# Hunsaker Vortex Smoker



## gr8day (Jun 27, 2017)

I had a WSM 18.5" and a small Taeger PG I bought used because I wanted to see what pellet cooking was all about, in the last year I've thought about going with a high end pellet grill a small stick burner or an insulated cabinet like the Backwoods G2 Chubby, 270 Sumo or Humphrey's Weekender. Purchased a hanging kit for the WSM 18.5 to help increase capacity, really liked the results from hanging chicken, pork loins and ribs but still wanted more room and flexibility after that I started looking at Drums specifically Hunsaker and Gateway.

Really liked the Hunsaker Vortex Fire Basket and over all build so I pulled the trigger and ordered a extra grate and hanging kit, compering how this cooks compared to the WSM is like comparing a Chevette to a Corvette. You can obtain fantastic results on a WSM what makes the Hunsaker better is temperature control and if you like cooking at hotter temps the Hunsaker is a much better smoker, I can easily cook chicken at 375-400 if I like, can't always say the WSM would get there even with all vents open and no water. 

Been cooking on it for 2 months now and still stoked.

Just out of the box 













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some cooks













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## SmokinAl (Jun 28, 2017)

Everything looks delicious!

I guess you have that smoker dialed in!

Al


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## hardcookin (Jun 28, 2017)

Them Hunsakers smokers are pretty popular right now...with food like that I can see why.
How long does a basketful of fuel last?


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## gr8day (Jun 28, 2017)

hardcookin said:


> Them Hunsakers smokers are pretty popular right now...with food like that I can see why.
> How long does a basketful of fuel last?


I'm not sure, my longest cook so far has been 5.5hrs (Beef Short Ribs) cooking at 300, used less than a half basket of Lump, just speculating but I don't see why I wouldn't get at least 12hrs on a full basket cooking at 300, not that I would need to because I usually cook a 14/15lb Full Packer Brisket in about 6.5hrs give or take and they are my longest cooks. Picking up a Prime Full Packer to smoke this weekend so I'll have a better idea but I will only fill up the basket 3/4 full and that will be more than enough fuel for the cook figure that will give me around 9hrs of cook time cooking at 300, plan on cooking some sausage and sides after I pull the Brisket to rest, I like to let a Brisket rest at least 2hrs.


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## gr8day (Jul 4, 2017)

Filled up the Vortex Charcoal Basket with Cowboy Boy Lump and Hickory Chunks, left just enough room to dump a full Weber Compact Chimney of RO Briquets, ashed over coals dumped onto unlit coals at 7:00am, 13lb (after trimming) Brisket went on at 7:30, cook temp @300. Brisket was probe tender and pulled at 2:00pm (6.5hr cook) dinner wasn't till 5:30 so I throttled the vents back for 90min, cooker temp went down to 250, opened the Vents backup at 3:30 so pit temp would climb back to 300 to smoke Mac N Cheese  and Sausage.

Closed intake and exhaust vents at 5:30 so for the most part it had been running at 300, cleaned it this morning and after cleaning out the ash there was still about an 1/8th of the charcoal still in the basket so I am confident I could get 12hrs on a full load cooking @300, if using Briquets I'm sure I could get even longer cook times, not that I would need it.


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## hardcookin (Jul 4, 2017)

Gr8day said:


> Filled up the Vortex Charcoal Basket with Cowboy Boy Lump and Hickory Chunks, left just enough room to dump a full Weber Compact Chimney of RO Briquets, ashed over coals dumped onto unlit coals at 7:00am, 13lb (after trimming) Brisket went on at 7:30, cook temp @300. Brisket was probe tender and pulled at 2:00pm (6.5hr cook) dinner wasn't till 5:30 so I throttled the vents back for 90min, cooker temp went down to 250, opened the Vents backup at 3:30 so pit temp would climb back to 300 to smoke Mac N Cheese  and Sausage.
> 
> Closed intake and exhaust vents at 5:30 so for the most part it had been running at 300, cleaned it this morning and after cleaning out the ash there was still about an 1/8th of the charcoal still in the basket so I am confident I could get 12hrs on a full load cooking @300, if using Briquets I'm sure I could get even longer cook times, not that I would need it.



Pretty impressive drum. Thumbs Up


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## gr8day (Jul 4, 2017)

hardcookin said:


> Pretty impressive drum.


I'm extremely pleased with it, plate from yesterday.













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