Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition

[treknogeek]

Hey Guys,

I have a new experience with the TMLE I thought I'd share. Recently, we moved from Illinois to Texas. Unfortunately, there was not enough room for the TMLE. However, it turned out that I had a benefactor (thanks Dad) who took pity on me and my BBQ deprived family and picked us up one of the newer vertical models.

I call it R2B2 (rig 2, Brinkman 2, plus it looks like...). I have to say, I am impressed with the little guy. The metal is the same thickness as the normal TMLE and it even comes with a lazy Susan of hooks for sausage. Also, I like that it has a cabinet style door versus a lid that comes off. There are a few limitations, however. There is not much room to poor water into the water pan (and it needs to be filled about every two hours) and you cannot pour any new fuel into the basket as there is not enough room. That being said, I have gotten consistent 4-5 hour cooks at 275.

This time I'm trying some new things. First, a buddy gave me a bunch of pecan, so no lump this time (accept as an accelerant) and I packed playground sand in the water pan. I figured that dice silicon is an insulator it might do the trick, and it turns out other people on the SMF have had luck with it.

Here are some pics. I'm trying my new TX style rub on brisket today (only my second one). I'll post some q-view as it develops.

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

 

[treknogeek]

Four hours in and the 10 lb brisket is at 163. I was hoping to get more time on the wood I put in, but lessons learned for how to arrange the wood for next time. Finishing in the oven (which I normally do to keep fuel costs down anyway). Oh, the sand seemed to do a decent job of protecting the meat. A touch scorched, but I think that is due to temperature spikes I am having (strong and sudden wind gusts causing it to spike by 30 degrees in a matter of seconds).

Here are some pics of the brisket right before going in the oven:

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

 

[barrelcooker]

Great idea trek

 

[barrelcooker]

Great idea smokey whaler

 

[treknogeek]

Well, I promised q-view, and here it is. I was very happy with this cook. The meat was moist and tender and had plenty of smoke without overshadowing the meat. I see no reason to go back to using water in a water pan any time soon.

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

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• treknogeek
• Dec 12, 2015

 

[oldgamefreak]

Try using 12" long split logs I can only use 2 or 3 at a time without charcoal to stay below 275. I imagine if I put 4 or 5 splits in at a time it would hit 350-375 no problem. Also opening you ash drawer partially will get you LOTS more heat.

So how long does this last? I have been using chunks but I'm thinking about going all stick so I don't have to be so attached that the fire box. 

 

[glennmc]

treknogeek -- your oven is lower fuel cost than your smoker?  Depends on the wood source I suppose.

Don't know about the vertical but in my TMLE I use 8"-10" splits in a mix of wild cherry and oak and get great results.  90% of what I cook is pork butts.  I agree with thackman about the ash drawer, easy to revitalize a fire that's gotten away.

 

[treknogeek]

GlennMc - oven use, including finishing a cook, Falls within the monthly budget. Therefore, the fuel for the smoker is more expensive. Besides, I get good smoke with amount of time (~4 hrs~), and it is also a lot more convenient when you have three small kids and other obligations demanding your time. This has worked well for me. In an ideal world I would tend a fire for 15+ hours. I look forward to being able to do that.

 

[smokey whaler]

My first attempt at a Pork Shoulder Picnic!! 5hrs in

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• smokey whaler
• Jan 17, 2016

 

[gary s]

Looking Good   I like Pork Butt

Gary

 

[gerard143]

Found one last one of those bad boys at Home Depot for $199 so I grabbed it. I'll keep it in the box until my current one is shot then I'll have a replacement :-)

 

[smokey whaler]

Here is the finished Pork Shoulde Picnic

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• smokey whaler
• Jan 19, 2016

 

[whiskeyboyz]

looks great.

 

[robhatch]

4:00a.m. tomorrow and these babies are hitting the smoke! I left them out at room temp a little to long and got carried away trimming the briskets since the day was so soft, but I'll just have to watch them a little more carefully!

 

[robhatch]

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• robhatch
• Jan 27, 2016

These didn't upload with my previous post!

 

[robhatch]

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• robhatch
• Jan 28, 2016

Is it time for dinner yet?

 

[whiskeyboyz]

we never trim briskets. that fat cap protects the meat . trick we learned. leave them in the pan. the AU Jus is saved that way.  When a large piece of meat like that or butts reach an internal temp of 150 degrees, cover it with aluminum foil and keep cooking. at that point you can stop adding smoking wood cause they are covered and the smoke only penetrates the first 1/4 inch anyway. on Butts, you may need to drain some of the juice off before covering them. pour it into a glass bowl - the grease will ruin Tupperware and momma won't be happy. we don't pull briskets off until about 205 internal temp and butts as well. Butts will pull easier and we let them rest and cool down before pulling. Brisket should be tender enough to cut with a fork.

SMOKE ON!!!

 

[tomfrazier]

Hi guys and gals...

I'm getting ready to repaint my BTLE and I'm looking for suggestions for removing the rust under the metal plate above the fire box on the door. I plan on using a combination of palm sander, wire brush and wheel and sand blaster gun from Harbor Freight but I haven't figured out a good way to clean between the fire box and that steel plate that is attached to the door. 

Once clean, I also need to find a good way to paint inside that little triangle area.

I plan on using Rustoleum 2000* High Heat Primer and their 2000* paint in rattle cans.

Also if you think the Rustoleum 1200* paint is good for the fire box I would use it since it is cheaper and also comes in quart cans.

Thanks for any advice... 

Smoke on!

 

[chad cochran]

Ok guys,

  I got my BTLE for Christmas and so far I LOVE IT!!! Hooooooooowwwwwwwever, as a rookie, I have used the stack and intake baffle to regulate temps.

I was so proud of myself, with digital therms and everything, I got temp to hold at around 250* avg between firebox and stack. I had the FB baffle open about 25% and the stack open just enough to fit a pencil into the largest part of the crescent opening. BOY HOWDY!!! I had it pouring thick white smoke, looked like a freight train!!!!

The first brisket came out ok, a little dry, but ok.

The first package of chicken breasts came out good, juicy, but slightly dipped in 9V battery.

The second pkg of breasts came out even better, even had a larger portion of 9V than the first!!

Sooooo, as I was looking for new recipes, forums, injections, etc for my second brisket, I come across a thread describing that wonky 9V taste as creosote. I have a gazillion crackly, glass like crispy blisters all over the interior of my smoker.

I read one that said something about filling the cooking barrel with oily newspapers?

Here's what I need to know: How do I effectively and efficiently clean the interior? Step by Step please, I'm new to this.

 

[tomfrazier]

Hi Chad... Welcome to the forum.

I am not a admin or even regular here but I've had my BTLE for almost two seasons. I LOVE mine and use it quite a bit living in South Florida.

Anyway, if you take an hour and look on this forum page by page you will get a ton of GREAT info for making an already great Grill/Smoker even better.

I sealed all my openings with 500* Silicone RTV using the Seran wrap method. Got a 90 degree elbow for the stack and some steel tempering plates...

As far as your issues, I never noticed "crispy glass like blisters on the inside of mine.

When I first got mine I burnt out all the manufacturing oils by building a charcoal fire in both the main chamber and fire box bringing the temperature up to about 500* for about an hour. I then seasoned it before first use by wiping the inside and outside down with a sponge dipped in olive oil. I then built another a charcoal and hickory fire in the fire box and just let it smoke for another hour adding more hickory chunks as needed to keep the temp around 300*.

When I smoke pork shoulders and the like I first marinade the pork inside a couple 2 gallon Ziplock freezer bags (double bagged) or if its really big inside a plastic sealed rectangular container inside the fridge for a total of about 24 hours. I start the marinade the morning the day before I plan on smoking and keep it in the fridge until around 10pm at which point I take it out of the fridge and set it on the kitchen counter to let it get to room temperature over night... The morning of the smoke I take it out of the bags/container and dry it off with paper towels and use a dry rub that I put together. I fire up the BBQ and use a loaf pan filled with a mixture of a dark beer (usually Yengling Black & Tan) and a cloudy unfiltered apple cider JUICE from Publix  (Juice NOT vinegar!)  on the right side next to the fire box on the main cooking grate to keep the humidity up. I keep the temperature around 250* but I only have that one thermometer and I keep the shoulder in the middle or toward the left side.  Once the roast gets a good color and a little dry to the touch (after abt an hr) I start moping it every 30 min or so with a hot mixture of cloudy unfiltered apple cider juice, dark beer and some of my dry rub that I keep in a covered pot on the fire box.

I think it's important to distribute the heat more evenly using some form of tempering plates, and keep the moisture up by using the evaporation pan, moping as well as keeping the temperature down to keep it from burning the outside...

Give my suggestions a try and report... 

Regards,

Tom