Conversion to Smoker


 
B

BradyB

TVWBB Member
Hi everyone,

For years I have used a cheap Sears knockoff of the WSM (link below). It has worked pretty good for me over the years, but it is finally starting to fall apart. Unfortunately I don't have the funds to purchase a WSM (although I would love one). I have a weber kettle (just the standard one) and have seen some conversion kits that are stackers making it more like a WSM. Cajun bandit and Smoke EZ are two that I have seen.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Are they worth it? Instead of buying a new smoker I was thinking of using one of these and then I could still use my kettle as normal. Any opinions on which setup is better? Also, it looks like you can really only use the top grate as the bottom one appears to be too close to the coals. What do you do if you need to do a bigger turkey? If I could only use the top grate, wouldn't the lid hit? (Instead of being able to use the 2nd grate like in the WSM)

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/allmodre...3_12605_07115883000P&targetType=seeAllReviews

http://www.smoke-ez.com/
http://cajunbandit.com/

Thanks,

-Brady
 
I see WSM's on Craigslist often. They almost always look great, and are less than the $225 conversion.
 
If you have the 22" kettle, you don't need to do any mods to it, to smoke a turkey in it horizontal. What you would have to do, is set up your charcoal in the snake method, and put a piece of wood every couple inches, give or take

The below picture is a good view of a snake method being used by Phil Perrin cooking a brisket. You can see how he's lined up his charcoal, put wood along the way and has one end lit. You'll want to practice getting your snake to work at the temp you want (I'd recommend 300) you'll probably need more charcoal shown below. You might even want to start a new thread how to "smoke a turkey in a kettle." You'll get good info with a thread like that

3825EE8E-8043-40DA-9B77-C0D624E58364_zpsoymnobov.jpg



Now if you're bent on making a smoker and $'s are tight, here's a low budget smoker that works pretty good

http://www.ehow.com/how_6077735_homemade-smoker-smoked-turkey.html
 
BradyB, I was in your boat a few years ago. Had a 22.5 silver kettle. Was ready to pull the trigger on the Cajun bandit conversion when I found a 22.5 WSM onCL for 200 bucks. In the end I ended buying it. It was already seasoned and I couldn't be be happier that I got the real thing for about the same price. In my opinion watch craigslist, the real thing will come up at a similar price. If the 18 comes up grab it. I love my 22 but it's a tad big and uses more fuel than the 18. Long and short of it with a little patience you can find an already seasoned WSM for close to the same price as the conversion. Then you'll have a WSM and a kettle!
 
Thanks everyone. I am attempting to replace my WSM knockoff. So I will be using it for everything ribs, chicken, pork butts etc (and turkey). I keep checking CL in my area but all I ever see are cheap, rusty offsets or santa maria grills (very popular in our area). Maybe I'll just have to save up somehow for a WSM, the are so pricey though brand new.
 
What about the smokenator? Does anyone have experience with that? How well does that work. I mainly do ribs and chicken, but sometimes do butts and turkeys etc.
 
BradyB said:
What about the smokenator? Does anyone have experience with that? How well does that work. I mainly do ribs and chicken, but sometimes do butts and turkeys etc.
Click to expand...

Brady, the smokenator works pretty well with the caveat that you must watch it carefully and add fuel and wood quite regularly or your temps will fluctuate immensely. The water bowl on top runs dry rather quickly as well. If you use it, then foil off the other part of the charcoal grate to prevent combustion air from coming up around it and making temperature control impossible.

I have one, and use it for short smokes like meatloaf, fatties, and the like. I also place firebricks between the smokenator and the indirect cooking section to further reduce the transfer of heat. My take, worth about what you pay for it, but not a substitute for a true smoker, be it a WSM or a stacker.
 
I have a Smoke EZ. I use the Performer + Smoke EZ more than I use my 18.5" WSM (more room for food). I've posted reviews.
 
Yeah, I keep checking Craigslist and such around town. Mostly rusty cheap offsets, gas grills or santa maria type grills. I keep hoping a WSM will pop up, but no such luck yet. I have been doing a lot of research and like what I have been seeing about the Cajun Bandit Stacker. I think that is the route I am going to go eventually.
 
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