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altutor

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 19, 2014
15
10
Clifton, NJ
Hi everyone! I'm from Northern New Jersey. I have been interested in smoking for a little bit. For Father's Day, my wife bought me a Brinkman Trailmaster Limited Edition.

After getting it together, I've been on YouTube (K-Ray's videos are helpful) and this forum have helped me through the curing process.

I smoked some salmon yesterday. This my first go with smoking. I found that I used too much charcoal and wood and smoked and cooked it way too quickly. It's going to be a learning curve.

Just a little bit ago I paid a fabricator to cut 5 15" x 6" 1/8" mild steel tuning plates/baffle. I will give it a test run later today to see how the heat/smoke is move around. I have a party I am hosting this Saturday and I don't want to ruin my Grass Fed brisket and Flank steak.

During my first cooking, I noticed that some smoke leaking out of the cooking chamber. I purchased some 3m Fire Block. Wondering if anyone has had any experience with this sealant?

I will be on this forum a lot. I really want this to be a fun hobby.
 
Hello and welcome from East Texas. It takes a few times to get things figured out.

Gary S
 
Thanks 5oclock! I will look into the RTV.

In regards to mods: I was a bit overwhelmed with what is needed/suggested/recommended.

As you both mentioned, I will take my time and have some fun with this. I am breaking out brisket, flank, chicken wings and sausage this Saturday for a small get together. I am reading up on cooking times for everything. Well let you know how it turns out.
 
Sorry, I've been lazy with posts/updates lately.  I also slacked with pics.  But my first smoke was 1/2 a success.  My brisket turned out good.  My flank was too tough.  I overestimated how long it would take to smoke.

Since that first smoke I've had two other chances.  On Saturday night I made another smoked salmon and it turned out great.  Juicy and flavorful.  The next day I took a run at baby back ribs.  I employed the 2-2-1 method.  On the second "2", I used OJ rather than Apple.  I made my own citrus BBQ from fresh ingredients.  I also made an Au Jus from the OJ, reduced it down by half and mixed in my BBQ sauce to this tangy and sweet sauce.  The ribs, however, didn't even need a sauce.  They were so juicy, fall-off-the-bone flavorful.

I am still trying to find my place with starting and maintaining the start up temps.  I get my charcoal going and then I add my first piece of wood and then the temps just jump up well past 300.  I attempted the Minion method.  It was working well until I added my wood.  The wood spread the fire to the other briquettes quicker than the method should allow.  I have to attempt smaller pieces of wood next time (I think).  I haven't yet fabricated a charcoal basket.  However, I have had tuner plates and a baffle installed.  Those helped even the heat out.

I picked up some RTV at my local Auto Zone.  I have smoke billowing from the tops of the lids on the firebox and smoke chamber.  I am unsure how to place the RTV so as not to seal the chambers permanently.  Any thoughts or threads that would help? 
 
Sorry, I've been lazy with posts/updates lately.  I also slacked with pics.  But my first smoke was 1/2 a success.  My brisket turned out good.  My flank was too tough.  I overestimated how long it would take to smoke.

Since that first smoke I've had two other chances.  On Saturday night I made another smoked salmon and it turned out great.  Juicy and flavorful.  The next day I took a run at baby back ribs.  I employed the 2-2-1 method.  On the second "2", I used OJ rather than Apple.  I made my own citrus BBQ from fresh ingredients.  I also made an Au Jus from the OJ, reduced it down by half and mixed in my BBQ sauce to this tangy and sweet sauce.  The ribs, however, didn't even need a sauce.  They were so juicy, fall-off-the-bone flavorful.

I am still trying to find my place with starting and maintaining the start up temps.  I get my charcoal going and then I add my first piece of wood and then the temps just jump up well past 300.  I attempted the Minion method.  It was working well until I added my wood.  The wood spread the fire to the other briquettes quicker than the method should allow.  I have to attempt smaller pieces of wood next time (I think).  I haven't yet fabricated a charcoal basket.  However, I have had tuner plates and a baffle installed.  Those helped even the heat out.

I picked up some RTV at my local Auto Zone.  I have smoke billowing from the tops of the lids on the firebox and smoke chamber.  I am unsure how to place the RTV so as not to seal the chambers permanently.  Any thoughts or threads that would help? 

Be very wary if you're going by what your stock therm says. Here's a link from others with your smoker. I have 4 tel-tru therms which are known for accuracy. But the therm on top of my pit is still 75 degrees hotter than grate level. I know on my pit if my top them is reading 325, my ones at grate level are reading 250.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/104190/brinkmann-trailmaster-limited-edition/180


Here's a link for same forum on sealing.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/104190/brinkmann-trailmaster-limited-edition/480

I think there's over 30 pages there. So you should find a lot of other peoples successes and errors. Hope this helps!!!
 
Hey

Welcome to the Smoking  forum.   You’ll find great , friendly people here, all more than willing to answer any question you may have.  Just ask and you’ll get about 10 different answers—all right.  LOL.   Don’t forget to post qviews.

Gary
 
Altutor, Welcome to SMF, I'm sure you will learn a lot and hopefully you will share your smokes with us with lots of qview! 

It's a great hobby and there are great folks here, willing to help! 
 
Hi everyone! I'm from Northern New Jersey. I have been interested in smoking for a little bit. For Father's Day, my wife bought me a Brinkman Trailmaster Limited Edition.

After getting it together, I've been on YouTube (K-Ray's videos are helpful) and this forum have helped me through the curing process.

I smoked some salmon yesterday. This my first go with smoking. I found that I used too much charcoal and wood and smoked and cooked it way too quickly. It's going to be a learning curve.

Just a little bit ago I paid a fabricator to cut 5 15" x 6" 1/8" mild steel tuning plates/baffle. I will give it a test run later today to see how the heat/smoke is move around. I have a party I am hosting this Saturday and I don't want to ruin my Grass Fed brisket and Flank steak.

During my first cooking, I noticed that some smoke leaking out of the cooking chamber. I purchased some 3m Fire Block. Wondering if anyone has had any experience with this sealant?

I will be on this forum a lot. I really want this to be a fun hobby.
Hi Where did get the tuning plates cut. How are they working out?

Thanks Dan
 
Hi Where did get the tuning plates cut. How are they working out?
Thanks Dan

Dan, I got the tuning plates/baffle from a metal fabricator named Ace Metal Kraft in Woodland Park, NJ. He charged $20 for everything. It's working out great. The heat is very even throughout the smoker. I am managing temps much better now.
 
Hi That was a great price!!! Some one in Patterson wanted $50+ that was for 1/4"

I have a Brinkmanns Smoke N Pit. Hardiest part is getting even temps across the pit..I'm kind a of getting use to the different temps, gives me some temp options.

Only been smoking for 2 years now.It is still a learning process, especially with brisket. Went to a few BBQ competitions the food was amazing.

My plates are ony thin metal. I purchased the smoker off of Craigs list and plates came with the smoker.

Thanks Dan

PS Question about the baffle, is that just a flat piece, or did they have to bend it for you?

 
Last edited:
I can see someone charging $50 for plates.  I only got 1/8" plates, hence only $20.  I inquired about 1/4" and he said it would be roughly double what I was going to pay.  So, it sounds like a fair price.  I am only smoking now for 3 weeks with fairly decent success.  I've been reading up a lot on this forum and from some YouTube instructional videos.  My first brisket turned out great.  I plan on smoking one in a couple of weeks.  My baby back's have turned out great twice already.  I also smoked salmon twice, both came out great.  I want to smoke pork next.

As for the baffle, I just transformed one of the tuning plates into a baffle by angling it over the firebox hole.  I didn't have it fabricated further.  I have 4 plated lining the bottom and the 5th is angled up covering the hole.  From what I've read, you don't have to have anything created to make a baffle other than using a tuning plate.  The 1/8" plates (one as a baffle) regulate the heat amazingly.  I also found using the minion method for heat has helped regulate how long and how much heat is used.  I have to perfect it, but my first attempt over the weekend turned out great.
 
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