# Seasoning Gateway Drum smoker



## nwolfe88 (Jan 30, 2017)

Just bought one, says to spray cooking spray on the inside and then burn for 2-3 hours. What am I spraying? The barrel? The grates? Fire basket? Lid? Everything?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 30, 2017)

I wouldn't worry about the charcoal basket. Everything else inside you can spray down. Honestly it's not needed. All of my smokers I just start using. The fats from the meat will do the job.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 30, 2017)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> I wouldn't worry about the charcoal basket. Everything else inside you can spray down. Honestly it's not needed. All of my smokers I just start using. The fats from the meat will do the job.










Before long, you'll have a very nice layer of smoke residue on the inside that will prevent rust and such.  How long you ask?  After the first 2+ hour smoke.

Now, smoke something and show it to us!


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## nwolfe88 (Jan 30, 2017)

Thanks! Will do!


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 2, 2017)

So...not sure if anyone has one of these, but, for hot and fast, I've heard the meat dripping onto the coals is a big part of the cooking process. 

1. Do I need to hang the meat for this to happen or are using the grates ok?
2. Will using the Gateway diffuser plate prevent this? Should I not use it with 'hot and fast'?
3. The Gateway thermo seems to be off about 50 to 60 degrees from my maverick. Would it be worth replacing with a tel-tru?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 2, 2017)

You do not have to hang the meat for it to drip onto the fire. For hot cooks in my UDS, and WSM's I do not use a diffuser. For low and slow cooks I use the diffuser. I'd wrap it in foil when you do use it for easy clean up.

I'd use your maverick and not worry about the pit therm. They never seem to work or are accurate.


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 2, 2017)

Ok..here goes. First time ever doing hot and fast ribs..feels weird! Running the can around 290 with no diffuser so the drippings drop on the coals. 













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__ nwolfe88
__ Feb 2, 2017


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## firemanjon (Feb 2, 2017)

Sounds like a fun afternoon!! Keep us posted how it turns out!!


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 2, 2017)

Is there a specific placement I should use for the wood chunks in the charcoal basket? On top? Buried? Inside to outside?


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## firemanjon (Feb 2, 2017)

I used to use the chunks on my wsm with a layer of charcoal on grate, then placed 4-5 chunks around on the charcoal, then filled the rest of the way up and lit using minion method and added another 2-3 chunks on top. I found that if I wanted to keep smoke the entire cook I still had to periodically add chunks after those quit smoking to keep my thin blue smoke going. Now I just light up minion method and add a small split of wood about 4-6 inches long to the top as I'm assembling the smoker and add more later if needed.


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 2, 2017)

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__ nwolfe88
__ Feb 2, 2017





Here we go. Not bad. Not great (first time). Took two hours...I think the drum got well over 300 at a couple points. Also, crappy pre rubbed kroger ribs. Will try low and slow next time. I tried to take them off when they were 205 degrees but the ribs were all over the place in different spots. How do I tell if they're really done since it's so hard to measure temp of ribs? Not really a smoke ring either.













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__ nwolfe88
__ Feb 2, 2017


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## firemanjon (Feb 2, 2017)

I have usually gone by feel or toothpick test until lately. It is difficult to get an accurate reading because of all the bones you have to have a thin probe to miss the bone. I have noticed lately thermoworks has a needle probe made just for ribs I've been meaning to pick up but haven't got one yet. I'll post a review when I get it lol...seems temp is the best way to go on ribs since I've tried SmokinAl's method.


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 2, 2017)

What's the best way to go low and slow in these drums? Water pans?


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 3, 2017)

Thinking about getting an 18 inch water pan to sit on the deflector. I wonder if that would hold things stable around 250 and even out the temps from side to side?


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## gr8day (Feb 3, 2017)

Let the Drum run where it wants to, you just need to adjust how you cook and cook times, I used to be a low and slow guy now almost everything I cook is at 300+, If you have the hanging kit hang your ribs without the diffuser for 2hrs then wrap and lay on the top grate for 1hr, then sauce. You got a high performance cooking machine don't run it at half throttle. 

This is good vid on how to make killer ribs, I don't own a Gateway but this is the technique I follow unless I want them dry then I change it up a little bit. Congrats on the Gateway.


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 3, 2017)

I will definitely try this. It's hard going from low and slow. I like my smoke rings and smoke flavor! How can hot and fast produce the same smoke ring and smoke flavor?

Also on the drum...where should I position the lid exhaust in relation to the two air vents? In the back? (Would make a triangle between the two air vents and the lid exhaust).


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## gr8day (Feb 3, 2017)

On the Gateway Drum you should keep the lid exhaust triangular to the intakes from what I know and I would only use the Diffuser if you are cooking on 2 grates at the same time or you just want a different smoke profile. You can also reach out to Gateway by phone or email or the Insane Can Posse for tips on FB if you haven't already. As far as Low and Slow vs Hot and Fast, to each his/her own, one is not better than the other as far as end results IMO. As far as the smoke ring I've never had a problem with getting one and if it isn't that great so what,  it has nothing todo and I  want to emphasize nothing todo with taste and tenderness so I really don't pay attention to it. I would also say that with higher temps you are getting more airflow and a cleaner smoke profile, clean smoke = better ersults.

I'm never going back to Low and Slow because I know I can get as good results if not better in less time cooking Hot and Fast, I used to think 225 was a magic number, maybe push it to 235/250 oh how wrong I was. The only way I'm cooking Low in Slow anymore is if I'm using a Pellet Grill. 

I was planning on buying an Insulated Cabinet Smoker from Backwoods Smokers or Humphrey's but Drums just offer a lot more more versatility and are geared more towards Hot and Fast cooks.


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## gr8day (Feb 3, 2017)




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## firemanjon (Feb 3, 2017)

+1 on hot and fast Gr8day. I do most of my cooks on WSM but I rarely go low and slow. I get better airflow and cleaner smoke with the higher temps. I never use water pan, mine is filled with sand and wrapped in foil. I do most cooking at 300-325...food gets done faster and I can't taste the difference. Cooking at these temps I rarely wrap meat as well other that ribs. My brisket and butts stay naked the entire cook.


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## gr8day (Feb 3, 2017)

FiremanJon said:


> +1 on hot and fast Gr8day. I do most of my cooks on WSM but I rarely go low and slow. I get better airflow and cleaner smoke with the higher temps. I never use water pan, mine is filled with sand and wrapped in foil. I do most cooking at 300-325...food gets done faster and I can't taste the difference. Cooking at these temps I rarely wrap meat as well other that ribs. My brisket and butts stay naked the entire cook.


I think choking down a fire to lower temps creates a dirtier smoke/smoke profile, the higher the flow the better off you are. 

I have a WSM as well (18.5), have a clay saucer for a diffuser for when I want to use a diffuser, a lot of times I don't, also have a Hanging Kit for hanging Ribs and Chicken halves and think hanging is awesome. Thought I'd end up getting an Insulated Cabinet Smoker when I wanted to upgrade but the versatility of a Drum would fit the way I cook much better, the Gateway is an awesome Drum but I'm leaning towards a Hunsaker right now.


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 4, 2017)

Could I get the vortex charcoal basket and basically turn my gateway in to a hunsaker?


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## gr8day (Feb 4, 2017)

nwolfe88 said:


> Could I get the vortex charcoal basket and basically turn my gateway in to a hunsaker?


I don't see why you couldn't, you can email Mark Hunsaker on his website, if my WSM was a 22 instead of an 18 I'd just order a Vortex Fire Basket and be done with it. Hunsaker has one that will fit in an 18 but it's to tall for me to hang ribs in the WSM 18. I also like that Hunsaker drums are powder coated, the lid hinge exhaust temp gage setup and the dolly wheel caster setup. 

I like the Gateways too, I'm not a comp guy but there are a lot of people using them in comps and winning.


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 4, 2017)

I see it looks like Hunsaker is using briquettes in the vortex. Any idea why? Keep temps lower?


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## gr8day (Feb 4, 2017)

nwolfe88 said:


> I see it looks like Hunsaker is using briquettes in the vortex. Any idea why? Keep temps lower?


In this video he's using lump, I personally like to use briquettes or a mixture of both because of consistency not because one burns hotter than the other. 

In this video he's using lump and it really doesn't matter IMO, use what you want to use.


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## nwolfe88 (Feb 5, 2017)

I wish I would have know about these Hunsakers before I got the Gateway. Not sure if it's a big deal or not but my lid is slightly warped so it leaks a bit on the side and the air stack on the lid isn't even welded all the way around the bottom to the lid so I'm getting residue seeping out of it when I cook.


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## nwolfe88 (Dec 14, 2017)

I am resurrecting this thread because I should be getting my Hunsaker soon! Can't wait.


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## hardcookin (Dec 14, 2017)

It will be good seeing what you think of it.


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