Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition

[brick]

This looks cool but how does the chimney draw? It looks too low to me. Also, I think if you leave a couple of inches open above the "heat deflector" it will be less sooty.

I wanted to stop on and say thanks to all who have posted in this thread.  I picked up a TMLE on Monday and on Tuesday made the expanded metal coal box, the smoke stack extension from 4" dryer vent and a heat deflector from an old Broiling pan bolted to a piece of 1 1/2 x 1/8 steel cut to the width of the coal rack in the cooking chamber.  I also lined the coal racks in the cooking chamber with Charbroil pyramids and sealed the whole thing (except the two doors) with high temp sealant.  I have ordered two Thermos on amazon and will install them left and right on the door at grill level when they get here.  I seasoned it last night and today it is getting a load of salmon.  I used a 1/2 chimney of hot coals on top of a bed of about 6 inches of charcoal.  I am a few hours in and it is running like a champ.  Holding about 225 on the left and 235 on the right while the stock thermo shows 250.  Thanks for sharing all your great ideas and know how!

Happy Birthday USA!

 

[brick]

This looks cool but how does the chimney draw? It looks too low to me. Also, I think if you leave a couple of inches open above the "heat deflector" it will be less sooty.

I wanted to stop on and say thanks to all who have posted in this thread.  I picked up a TMLE on Monday and on Tuesday made the expanded metal coal box, the smoke stack extension from 4" dryer vent and a heat deflector from an old Broiling pan bolted to a piece of 1 1/2 x 1/8 steel cut to the width of the coal rack in the cooking chamber.  I also lined the coal racks in the cooking chamber with Charbroil pyramids and sealed the whole thing (except the two doors) with high temp sealant.  I have ordered two Thermos on amazon and will install them left and right on the door at grill level when they get here.  I seasoned it last night and today it is getting a load of salmon.  I used a 1/2 chimney of hot coals on top of a bed of about 6 inches of charcoal.  I am a few hours in and it is running like a champ.  Holding about 225 on the left and 235 on the right while the stock thermo shows 250.  Thanks for sharing all your great ideas and know how!

Happy Birthday USA!

 

[piaconis]

Draws very well.  I have left the firebox lid open during warm up, and it draws even with it open.

 

[edgar rollins]

It's Dec 2012 but Home Depot has them . For 299.00
 

 

[piaconis]

That's a bummer. That's the same amount that my wife and kids paid for mine for Father's Day.

 

[gvillejeeper]

Great tips on here from everyone!!! Glad I found this forum, just got my Brinkmann TMLE yesterday as an early Christams present from my wife. I have been wanting a smoker for a long time now. Really excited about getting started and have to say the wife did a good job in picking this out. Got it assembled yesterday, looks like I have a few mods and seasoning to do this week. Hope to do my 1st run at it next weekend!!

20121209_144249.jpg

• gvillejeeper
• Dec 10, 2012

 

[robhatch]

I just joined today and I just got a TMLE, arentherenany suggestions on sealing the cooking door better? I'm getting alot of,smoke from there, any things would help!

 

[piney]

Considering the replacement of my good old 1964 vintage GardenMark (Trivia question-- anyone remember what store sold them ..... ? )  grill.  Its finally rusting out too much to repair.

I use it for grilling and smoking.  I see the TMLE info states it can grill too.  Anyone use it for that ?  I'd be concerned that the ash in the cooking part would fly around when shoveling it out.  

Does it have a grease drain ?  Could one rinse out the firebox on occasion after grilling ?

 

[piaconis]

I just joined today and I just got a TMLE, arentherenany suggestions on sealing the cooking door better? I'm getting alot of,smoke from there, any things would help!

This stuff will be your best friend:


Apply it liberally around the lip of the smoking chamber, cover the bead with plastic wrap or wax paper, close the lid, and let it set overnight (longer in cold temperatures).  Should do the trick.

 

[socalbbq]

Considering the replacement of my good old 1964 vintage GardenMark (Trivia question-- anyone remember what store sold them ..... ? )  grill.  Its finally rusting out too much to repair.

I use it for grilling and smoking.  I see the TMLE info states it can grill too.  Anyone use it for that ?  I'd be concerned that the ash in the cooking part would fly around when shoveling it out.  

Does it have a grease drain ?  Could one rinse out the firebox on occasion after grilling ?

Piney,

The firebox has a couple grates that can be used for small grilling needs, 4-6 pieces chicken or steaks.  I use mine for that on occasion.  Although the manual says you can grill in the main cooking chamber, I don't because I don't want the ash in the smoking chamber.  I may this year invest in a charcoal grill for larger grilling needs.  It does have a grease weep hole on the side near the smoke stack.

Good luck,

Greg

 

[piaconis]

Considering the replacement of my good old 1964 vintage GardenMark (Trivia question-- anyone remember what store sold them ..... ? )  grill.  Its finally rusting out too much to repair.

I use it for grilling and smoking.  I see the TMLE info states it can grill too.  Anyone use it for that ?  I'd be concerned that the ash in the cooking part would fly around when shoveling it out.  

Does it have a grease drain ?  Could one rinse out the firebox on occasion after grilling ?

Well, short answer is that yes it can.  Should you is another question.

I have used my main smoking chamber as a grill and rinsed it afterward.  The grease hole is pretty small, so it takes a while to drain, and easily gets obstructed with grill fragments.  Personally, I found it difficult to control the flame when grilling in the main chamber, but I really didn't try it enough times to say that I made an honest effort.

However, one of the nice features of this smoker is that they include grates for use in the side firebox to turn it into a grill.  This works reasonably well, and I routinely use it to put a nice quick sear on skin-on poultry when I pull it out of the smoking chamber.

Personally, I decided against using the main chamber as a grill and kept my Weber 22.5" Gold for those tasks.  Instead, I filled the space below the intended charcoal racks with lava rock for more thermal mass, and use them for drip pans to catch fat for finishing sauces.

Hope that helps.

 

[treknogeek]

Hi all. I have had my TMLE for only a few cooks. It has grilled and smoked well for me, and I am looking forward to implementing many of the mods on this thread. I will say that after I seasoned it according to the manual the ash cleanup was horrible. I spent over a half an hour cleaning the ashes. Cleaning the grease from my first rib run wasn't much better. However, for my next grill and smoke I had 8x13 disposable cake pans lining the bottom of the firebox and main chamber (they fit right under the charcoal grates). Now cleanup is a breeze and I have had no ash issues. Although time will tell if this changes as I build up some character in my TMLE after many more cooks.

 

[amper]

I got a trailmas last month. Holds temp well. Doesn't leak much at all. Only thing I am suspicious of is the accuracy of the temp gauge in the middle.

 

[dabeve]

That stock thermo is off from the cooking surface by as much as 75 or 100 degrees.  It is WAY too high in the cooking chamber. Especially if you have not added a heat deflector of some kind or lowered the chimney to help pull more heat down toward the cooking surface.  Install a few thermos at the level of the surface, I used these.... 

 

[dabeve]

This stuff will be your best friend:


Apply it liberally around the lip of the smoking chamber, cover the bead with plastic wrap or wax paper, close the lid, and let it set overnight (longer in cold temperatures).  Should do the trick.

I have not installed it yet but I hear this works too around the cooking chamber door.  I just bought it and will add it when it warms up around here.....

 

[amper]

Thanks. Can it really be off by that much?

 

[amper]

I will get the thermometer you recommend. Do I just place it on the cookjing chamber rack by where the food goes?

 

[dabeve]

I will get the thermometer you recommend. Do I just place it on the cookjing chamber rack by where the food goes?

Yeah it really can be off by that much without the mods.  The thermo I linked can be installed by drilling a 1/2" hole in the cooking chamber.  It comes with the hardware to install it.

 

[amper]

I overnighted a surface thermometer from amazon. It gave poor readings the first hour, showing the factory thermo off by 120 degrees. The next several hours were more consistent though.
It showed factor thermo to be off about 50 degrees.factory being higher. Pretty much the same from front to back, further away from firebox was about 55 degrees less

 

[amper]

55 less yhan facyory that is. However, up by the firebox the surface thermometer showed 75 degrees higher than factor thermometer. Messed up and had the ribs too closeto the firebox because of the readings I got from the first hour. Oh well. It nice to learn this trailmaster's cooking attributes.