Ecb @ 330*+

[JJackson]

I recently got a cheap ECB/Smoke-N-Grill off CL. It's the variation with no bottom. Hopefully, a WSM is in my future, but I wanted to learn on something cheaper, just in case I wasn't any good.

I switched the legs, added a charcoal grate, and drilled a few holes for coal's air. However, I still have the problem of it not staying under 330*.

Larger cuts of meat, I assume, will be fine (but less smokey) with a probe/thermometer, just faster (the pork loin I just finished was done in less than an hour and a half). However, how should I do pork ribs high and fast?

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

You can. I've cooked them hat hot with good results but I prefer lower.

 

[J Hasselberger]

JJ, you are delaying the inevitable. Put the ECB back on CL. Get the WSM.

 

[JJackson]

JJ, you are delaying the inevitable. Put the ECB back on CL. Get the WSM.

You're obviously right. I just didn't want to blow hundreds and not know what I was doing. But I've quickly learned I probably won't be successful without quality hardware.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

You can make a yacht with a pocket knife too. Having the proper tool, at least best available, makes the job much more pleasant.

 

[Carl H.]

You won't fail with the WSM and all of the info on this site and message board.

You can cook pork ribs at 330.

 

[JJackson]

You won't fail with the WSM and all of the info on this site and message board.

You can cook pork ribs at 330.

I always knew a WSM was my end-game (although I'm torn between an 18 and 22 due to fuel consumption).

$300-400 was just too steep of a price to enter a hobby and see if I liked it or could even do it well enough.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

grow tomatoes in it and get a smoker that works out of the box. You can find a used WSM on CL or yard sales to get you in the hobby cheap. You could get a Kettle and smoke on it and it doubles as a grill. You'll get into the hobby cheaper even brand new.

 

[Bob Ivey]

Don't worry about not being good enough. With a WSM it is easy. Start with something that is almost bulletproof like pork butt. Check the recipes on this site and you won't go wrong. Good Luck

 

[Rich Dahl]

Don't worry about not being good enough. With a WSM it is easy. Start with something that is almost bulletproof like pork butt. Check the recipes on this site and you won't go wrong. Good Luck

Bob is spot on. I smoked on a Weber kettle for years and became quite good at it. Although I was always chasing temperatures you really had to watch it or it could take off on you and was a bear to get back down.
Then I built a mini 14.5 WSM and the only thing I had to chase was another beer. Now I have an 18.5 also and love it, set and forget.
Pork Butts are very forgiving and take long enough to let you get a feeling for the vent settings.
Good Luck.

 

[J Reyes]

I always knew a WSM was my end-game (although I'm torn between an 18 and 22 due to fuel consumption).

$300-400 was just too steep of a price to enter a hobby and see if I liked it or could even do it well enough.

If price is an issue go with a used Kettle and search the Charcoal Kettle folder for long burn times, snake method, basket of coals, or search my name and you should pull up a few older threads that relate to using a kettle for low and slow cooks.

Also be on the look out for used WSMs. If you want new now also consider an Akorn, Lowes has them now on sale for $269 but sometimes have end of season sales/floor model for around or under $200. I wouldn't go with a Smokenator or similar device instead use the money towards an Akorn or used/new WSM.