Smoking on a Performer?


 
T

Tom Golden

TVWBB Pro
WHat is the best way to generate some smoke on my new Performer? I know it is more of a grill, and I do have two other smokers, but not all the same fuel in the same places. Most times I expect to smoke things like butts on my Cookshack but ribs on the WSM were a huge hit as was the oak smoked prime rib. The latter I'd love to do on the Performer. Any tips? WHat do I need to buy?
 
All you need is a chimney starter, coal and wood (chunks work best, but chips or pellets will be fine I'm sure).
Read up on the snake/fuse method which will enable you to control the temperature and position your wood along the top of the coals. It also helps to position a tray filled with boiling water beneath the meat, it will act as a heat sink and also catch any drippings.

Do you have a thermometer you can use to monitor the pit temp?
 
Thanks. Reading a bit I saw the Smokenator. Looked interesting. I know that I can drop wood on coals for smoke but wondered if there were other tips. Thermometers I got! iCelsius. Polder. etc.
 
My opinion is to not waste your money on a Smokenator................especially given you already have two other smokers. Get you a couple of firebricks (or regular bricks), foil them and don't look back. Bank a load of unlit coals on one side of the kettle behind the firebrick.......leave enough space on one end to dump 15-20 lit coals, drop your favorite wood chunks in (one on the lit coals, one on the backend of the unlit) and you're set to go.

A drip pan under whatever cut of meat you're smoking will both help keep the kettle clean and help regulate airflow for more predictable temperatures. I've gotten 13+ hrs from this method with no vent fiddling, no adding coals, nothing. Even though I have two kamados, including a very nice large Big Green Egg, my Performer is easily the most versatile and most used grill I have.
 
Something like this



It takes very few lit to get the kettle up to temp. I usually just light 3-4 junks of lump with my blow torch at one end.
 
Tom,

Your Performer came with all the equipment you need to do some smoking. Use the two charcoal baskets, with just a couple lit coals in each. Put one on each side of the grill and a drip pan in the middle with your rib roast over it. It will require a little more babysitting than a WSM, but with just 3 or 4 lit coals in each basket, you should be able to keep temps under 300 without too much worry.
 
Like James said - fewer coals. 2-3 lit on a basket of unlit and you're set. I said 300, as an upper, upper end. You can manage less than that without too much effort.
 
To keep in the 225 range your bottom vents will be less than an 1/8 open and you will probably need to close your top vent 1/2-2/3. The set up in the pic would give me about 6 hours of smoking. If I move the bricks all the way out so they sit end to end and pack in the lump I can get 8-10 hours out of it. I almost never have to readjust my vents once I set it. I have done a 16lb brisket on my kettle using this method.
 
I've used the snake method like Enrico shows but with added wood chips and chunks and have run the Performer up to 15 hours at 225F. I use a water pan in the middle under the meat.
 
I only use a single basket one the side and one of Weber's drip pans filled with liquid under my meat. Don't have any problem keeping around 225 by controlling the vents. I'll shut the bottom one about 1/2 way and then adjust the top one to get the temperature I want. I had a Smokenator and used it a couple of times, but thought the water pan was a pain to keep filling.
 
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