S J. Gold Mini WSM Smoker
- Thread starter LDean
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glen jones
TVWBB Pro
Meho I bought one of these and you can see it has a nut that comes with it.
Good thermometer for the money.
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-BBQ-GRIL...&hash=item2a0f899492
Good thermometer for the money.
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-BBQ-GRIL...&hash=item2a0f899492
Barry McCorkle
TVWBB Super Fan
I discovered one drawback to using a SJS for this smoker. The bottom vent is so tight on my smoker that it was extremely hard to turn when the heat was maxed out during the cook today. It was so hot, that when I tried using the carriage bolt handle to turn the vent, the vent flap bent because it had softened from the heat. Tried using gloves to grab the vent flap to turn it and the heat went thru the work glove and scorched my finger. I would definitely go with SJG for the next one.
Has anyone else had this problem?
Has anyone else had this problem?
Surprised to hear this, I have the carriage bolt on my smoker too, and could always use my hand. Mine isn't on as tight. But that's another reason to go with the gold for the smoker mod.
And if I was going to grill with the sjg I would build the fire to one side so that air could always get to the fire. I need to grill something on the SJG just to see if the grilling is as bad as people say.
Jay
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
barry, that would have to be extremely hot. i think its more of an issue with the tightness. suggest you drill out the rivet and replace with ss bolt and nut. then see. i had mine roaring away and had no problems turning the vent.
glen jones
TVWBB Pro
Surprised to hear this, I have the carriage bolt on my smoker too, and could always use my hand. Mine isn't on as tight. But that's another reason to go with the gold for the smoker mod.
And if I was going to grill with the sjg I would build the fire to one side so that air could always get to the fire. I need to grill something on the SJG just to see if the grilling is as bad as people say.
Jay </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jay while I haven't smoked on my gold yet,I have grilled on it a few times.I love it for grilling.....I just don't understand the problem.
I love my Mini, I have been using mine for about 2 months now, and I want to put a low profile grommet for thermocouple wires. Anyone got a great solution? I think the tarp style grommet would be best so cooking grates don’t hang up on it, any examples you guys want to share?
Brad
Brad
I got an ordinary grommet kit at the Hardware store. It contained the two piece grommets along with a small anvil and driver (not sure what it's called) to spread the grommet and curl it over. I mounted it just below the level of the top grate and it doesn't interfere. After I did the first smoker, I realized that I only needed one hole and could fit both Maverick probes through that.
-walt
glen jones
TVWBB Pro
First smoke on my sjg smoker and my first try at posting photos.
Barry McCorkle
TVWBB Super Fan
Great pictures! I am going to try a few whole chickens on mine this weekend. One thing I like about the smoker is that I believe it will use less charcoal (than a WSM) to cook the same amount of food that this cooker will hold.
What is other's experience with charcoal consumption on the mini?
What is other's experience with charcoal consumption on the mini?
Barry,
You are right. This smoker is really efficient with fuel. I don't know a family of 4-6 that's going to eat all the food an 18" and 22" smoker can cook.
And a full bowl of charcoal will last at least 8 hours (a full bowl is about 1-1.5 weber chimney's worth of charcoal.
Jay
You are right. This smoker is really efficient with fuel. I don't know a family of 4-6 that's going to eat all the food an 18" and 22" smoker can cook.
And a full bowl of charcoal will last at least 8 hours (a full bowl is about 1-1.5 weber chimney's worth of charcoal.
Jay
Tim (the grillaholic)
TVWBB Super Fan
My longest cook to date is right at 10 hours. (I smoked a Boston Butt) And with the bowl filled up, it lasted almost the entire cook! I added some more Stubbs at about the 9 hour mark. (just to be safe) But realized after the cook was over, I probably had enough to last the entire 10 hours. Now mind you that the temp was in the 50s, and no wind, but this little thing amazes every time I fire it up!
I was going to load up the mini this weekend and see if I can fit 3 racks of Baby Backs on it, but the weatherman is saying rain all day tomorrow!
(I may have to try it on Sunday!)
Tim
mini
I was going to load up the mini this weekend and see if I can fit 3 racks of Baby Backs on it, but the weatherman is saying rain all day tomorrow!
Tim
mini
I use whatever I have which is usually Stubs or Royal Oak lump. There was a sale at Costco on Kingsford Competition Briquettes and I am using them now.
As far as getting up to temp, I lite the number of charcoals I need to be at temp when I dump the charcoal. So I usually will light 1/3 a cannister of charcoal and when it's full lit, dump it over top of my smoke chunk and seal it up.
j
As far as getting up to temp, I lite the number of charcoals I need to be at temp when I dump the charcoal. So I usually will light 1/3 a cannister of charcoal and when it's full lit, dump it over top of my smoke chunk and seal it up.
j
Barry McCorkle
TVWBB Super Fan
Had a chance to fire up the smoker over the weekend to cook a whole chicken (butterflied). Used regular Kingsford and I put a little water in the heat deflector to catch drippings. Also, since I had problems turning the bottom vent when the grill ran on the initial heatup a week ago, I sprayed WD40 on it to free it up. I am happy to report that it worked, the bottom vent moved much easier.
Cooker worked well for the most part, but never could get it to go above 300 degrees with bottom and top vent fully open. On my first heatup of the smoker, I had used Stubbs, so I don't know if there is a heat difference between the two charcoal brands or if I didn't put as much charcoal in the bowl initially. Overall the smoker worked fine and I plan on using it for longer cooks in the upcoming weeks.
Cooker worked well for the most part, but never could get it to go above 300 degrees with bottom and top vent fully open. On my first heatup of the smoker, I had used Stubbs, so I don't know if there is a heat difference between the two charcoal brands or if I didn't put as much charcoal in the bowl initially. Overall the smoker worked fine and I plan on using it for longer cooks in the upcoming weeks.
No problems getting above 300 ... here's my set up.
Bottom is cut out of the Tamale Pot; original steamer insert is still there with additional holes drilled out of the steamer insert.
I use a basket filled with coals/briquetes in a Silver with additional Gold holes drilled out. If I put my aluminum pie pan (diffuser) on the steamer insert, temps settle in at 260-280 with all vents open 100%.
If I move the diffuser up (on a rack) so the diffuser bottom sits about 3 inches below the top grill, temps rise to above 300, settling in at 330-340.
I'm speculating the added space for air below the diffuser must give the coals room to breathe, thus creating a hotter fire.
John
Bottom is cut out of the Tamale Pot; original steamer insert is still there with additional holes drilled out of the steamer insert.
I use a basket filled with coals/briquetes in a Silver with additional Gold holes drilled out. If I put my aluminum pie pan (diffuser) on the steamer insert, temps settle in at 260-280 with all vents open 100%.
If I move the diffuser up (on a rack) so the diffuser bottom sits about 3 inches below the top grill, temps rise to above 300, settling in at 330-340.
I'm speculating the added space for air below the diffuser must give the coals room to breathe, thus creating a hotter fire.
John
I'd be very cautious about using anything with petroleum products where the heat might vaporize them and result in deposition on your food. However, from the MSDS for WD-40:
So it seems not too bad. However it does boil from 361° to 369° F and those temps could reach the bottom of your smoker. The bigger problem is that the WD-40 will dry out to a gummy substance that will leave you worse off than you started. WD => Water [b[D[/b]isplacer. It's not really a good lubricant. It is a good degreaser though.
In fact, just today I took a die grinder to the rivet that held the bottom vent cover on my SJ and released it in a couple minutes of effort. I replaced it with a quarter inch screw and double nutted the fastener so I could control the tension on the plate. Had I been smarter, I would have applied some anti-seize as well so I could undo it should the need occur in the future. But I did not think of that until now.
I also want to thank whoever it was that suggested using a smaller diameter can for an ash guard. I made myself a new one and it works well. Here is what it looks like after a 3 hour smoke using briquettes:
That can is the proper height to come up just below the charcoal grill so about half the height is below the ash line. If I were using lump (which I've started to experiment with in my WSM) There would be even less ash. Vents on the side like the real WSM would be better but this is a pretty good stopgap.
-walt
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