Toggle sidebar

Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
Remove the Ads for LIFE - 50% Off!
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Hey everyone, I'm back. I bought my BTLE in March, I had to take a day off yesterday to finally put it together. I'm curing it tonight & 1st smoke tomorrow. 6 racks of ribs. I'm a bit nervous. Any tips will be appreciated. I did a stack mod & sealed everything. Here she is.
IMG_2012.JPG

IMG_2012.JPG

 
Well, it's not as good as I had hoped. I have some temp problems. I'm at about 265° on the right & 185° on the left. Should I move my rib racks around? The probe on the right is not over my makeshift convection plate, a cookie sheet wired to the top right grate. So I think it's reading a bit higher than what the actual temp that the ribs are at.
You can see it in the pic
IMG_2018.JPG

IMG_2018.JPG

 
BadJackson said:
Well, it's not as good as I had hoped. I have some temp problems. I'm at about 265° on the right & 185° on the left. Should I move my rib racks around? The probe on the right is not over my makeshift convection plate, a cookie sheet wired to the top right grate. So I think it's reading a bit higher than what the actual temp that the ribs are at.
You can see it in the pic
IMG_2018.JPG

IMG_2018.JPG

Click to expand...
That sucks!! I built a heat distribution plate and it worked well my right side of the pit was 250 and the left side was 225. I hope this helps
image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

 
BadJackson said:
Yeah, they didn't turn out great. They were tough... like Famous Dave's. But they tasted good! I have to make a GOOD convection plate.
Sad.
Click to expand...

Don't get discouraged. 6 racks of ribs is a big load for a machine that's fresh out of the box. You just have to get to know each other a little better. ;-)
I have a trailmaster and found it frustrating at first also, but after you break it in and get a few smokes in, it will get easier to manage. Before long you'll be naming it! (Mine is named Susan)
You can drive yourself crazy with mods and "fixes", so my suggestion is to just make one change at a time and enjoy the process.
Good luck to you.
 
Thanks JohnnyRockford... I'm not too upset... just a bit. More upset with myself for getting talked into cooking for 9 people on its 1st smoke. I was so busy getting everything ready this weekend, I didn't even get to cure it like I wanted to. I got up at 6 and stared the cure. The sweet charcoal basket my buddy (pro welder) made me didn't fit. After I had the ribs on for a few... I felt I needed to add charcoal. My temps shot up to almost 280°!!!!!! I knew I was screwed.

Any tips on cleaning the BTLE after a smoke?
 
Badjackson. Try rib racks to get them to cook better. Also i wouldn't sweat high temps for ribs. A few of the good bbq restaurants I've talked to say they always do ribs hot.
 
Hello all!
Been reading a lot of these posts about problems evening out the temps on the TMLE. I have this smoker as well and had the same problem. Tried making my own plates and deflectors with minimal success. Finally ordered a baffle plate from kick ass bbq south, worth every penny. Even temps now and using less fuel! Doesn't cost much and works great
 
Well, I got started on ribs by accident. My grandma announced one weekend that I would be making ribs for dinner the following evening.... I had never cooked ribs in my life prior to that. I used an oven and then finished them on the grill. They were great! Since then, I have been going steadily towards smoking them in a charcoal smoker. This was my 1st attempt at that. They TASTED way better, but they were also WAY tougher! I just need to work at it a bit more. I just need to learn my BTLE and figure out how to even out the heat and keep it low. I also don't know how to estimate my smoking time.

I have thought about putting in an extra stack in the fire box, just as a way to dump some heat. I was opening the lid thus time... I guess that worked a bit.
I think I need to practice.
THIS website helps A LOT!
 
For ribs I go about 275ish and between 3-4 hours. I usually get my brisket going then add the ribs. I spritz them about every 45 min with apple juice and let them rest for 1.5 to 2 hours wrapped in a cooler. My last set I did them for a full 4 hours and when I tested it, one of the bones pulled completely out of the meat. It didn't have any meat even on it. A BIT too long but the flavor was amazing and the creations I was cooking for likes the "fall off the bone" part. What do you expect with trying to make Q for people in AZ.
 
I bought my BTLE around Memorial Day and added the silicon, rope gaskets, charcoal basket, chimney extension, and a Maverick 73 and 732.  This has been my first adventure with a smoker and I have used it several times since getting it all set up.  Here are some of the Qviews from my successful smokes, I say successful because everybody so far has loved whats come out of the smoker!!

breakfast fattie.jpg

breakfast fattie.jpg


brisket resting.jpg

brisket resting.jpg


full smoker - brisket, ribs and loin.jpg

full smoker - brisket, ribs and loin.jpg


pork butt and kc messy ribs.jpg

pork butt and kc messy ribs.jpg


pork butt.jpg

pork butt.jpg


sliced brisket.jpg

sliced brisket.jpg


st louis ribs with mr. brown.jpg

st louis ribs with mr. brown.jpg


the bend test.jpg

the bend test.jpg

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Similar threads

Its_Raw
Brazos Maiden Voyage
Replies
9
Views
939
General Discussion
Its_Raw
Its_Raw
Its_Raw
ThermoPro Heat Analysis/Wood Selection
Replies
1
Views
563
General Discussion
Chasdev
C
Redicans
Chargriller Grand Champ temps.
Replies
6
Views
757
General Discussion
Redicans
Redicans
A
New Braunsfel Black Diamond unconventional mod
Replies
8
Views
1K
Wood Smokers
Chasdev
C
Its_Raw
Old Country Brazos - Few Mods and Some Observations
Replies
0
Views
858
General Discussion
Its_Raw
Its_Raw
kilohertz
Where's the love for Brinkmann SnP?
Replies
0
Views
865
Charcoal Smokers
kilohertz
kilohertz
fxsales1959
got some kingsford low and slow at Wally world
Replies
5
Views
472
Blowing Smoke Around the Smoker.
DougE
DougE
B
Firebox size for pipe pit
Replies
1
Views
625
Smoker Builds
seenred
seenred

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Top Bottom
Back
Clicky