Let's Talk BBQ
Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Gas Smokers => Topic started by: BrewerDave on December 30, 2014, 07:03:38 PM
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Hello all,
I just purchased a new to me char-broil vertical gas smoker and will be attempting my first season and smoked dinner of a beer can chicken. I've posted my plan and recipe below and would appreciate any tips, tricks, or constructive critisism.This is from about a dozen recipes and techniques I found across the web. Thanks in advance
DS
Seasoning:
Spray a very light coating of olive oil on the inside surfaces of the smoker.
Fill the smoke box with wood chips
Start the fire and try to maintain a temperature of around 225 for about 2 hours
Recipe and technique:
Basic Rub Recipe
1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tblsp salt
1 tblsp ground pepper
1 tblsp garlic powder
1 tblsp onion powder
1 tblsp chili powder
1 tblsp cayenne powder
Apply the rub generously over the pieces, all sides and under the skin. At least a couple of hours, and preferably overnight.
Smoke day
Pepare the 1/2 can of beer and the chicken stand(let them sit out). Add seasonings to to the beer (if you are using them).
Fill the water pan to at least 2/3 full). Use hot water to help avoid wasting fuel.
Place the chips (presoaked in water 20 min.) in the wood chip container.
Fire-up the cooker and get the temperature to about 235°F (113°C) and prepare to keep that temperature as steady as you can. Maintain the temperature between 200 - 235°F (93-113°C) for the ideal smoked chicken.
When the temperature (inside the smoker at the grill) has reached 235°F (113°C)...
Place 1/2 can of beer in chicken stand, position chicken on stand, and place chicken in the smoker
Check the chicken at the meatiest part of the breast between the bones, looking for 160°F (71°C) Remove the bird(s) and let it rest for at least 10 minutes
Figure about 4 hours minimum in the smoker
Anything?
DS
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Seems like a good plan.
Why the olive oil on the inside of the smoker?
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Thats what I found on a few websites. Some say Pam etc. I gather the oil would "hold" the smoke. I am a total newbie so I'm willing to try it. lol. Most of my experience has been with a dehydrator and the WallyWill homebuilt smoker
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I would just go with Pam for the season. Other than that, sounds like you are all set.
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Before you soak wood chips you may want to read this article at <a href="http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_soaking_wood.html">Amazing Ribs</a>
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There is another method of smoking chicken other than low and slow, check it out at <a href="http://www.smoker-cooking.com/how-to-smoke-whole-chicken.html">Smoker Cooking</a>
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I decided to wait until I got my Maverick temperature probe set. It looks like I'll also have to wait a few days to try the smoker, as its going to drop into the teens weatherwise. I did manage to season the smoker and it only leaked smoke everywhere but the actual chamber.lol
Looking forward to using this
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Hi..I have the electric version of the CB smoker. I also use a fire brick in the bottom of mine to help hold the temp even..got it at Menard's...specially in cold weather. Use the Pam, good stuff, the olive oil gets sticky. I do NOT wet wood, it smolders until it's dry, then you get smoke. Get it hot then add the chips. Main thing is to have fun. Also..I fill the grill, why waste all that space. Throw in another chicken and something else too. I smoke salt, peppercorns, sugar, so go for it. Someone in here even smoked coffee. Pam GO BUCKS .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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The leaking of smoke will get a bit better as you use the smoker more. Just keep in mind that you have a Char-Broil, not a Smoke Vault and some leakage will be expected. However, you will be able to turn out some tasty grub on it. Don't soak your chips. You can also use pellets if available.
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Some of the leaks can be sealed with High Temp silicone. You can get rolls of felt seals at Bayou Classic and I'm sure Amazon elsewhere that will help seal the doors.
I think Pam's idea of the fire brick is a good one for maintaining temp in cold weather.
My old Bass Pro Masterbuilt vertical smoker which was a POS for the most part leaked here and there but still turned out great results once I chunked the gas burner in the trash and converted it to a stick burner.
I just put it out for the trash last week after 3 or 4 years of use. A guy stopped to pick it up before I even got it on the ground. Said he would weld a new bottom on it. I said that should work and good luck.
And remember that beer can chicken ONLY works if you drink the first half of that beer! ;)
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Oh and by the way. Brine that bird! I think there is a post on that by Lost Arrow somewhere here....
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Thanks for the advice. I will not soak the chips, have bought some stove caulk from Ace hardware, the maverick has arrived and I have modified the char-broil base to allow more heat to dissipate and not boil off the water so fast.
Now if the polar vortex will piss off back north I can smoke a couple of brined chickens and some other goodies
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Atta boy! Good luck and post pics
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Sounds like you have a plan. Looking forward to the report and pics of the final product.
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Brewer Dave
Tell me a little more about your smoker configuration, I think its an updated model of my CB600X Vertical gas smoker. I made some, about 5 modifications to my smoker, not all at one time to improve the smoker efficiency. Do you have a water pan? Is the water pan and the chip cup one unit? So how did the first smoke Go?
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Now if the polar vortex will piss off back north I can smoke a couple of brined chickens and some other goodies
Just wait a bit, Al Gore's global warming is going to take care of of this cold weather. In a couple of years you be able to just sit the chicken outside and it will cook without a smoker or grill.
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Chief,
my first modification was drilling a few holes in the raised edge around the water/chip tray. I have read about the smoker boiling off the water so I though that would help. I've also ordered a new regulator assembly from one of my homebrew suppliers. Has a needle valve, good psi etc. The weather here has been a little crappy so I've been making my mods ahead of my first smoke.
My page is on flickr under (thatbrewerdude) or (Dave Scarborough). It shows my homebuilt hot/ cold smoker and the gas smoker. Regarding your smoker, make sure it has the new regulator assy. There was a recall on my particular model. The guy that sold it to me (craigslist) said he got scared of it after the cabinet loaded up with LP and he restarted it. Said the boom scared him so bad he jumped off the porch into the rosebushes.
Twopockets, if it starts to get that warm, I'll just move back to Maine. Ain't no Hell strong enough to warm that place...
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There is another method of smoking chicken other than low and slow, check it out at <a href="http://www.smoker-cooking.com/how-to-smoke-whole-chicken.html">Smoker Cooking</a>
That sounds like a good idea. Saved it. Thanks!
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Brewer
The smoker water pan is the same as mine. I do stopped using the outside of the pan for water, I filled it with sand and just use the cup for wood. I use a water pan from a Brinkman electric smoker that I had (element burned out) and it sits on the bottom rack rails of the smoker. I use that for my water it holds almost a gallon. I did read about the recall for the regulator but mine came with the new type. I did change my regulator to help control the temps. It has a needle valve in line just below the regulator. I use the needle valve to help with maintaining temps. I have pictures I took, I'm not sure how to post them on this site. I guess I will research that when I get done with honey-do's. I also sealed my door with a 600 deg RTV sealant to keep the door from leaking heat and smoke. It took me a few months to do the modifications but sealing the door was first. I was not sure about the sand and stuff so I read and proceeded slowly gathering data before moving to the next mod. I did something today that I did not think I would be able to do with that smoker. I cold smoked about 1 1/2 lbs of cheese in 45 min and never exceeded 76 Deg. F. I put in the refrigerator to let it age for 24 hours? So I guess tomorrow will be the test. Let me know how that mod works on your water tray.
CM
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Along with the fire brick that I used..I also added sand to the water holder thing. I use a stainless steel pan to hold water on the bottom shelf. just realize it's kinda yucky to use in the kitchen after smoking, but mine is a dedicated thing now. Your bride may not like that. Gotta keep them brides happy. just sayin. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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So, I finished up my smoker modifications and the inaugural test is on for tomorrow. I cold brined an organic chicken for about 4 hours today and now chicken is covered in rub until lunchtime tomorrow.
Fingers crossed
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So, I finished up my smoker modifications and the inaugural test is on for tomorrow. I cold brined an organic chicken for about 4 hours today and now chicken is covered in rub until lunchtime tomorrow.
Fingers crossed
Good luck - looking forward to your "report" and pictures!
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So, I finished up my smoker modifications and the inaugural test is on for tomorrow. I cold brined an organic chicken for about 4 hours today and now chicken is covered in rub until lunchtime tomorrow.
Fingers crossed
Good luck - looking forward to your "report" and pictures!
X2 :P
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When will tomorrow get here? I'm lookin' forward to seein' some results from all this...
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You an' me both,Jaxon. I may even break out the WallyWill cold smoker for another batch of cheese while I'm waiting on the chicken.
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So, I finished up my smoker modifications and the inaugural test is on for tomorrow. I cold brined an organic chicken for about 4 hours today and now chicken is covered in rub until lunchtime tomorrow.
Fingers crossed
Good luck - looking forward to your "report" and pictures!
X2 :P
X3! ;)
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Finished smoking the beer can chicken and also cold smoked some more cheese today. Where to start?
The modifications to the smoker were only 50% successful. Drilling the holes around the chip bowl didn't make much of a difference. I held heat at 225 degrees, 240 degrees, 265 degrees, and 300 degrees (last 15 minutes) but the water boiled off every 30 minutes.Back to the drawing board on that. The new regulator with needle valve worked fantastic
The chicken was fork tender, good smoke flavor and the maverick temperature probe worked flawlessly. I cooked the chicken for about 3.5 hours and the temp in the breast was 166 degrees
All in all, a good first smoke
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Dave it sounds like your making progress. A couple of questions about your temps? Were you monitoring the temps after your initial settings or were you adjusting
for a smoker target range? What was the outside temperatures during the process? Did your upper door leak smoke?
CM
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I wanted to see if I could reach and hold certain temps on this particular smoker. The ambient temp was about 55 degrees F. 225 F was the lowest I could mantain for more than a block of a time. I now understand the other owners dislike of the combination chip/water pan.
If I had my wish, I could low smoke summer sausage at 120 or so and then take it up to 150. I lke the masterbuilt smoker with the big hole over the burner, and the water tray, and the wood chip tray. I'd like to mod mine like that.
I'm only smoking food for 3 people at a time so I don't need a monster smoker. Plus I don't need something that I need to feed every hour or so. Make any sort of sense?
DS
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Dave
How well did the upper door seal keep the smoke inside the cabinet? I ran into the same issues with water using the Char boil pan. I use sand in the pan around the chip cup, and a larger water water pan just above the chip pan. I found with the sand and the 1 gal. water pan that my temps hold fairly steady and return quickly to the established set temperature if I open the main door for tending to meet or adding water. On a 12 hour smoke I usually fill the water pan twice and only with hot water when the water level drops below 1/4 remaining.
CM
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Chief,
the top door held smoke pretty well, even with the maverick probes inside. I think i might run those through the top vent next time. I don't like beating the wire up too much. I'm going to try the sand trick next time.
Whats the lowest temp you can get your smoker to maintain?
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Dave
Those cables are a little too expensive to pinching in the door. I think that was my 3rd mod on the smoker drilling a hole in the side of smoker, installed a silicone grommet in the hole and I can run 3 cables through it easily.
As for your question about minimum temperatures I have a few answers for different scenarios. #1 In the summer with gas burner on, wood chips smoking, 190 deg. with cold water and ice in the water pan. This takes a group of tending to the smoker and 4 hours of this takes the fun out it for me.
#2 Winter with gas on burning wood chunks and water in the pan I can hold 155 deg. But in these 2 cases with flame turned down so low wind blowing around the smoker base has blown out the flame a few times. (Winter ambient temps below 50 deg., Summer temps above 75 deg. )
#3. Winter with no gas, after starting wood chunks with out the water pan 78-85 deg. I did my first cheese smoke using this method for 1 1/2 hour smoke.
#4. Winter with no gas, 4 pieces of charcoal lit and wood split chunks and cold water and ice the pan the temps finally evened out between 72 -78 deg. I smoked more cheese for 2 hours and 40 min. I had to replenish wood 5 times during this smoke along with 1 more piece of charcoal. I put to much wood on the 2nd replenishment and the temps started to climb towards 90 deg. so I opened the door got more ice for the water pan and things settled back down. I will never do anything on this smoker using items 1 or 2. I feel confident with item #4. I have one more scenario to try: I purchased a 12" pellet tube smoker and I want try it by itself. Smoke salt?
I am trying to upload an pic of my smoker: Item1= Water pan resting on the upper rail for for the lowest rack. #2 Foil lining for the water pan( easy cleaning). #3 Foil cover over the sand to keep sand clean. #4. Wood chip bowl. (http://)
CM
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Dave
Those cables are a little too expensive to pinching in the door. I think that was my 3rd mod on the smoker drilling a hole in the side of smoker, installed a silicone grommet in the hole and I can run 3 cables through it easily.
As for your question about minimum temperatures I have a few answers for different scenarios. #1 In the summer with gas burner on, wood chips smoking, 190 deg. with cold water and ice in the water pan. This takes a group of tending to the smoker and 4 hours of this takes the fun out it for me.
#2 Winter with gas on burning wood chunks and water in the pan I can hold 155 deg. But in these 2 cases with flame turned down so low wind blowing around the smoker base has blown out the flame a few times. (Winter ambient temps below 50 deg., Summer temps above 75 deg. )
#3. Winter with no gas, after starting wood chunks with out the water pan 78-85 deg. I did my first cheese smoke using this method for 1 1/2 hour smoke.
#4. Winter with no gas, 4 pieces of charcoal lit and wood split chunks and cold water and ice the pan the temps finally evened out between 72 -78 deg. I smoked more cheese for 2 hours and 40 min. I had to replenish wood 5 times during this smoke along with 1 more piece of charcoal. I put to much wood on the 2nd replenishment and the temps started to climb towards 90 deg. so I opened the door got more ice for the water pan and things settled back down. I will never do anything on this smoker using items 1 or 2. I feel confident with item #4. I have one more scenario to try: I purchased a 12" pellet tube smoker and I want try it by itself. Smoke salt?
I am trying to upload an pic of my smoker: Item1= Water pan resting on the upper rail for for the lowest rack. #2 Foil lining for the water pan( easy cleaning). #3 Foil cover over the sand to keep sand clean. #4. Wood chip bowl. (http://)
CM
Have you thought of putting the ice pan right above the smoking unit? It seems to cool it off much faster for me anyways, I found that if I freeze a gallon jug of water, that is stays for me. But here in Ohio, it is cold smoking weather. Time for more cheese for the summer. Gotta stock up..TLG likes my smoked cheese, need them for the gathering in September. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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Dave
I think I was able to get this picture importing finally figured out. Again, as I tried to show you what my smoker configuration looked like this time it may work.
Items explanations are: Item1= Water pan resting on the upper rail for for the lowest rack. #2 Foil lining for the water pan( easy cleaning). #3 Foil cover over the sand to keep sand clean. #4. Wood chip bowl. I hope this is a bit more informative.
CM
(http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo202/pac4mac/Smoker1_zpslasow6jv.jpg) (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/pac4mac/media/Smoker1_zpslasow6jv.jpg.html)
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I will be buying these items this weekend. Outstanding
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Chief,
I bought sand today and I have ordered a set of dampers to be installed and tested later. Can you post a picture of the probe wire grommet in the side?
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Dave
As per request, I am attaching two pics one of the outside and one of the inside of the right side wall of my smoker. The first picture outside of the smoker, shows the location of the grommet. I drilled a pilot hole 1 1/4" from the rear handle attach bolt. I used a 3/8" drill, (or close to it?) to make the final hole for the grommet. The ID of the grommet is about 11/32". I believe I purchased the Silicone grommet at Lowe's for less then $2. I am giving you the dimensions as I tried to remeasure the holes with out pulling the grommet back out, so you can use the hole sizes as a very close reference. I can get 4 maybe 5 probe cables through that hole. The bottom line is get a grommet to fill your requirements or needs, then drill your holes. The 2nd pic is the inside of the smoker and the orientation of the cables. I have the shorter probe cables so I wanted to make sure that I could access any of the four rack positions without pinching or chaffing the cables on any hardware. This why the hole position is between the 2nd and 3rd rack rails.
CM
(http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo202/pac4mac/grom_zpsrwpaexjb.jpg) (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/pac4mac/media/grom_zpsrwpaexjb.jpg.html)
(http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo202/pac4mac/ISG_zps6bohsktm.jpg) (http://s376.photobucket.com/user/pac4mac/media/ISG_zps6bohsktm.jpg.html)
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Excellent addition. My weber dampers came in the mail yesterday so I will be adding those soon. I have another idea to get my temps down too. That will be a summer thing.
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I'm curious. Have you done a dry smoke in this configuration? When I smoked the (awesome) beer can chicken, the only question my father had was,"can you make this with crispy skin?".
He enjoyed it but he is a deep fried chicken freak. I figured a smoke run without a pan of water would do the trick.
Anyone?
BD
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Dave
I have not really tried purposely to do a dry smoke in this unit. When I say purposely I mean while using the factory chip/water pan it would evaporate out within 2 hours and then I was constantly adding water. The temps would start climbing when ever the water pan needed replenishment and this would be a constant battle on long smokes. That's why I put in the larger water pan and I always use it. I have tried a beer can chicken which IMO negated the beer because I have the 1 gallon water pan with water, so I did not do that again. The problem with the chicken skin is low temperatures which we are smoking at, less than 250 deg.
You have to get temps over 300 deg. for that skin to get crispy. I do my beer can chickens on my Weber gas grill. When I smoke chicken if I want crispy skin, once the chicken heats to 155 deg. I pull it off and finish it on the Weber grill for 10-15 min and it gets the chicken internal temps. to 165-168 and crispy skin.
Dave if you would please keep me posted on the damper modification.
Thanks
CM
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will do.
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I tried all kinds of mods, but I just installed a new electric element and controller on it today. A definite improvement. Below is a picture with the smokestacks and dampers in place...
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7601/16815227655_da9cf21466_s.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/rBUrmc)150305_005 (https://flic.kr/p/rBUrmc) by thatbrewerdude (https://www.flickr.com/people/128401374@N07/), on Flickr
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8637/16789366736_26fb8ff5db_s.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/rzBTNh)150306_004 (https://flic.kr/p/rzBTNh) by thatbrewerdude (https://www.flickr.com/people/128401374@N07/), on Flickr