I can't believe it's less than two months since this beast of a baby arrived. Six cooks in I've decided I really like this cooker, and there's a lot more to learn.
Fire management
I ended up buying the propane torch Smoker_Boy suggested. It's pretty great. I don't know why I didn't get one sooner.
Once started, the Baby seems to settle in between 255 and 275. Airflow is controlled by adjusting the ball valve going into the firebox; there is no adjustment for the exhaust chimney (more on that later). Once it's up to temp it recovers quickly after opening the cabinet. So far a load of charcoal lasts about six hours.
I added a Flame Boss 500 into the mix and it really helps bring the smoker up to temp quickly. The one issue is that it is prone to overshooting the temp after the cabinet has been opened. The instructions recommend adjusting the exhaust...but there is not adjustment on this model and nowhere to attach one. I've thought of a few ways to overcome this (including just some foil on the stack) but I'm leaning toward adding a little flap to the rain cap we've strapped to the stack.
About that rain cap...The Baby is on a patio out in the weather. No shelter when it rains, which seemed like it would be a problem since the exhaust stack is open to the sky. After browsing at similar smokers, I emailed the folks at Assassin Smokers and purchased their add-on dog house cap. We attached this to the stack with a stainless hose clamp (see photo). I'm thinking with a longer bolt I can add a flat piece of steel to allow me to adjust the air flow.
Smoking wood chunks are added to the ash pan and burned when the embers fall through the grate. I really didn't think this would work but decided to follow the directions anyway. It works beautifully. I now add them after the cabinet is up to temp.
Charcoal is B&B Competition from Walmart...great prices and free delivery to my door.
Overall the cooker is very efficient and produces very little smoke. It does make the back yard smell really good.
Food management
Heat enters the cabinet from the bottom right, just above the grease diverter. This point is just below the bottom rack. This is the hottest spot in the smoker, followed closely by the rack position just above that. The top left is the coolest spot. I've been placing the Flame Boss pit sensor in the middle of the middle rack. Things I want to cook faster or at higher temps (think chicken skin) go on the bottom right and fan out from there. Things that will be in there for six or eight hours go on the top.
Impressions so far
So far we've done chicken leg quarters, baby back ribs, St. Louis ribs, beef plate ribs, pork butt (both boneless and bone-in), and a boneless prime rib (which I reverse seared on the gasser). Doing about a dozen chicken legs on the bottom two racks was how I discovered how the heat dispersed. It's some of the best pulled chicken I've done. The ribs were on par with those I've done in the KBQ. My neighbor, to whom we gifted a rack of baby backs and some pulled chicken raved about both. (Note: it was her husband who challenged me to a rib cook-off when we moved in. After seeing my current setup and sampling the output, he said he would be like entering an F1 race in a go-kart. He wants lessons.)
I would still have a problem paying full price, but if you can find a used one go for it! I couldn't be happier.
Fire management
I ended up buying the propane torch Smoker_Boy suggested. It's pretty great. I don't know why I didn't get one sooner.
Once started, the Baby seems to settle in between 255 and 275. Airflow is controlled by adjusting the ball valve going into the firebox; there is no adjustment for the exhaust chimney (more on that later). Once it's up to temp it recovers quickly after opening the cabinet. So far a load of charcoal lasts about six hours.
I added a Flame Boss 500 into the mix and it really helps bring the smoker up to temp quickly. The one issue is that it is prone to overshooting the temp after the cabinet has been opened. The instructions recommend adjusting the exhaust...but there is not adjustment on this model and nowhere to attach one. I've thought of a few ways to overcome this (including just some foil on the stack) but I'm leaning toward adding a little flap to the rain cap we've strapped to the stack.
About that rain cap...The Baby is on a patio out in the weather. No shelter when it rains, which seemed like it would be a problem since the exhaust stack is open to the sky. After browsing at similar smokers, I emailed the folks at Assassin Smokers and purchased their add-on dog house cap. We attached this to the stack with a stainless hose clamp (see photo). I'm thinking with a longer bolt I can add a flat piece of steel to allow me to adjust the air flow.
Smoking wood chunks are added to the ash pan and burned when the embers fall through the grate. I really didn't think this would work but decided to follow the directions anyway. It works beautifully. I now add them after the cabinet is up to temp.
Charcoal is B&B Competition from Walmart...great prices and free delivery to my door.
Overall the cooker is very efficient and produces very little smoke. It does make the back yard smell really good.
Food management
Heat enters the cabinet from the bottom right, just above the grease diverter. This point is just below the bottom rack. This is the hottest spot in the smoker, followed closely by the rack position just above that. The top left is the coolest spot. I've been placing the Flame Boss pit sensor in the middle of the middle rack. Things I want to cook faster or at higher temps (think chicken skin) go on the bottom right and fan out from there. Things that will be in there for six or eight hours go on the top.
Impressions so far
So far we've done chicken leg quarters, baby back ribs, St. Louis ribs, beef plate ribs, pork butt (both boneless and bone-in), and a boneless prime rib (which I reverse seared on the gasser). Doing about a dozen chicken legs on the bottom two racks was how I discovered how the heat dispersed. It's some of the best pulled chicken I've done. The ribs were on par with those I've done in the KBQ. My neighbor, to whom we gifted a rack of baby backs and some pulled chicken raved about both. (Note: it was her husband who challenged me to a rib cook-off when we moved in. After seeing my current setup and sampling the output, he said he would be like entering an F1 race in a go-kart. He wants lessons.)
I would still have a problem paying full price, but if you can find a used one go for it! I couldn't be happier.
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