Brinkman smoker help

[LT72884]

So today i started up the brinkman gourmet smoker. I added a new temp gauge and a coal rack at the bottom of the smoker so the ash doesnt smother my charcoal. I read on some other forums that you can get a chimney full of caol to last up to 4 hours at around 250-300*F. Well mine lasts about 2 hours then i need to replace it. Any way t make it longer?

im using half cowboy charcoal and half kingsford regular

[JohnL]

Hi there LT,
I,m no expert, but 1st I'd recommend useing all charcoal briquettes instead of half and half. Cowboy charcoal burns hot and fast, great for searing steaks. Briquettes burn steady and slower. I'm also not familiar with the Gourmet Smoker, but does it have adjustable air flow vents? If not, I'm sure that you add them easily. Also try googling "the minion method" which will tell you how to properly stack your coals for even heat and slow ignition.
Hope this helps some.
John.

[LT72884]

Yay, someone replied. No there are no vents at the top. There is a one inch hole at the bottom of the coal pan and when you put the lid on there is a 1/4 inch or so gap between the lid and the body of the smoker. So i imagine that is used for ventilation. Ok so just use a FULL chimney of kingsford and no cowboy charcoal? My goal is to get one batch from a chimney or equivualent to last 3-4 hours so i can cut back on fuel costs.

thanx

[Uncle Bob]

IMO 3-4 hours of cook time at 225*+ is a stretch for a Regular Chimney full of Charcoal....Like JohnL said...use pure briquettes --- The Minion Method will help too. Also try to find Royal Oak, Rancher, or Wicked Good Charcoal...Royal Oak will probably be the easiest to find...You will like the burn time, and the absence of so much ash.....

Have Fun!

[LT72884]

Dang cuz two and a half chimney fulls of charcoal for a 5.5 hour cook is alot. i would like to cut it down a bit. What stores carry royal ok charcoal? does walmart?

Here is my ribs after the 5.5 hour smoke with 1-2 pieces chunk hickory soaked in water. I do not like a heavy smoke flavor.

[Uncle Bob]

Walmart in my area does not....Let you fingers do the walking....
What is the black on the ribs? A shadow?

[LT72884]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Walmart in my area does not....Let you fingers do the walking....
What is the black on the ribs? A shadow?

yeah from my arm holding the camera. I used weber's grill creation sweet and tangy and some cajun seasoning as the rub

[LT72884]

will the minion method work for my smoker. It is the brinkman gourmet charcoal smoker.

thanx

[JohnL]

Hey there LT,
Yes the minion method will help. But do a little web search before your next smoke project. Try googling brinkman water smoker or el cheapo brinkman smoker. (yeah, I know it don't sound very flattering) There are lots of threads to modify your smoker for temp control.

[LT72884]

ok i will give it a try

[Michael in FtW]

Here is one site with detailed instructions on the ECB Modifications.

[MJK]

In my own experience getting charcoal to last 5 hours at cooking temperatures was a near impossibility in my old Brinkman. I would ususally add a handful of briquettes periodically (4 or 5 every hour) and did not use an ash grate. Also if it is windy or cold use a windbreak. Do not move the thing inside or under a roof though. Otherwise you get to meet a lot of people you probably wouldn't want to invite to your house otherwise. Most of my other tips, such as using wood to supplement the charcoal probably won't work for you as you don't want the heavy smoke flavor. The ribs look great. Keep up the good work.

[LT72884]

Originally Posted by MJK

In my own experience getting charcoal to last 5 hours at cooking temperatures was a near impossibility in my old Brinkman. I would ususally add a handful of briquettes periodically (4 or 5 every hour) and did not use an ash grate. Also if it is windy or cold use a windbreak. Do not move the thing inside or under a roof though. Otherwise you get to meet a lot of people you probably wouldn't want to invite to your house otherwise. Most of my other tips, such as using wood to supplement the charcoal probably won't work for you as you don't want the heavy smoke flavor. The ribs look great. Keep up the good work.

I tried to add 4-5 unlit pieces every hour but i noticed that they did not light. So i just stuck with the chimney. I used the grate because if i dont the ash smothers all the charcoal.