Recent content by PJ Mielke

Try using stovepipe if you have the Silver. It has worked very well for me and is cheap and available at most hardware stores. Cut it to fit over the outside of the charcoal grate and rivet or screw it to hold its shape. Control is fantastic.

If you are using the SJS, a charcoal ring made of stovepipe works very well for control of burn. I fit mine exactly the size of the charcoal grate and the same height as the bottom of my pot, and just riveted it to hold its size. It will rust and burn out eventually, but is very economical to...

I have the sjs and use a solid basket that fits tight around the charcoal grate. Temperature control is no problem at all with this setup. It also allows better burn control for the charcoal by holding it in a tighter group. The water pan makes a difference by holding temps at or below 212...

I have done that with two racks from Academy Sports with 5" carriage bolts (4 each rack). I set these on my two existing racks to create 4 total. There should be pictures on page two - Mini Smoker Mod post - of my setup. I have done this with every Weber I have owned since the '70's. It...

George, 12 7/8" by 6 1/2". I used one of these with an electric frypan controller wired into it and stuck in the top of an icebox. Worked great smoking fish at 105 to 110 degrees. I could run it up to 170 for a short period to 'kill the bugs' and turn it down for a long smoke. Just put a...

I've had one for so long, I can't remember when I got it. Converted it to use a 5 Lb. tank and it came in handy when we needed a quick 'dog or sausage. Kids were in junior high and went for hot lunch and they were serving 'hot dogs' Boiled not grilled. The youngest one argued with the cooks...

I put 35-40 briquettes around a can that I dump 12-16 lit into and pull the can. 4-5 nice pieces of wood in there too. I am using a solid charcoal basket instead of the expanded metal, so it acts more controlled like a stove. I tried the up-side-down can, but because of the solid basket, it...

Matt, If you foil the saucer and use it without water, you should have no problems with higher temps and moisture. I found mine at Pottery Barn for 3 or 4 bucks. It is 11.5 inches in diameter. Use large enough foil so there are no seams on the top and moisture/grease will not get on the saucer.

Matt Check out page 2 on Mini Smoker Mod thread to see how I handled this. Metal bowls boil off the water quickly and the temps will skyrocket when it goes dry. I went to the foiled clay saucer and have not had this problem; there is still water and drippings in there at the end of an 8 hour...

I have the SJS and tried the can trick. It was hard to keep the temp above 180 due to the ash backing up under the coals. I use a solid charcoal holder vs. the expanded metal and I'm sure that made the difference. Without the can, I have to clean out once or twice during a 6-8 hr smoke when I...

It is on the Mini Smoker Mod thread, page 2.

Nice batch o' wings! Not to go too far off topic, you CAN get that many wings on a 22" kettle. I use a 15" grill with 5" carriage bolt legs and center over the drip pan for indirect. Doubled my output. Anything over 250 degrees goes on the kettle, less goes on the mini. Earlier in this post...

I'm confused. Why would you want a smoker (low and slow) to reach such a high temperature? I would like to be able to get mine even lower (200-210 is the current controlable minimum) for fish. When I want to 'smoke' something at 300 degrees, I use the big weber, indirect, double rack for...

I just finished a loin on the mini, and to answer questions on how hot I could get this, I opened it up. I shut it down at 400 degrees.

Charcoal basket is old stove pipe I burned off in a fire. I couldn't find 10" so I made it from two 4" tall pieces of 8". I just finished a loin on the mini, and for kicks, I ran the temperature up to see where it would go. I shut it down at 400 degrees. Anything over this, will be direct on...