Wanted. Cheap grill to smoker conversion.


 
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Jess OH

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Here is the deal. I'm headed to a family vacation and would like to convert a 22 kettle to a WSM type smoker. I bought the grill off of Craigslist and will be doing ribs chickens and high heat brisket and some pulled pork. I need to keep it going for at least one overnight cook and wonder what the cheapest option is to make it a good smoker. I was thinking about buying a food grade barrel and cutting a chunk out of the middle adding a heat sink and a coal ring but thought maybe others have had experience making this work. Thanks in advance.

Jess.
 
Smoke-EZ is the cheapest, I believe. Shipping to you should not be too much. Check them out. You have to call to order.
I have one and they work well for slow cooks. Have done overnighters with success. High heat also possible using different coal arrangements.

http://www.smoke-ez.com/index.php

Mark.
 
I'm checking into the Smoke-EZ. The cajun bandit looks real nice but too pricey. I have 40 in this almost new OTS and would like to keep it as cheap as possible because it is for a two week once a year thing. At home I have a WSM but don't want to take it in the mini van for an 8 hr drive. I have done well in the past with the brick method in a kettle and will probably do that mostly. Thanks for the info guys.. keep em coming.
 
Jess-
Depending in how soon your vacation is, I'd start scouring CL for a used WSM....good advice Lew.

I picked mine up last week for a hundred bucks too....got lucky to have found it but they are out there. And- when you get back home, you have a smoker in addition to your kettle so when you host a big party at your place, you can run both
 
i see they're ~180 shipped. definitely a better price than the cajun bandit.

however the bandit has a door, and a 2nd grate included (and looks nicer)

glad i went with the bandit
 
I guess I'm just taking the kettle. The bandit and smoke EZ are too much and I haven't seen a WSM on Craigslist in years here (I have an app on my phone to notify me any time a Weber is posted)

I really don't see the Smokenator being 50 bucks plus shipping better than some fire bricks so I will work on the kettle smoking maybe some smaller cuts like ribs lamb etc. I'll have to bring the plow disk too.
 
I had never heard of the Smoke EZ, so i went to the website to check it out. I filled out the request for more information and in about 5 minutes my phone was ringing. Buddy Foster, the "president and resident grill guy" of Smoke Ez called to talk about his smoker conversion, usage and bbq'ing in general. He is a heck of a nice guy, and at $150, his smoker conversion is a nice piece of equipment. I'll be placing an order after I get back from vacation in August...
 
I really don't see the Smokenator being 50 bucks plus shipping better than some fire bricks..
Click to expand...

No idea how the fire bricks would work, but I love my smokenator + 22.5 OTS. It's remarkably easy to maintain low temps. I've only ever cooked food on the main grill (i.e. I've not used the charcoal grate nor the hovergrill).

That being said, I know that one day I will get a WSM because the smokenator is a bit of a pain for long cooks - there's only enough space for 6 hours of charcoal, and I don't like having to constantly open the lid to add more. Also, the water pan is pretty small, so if I'm using apple juice, and I refill it a few times, I end up with this thick, gunky AJ concentrate that tends to foam up.
 
Why not make a Big Drum Smoker clone?

If you intend to buy a drum it will churn out some of the best Q and you'll have the satisfaction of cooking on something you built yourself.
The Ugly Drum Smoker thread on the BBQ Brethren is full of all kinds of drum smoker builds from mild to wild. Personally, I am a fanatic for the Drum! http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com/index.htm

I built a Mini 1427 clone, two 2339-2 clones and a 2739-2 BDS clone and they are some of the best cookers I have!

Take a look at the BDS site, and if you are not impressed, then go for the Cajun Bandit, it takes up where Weber dropped the ball!
 
Brian, I would love to do a BDS but I already spent the cash on this one touch silver. I have a WSM at home but every year my brother and sister and I get together with the parents in August and we all cook. I have been mostly adding the grill/smoke aspect but my brother is starting to catch on. I convinced him to get a new 26.75 this year and he is learning to smoke on it. For this years rendezvous I hit up cost co for a turkey, two chickens, a leg of lamb, 6 racks of St Louis cut spares (yes costco pre-cut them St Louis style and still only 2.29lb). Also a full packer Brisket. I think I can do all of these well on the two 22.5 Webers I will have available. I'll have to think about the smoker for next year. Maybe a Craigslist find or build something. Thanks for the help.
Jess
 
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