Smokenator


 
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Update on the Smokenator:

I purchased one of these last week and received it yesterday. Got some spares at my local butcher and fired up the Weber Kettle.

Temps were easy to keep right in the sweet spot and it worked as advertised.

So why does someone with a WSM or other smoker need one of these? I think it is much less hassle using one of these if you just want to cook a few slabs of ribs or some chicken. Plus, having lots of BBQ toys is the name of the game isn't it??
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I can highly recommend the Smokenator. Good quality, decent price. Bonus: the "hovergrill" accessory that comes with it will be excellent for grilling or smoking fish.

Pics:

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RibsDone.jpg
 
I am aware of the Smokenator. My office mate just picked on up to use on his OTG. I emailed Smokenator company and they are willing to sell the Hovergrill for $12+shipping.

The specifications say it is 17.75 inches across. Does this Hovergrill fit inside your WSM? It's another method of getting more smoking real estate.

Thanks.
 
I'm not sure if the hovergrill will fit in the WSM, but next time I'm outside by the grills I'll check.

I bought the BGE grate extender several years ago for my WSM. It is quite a bit smaller than the WSM grate, but it is also taller than the hovergrill. You can put it over butts and put a butt on it to get 3 butts on the top in a WSM.
 
Originally posted by Tom Ferguson:
Update on the Smokenator:


So why does someone with a WSM or other smoker need one of these? I think it is much less hassle using one of these if you just want to cook a few slabs of ribs or some chicken. Plus, having lots of BBQ toys is the name of the game isn't it??
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Click to expand...


I thought about getting one for when I needed to do small cooks. That was until I read and tried the "long burn" for kettles in this section, described by David Lohrentz. I had the fire bricks necessary, and the bricks act like a heat sink, so I gave it a whirl and had success. Otherwise I would have purchase one. When I am cooking for just me I use the kettle.

Q'n, Golf'n & Grill'n.... too many choices!
Gary
 
Yeah I was going to grab one too, until I read about the fire bricks. Only problem is, fire bricks are like $20 at Ace's, even though it's for six, why would I need that many? Need to find a local masonry place I guess? But then gas would probably run me that much anyways!

Might as well get the six bricks, but then that's halfway towards the smokenator (great name btw).
 
You might also try to find a fireplace or hearth store. That's where I was able to find mine. They were $3/each. My Ace didn't cary them.
 
Oh well just ordered it from Ace. Be here Friday. With gas and time, the ten bucks I would have saved would vanish. Plus I'm lazy after I'm done, I'm sure my bricks would not be in good condition after a while, I'll have some replacements!
 
I've had the smokenator for a few weeks and I've done a few cooks with it. Since I don't have a WSM, nor the $$ to drop on one now, I went with this instead (wife's Bday present to me). Ribs came out good both times, but my butts have not been successful but it was operator error, I was cooking them way too short, I need to refill the chamber and go at least 5-6 hours past the 6 hours the original charcoal fill gives me to finish a butt. Also Don is a great guy, he emailed me before he sent out the part and said that he'd be available via email or phone if need be, wonderful person to do business with.
 
I just ordered one myself...have have reasonable success doing semi-low and slow using the indirect method on the kettle but want to get it even lower and slower...updates after I get it and use it.......
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Don gives some pretty detailed information about vent settings, so once you get your kettle dialed in you'll find it holds temp really well. Some of my cooks did not work because I did not cook long enough.
 
Originally posted by Gregg Howington:
Hey Dan it burns alot of fuel because of the water pan right on top of the coals, it is on one side of the grill so you have to turn your meat or it will burn on one side, the fill holes are small and you spend alot of time stiring coals.I like simple and its to much work it invades on my beer and fishin time. The baskets are so much better they have them on the weber site go to the SUPPORT icon and it has all the parts for old and new webers.
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Greg , I find the smokenator burns much less fuel than my WSM, and its great if you only want to do lets say one slab of ribs and some Abts but i also have to say you can fill up your entire grill and the hover grill and still burn much less fuel.

You are right that it takes a litle more attention than my WSM but I love tending to my gril or smoker so it is a non Issue.

The only thing I noticed is that The temp at the grill grate was 225 even with all the vents open. The manual says you have to close some of the top & bottom vents but If I did that the temp would barly hit 200 but I think that is a good thing. There is NO WAY you can burn food with the Smokenator.

I also disagree that the weber baskets are better. They probably are better for Hotter temps but that is a completly different function. The baskets are NOT designed for low and slow, they are designed for hotter indirect cooking.

The only thing I would do different is to make the vent holes a liitle larger and I would move the water pan closer to the out edge so when i flip up my grill i could pull the water pan out if needed although the water pan is so hot it is probably a good idea where it is at.

I am going to use it more this weekend and I am very happy I bought it. Super fast shipping and great communication from Don.
 
I hear you about the vent holes being bigger but it totally manageable. When you said your temp was 225 at grill even with the vents open, was that with top and bottom vents totally open, or just the top totally open?
 
Originally posted by Jeremy Scarpetta:
I hear you about the vent holes being bigger but it totally manageable. When you said your temp was 225 at grill even with the vents open, was that with top and bottom vents totally open, or just the top totally open?
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Both Vents totally open, but I just did one cook , minion method with lump. Maybe that will change but so far so good.
 
Originally posted by J Martin:
I just ordered one myself...have have reasonable success doing semi-low and slow using the indirect method on the kettle but want to get it even lower and slower...updates after I get it and use it.......
icon_cool.gif
Click to expand...

Update...received Smokenator today...super easy ordering/shipping...communication via email from company.

1st I read the manual...very detailed...the one thing I notice is that it appears this set up requires HOURLY tending to stir/add to the coals and fill the water pan....to me no big deal as I'm a control freak and like to see whats happening periodically anyways. Will update again once i use it...

P.S. I did a butt today (before I got the Smokenator) as seeing all the pictures yesterday and today I couldn't wait any longer....if you go to the grilling section I'll post details there.
 
My $.02:

I started using the Smokenator on my Performer this spring, and I think it is very beneficial to use.

I like the way the vertical surface prevents direct heat from flowing toward the food, and overheating the side toward the fire.

I haven't used the water pan recently: it is quite small, and after it boiled dry once, it was difficult to clean the black crust out. Also, I agree that if the water pan opening were maybe a 1/2" farther toward the rim, it could be carefully removed thru the flip up grill grate for fire stoking. Once I was trying to remove it, while holding up the grill grate with the meat on it, and oops, I spilled the water in the pan onto the fire, putting out much of the fire. Took some reworking to get it going again.

Also, the Hovergrill is very beneficial to have. Nearly doubles your grill capacity.

Instructions are detailed, containing a great deal of info I think most of us on this board have already learned the hard way. The instructions would probably greatly accelerate the learning curve for a beginner.

Finally, it does not require hourly firetending. I regularly get over 2 hours of fairly steady temps, without fiddling. I do check temps by lid therm frequently, 2-3x per hour, but without opening the lid.

So, I recommend both items to anyone considering them.
 
Has anyone had trouble with the smokenator "warping"? Mine has a wave in it--the formerly straight edge--now caused, no doubt, by several long cooks with it. It still works, but for how long?

Gary
 
Yes, mine has a wave in it now, but my Weber charcoal grates also need to be straightened out periodically as well. Heat will do that, combined with unequal cooling.

The hovergrill does indeed fit under the lid on the top grate of the WSM. Also, it will slide down the cooking chamber, and comes to a rest at an angle above the lower grate, trapped about halfway by the inner grill straps. Probably usable there if you really wanted to get four levels of grates in your WSM.
 
The only thing I have used for smoking is the smokenator so I have nothing to compare it to but....
I have pushed this thing to it's limits & I can tell you it is for real. I have smoked a whole Chicken in the bottom grate next to the fire cavity, a Brisket on the main grill, and ANOTHER brisket on the Hovergrill. I was skeptical about this little thing maintaining temp to cook so much but this is the real deal. Brisket & Chicken were moist & tender. I don't think you could fit all of that in a WSM.
My only gripe is that after 6 hours you must replenish the charcoal (even with the minion method)& you need to refil the water pan every 1.5 to 2 hours. Otherwise, I love it.

If I'm grilling, I just take the smokenator out.

JD
 
Originally posted by tom mayerhofer:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeremy Scarpetta:
I hear you about the vent holes being bigger but it totally manageable. When you said your temp was 225 at grill even with the vents open, was that with top and bottom vents totally open, or just the top totally open?
Click to expand...

Both Vents totally open, but I just did one
cook , minion method with lump. Maybe that will change but so far so good. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

To maintain 250 here is what works for me.
Load up with charcoal and add 15 hot briquetts on top +2 chunks of your choice of wood in the side holes.
I open the top & bottom vents 1/2 way.

every 2 hours I'll throw in 2 more chunks + more water (warm) in the pan.
 
Originally posted by J Martin:
I just ordered one myself...have have reasonable success doing semi-low and slow using the indirect method on the kettle but want to get it even lower and slower...updates after I get it and use it.......
icon_cool.gif
Click to expand...

Update...received Smokenator today...super easy ordering/shipping...communication via email from company.

1st I read the manual...very detailed...the one thing I notice is that it appears this set up requires HOURLY tending to stir/add to the coals and fill the water pan....to me no big deal as I'm a control freak and like to see whats happening periodically anyways. Will update again once i use it...

P.S. I did a butt today (before I got the Smokenator) as seeing all the pictures yesterday and today I couldn't wait any longer....if you go to the grilling section I'll post details there.[/QUOTE]

Ok Started my first smoke with the "Smokenator." So far so good...
Trimmed up and Rubbed

Lighting the Coals for MM

Just put em on

They're finished

Resting

Cut

Plated

Nuff said

Ok, so the overall result was very good, not as "fall off the bone" as I wanted but the flavor was off the hook.
 
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