The Pellet Jambo Redux!

[CandySueQ]

Heading to Hammond, LA for the contest 2 years ago, the back door fell off my J3 when crossing the railroad tracks leaving work. It was a combination of rusty weld on the hinge, missing bolt on the other hinge and a slippy door latch. The door landed square on the pellet fire system. I was 30 minutes down the road before I got the call that the working part of my cooker was back at work.

Hammond is coming up again on March 23-24 and if all goes to schedule, it will be the maiden cook for the new pellet-fire system on the Jambo! I've cooked a couple of contests with the Jambo in stick wood mode, one was the World Food Championship in Orange Beach, AL last November. I have two back doors for the cooker, one for wood and the other has the pellet-fire mounted on it.

I'd given the old pellet system to Cliff who'd bought the Tucker Cooker that it originally came on. About 6-8 months ago, I asked Cliff if he thought he could build another one using the old one as a model. Sure, he said! He took my Jambo home yesterday to test it out. There've been issues with auger controllers. Yesterday, he asked if I'd be happy with a variable rheostat like a dimmer switch to control the auger. I really like the idea -- more control.

This pellet-fire is non-temperature controlled! High-medium-low for fan and pellet drop. No igniter. Removable fire pot so you can start with a wood/charcoal fire and switch to pellets.

Old photo, pit is now RED!

[Troutman]

So if I’m reading this right, you smoke with wood conventionally then switch to pellets to finish? Does this save you from having to tend an all night fire? Interesting concept.

[CandySueQ]

Either/or, actually! I have cooked all pellets, but I like tending a fire. Started doing this when the auger sheared off at a contest. It's nice to have the flexibility. I do have to use the fan to "air" the fire though.

[SoCalTim]

Genius!

[RonB]

As long as it works...

[CandySueQ]

Should work! My bit of quandary is cooking temp. I've gotten to where I like hot n fast...

[DWCowles]

That’s pretty neat.

[randy.56]

It was nice to meet you in Nashville, smoke on!

[CandySueQ]

Nice to meat you too! What’s your team name?

[randy.56]

Baja smoking, we did not do so well, we changed 3 new meat's recipe, may do better to go back to what we were doing. At least the snow and rain heald off until Sunday.

[TripleB]

Well, I think I've seen everything now. A stick burner transformed to a pellet pooper. I don't get it, but it is fascinating. Best of luck in your competitions. Wish you were on the west coast. I'd love to look that smoker over.

[CandySueQ]

I cooked with it for 4 years before the door fell off! Jamie Geer, owner of Jambo Pits, put the first pellet fire on. Burns about 60# at a contest. Yoder Cimarron does a cook with 40#

[Jerod Broussard]

I love it. I don't miss tending fires.

[Skip]

Great Idea CandySue. That looks like a fun cooker. Wishing you Good Luck in all your competitions!!

[CandySueQ]

Thanks! I’ll take plenty of photos!