Can someone tell me what I just bought and how to use it? ($15 random smoker purchase"

[OldUsedParts]

I did do some mods on mine several years ago. I added a thermometer to the lid and glued a insulating rope in a couple of places.

[OldUsedParts]

OK, I got some pics but please excuse the dirtiness. I haven't cleaned it since the last time I used it and it shows.
In these pics you will notice the rope insulation that I put around the bottom of the lid where it sits on the barrel.
You'll also see the hole/vent and cover plate that I installed.
I also installed the thermometer on the top of the lid. The one on the side was already there when I bought it.
Also there is a pic of some reverse "S" hooks that I use to hold the grate at a different level than the brackets allow.
I installed some brackets to hold the pan in the center of the barrel and I use that position the majority of the time.
The only time I put the charcoal pan on the bottom is when I'm doing a longer cook such as beer can chicken, ribs, roast or Turkey.
ATTN: it really helps protect if you KEEP the Charcoal Pans lined with Foil but, of course, the Water Pan doesn't need to be lined.

Originally I had glued some insulation rope around the door edges but found
out that it worked better if I just carefully bent/shaped the door to fit tight

[OldUsedParts]

WELPS, that's about all I have to offer so GOOD LUCK with your E.C.B. - - - at $15 it already lives up to it's name.

[OldUsedParts]

Yo Cayaco, one more, if I may ? They say that a picture is worth a thousand words so here's a few thousand that will describe what kind of results can be done on that Brinkmann Grill Smoker. Your indulgence please

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These are Shrimp En Brouchette with Bacon, Jalapenos and Pepper Jack Chez

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[OldUsedParts]

Some of the pics above also show the different locations of the charcoal, racks and water pan on one.

[Boots]

Parts and Tom are right an ECB and raising a hand as it was my first too, and a man ALWAYS “remembers his first“. Unusual to see a red one, most were like model Ts and came in basic black.

They are pretty good for griilling if you keep the vent clear. Smoking is a different story if cold or winter. I used to call it “Baxter’s Bullet” for a reason. Old Baxter made a lot of money off these and other things, used to live down in in Turtle Creek in Dallas, and owns the original Southfork Ranch in Frisco.

[OldUsedParts]

That Red Color has been bugging me ever since Cayaco posted them but it is still a carbon copy of the Brinkmann except for the color and the Temp Gauge location. When I googled I found that the missing label said Smoker H2O CharBroil. Anybody else have any ideas or suggestions???

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[Papa Tom]

Something I used to do on the ECB that was always a hit.
In those times we would supply food for church meals occasionally.
When whole salmon were available we would get two of them and smoke them for the event.
Because of the size/ shape of the ECB the fish had to be curled within one another .
When done the fishes were placed on a large platter in that configuration along with five loaves and served to the faithful .
Wish I had taken pictures.

May have to do something like that again.

[OldUsedParts]

Sounds good, Papa T. - - - we don't get that quality of salmon that you're talking about but I sure need to smoke some sometime.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Our ECB is green. Could they have made a red one?

Sailor Mam, does y'alls have the green charcoal pan on the bottom or is it a black pan that fits on the hangers inside?

[OldUsedParts]

I'm pretty sure that the one he got for $15 is the same as the one in the last Pic I posted. The shape of the missing label and the holes match perfectly. Sure hope he shows back up after all that work and research I did.

[Boots]

Certainly can smoke on one of those things but on a cold windy night try to maintain a consistent temp would be enough vexation to make an angel cry. But boy I used to grill some fantastic “boneless” country pork ribs on mine. Hmmm. Haven’t done that in a while....

[Sailor Kenshin]

Re our ECB's configuration: I will have to ask PB about it when he's done getting poison ivy.

[Professor Bunky]

Parts, I agree that you found Cayaco’s $15 smoker: an ECB clone. The biggest difference I see with my ECB is no enclosed bottom section - just the coal pan hanging down. Still, some of the standard ECB mods should apply here.

Cayaco, I’d recommend:
(1) installing a grate an inch or so above the bottom of the coal pan, so the hot coals don’t get smothered by ash during long smokes
(2) Installing an adjustable vent in the top cover
(3) Sealing any obvious air leaks around the cover and elsewhere (high-temperature foam “weatherstripping” has worked well for me)
(4) Using a digital thermometer with an external probe (wired or wireless) to monitor the temperature of the food grate
(5) if the bottom seal around the coal pan is very leaky you can try closing it up a little using some heavy-duty aluminum foil (equivalent to partially closing the bottom vent on a “real” smoker)

Good luck with it. You might want to try a “dry run” (without any meat) to see how it behaves.

[OldUsedParts]

Thanks, P.B. always nice to get another owner's take on things.