Walt
TVWBB Fan
Searched on CL for a while (visited quite a few Targets in the San Jose area) looking for a new model of the Jumbo Joe. Thanks to this site I am totally sold on the size, weight, portability and function of the Jumbo. I'm calling mine "Squat" because he's very short and wide.
I finally found Squat on CL. Someone had a garage sale posting and I emailed her, "if the Weber doesn't sell, please let me know." VERY surprised it didn't sell and I picked Squat up for $30. I tried to talk her down, but she said her husband would kill her if she went any lower. I'm surprised they wanted to sell it, Pearl and her husband tailgated and Squat is perfect for that.
My first cook was a tri tip and a naked fattie. I used 50 briquettes (3/4 chimney full). I think it was too much for this cook, but I didn't want to run out on this weekday cook.
You can see in the pic I used 10 briquettes, then added my firestarters (3 dryer lint balls wrapped in a dryer sheet dipped in veg oil). I lit my starters then added 40 more briquettes. The briquettes are generic Lucky's branded charcoal. I usually use lump, but I haven't read anyone using lump in a Jumbo.
Coals got hot and gray in 15 minutes. I used a half brick to corral the charcoal to one side. I'm hoping to find those Weber char-baskets on sale someday or maybe make some from some of that diamond mesh metal (what's it called?). Anyone know how much charcoal I could get away with for a 2 hour cook?
I took the naked fattie off when it hit 160. This is the tri tip getting ready to come off at 149 degrees. I made a foil packet of apple wood to put over the coals. I soaked and froze the packet and only used a fork to make holes for the smoke. The tri tip took about 90 minutes indirect and the smoke was still wisping out of the packet. Also, the coals were still really hot and there was a lot. I think I could have gotten away with 30 briquettes instead of the 50 is used?
Here's the finished product. I should have taken a picture of the tri tip sliced because it had a great smoke ring. I really like my Squat, I can't wait to do more bbqs on it. Hopefully I can find a stock pot and turn Squat a little taller and make him into a WSM, anyone have any tips on modding a Jumbo Joe? I'm interested in what I should mod on Squat. I want to add extension handles to both vents. It was a little sketchy shutting the bottom vents closed.
I finally found Squat on CL. Someone had a garage sale posting and I emailed her, "if the Weber doesn't sell, please let me know." VERY surprised it didn't sell and I picked Squat up for $30. I tried to talk her down, but she said her husband would kill her if she went any lower. I'm surprised they wanted to sell it, Pearl and her husband tailgated and Squat is perfect for that.
My first cook was a tri tip and a naked fattie. I used 50 briquettes (3/4 chimney full). I think it was too much for this cook, but I didn't want to run out on this weekday cook.
You can see in the pic I used 10 briquettes, then added my firestarters (3 dryer lint balls wrapped in a dryer sheet dipped in veg oil). I lit my starters then added 40 more briquettes. The briquettes are generic Lucky's branded charcoal. I usually use lump, but I haven't read anyone using lump in a Jumbo.
Coals got hot and gray in 15 minutes. I used a half brick to corral the charcoal to one side. I'm hoping to find those Weber char-baskets on sale someday or maybe make some from some of that diamond mesh metal (what's it called?). Anyone know how much charcoal I could get away with for a 2 hour cook?
I took the naked fattie off when it hit 160. This is the tri tip getting ready to come off at 149 degrees. I made a foil packet of apple wood to put over the coals. I soaked and froze the packet and only used a fork to make holes for the smoke. The tri tip took about 90 minutes indirect and the smoke was still wisping out of the packet. Also, the coals were still really hot and there was a lot. I think I could have gotten away with 30 briquettes instead of the 50 is used?
Here's the finished product. I should have taken a picture of the tri tip sliced because it had a great smoke ring. I really like my Squat, I can't wait to do more bbqs on it. Hopefully I can find a stock pot and turn Squat a little taller and make him into a WSM, anyone have any tips on modding a Jumbo Joe? I'm interested in what I should mod on Squat. I want to add extension handles to both vents. It was a little sketchy shutting the bottom vents closed.
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