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First cook on new smoker!

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    First cook on new smoker!

    Hello everyone! I started a new job in January which has had me busy busy busy and I haven't been able to cook as much as I'd like to. This weekend was different though. As some here know, I've been building (with lots help, of course!) an offset smoker with a 250-gallon propane tank I found in a scrapyard. Here it is, in all it's glory:

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    I got it trailer mounted so I could take it places, like this weekend we took it up to the mountains for a rib cookout. Here we are on the way up:

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    We certainly got some stares on the road! This thing cooks like a dream, so stable and consistent. I got a nice fire going using mango and guava wood and it maintained 250-275f consistently and without much trouble, most of the time both thermometers reading exactly the same temperature. Great cooker!

    Here it is getting the fire going:

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    Once up to temp and burning a real clean fire, I put 5 racks of St. Louis ribs rubbed with MMD:

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    It really is a thing of great beauty:

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    Sadly the ribs were done when it was dark and we couldn't get some good pics, but here they are. Honestly, I thought they were the best ribs I've cooked so far, and I'm rarely happy with my rib results. I served 2 racks without sauce (I liked those best!) and 3 racks with KC Classic sauce.

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    Such a fun cook! Can't wait keep taking this great cooker on many adventures!

    For the experts here, this should cure my MCS for a while... right?

    Cheers!

    #2
    Beautiful! I’ve been on the lookout for a used 250 gal tank to do a build just like this...still looking. Love everything you did...from the giant firebox to that fat smoke stack and everything in between. Also, I too am a fan of dry ribs since visiting Memphis a few years ago. Can’t wait to see more shots of this thing in action on future cooks!

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks!

    #3
    I'm not an expert, but in regards to having found a cure for MCS, I dunno...I think that might fall under the heading of fairy tales and wishful thinking! Although you could be correct that what you have done could possibly keep you safe for a little while!

    LOL!

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Just for a little while, that's all I'm asking!

    #4
    Great stuff... Glad you made your vision a reality. Later when you get time I will suggest a few tweaks and add ons that can be done to enhance your cooking experience.

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks for all the help my friend! Really appreciate it.

    #5
    Great to see that thing fired up! I like the rustique look!

    Comment


    • Steve R.
      Steve R. commented
      Editing a comment
      You guys put the rust in rustic.

    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks! Some people told me to paint it, but I like it the way it is!

    #6
    That smoker looks amazing! You really did a good job. I will have to pretend to know how good those ribs tasted. Now, if only I could find some mango and guava wood around Michigan...

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      The grass is always greener I guess! I've always wanted to get some oak wood down here, but it's a protected variety of tree so you can't get it. But fruitwoods, especially guava, are real nice.

    #7
    Great job and cool cooker! One beast of a cooker that's for sure!

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thank you!

    #8
    That is a beautiful thing. Sad to say, though,I am pretty sure it has been medically proven that MCS is 99.99% incurable...

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Well at least if I were to catch an incurable disease, I'd hope it was MCS!

    #9
    Congrats on a successful build. I'm lookin' forward to many more cook photos.

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks! Will fire it up again this weekend!

    #10
    Excellent rig and I'm sure it's satisfying to know you made that rig yourself.

    How thick is the wall on a tank like that?

    Thanks ... Rhett

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thank you! It's 1/4" inch steel.

    #11
    Awesome rig, and great looking ribs!

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks!

    #12
    Wow...great looking ribs..When I got done with them,those bones would look like they were dipped in acid!

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      They looked like that after!

    #13
    Nice job! Congrats!!

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thank you!

    #14
    DUDE !!! So impressed and yea a bit jealous...nice piece of work. Curiously though, how is that mango and guava wood on flavor, bet it's really good??? My Filipino wife claims you should save the mango trees for their fruit and not burn the wood, but I explain to her that sooner or later a tree gives out and it's better than letting it rot on the ground.

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      I agree with your wife on that one, but mango trees grow so large you have to trim them or they get toppled over by storms. So I got a LOT of mango wood from my mother's mango tree last year when she had to trim it down cause it was becoming dangerous. And it's good wood. But guava, that's my favorite, especially in pork. Can't use it exclusively though b/c it's a real strong flavor, but in a measured way I love the flavor it gives BBQ and like I said especially in pork. Real good!

    #15
    That's an awesome looking smoker! Great job ...

    Comment


    • gijsveltman
      gijsveltman commented
      Editing a comment
      Thank you!

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