Good stuff keep us posted 2hunt
Definitely a learning curve for me. I have used an offset smoker for 15 years, and a Big green egg for the last year+. I've got a good grasp on what I need to do... Now I need COLD weather to do some cheese
Right after firing it up
Up to temp after putting ribs in
Very cool. I built a smoker my first year I was stationed up in Oregon. I wanted to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving but couldn't afford to buy one so I drug home a landing gear create from the base. I stood it up on one end, put some corregated aluminum on it for a roof at a slight angle so the water would run off (rains a lot in Oregon), put some hinges on the lid for a door, bought and installed a cheap thermometer, put the rack from the oven in there on some 1x2 slats I screwed to the sides, and put a single burner hotplate in the bottom along with a few holes drilled with a hole saw around the base and the top. I soaked some alder in water and put them on a hot cast iron skillet to start the process. About 10hrs later we had an awesome smoked turkey for Thanksgiving. I had to leave it there when I transferred though...
Make sure you show us some pictures of your finished ribs Allen :chef
Well I am spoiled using my BGE, because they use such little fuel. Literally you use like 2# of lump and a block of wood of choice the size of your fist and they run for 14 hours.
This I have used a 1/2 bag of lump and about 5 pieces of oak. I got my digi thermometer set up to watch the ambient temp inside. I can see the smoker from my recliner and have the remote to the thermometer clipped on my laptop, and watching NFL redzone (rough life, I know)... It definitely needs a good fire to keep the temp up. I've struggled with keeping it at 225 with a small fire. Definitely have to build a bigger fire next time...
or
Put my turkey fryer inside on the bottom for heat, and vent my egg to it for smoke. I could do that easily with a dryer hose and it would cost much less in the long run
Those type of smokers work good with an electric hot pate and sawdust. My next progect is gonna be a block smoker/ cooker/bbq grill. Something I can hang sausage and smoke,or cook chickens and pork.
