First Cook On New Smoker

[Shag]

Last week my wife got me an Old Country Brazos smoker from Academy. My old, cheap sheet metal smoker had rusted out and she knew I had been wanting another one. This thing is one heck of an outfit though! All welded, 1/4" steel. Weighs nearly 500 pounds (depending on which site you trust the info on). Last weekend I got one fire going in it just to burn off the factory crud and try to learn what this one likes.

I ended up doing a few mods to it as well. I cut out the factory diffuser plate thingy that restricted smoke flow. And I extended the chimney with some stove pipe for better draw.

I rubbed it all down with vegetable oil last night and let it sit. Got my fire going pretty early this morning to try to season it good before cooking.

Didn't have the time to do a brisket or anything really good. So I picked up a full rack of pork spare ribs on the way home from bow fishing yesterday. Dry rubbed them last night and let them chill out in the fridge til this morning.

Here's the ribs about an hour in to the cook.

 

[Shag]

And here's the smoker.

 

[UCStandSitter]

I'll be over there bout what time brother? I should be out of church by 6 if that helps

 

[Shag]

I'll be over there bout what time brother? I should be out of church by 6 if that helps

Come on over.

I don't know that it'll be ready by 6:00 though, lol. I'm still learning the temperature swings on this one and how to keep it fed and breathing right. I've cooked a bunch of stuff on a bunch of different smokers. And all of them are a little different.

 

[Coltens]

Nice! I want a smoker and this one looks like a good one. I'll add it to my list.

 

[Shag]

Nice! I want a smoker and this one looks like a good one. I'll add it to my list.

I'm really impressed with the build quality on it…especially for a store bought smoker! My previous one was a cheap, sheet metal, bolt together deal. It worked…I cooked a bunch of fine meals in it. But it was just cheap.

This is more like a smaller version of big, custom built off-sets I've borrowed and used in the past. But for most purposes, there's no need for a huge smoker. I used them to cook for big crowds at weddings.

This one will easily fit two big packer briskets on the bottom rack.

 

[UCStandSitter]

Come on over.

I don't know that it'll be ready by 6:00 though, lol. I'm still learning the temperature swings on this one and how to keep it fed and breathing right. I've cooked a bunch of stuff on a bunch of different smokers. And all of them are a little different.

Sounds like a stingy excuse to me! Good luck with it man. Always fun to get a new smoker

 

[TAFKAP]

I've been eyeballing those, but haven't bit quite yet. 16 years after buying it, I still haven't burned through my cheap Home Depot special. But it's always been garage kept, so it may be a while anyway.

 

[RUGER]

Looks awesome !

 

[m_allison71]

Those things are tanks. I had one for about 12 years. I want to get another one. Pellets are convenient, but stick burners have a better smoke flavor.

 

[BPhunter]

And here's the smoker.View attachment 177033View attachment 177034

Nice rig. Mama loves you.

 

[Shag]

Nice rig. Mama loves you.

Yeah she does. BUT…I do all the cooking any buy at least 90% of the groceries. I enjoy cooking when it's something I want to eat. She doesn't enjoy it and she's horrible at it. So, for the past 15 years that we've lived together, my thing has been, either I'll cook supper, or we will go out to eat. Supper is the one meal a day that I look forward to and I want it to be right.

 

[BPhunter]

Yeah she does. BUT…I do all the cooking any buy at least 90% of the groceries. I enjoy cooking when it's something I want to eat. She doesn't enjoy it and she's horrible at it. So, for the past 15 years that we've lived together, my thing has been, either I'll cook supper, or we will go out to eat. Supper is the one meal a day that I look forward to and I want it to be right.

I guess there are a lot of women that hate cooking. Both of my stepsons wives are non-cooks. I guess that's why a majority of men are chefs. Not me though. I'm more of a camping cook, because that's the only time I do cook, and now the boys do that when we go hunting. I must be a pretty bad cook...LOL.

 

[Shag]

I guess there are a lot of women that hate cooking. Both of my stepsons wives are non-cooks. I guess that's why a majority of men are chefs. Not me though. I'm more of a camping cook, because that's the only time I do cook, and now the boys do that when we go hunting. I must be a pretty bad cook...LOL.

You might actually have the right idea. Probably what my wife did…Her, "I'm gonna throw together some horrible slop and call it supper. He will hate it and I'll never have to cook again."

 

[UCStandSitter]

You might actually have the right idea. Probably what my wife did…Her, "I'm gonna throw together some horrible slop and call it supper. He will hate it and I'll never have to cook again."

You've met me. You know I'm fat so this will come as no surprise but... The wife can flat out cook. We have our dust ups like any married couple but that's one thing I can't complain about in the least and she enjoys it. I grill and smoke and can could keep myself from starving but that's about it.

 

[TNTreeman]

Yeah she does. BUT…I do all the cooking any buy at least 90% of the groceries. I enjoy cooking when it's something I want to eat. She doesn't enjoy it and she's horrible at it. So, for the past 15 years that we've lived together, my thing has been, either I'll cook supper, or we will go out to eat. Supper is the one meal a day that I look forward to and I want it to be right.

If your ever in my neck of the woods holler at me. I just cut a bunch of cherry and I'll give you some. IMO it's the best smoking wood .

 

[Shag]

If your ever in my neck of the woods holler at me. I just cut a bunch of cherry and I'll give you some. IMO it's the best smoking wood .

I appreciate the offer brother! I'm a logger myself. So I can get pretty much any native hardwoods I want. I'm not too big on most fruit trees though for smoking. At the risk of TMI here, but…plum, peach, and cherry (fruit trees) upset my stomach something awful. Wild cherry doesn't bother me and apple doesn't bother me. If I ever want a horrible case of the yugos, all I've gotta do is smoke a Boston butt with peach wood!

Red oak is my favorite…especially with beef. There's just nothing like melting beef fat with red oak smoke!

If any of y'all have ever eaten at Rib City in Cookeville, they smoke with red oak exclusively. I cut all their wood for them for several, several years.

 

[TNTreeman]

I forgot you were a logger. Wild cherry is my favorite, never used red oak . I love white but red smells like dog crap to me. Pucketts bbq around here says they only use cherry. I'll have to try red now.

 

[4scout]

Nice looking setup! My favorite wood to use is dried shagbark hickory limbs. Have several in the yard that drop all the time, great on boston butts. The hickory has a sweet smell when smoking...love it. My other favorite is pecan wood chunks I get from Academy Sports, amazing when cooking burgers. Seems to me it gives them a slightly roasted pecan taste..really good. Never tried red oak but I have some so I'm going to give it a try.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Nice looking setup. Dunno that I will ever change away from my masterbuilt electric. Good old Tennessee hickory from my yard is my favorite for cooking most meats. Have plenty of red oak and pecan, pecan is probably my second most used.