Hello all, it's good to see that this thread has had some legs. Been away from this for awhile due to personal issues, but I've been looking out my kitchen window longingly at the lonely smoker out back, just waiting to get back at it.
Got the cover off and scrubbed down the CC on Saturday, just used a nylon bristle brush and very hot water. Re-seasoned with cooking oil and some baking Pam, loaded up with lump charcoal, started a full chimney and had her up to 350 in no time. Kept it there for an hour then closed the FB vents and kept it steady at 220 for about 4 more hours.
I had some fish (one largemouth bass and a pickeral) in the freezer from last year, was going to just toss them but thought I would throw them on the smoker just for fun. Didn't brine or rub, just thawed them out and threw them on Sunday about noon. Got the smoker up to 220 (lower vent on FB door closed, upper vent that I installed open about 1/3), smoked to 145 internal temp. Really mild flavor, not much fish flavor at all, really, but I used a recipe I found here (
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/131620/todays-menu-smoked-fish/20) and it turned out awesome (eating for lunch right now). Sorry, no Qview, will get the camera out for the next one.
I see a couple of questions posted here, not sure if the posters are still looking but I'll answer anyway:
jhmassey, I used the 4" vent on the upper part of the FB, and it works fine. I don't even look at the thermometer that came with it, I use a Maverick 732, got it from Todd Johnson when I ordered my a-maze-n smoker, couldn't live without it.
There were a couple of questions about the charcoal basket. I use just lump charcoal now, seemed to get a chemical flavor from the briquettes and couldn’t get clean TBS consistently with wood. The basket works great, and has held up surprisingly well given the temps it sees. I did place a couple of pieces of sheet steel in the basket, thinking that the charcoal would burn in an ‘S’ pattern, but it really didn’t make any difference, I’ll probably just pull them out when I get a chance, but this is what it looks like from the top:
Ryan asked about the hooks on the top, I actually broke one of the hooks hanging a 6lb ham on it, snapped clean off. I tied some string between two other hooks, then hung the ham from the string to disperse the weight to finish it up. Haven’t hung anything since, but I would make sure you have a grate set up under anything that’s hanging so it doesn’t crash all the way to the bottom, I don’t really trust them now.
Kwkk asked about the upper vent I put in the firebox, my idea was to give better air flow through the top of the FB. I can adjust both vents to better control temperature and smoke going into the CC. At least I think it works better, I put it in before I fired it up so I don’t know how it works without the upper vent, but the setup seems to work really well for me.
I’m really disappointed to hear about all of the shipping damage you have all had, looks like I got really lucky with mine. Also, it looks like they’re having trouble with paint now, too. The inside of my CC looks great, checked it over good before firing it back up, no chips or bubbles or paint peeling anywhere. Seasoned up again, it looks like a well-cured cast iron pot. If mine peeled I wouldn't paint the inside either, just leave it bare and keep it seasoned, shouldn't be a problem.
Overall, I’m still really happy I got this unit, been working out really well, but it kind of looks like it’s a crapshoot now on what you’re going to receive if you order one.