# Brinkmann Smoke N' Grill



## lucc (Jun 4, 2009)

So, I joined this site to master the Brinkmann Smoke N' Grill I have. I got it last year as a 5 year anniv gift at work. I seasoned it and used it once last year. First time I used it I used Matchlight charcoal and screwed everything up.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 Didn't read all instructions until half way through, meat was a waste. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




So this season I'm going to master this little smoker. Anyone have this model, any tips/tricks you give would be appreciated.


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## bbrock (Jun 4, 2009)

I do not have that kind. How ever I have a Brinkman Smoke N Pit. I can tell you there are all kinds of good people here that will help you out. They have done so for me. Welcome to SMF.. You will like this site and the people as well.


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## bigsteve (Jun 5, 2009)

Sorry I didn't see your post sooner.  Start with this link.  It's for a slightly different model then you have, but it should help quite a bit.

The lid on your brinkman is made to have gaps so that the heat and smoke fill the lid and cook your meat evenly, the smoke exits out the gap where the lid sets down.  The link below talks about adding a vent on your dome, but I wouldn't do that.  Of course, your smoker, your call.

http://www.randyq.addr.com/ecb/ecbmods.html

Ask away with any questions.  Lots of Brinkman users here.


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## tasunkawitko (Jun 6, 2009)

hey, lucc - my buddy big steve beat me to it  i was just about to recommend the randyq mods. i have a brinkmann that is like yours except a little bigger and taller (looks like an R2D2) and these mods helped in so many ways i can't describe them all.

give that a read and then let us know if you have any quesitons. the mods are probably 10 or 15$ worth but will make very worthwhile improvements and you will certainly taste the difference!


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## lucc (Jun 9, 2009)

That's friggin' awesome, there is no access to the charcoal pan in my, no pun intended, little unit. Need more charcoal, just lift up the main body of the smoker by the handles, throw a couple more briquettes on and put smoker back over the pan.


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## billbo (Jun 10, 2009)

What he said! Do these relatively simple mods and you will be much better off.


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## straatshootr (Dec 3, 2011)




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## straatshootr (Dec 3, 2011)




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## straatshootr (Dec 3, 2011)




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## straatshootr (Dec 4, 2011)

sorry for the above double pics.  i couldn't see which ones i had actually posted because it said my posts were being held for review. 

day 2 with my ecb.  today i had a big fire and didn't add any extra charcoal, until about 3 hours into it, when the gauge dropped below the ideal.  i need the chicken to go up about 40 degrees more, unless i've accidentally got this probe stuck too far in and it's going into the cavity instead of stopping at the meat.  the chicken looks done so far, but the temp is low. i have added charcoal and tried to get more fire in there.  when i add charcoal, am i supposed to just put it in there on the bed of coals, after shaking some ashes off the coals?  or should i try to get it to actually burn up some?  i've stuck pieces of paper and charcoal soaked in lighter fluid in there, but this gets old.


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## wbrian (Dec 4, 2011)

Lots of people use a chimney to get the coal burning and "ashed" before putting them in, so there's little drop off in temp.  As you use your smoker and become more familiar with it, you'll know when to light the chimney so it's ready when you need it.

HTH,

B.


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## bimmer (Dec 5, 2011)

I only use "lump charcoal" in my brinkman. I start the charcoal in a separate "chimney" that you buy at the hardware store for about $10.


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## straatshootr (Dec 5, 2011)

the chimney starter is on my bucket list.  but yesterday was really really bad windy so i'm sure that hurt the temp.  thought it would help the fire but i guess i blew away any heat.  i read somebody wrapped something around theirs so i'm gonna try that too.  next project is work on this turkey for christmas.  will have at least another therm just for the air, and a wrapped smoker.


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## jacobtia (Dec 11, 2011)

Straat,

I would stay away from putting paper and charcoal soaked in lighter fluid in your smoker while you have food in there(it's gonna make your food taste funky and I am sure the lighter fluid isn't good for the food either). All you need to do is add unlit charcoal to the pan and it will catch fire from the other coals already burning in there. But DON'T go over board adding charcoal. If you add to much at one time you will lose a lot of heat. I added like 5 or 6 briquettes on the yard bird I did a few weeks ago and I only had to add a total of 10 briquettes through out the smoke.

Jake


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## jacobtia (Dec 11, 2011)

Another tip for you.....You don't have to use a therm for ribs. You can just do those by time as long as your smoker holds steady temp. Search 3-2-1 method and you can read more info on that.


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