The Texas BBQ Forum

I have a griddle similar to that, that I just seasoned with oil much like you would do with a blackstone griddle. And I also keep it coated with oil. Now I jsut put a little heat in it and put a little oil on it and use a pumice stone. If it rust and starts to pit then it becomes hard to cook certain things on. I also have a stainless one but it doesn't require any seasoning.

Fabkid33 wrote:I see some people opening the doors but also see lots of people with adjustable dampers. Maybe k.a.m has so info on it I'm a newbie with this smoker and smoking meet In general

I am also a n00b at smoking meat and building smokers, even though I've been pipe welding for a living since 1978. You know as much as I do about all this.

k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it.

I still have a lot to learn.

Thanks grails !!!!@

Fabkid33 wrote:Thanks grails !!!!@

Looking at the way you built yours, it seems you will be able to spread your coal base out and get pretty even heat across the griddle. May have to keep your intake closed to keep the heat from drafting up through the pit. Mine sits on top of a gas burner and gets hot in the middle, but it still works pretty well.

hogaboomer wrote:

k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it.

I still have a lot to learn.

There are many paths that can all lead to a successful cook. If the path you are on is difficult and you are struggling to get ahead change paths and find one that allows you to enjoy the day.

I did a cook yesterday on some wild hog, I did it with the door mostly closed, sometimes cracked just a bit. Sure did use a lot less wood. Had some odd temperature fluctuations, but the meat came out nice.

I guess trying to cook like Franklin with his 1,000 gallon tanks doesn't necessarily carry over to a hundred gallon tank.

k.a.m. wrote:

hogaboomer wrote:

k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it.

I still have a lot to learn.

There are many paths that can all lead to a successful cook. If the path you are on is difficult and you are struggling to get ahead change paths and find one that allows you to enjoy the day.

This is very Zen.

hogaboomer wrote:

k.a.m. wrote:

hogaboomer wrote:

k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it.

I still have a lot to learn.

There are many paths that can all lead to a successful cook. If the path you are on is difficult and you are struggling to get ahead change paths and find one that allows you to enjoy the day.

This is very Zen.

From Yoda as a nickname to Zen heck I am on a role lol

Lead us on the path to enlightenment, Master.

Been really busy and working in the shop in this brutal summer takes up all my time but finally cooled down a little and got some more progress done . Added my deflector plate from fire box to cook chamber built 3 grates for my horizontal cc and added hooks and pegs for 3 more grates in the vertical chamber but I'm going to wait until I get my CNC plasma table up and running for those . There still is alot of things I want to do to the outside but its getting very close to get seasoned and throw some meat in her too .

That’s nice

Finally spend a day and got everything I wanted to do inside the smoker done built some expanded metal racks for the horizontal side and installed the deflection plate and that thing makes a huge difference hit with a infrared heat gun on the outside and its 100 degrees cooler on top of that plate pushing that fire box heat nice and low put all the pegs in for vertical racks will built vertical racks on my cnc plasma table when its up and running also added 3 hooks for hanging in vertical side . Ran flap between vertical and horizontal wide open I think I may just pull it out and just run the 8 inch stack it ran so good and was so efficient with very little wood im not sure I need a 6 inch stack and to be able to close off the vertical and only run the horizontal.also put in two guages and a hole for my digital probes. Ran my firebox dampers about half way closed seasoned it with Arizona oak and canola oil on the inside for about 6 hours then put a 2 pound rib eye steak on the horizontal rack for about 45minuts at 250 then sheared it 1 minute per side on the griddle side Then went to bed . Next day I smoked a pork butt and through some eggs and bacon and sausage on the griddle side as pork butt smoked . Fire management is key and split size and stacking is important
Was swinging about 20 to 30 degrees of temp difference on my first cook pork butt turned out amazing pulled bone right out made my own rub for it and injected with apple juice 6 hours at 250 to 275 spritzed with 50 50 water acv every 30 then wrapped in foil for 2 hours until 202 and let rest for 1 hour. Super amazing had about 15 people taste test it and everyone said it was amazing . Still alot I want to do on the outside put now it's up and running a little payoff for all the hard work . Will season the outside once I complete the outside. Inside looks amazing from the 6 and 8 hour cook and will smell amazing when I weld on it now . .thanks for everyone's help especially K.A.M ... enjoy the pics and will post more of future cooks and smoker completion pics.

First burn going down

Looks good