz they so holey. In comp cooking I developed a theory that if a person could cook 4 half chickens in one hour or less it stood a good chance of being the grand prize winner. I figgerd for each additional 5 mins it take to bring it to 175 as measured in the thigh it would drop one place in the awards ceremony. Take 90 mins might as well feed it to the dawgs or neighbors etc. Course..you dont want to cook a brisket at them temps I dont think. Try the 4 holes and see whut happens. That should equal about 2" in intake which should be mo than plenty. Heck start with 3 and give it a try cuz I dont think half dollars is two inches across. Course if you wanted to get fancy and turn that thang into a WSM you could rig up a sliding or spinning plate on the bottom to give you some options on how much air to let it have. Just trying to cover all the bases here:)

bigwheel
 
Yeah I'm using this specifically for smoking, no grilling. I have a Napoleon for that.

OK so direct on the bottom. I have to get something for the bottom then, as it will light my house on fire.

I will try two half inch holes (I'll see what I got for bits) and go from there.

Thanks again
 
Good luck like BW said, a friend had one & threw it away. They don't stay hot & are a pain to mess with. If'in I was you I would send it back & get a WSM
 
I done tole you thats how they make em. Use any size holes you got a drill bit for. Most of mine are 3/8" seems like. As the Boy say a WSM be mo easier to manage and approx the same price. The internal firepan is a real pain in the coola on the ECB's. Brinkmann Gourmet works much mo betta cuz it has a two piece design where you can lift the barrell off to tend the fire. Whether they let you take it back after you have done built a fire in it..I just aint sure. Now if yall had a Wally World they give you a refund quick. Might play up the missing nuts and bolts deal purty heavy if they give you any trouble. Or if you decide to keep it I will vote thataway too. I am sorta like ACORN on certain issues. I vote early and often and prob will continueth till past time to go to be with the Lord. Holler any old time.

bigwheel
 
Same price? This was $169, the WSM 22" is close to $500. I think I might look at the 18".

My video shows that I've modified the firepan as a separate unit. The people I bought it from aren't that smart, and they are running end of line, from what I gather.

Anyway I'll probably sell it on Craigslist or Kijiji this week and get me a Weber. The Napoleon is too damn expensive.
 
bigwheel said:
I done tole you thats how they make em. Use any size holes you got a drill bit for. Most of mine are 3/8" seems like. As the Boy say a WSM be mo easier to manage and approx the same price. The internal firepan is a real pain in the coola on the ECB's. Brinkmann Gourmet works much mo betta cuz it has a two piece design where you can lift the barrell off to tend the fire. Whether they let you take it back after you have done built a fire in it..I just aint sure. Now if yall had a Wally World they give you a refund quick. Might play up the missing nuts and bolts deal purty heavy if they give you any trouble. Or if you decide to keep it I will vote thataway too. I am sorta like ACORN on certain issues. I vote early and often and prob will continueth till past time to go to be with the Lord. Holler any old time.

bigwheel

Regardless what you did a tolls me (or however you spell that in the South), it still doesn't make sense. The main body isn't round, and there's way too much space around the top for any heat to be kept, regardless how hot you can get it. In fact, the hotter you get the fire burning, the more heat you lose. Smoking is a long term thing, last time I checked.

Also, I've seen even the new WSM's need foil to pack them tight. So it seems nobody can get them right. And they don't have them at Canadian Tire. You have Canadian Tire down there boy?

http://virtualweberbullet.com/22wsm.html

On faut dire "bon chance"!
 
Well a person got to be purty anal to worry about the loose fitting lid. I bet thats yankees poking all the tinfoil down in the crack. It will hold down plenty of heat the way they build em. Old chum of mine who runs a big Mom n Pop C-store has the largest selection of beer in N. Texas. Sure I can find that stuff you mention if I put my mind to looking for it. I only drink beer once a week which is boys night out on Friday. I usually do Bud Light so to maintain my youthful figger. I was knocking out 3 or 4 18 packs a week of Natural Light (since it so cheap) but the Doc got to naggin about my triglycerides and the Warden convinced herself it was caused by all the beer. Now I just drink ice water with a splash of Franzia Chillable Red to get the water taste outta the mouf parts.

bigwheel
 
Nope neva met them folks. About as exotic as I get is Shiner. For coffee I drink Folgers from a dirty cup if that helps any.

bigwheel
 
I was pining for a WSM but with a kid in college, one a year away, and one in HS something always came up. I got one of the Brinkman Stainless Steel Smokers as my 25 years of service gift last year. Boy, was I disappointed. These things are pure junk. I never used it and gave it to a friend.
I'm glad to see you went for the WSM. I did, too.
 

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