Jeff Holmes
TVWBB Super Fan
Mini Build HELP- need some quick advice
I've read through a lot of the threads over the past few months, however, it's hard to make sense of all the varying builds. I'm going to smoke a butt tomorrow and would like to throw together a mini real quickly to use it. I can always use my 22.5, but after reading everyone's set and forget these things, it would help me get a lot of other things done if I don't have to babysit it as much.
-I have the 32qt pot from Target. It's not a perfect fit on top. I really hate to crimp it as other have done but I really don't have the luxury of time- people start coming in for T day tomorrow, so I need to get it on early.
- I have a new Joe assembled
-I only have the charcoal grate and the cooking grate. I'm only doing one butt, anyway and can add a 2nd grate later.
-I have the stainless bolts to position the cooking grate. This is probably my biggest question. Do most of you have two grates in your mini build? How far down from the top should I put the first one? Will this make the bottom one too low?
-I know some of you cut the entire inside diameter bottom out. Others just drill holes. I'm lost!
-What about the clay pot. I forgot to look for one at Lowes. Can I use something else? Two fire bricks with a disposable pie pan?
Anything else I'm missing? I know this is one of those "it's been covered, read and learn for yourself" but I really don't want to wade back through the hundreds of posts, only to not have this thing ready for tomorrow morning. It's not life or death, but I'd just like to try it. Thanks!
I've read through a lot of the threads over the past few months, however, it's hard to make sense of all the varying builds. I'm going to smoke a butt tomorrow and would like to throw together a mini real quickly to use it. I can always use my 22.5, but after reading everyone's set and forget these things, it would help me get a lot of other things done if I don't have to babysit it as much.
-I have the 32qt pot from Target. It's not a perfect fit on top. I really hate to crimp it as other have done but I really don't have the luxury of time- people start coming in for T day tomorrow, so I need to get it on early.
- I have a new Joe assembled
-I only have the charcoal grate and the cooking grate. I'm only doing one butt, anyway and can add a 2nd grate later.
-I have the stainless bolts to position the cooking grate. This is probably my biggest question. Do most of you have two grates in your mini build? How far down from the top should I put the first one? Will this make the bottom one too low?
-I know some of you cut the entire inside diameter bottom out. Others just drill holes. I'm lost!
-What about the clay pot. I forgot to look for one at Lowes. Can I use something else? Two fire bricks with a disposable pie pan?
Anything else I'm missing? I know this is one of those "it's been covered, read and learn for yourself" but I really don't want to wade back through the hundreds of posts, only to not have this thing ready for tomorrow morning. It's not life or death, but I'd just like to try it. Thanks!
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