mods, cheats, and ideas

[smokeasaurus]

Old Country are great smokers Ken!! They do offer a grill without the fire-box. The Old Country line is 1/4 thick and their All American line is 3/16 thick. I used to be on a Texas forum and lots of folks had them. They are made in Mexico and then sold out of Laredo.
That is a great price you got there at Academy!!!!  Darn near 1/2 price from what I recall......

[Phil LaMarche]

BEESR  Have a longer 110V cord of a larger grade wire.  Phil

[Hub]

A decal to be placed next to the thermometer the manufacturer placed on the lid or door that reads:

"This device is for entertainment only or was placed here to cover a hole we accidentally drilled.  Readings taken from this thermometer will have no correlation to any temperature necessary for cooking." 

Over the years I've probably had twenty different grills and smokers with thermometers stuck here and there.  They are kind of like the ubiqutous digital clock that gets appended to any electronic device -- always a decoration and sometimes a downright annoyance!

If you're a good cook or want to cook good, use an insertable probe instant and/or remote read type.  Famous last words:  "But the lid thermometer said . . "

Hub

[muebe]

I wish that more smokers included fans for convective heating like a pellet grill. My convection fan in my Bradley cut the smoke times down by 1/3 and I get even heating through the entire cabinet. The door thermometer is actually accurate with the fan on

[teesquare]

Active - rather than passive convection WORKS.....I have used the "bacon test" in my home oven - and tried it with and with convective cooking. More even cooking in convection mode by far. Heat distribution is improved - and moisture is reduced too - so there must be a balance...

[Barry CB Martin]

I wish that more smokers included fans for convective heating like a pellet grill. My convection fan in my Bradley cut the smoke times down by 1/3 and I get even heating through the entire cabinet. The door thermometer is actually accurate with the fan on

Just a point of fact. All ovens and outdoor grills, smokers are essentially "convection" - meaning they use hot air to transfer heat. The addition of a fan serves to move that air around...which as Muebe points out, is very helpful.

Hot air does serve to wick away moisture from the meat, one reason folks like to put the CYM and also mop or Texas Crutch is to kinda replace that moisture.  Brining pork and poultry helps prevent drying out because it adds more moisture to the meat, thus as the hot air wicks it away it kinda-sorta brings the internal moisture back to original status.

Also - just another FYI - the science behind infrared cooking translates into the heat generating on the surface of the meat, thus no hot air transfer, and less evaporation takes place. The moisture barrier is not "violated"   

[teesquare]

I hates it when moisture barrier gets violated......

[smokeasaurus]

Sounds like a personal problem T

[Barry CB Martin]

I hates it when moisture barrier gets violated......

it's legal in 7 states...

[smokeasaurus]

 

[teesquare]

Well it started out that way......then there was that crazy part involving the National Enquirer...But I am telling you...Maury Povich is wrong...I am not the baby daddy!

[smokeasaurus]