Gas Smoking

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I hope you guys won't mind if I ask a question not related to the WSM. I come to this site offen even thought I use a Char-Broil Electric H2O Smoker(with good results).

I was in Walmart yesterday and found a Great Outdoors Grill Co. 36-inch Propane Smoker (link listed below). I really liked the looks of this smoker and the side door. My concern is: Will I be able to get a good temp range. 150 to 300 using gas?. I am more concerned about the low end so I can smoke fish.

Thanks in advance for your replies.
Shelly

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=1978617&cat=4885&type=1&dept=5428&path=0%3A5428%3A4089%3A4885
 
Shelly,

The only experience I can relate is the use of propane on my turkey fryer. I can adjust the regulator and heat the oil to a steady temp of 350 or 375. I assume I could do the same for lower temps. Same with my Weber gas grill, you can adjust the knobs and get it to hold at whatever temp you want to cook at. I have no idea if this would apply to your gas smoker but I don't see why not. GOOD LUCK, cool looking unit.
 
Hi Shelly and welcome to the site. I must admit that looks like a great little cooker. I use a large btu burner for chili cookoffs and I can get the temp to a slow simmer. I don't think this unit should be any different. The only problem I have is blow outs, with that small a flame wind is your enemy. I did a google search and found the manufacturers' web site, where there is a contact page, I'd contact them and ask about low end temps. and blow outs.
www.gogrills.com
Good luck and let us know how it works out.
Dave
 
Shelly,

I ran across that Great Outdoors smoker on Walmart.com and it sparked my interest as well. I'm definitely interested in finding out how you like it if you get one. I could probably use a second smoker, and I like the idea of the hands-offness of gas.
 
I bought the Great Outdoors smoker on Friday from Wal-Mart. Just like the box said it screwed together real easy. It seems to be well built. The welts are tight all around the box. There was a little smoke coming out of the door sides, but still the door is a nice tight fit. I could not see smoke coming out any where else except the top vent.

I was able to control the temperature easy with the regulator. I did some tests and was able to get a temperature from about 150 to 300. It looks like the bottom side vents don?t do much good in controlling temperature as the air flow does not affect the flame coming from the solid cast burner. I believe I was able to get about a 5 to 10 degree change using the side vents. It does come with a small fire box and I wonder if it will hold enough wood. I was able to get 3 small chunks into it. I cooked ribs and salmon using the recipes on this site. They came out OK with not a lot of smoke flavor because I did not add more wood.

The fire box sits right on top of the burner on an indented cooking grid. I guess I could sit a pan on the grid to hold more wood. I just don't know if the pan would be to far away from the flame to smoke the wood?

I bought a 5 lbs LP Tank to use with it and wonder how many times I will have to refill it. A question for people that use gas. Do you worry about running out during a cook? All in all I think I am going to like it.

I still think the WSM is the way to go if you are into real BBQ with charcoal and wood. I guess I am just looking for the lazy way to BBQ.
 
Regarding running out of gas.
<SNIP>

I never do. Of course I have 2 40lb tanks and a 100lb tank. The 100 lb usually lasts a year at home. I use the 40's for turkey frying and on my mobile pit when I cook away from home.

I am able to smoke cheese when the weather is cooler, as well as heat a pizza stone up to 500? + for pizza

I use the Weber quite a bit too.
 
Shelly,

Go back to WalMart or Home Depot and invest in a 20lb tank and you won't have to worry about running out of gas, you'll have plenty no matter what you cook.
 
In a vertical smoker like that--just as the Bandera--do you have to line the bottom with foil? Seems like you'd get some drippings on the bottom of the box. With the WSM, it seems, what little misses the waterpan would fall into the hot coals.
 
I have noticed that I am getting dripping on the sides of the burner on the bottom. Lining the sides with aluminum foil might not be a bad idea. I BBQed chicken wings today, the weather was in the mid 40ths, and I could not get the temp above 200-210. I tried adjusting the dampers, but that did not do much good with a gas burner. I wonder if aluminum foil would help reflect some of the heat up into the box. I also used Little Chief wood chips. Do you think wood chunks would help get the temp up? I think they would smoke a little hotter.
 
From my point of view, I don't think foil in the base would add much heat, nor would chips. Was there much wind with the mid-40s temp? Was the cooker wind protected or was it out in the open? Perhaps someone has a link to have a quick way to safely insulate the cooker's thin skin in the cooler temps. And I repeat--safely!

There are a lot of folks with a lot more wisdom in these matters than me and I'm sure they'll pipe up and respond. I'm amazed at how helpful this forum can be!
 
Hi Shelly,
Something as simple as a furniture blanket wrapped around the unit held with clothes pegs should be enough insulation to get the temp up a fair bit. Good luck.
Dave
 
Shelly,

The aluminum foil doesn't seem like it'd help much, but my friend swears by it on his turkey fryer. The temp difference on the side of the burner was night and day with and without al foil. The foil reflected so much heat up, it was noticably easier to get up to temp.
As far as not getting over 200-210?, I'm not sure why that was happening. We fried a turkey up here in 0-10? weather, and the regulator was actually freezing up. The flame would go out and the tank would act empty, but it was pretty much full. We wrapped the regulator with a hot washcloth, problem solved. But I wouldn't think you'd have the same problems in 40? weather. Good luck, hope it works out for ya.
 
Update on heat control.

I am smoking a bottom round with the temp of the smoker at 230 degrees. I did a test without the water pan and got the temp of the smoker to 300+.

Here was my problem yesterday:

Since 1995, all regulators (the part that attaches to the gas tank to regulate the flow of gas) have included a safety device that restricts the gas flow in the event of a gas leak. But, you can inadvertently activate the safety device without having a gas leak. This typically occurs if you open the LP tank valve rapidly, or if one or more of the burner control knobs is in an open position when opening the LP tank valve. If you do activate the gas regulator safety device, the grill will only reach temperatures between 250? and 300?F even with all burners on the high setting. To reset the gas regulator safety device:

?Close the LP tank valve.

?Turn all burner control knobs to the OFF position.

?Disconnect the regulator from the LP tank.

?Open the lid of the grill.

?Wait at least five minutes if the barbecue has been lit.

?Re-connect the regulator to the LP tank.

?SLOWLY turn the LP tank valve all the way open.

?With the lid open, turn the front burner control knob to the HIGH position (for Summit gas grills, turn on the left burner in the selected Heat Zone).

?Ignite the grill by pushing the crossover ignition button several times.

?After the front burner is lit, turn the middle burner control knob (if your barbecue has three burners) and then the rear burner control knob to the HIGH position. (For Summit gas grills, turn on the right burner)

?Close the barbecue lid.

?The barbecue should reach 500 to 550 degrees in 10 - 15 minutes.

To keep the regulator flow valve from tripping again, when you are done grilling always:

?Turn all burner control knobs to the OFF position

?Turn off the LP tank valve last

Here is the link: http://www.weber.com/Public_Weber/index.asp?section=services
 
So that's what it was! A couple of years ago, in my grilling only days, I had the exact same trouble after getting the tank filled. I finally did the procedures you noted--just out of trying something--and walah, I was in business. That was, of course, after an hour and a half of pondering and the possibility of a visit to Kentucky Cluckin'!

Oh, it sounds like the foil reflection is a good idea after all. Whadaya know!
 
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