so im curious. you could build a UDS (ugly drum smoker) for less than $200 and be done with it. Why all the effort on this?
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Funny you should ask JR. I have considered making a mini smokehouse and get a good pettet unit to fire it but this is just one of those challenge deals that I have to try and make work. Besides, I think the UDS puts out a great product used properly but, it just isn't my dealComment
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I love following this project. It's about the accomplishment for me anyway. The challenge, the failure, the learning. In the end that sweet taste of success on a road less traveled. ( wow thats kind of a cheese post
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Jon, I think we went to different schools together!!
Although the S470 is kicking my butt right now getting the flames adjusted properly before I reassemble it. I need to find my manual. I also got to geterdone today as I have two racks of SL Ribs that are ready for the smoker. Man, the adventure of life's journey is running rampant.
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So I adjusted the air draw to each burner and it looks a lot better now. In the pic below yoiu can see I removed the valve assembly and the Phillips screw that has to be loosened.
A better pic and I opened the air hole another 1/8" as you can see from the mark on the screen
Pic of the burner valve assembly and igniter.
Major disassembly of the grill to take out the burners so I didn't.
Valve reinstalled
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Reconfigured the grill and did not not use the Weber smoker box that came with grill but got a RTec Tec 18" pellet tube that I will have to work on my technique and will tell you more.
Very light blue smoke out of the pellet tube.
I opened the vent hole some more and ended up only using one burner about 40% open to get to 225*F with the insulation.
Th ribs were terrible and they were just like MH describes them. Not quite fall off the bone, moist and very tender due to the breakdown of the collogen etc from the slow cook. I removed them from the smoker when the temp was 193*F at the thick end between ribs 1/2 and 2/3 measured with my Themopen.
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The HVAC tape I used on the cover did not deal with the temps well. I am looking for a higher temp sealing tape. It took exactly 3 hrs for these two slabs to get done. I am thinking I need to get a dedicated smoker as controlling was still a constant work in progress.Comment
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Barry you said the ribs were terrible? How so?Comment
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I was being facetious. If I fixed them as MH recommended and all the other attributes were there being terrible would be an oxymoron.
Jon, you passed the alertness test
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Barry, all that work and you still had temp control issues? Even so, only 3 hrs to "not quite fall off the bone" is pretty darn good, you're in PBC territory right there. I wish you were my neighbor.
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Well, I think i mesed up with the pellet tube. I used the main burner next to it and i think that heat source was to close to the pellets as the whole pound/tube burned off in just over 2 hrs. It should have lasted 4-6 hrs. At least my Maverick 732 kept me honest and i could see that the temp was drifting. next time I will use the next burner to the left which is still under the water pan but is considerably farther away from the pellet smoker tube. I might reverse the water box to the left again also.
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I have another thread now on the burner flame pattern and am addressing it there.
Now back to improving the smoking on my Gasser!! I am considering moving the water pan back to the left side. The smoker tube will stay on the right. I need comments and suggestions as it is getting to be a bit of insanity on my part. Ya know doing the same thing over and over and hoping to get different results.Comment
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