Evil pellet fired stick burner Modification

[Powersmoke_80]

Well it all started with the purchase of a Brinkmann pellet grill a couple years ago. Loved the ease but not enough smoke flavor for me. So this spring came across an older Brinkman Longhorn offset Its 1/4"wall 20'diameter x 42"CC on Craigslist that was made by Rodger Davidson that builds Horizons now. It is similar to his 20" RD Special Marshal Smoker and I Love the capacity and flavor of what comes off the stick burner but not tending for long over night cooks. So since I had started to build a stick burner based on a Jambo backyard with an insulated firebox and want to incorperate a pellet burner in it prior to purchasing the Longhorn I decided to do a little testing with the longhorn and adapted the pellet hopper off the Brinkmann pellet fueled grill.
I was asked to do a pulled pork for my god daughters graduation (175 people) in a couple weeks and figured on a 100 lbs raw based on what else they are serving. I didn't want to stay up all night tending a fire and am hoping to give 4- hours or so wood smoke and let the pellets take over for the night. So here are some pics of what I put together today and ​let the testing begin

Made an adapter plate to replace the door when opened that clamps on
Basket on top of burn pot for logs.
​Bread test , the center is a little hotter where the covection plate ends and stack end is cooler so may have to add some tuning plates to push the heat down further.

Also testing cherry pits as a fuel source mixed with pellets.

[Huskee]

Now that's cool!

[Jerod Broussard]

Neat.

Any crop dusters fly under those big power lines in the background?

[Powersmoke_80]

Yeah, not often but they're so cool to watch. There used to be a small airstrip between the fields running parallel with those powerlines and always seen a small plane taking off. Now the hanger is storage and they just recently tilled it under.

[martybartram]

That is a smart set up! I am really curious to hear how the cherry pits work out. The bread test is genius as well, I do not believe I have ever seen that before.

[Powersmoke_80]

Ha ha, since Michigan is the cherry Capitol of the World they are sold for heating I bought a 1,000lb tote.

[martybartram]

I will be driving through lower MI up to the UP in a couple of weeks. I might have to pick some up. But probably not 1000#.

[Powersmoke_80]

They sell them by the 50 pound bags and they are washed and dried.
I was using them for some heat packs also like they do with rice.

[Darchie03]

That is interesting. I have an 18" Pellet Pro Pellet Hopper assembly that is new & have been considering something similar to that I have an Auber controller on an insulated COS now & am trying to decide what I want to set up for the low desert of AZ. where I hide from winter for 1/2 of the year. Sense I don't want to move this one back & forth. Let us know how this setup works. Thanks,
Dave.

[CandySueQ]

I love the grate a-top the pellet firebox! Sweet way to get extra smoke. How did cherry pits work out? Very Interesting. Nice setup, bet it works well.

[Powersmoke_80]

Thanks, the pits start slow almost smolder then burn hot from the oil in the center like pouring gas on it. The slow start causes more fluctuation in temp.
Mixing 50/50 with pellets helped that in the smaller grill. We will see how this one runs.

[Powersmoke_80]

I only started trying this last night but I seen when I put a fresh log on it didn't get the white smoke. It started burning clean right away because I think the fire from the pellets was hot enough to consume the smoke

[Spinaker]

This is awesome. I love projects like this. What do you have planned for the tuning plates?

Do the cherry pits burn like pellets or do they burn slower?

Powersmoke_80 Great post!! Thanks for sharing!

[Powersmoke_80]

Thanks Spin, probably just cut some 1/4 in flat stock that I can adjust the gap between them for now.
See comment above to CandySue for how pits burn.

[Powersmoke_80]

One thing I noticed tonight in testing was once this iron is warmed up takes very little to maintain 225 and is consistent across the board just running pellets. Also when this was mounted on the pellet Grill there was a lot of smoke coming back through the pellet hopper and now there is none probably due to the bigger stack and better flow.

[Jerod Broussard]

That's great to hear. Makes me wish I had another COS begging for mod's.

[Powersmoke_80]

Guest , best part coming from the Cherry capital, cherry pits are less than $.15 a pound if I can get these babies to work right mixing with pellets.

[Jerod Broussard]

Sweet!

[Powersmoke_80]

Ok, All in all it works great, I am thinking of adding some air intakes in the adapter plate to see if this helps the splits burn better with out being directly over the firepot. I am thinking it will help with out restricting the flow only getting air from the combustion fan. I did an 18 hour run with it last weekend with about 2 hours of it at warp 10 for the chicken and went through 27 pounds of cooking pellets and half a wagon of splits. Didn't seem too bad for a 14 lb brisket 3 racks of loin back ribs, and two whole chickens, Also i might add the chicken turned out spectacular, very even ,no burning and super juicy.
The next test will be 94 lbs of Boston butt for Sunday grad party.
Can you say Got Pork?

[GadjetGriller]

thats a lot of meat very jealous of the dedicated Fridge!! I 'never have enough Fridge real-estate!

[Huskee]

Busy man, nice! Gotta love the labor of love when you get asked to do a grad party. I've done 2 myself and it's a lot of fun after the 'work' part of it is done.

[Powersmoke_80]

How many Pork butts have you had on your Yoder loaded Wichita at one time?

[Huskee]

@Powersmoke_80 commented
June 21st, 2016, 05:09 PM

How many Pork butts have you had on your Yoder loaded Wichita at one time?

I have a pic from one I did last summer with 18 butts, each in the ~4.5lb range. I was given nine 9-lb butts to prep & cook. I probably could've fit maybe 20 (2 more) on top if I'd needed to. That would make my capacity right there near 90lbs using only the 2 shelves, and should be yours too.

[Powersmoke_80]

Thanks man, so Looks like you cut them in half and deboned? I may have to run a couple in my kettle as well I have 12 and I don't have a top rack (yet) though I may leave them whole so they can stand in edge get more height. Think I need to get creative.

[Huskee]

Powersmoke_80 Cut in half, yes which I usually do but I never debone...too much hassle. I didn't realize you don't have a top shelf, but yeah if you stand them up on edge you should be ok. You could use skewers to hold them & balance if needed.

[Powersmoke_80]

That is exactly what I was thinking skewers between three of them. I know they'll go two wide front to back laying flat but hoping for three on edge.

[GadjetGriller]

OK that is Frigging genius! I think you are on to the next great Smoker idea!! (for us Lazy folks that like to sleep for overnight cooks!!) Please let us know how it turned out and when the kick-starter program is up and running I'll contribute!!

[Powersmoke_80]

Ha ha thanks, yes overnight cooks are killer with a stick burner this does help.
I started building A hybrid like this one last year and hit a roadblock trying to decide where to put the pellet burner but with this test I think I've got it figured out, it is going underneath the wood grate.

[GadjetGriller]

I truly believe your on to something!! Dang I wish I could think out of the box like you, heck most of the people on here do!!

[Powersmoke_80]

Ok, All in all it works great, I added some air intakes in the adapter plate to see if this helps the splits burn better with out being directly over the firepot. I am thinking it will help with out restricting the flow only getting air from the combustion fan. I did an 18 hour run with it fathers day weekend with about 2 hours of it at warp 10 for the chicken and went through 27 pounds of cooking pellets and half a wagon of splits. Didn't seem too bad for a 14 lb brisket 3 racks of loin back ribs and two whole chickens, Also i might add the chicken turned out spectacular, very even ,no burning and super juicy.
10 Boston butts for Grad party yesterday.

[Breadhead]

What you're doing is creative.👍 Your food looks fantastic and I loved seeing your Golden Retriever keeping an eye on your project.👌 Good luck on your cook. Send pictures.😎

[Powersmoke_80]

Thanks! Breadhead

[Huskee]

How'd that party feast turn out?

[Powersmoke_80]

It turned out very well, my friends said they had a ton of compliments on The pulled pork and the barbecue baked beans. Had quite a bit of extra and their guests that helped clean up were asking to take some home.

[Huskee]

Guest 👍👍🐖

[Jerod Broussard]

That is something pretty cool.

Like GadjetGriller has said. I can't think inside the box much less outside......