# new Horizon 20" ranger smoker



## zarxis (Aug 7, 2012)

Yesterday i finally picked up my brand new Horizon Ranger 20" backyard smoker. First words out of my mouth... "WOW"! this smoker is large and in charge. As most of you know the details of these smokers, its built out of 20" steel pipe with 1/4" thickness all the way around. the horizontal smoker is 44" long and the verticly chamber is 51" tall with 3 racks in it and a bar on top to hang large itmes for cooking. This thing is ready to cook some serious food!

After an interesting time unloading this nearly 800lbs beast out of my truck, i went right to inspecting the smoker! After all it is a large investment and I wanted to be sure this was the quality product its rumored to be.

Needless to say, before i got this product i read through endless forums comparing these smokers to the Lang smokers and every other smoker on the market. Suprisingly there was several people saying the workmanship on the Horizon was not that good, and it leaked smoke a lot.....let me tell you, my Ranger has some of the best workmanship on it ive seen, and everything seals nice and tight! The cooking grates are stainless and great quality, every little piece of hardware down to the ash rake is of the upmost quality.

Soon i will get more pictures up, tonight i am starting the seasoning process for the smoker, but this weekend starts the real cooking













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__ zarxis
__ Aug 7, 2012


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## pops6927 (Aug 7, 2012)

Congratulations on your investment, it will pay off for you big time every weekend!


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## dragonmaster194 (Aug 7, 2012)

Zarxis, That is an awesome smoker!  Congrats on your purchase.  Glad to hear that all was well with it as well!  Now the adventure reaches a new step.  I am looking forward to your experiences with it.  Smoke away my friend!!!!!  Steve


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## zarxis (Aug 8, 2012)

The last 2 evenings I spent smoking the smoker up and getting it seasoned. Just sprayed the inside real well with a cooking oil/conola oil and smoked it with mostly Oak, and 1 log of apple wood. Total of 4-5 hours of smoke, so it should be nice and ready for some meat now!

I cannot emphasize enough the workmanship and quality of this smoker! Although i am new to the forum, I have been smoking and grilling for years and been through several lower grade smokers and been around many higher quality ones too. Granted this 20" ranger is not exactly a cheap smoker ( $1,800 ) its a lot of bang for the buck, and it is going to last a lifetime and then some. I ordered the convection plate for the bottom for heat distribution, but even running the smoker without it I can tell it is really easy to control the heat. Right now the side closest to the firebox does run much hotter, but thats what the plate will help dillute. As far as heat fluxuations, this smoker stays dead on temperature ( 225 degrees )  super easy with very little attention needed. The side verticle chamber stays about 75-100 degrees cooler which is perfect for what i will use it for ( jerky, fish, vegtables and etc. )













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## beefmeister (Aug 8, 2012)

let's see... about a gallon of oil to do the initial seasoning on that bad boy
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Nice aquisition !


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## jrod62 (Aug 8, 2012)

Great looking smoker Thumbs Up


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## michael ark (Aug 8, 2012)

Sweet! Thumbs Up


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## emc2112 (Aug 13, 2012)

What a beast ! I just joined this forum and purchased a Horizon 16" (small time compared to yours) and really agree with your assessment on workmanship.  I get just a trace of leakage but have had great success with it thus far.  I'm not however, able to control heat as well as I'd like. I find myself having to tweak vents and fuel levels about every 25-30 minutes. Any suggestions?


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## big lew bbq (Aug 13, 2012)

I am so jealous! That is a nice looking smoker! Can't wait to see the Q-Views from your smokes on that beast! I can only dream some day soon I will also be a proud owner of a smoker like that!


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## JckDanls 07 (Aug 13, 2012)

Enjoy it..  I know I would...  If you can, pull it out in the yard (grass) and fire it up and put oil all over the outside too (just as important to season the outside as well)..  anywhere and everywhere... Do it in the grass so the oil doesn't drip all over patio... I fill a water bottle with oil and poke a lil hole in the cap and use it a s a squirt bottle...  a oil soaked rag in the other hand and get after it...


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## oldschoolbbq (Aug 14, 2012)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/stickburning101

Zarxis, here this may help you if you are going to use real wood...LOL
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Have fin and as always...


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## zarxis (Aug 23, 2012)

EMC2112, i would reccomend getting the convection plate from horizon to help control the temperature in the cooking chamber. Also, i will get my fire started and burn a few logs down to coals before placing food in, by having a good solid set of coals really helps me have a solid consistant temperature while smoking. Like several articles on here state, i leave my chimmney wide open and control the heat with the air vent on the firebox. I usually have the vent about half way closed the entire time...with a few adjustments occassionally for the random fluxuations. Another idea i've done in the past to help control temps is placing a tray/bowl of water in the smoking chamber right outside the firebox, this puts off a warm humid steam with the smoke that helps absorb ( for lack of a better term ) the heat fluxuations.

So far the smoker has been doing awesome, smoked a pork shoulder, brisket, and chicken all at once last weekend and everything turned out delicious! i'll have more pictures coming soon!


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## allones (Jun 10, 2015)

Attempted to smoke some salmon in the Horizon Ranger for the first time.  When I did this in the New Braunfels, it was a six hour ordeal.  It was a struggle to keep the temperature in the cooking chamber at 170 - 200 deg. F.  I was using charcoal briquets and apple wood.  I did have a Horizon convection plate and the heavy duty firebox grill to increase the thermal mass.  Without them I was having to mess with more charcoal and apple wood every 15-20 m.  With them it was about every 30 m.  The NB has 1/8" steel wall.  The Ranger has 1/4" steel wall thickness.  In the Ranger no matter what size fire I built the temperature in the vertical smoking chamber seemed to stay around 175 - 200 deg. F.  I didn't pay much attention to the thermometer in the horizontal cooking chamber. I got the salmon going with occasional excursions to 200 deg. F.  I built a fire using oak logs, them dumped dry alder for the smoke.  The temperature in the horizontal chamber was over 300 deg. F. The salmon was done rather quickly, in about 1 1/2 hr!  I had to take them off for fear of overcooking.  I think I need to build a much smaller fire in the firebox so my smoking time is longer.  It was a far cry from the six hour ordeal with the NB.  Maiden voyage with the Ranger smoking salmon.  Way too hot I think.













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## buttburner (Jun 12, 2015)

wow looks great!

congrats on the great cook and nice pit!!


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