Eric Aarseth
TVWBB Super Fan
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> If you have, could you kindly give us some details on a smoke, esp. with regards to temperature control. Also, where did you put the water pan. If I don't do any mods to the ProQ, I can squeeze an aluminum tray in between the two grates. Please advise. Thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Mike, I finally made my mods to the ProQ and bbq'd ribs this past wknd. I'll attempt to get pics posted at some point.
Upside down fit as describe by Robert C. and shown in his pic is how I placed the ProQ on the smokey joe platinum. The fit is snug which later created an issue I'll address later in this post. I drilled holes in the ProQ according to the directions given by Chris A. in the mods section Mounting a Thermometer. I used a Unibit #4 which was very easy to use. Note: use at least 5 or 6 layers of masking to prevent the drill bit from wandering as you start drilling.
The holes drilled at a level that hold the SJP grate approx 3" below the "top" of the ProQ (the "top" is the end of the ProQ with the rounded edge; the "bottom" is the flange end of the ProQ that fits into the bottom portion of the SJP). I place the grate that came with the ProQ at the "bottom" of the ProQ on the tabs intended to hold that grate. [Note: ProQ grate is about 1" smaller in diameter than the SJP grate. The SJP grate has a snug fit in the ProQ section and needs only a small ledge to hold it. ProQ grate needs tabs that stick out at least 1/2 - 1"].
SJP lid fits perfectly on top of the ProQ section when it is turned upside down.
I did not use a water pan in my bbq this weekend. I monitored temps using a Maverick ET-73 smoker probe through the guru eye built into the ProQ section which held the probe just below the bottom grate and about 10" above the coals. I used the mini-minion method for the fire. Lump charcoal with hickory chips. Started the smoke with about the equivalent of about 10 briqs of charcoal.
Vents were open 25% on each side. It took about 30 to 45 min to bring the temp up to 225 F. I shut down to 0% the vents. The temp slowly climbed until at about 1 1/2 hours when the temp spiked at about 280 F. After the peak it settled back down to about 250 F within 15 min and thereafter it was quite easy to control with the vents between 225 - 250 F. bbq ran 5 1/2 hours and there was enough fuel to run at least another 5 1/2 hours.
IMHO the ProQ worked very well to turn the SJP into a quasi-WSM. I'm not sure that I would want to replace or subsitute my WSM but it would certainly do in a pinch.
The only problem I had was getting the ProQ unstuck from the SJP when I was done. Remember I said snug fit. It wasn't so snug that I was concerned but with the gunk that can collect it really took some work to get the two apart. Other than that it work well.
Edit: Forgot to mention, I think if you added a 3rd grate (SJP size) in the normal position the cooking grate would be in an SJP you could place a water pan or other form of heat sink (e.g. clay flower pot base). That position would be simillar to the location of the WSM water pan above the coals.
Mike, I finally made my mods to the ProQ and bbq'd ribs this past wknd. I'll attempt to get pics posted at some point.
Upside down fit as describe by Robert C. and shown in his pic is how I placed the ProQ on the smokey joe platinum. The fit is snug which later created an issue I'll address later in this post. I drilled holes in the ProQ according to the directions given by Chris A. in the mods section Mounting a Thermometer. I used a Unibit #4 which was very easy to use. Note: use at least 5 or 6 layers of masking to prevent the drill bit from wandering as you start drilling.
The holes drilled at a level that hold the SJP grate approx 3" below the "top" of the ProQ (the "top" is the end of the ProQ with the rounded edge; the "bottom" is the flange end of the ProQ that fits into the bottom portion of the SJP). I place the grate that came with the ProQ at the "bottom" of the ProQ on the tabs intended to hold that grate. [Note: ProQ grate is about 1" smaller in diameter than the SJP grate. The SJP grate has a snug fit in the ProQ section and needs only a small ledge to hold it. ProQ grate needs tabs that stick out at least 1/2 - 1"].
SJP lid fits perfectly on top of the ProQ section when it is turned upside down.
I did not use a water pan in my bbq this weekend. I monitored temps using a Maverick ET-73 smoker probe through the guru eye built into the ProQ section which held the probe just below the bottom grate and about 10" above the coals. I used the mini-minion method for the fire. Lump charcoal with hickory chips. Started the smoke with about the equivalent of about 10 briqs of charcoal.
Vents were open 25% on each side. It took about 30 to 45 min to bring the temp up to 225 F. I shut down to 0% the vents. The temp slowly climbed until at about 1 1/2 hours when the temp spiked at about 280 F. After the peak it settled back down to about 250 F within 15 min and thereafter it was quite easy to control with the vents between 225 - 250 F. bbq ran 5 1/2 hours and there was enough fuel to run at least another 5 1/2 hours.
IMHO the ProQ worked very well to turn the SJP into a quasi-WSM. I'm not sure that I would want to replace or subsitute my WSM but it would certainly do in a pinch.
The only problem I had was getting the ProQ unstuck from the SJP when I was done. Remember I said snug fit. It wasn't so snug that I was concerned but with the gunk that can collect it really took some work to get the two apart. Other than that it work well.
Edit: Forgot to mention, I think if you added a 3rd grate (SJP size) in the normal position the cooking grate would be in an SJP you could place a water pan or other form of heat sink (e.g. clay flower pot base). That position would be simillar to the location of the WSM water pan above the coals.
