# First smoke on my Horizon Classic Smoker.



## joes bbq ribs (Aug 1, 2015)

Hello new to the site as you can see, "Newbie" name is Joe from Peoria, AZ  the sunshine state!  

This is my first smoke of my Horizon Classic. I bought this smoker from a older guy that only used 6 times.  He had it posted as a Horizon 16" Classic for 6 bills.  After I picked it up and got the smoker home I started doing some measuring and come to find out it's a Horizon 20" Classic talk about a good deal, I was stoked to say least. Smoker came with heat convection plate, smoker cover, nice 3" Tel-Tru BBQ Thermometer. Anyway smoking 3 racks of baby backs today I'm going to try and load up some photos below. Tell me what you think oh yeah I did the 2-2-1method at a temp around 225-250 with a mixture of apple & cherry wood should have some awesome flavor. [emoji]128512[/emoji]
Sorry I don't have the pictures of the finished product yet still have another 1:20 mins to go.  
Thanks in advance for checking out my posting!   Happy Smoking [emoji]128298[/emoji]












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## joes bbq ribs (Aug 2, 2015)

Just a quick update just pulled ribs off the smoker to unwrap them, put a light coat of BBQ on them back on the smoker for the last hour.  Here are a couple photos













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## joes bbq ribs (Aug 2, 2015)

Final update ribs are done,  take a look at the photos of the finished ribs. They ribs were nice and tender and have a nice cherry ring to them.   Everyone said they were delicious [emoji]128077[/emoji].  Next batch of ribs I do I'll try some different wood, any thoughts on other types of wood to try out, I also want to make a charcoal / wood basket and need to order a digital thermometer set.  Anyone have have thoughts of a decent digital thermometer set.  Also thinking about adding a second level slide-out-shelf.  Other then that I'm very pleased with the first set of ribs cooked on the Horizon Classic.  












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## gonavy (Aug 2, 2015)

Those look great, nice job on first smoke.  The only thing I do different is I use a lot more brown sugar and I use dark brown sugar, I also squirt some honey along with the butter (Iuse sqeeze I can't believe it's not butter, butter) during the foil stage.

I made my own basket from some expanded metal 12x24 inch sheets from Lowes, got two of them for around $10 a piece, bent them six inch from either end (makes a "U" shape) turned them 90 degrees from one another, then used stainless steel L brackets and small bolts at each corner.  Makes a perfect 12x12x6 high basket with double thickness bottom.  Seems to holding up very well so far, used it about a dozen times now.

Best thing I have gotten is a Maverick 733 dual wireless remote temp gauge.  Works great, can set both temp probes to BBQ temp, or both to selectable meat temp, or one of each...I have gone out to my garage during a smoke, over 200 feet away and through walls and never lost contact with temp updates, works very good and makes keeping things under control so much easier.


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## joes bbq ribs (Aug 2, 2015)

Go Navy,  thanks for the positive feedback,  next time I wil definitely use more of the brown sugar,  I did use some honey just didn't want to over power it the first time around [emoji]128165[/emoji]    I was thinking the same thing for the basket after seeing what they wanted on line it was like $60 plus shipping!  I'll take a ride this week to lowes and pick up 2 of them and make myself a basket.  The Maverick 733 thermometer I'll take a look into that also.  Thanks again for all your feedback happy smokin' [emoji]128298[/emoji]


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## gonavy (Aug 2, 2015)

Making the basket was super easier, took all of 20 mins.  To be honest, even it only last a season or two, at this price and as easy as it to make, I'll just make one ever couple years.

Too make it I marked sheet six inches from either end then clamped a 2x4 along the line stepped on the 2x4 and bent the sheet by hand, then layed the 2x4 and sheet still clamped on the edge of my work bench hammered along the edge to get a nice sharp corner.  You may have to take some pliers and bent the tabs up a little along the bottom of one piece (part between the two six inch bends) to get it to slide down into the other one, but not that hard, this stuff bends fairly easily.  When you put the "L" bracket on and I used the smallest ones I could fine, I used some big flat washers, because the expanded part is about 3/4 inch, pretty straight forward.


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## joes bbq ribs (Aug 2, 2015)

GoNavy,   Sounds pretty straight forward,  I appreciate the step-by-step instructions makes it that much easier.  I was looking up the Maverick thermometer dual zone set they have one that is the ET-733 Wireless BBQ Meat Thermometer black in color and comes with a set of Bear Paw Meat Handler Forks for $70 via their Amazon.  Thanks again for all the feedback.  I'll get a couple pictures after I make the basket this week. 
Happy Smokin' [emoji]128298[/emoji]


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## gary s (Aug 5, 2015)

Great looking Ribs  Nice Job   
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Gary


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## joes bbq ribs (Aug 5, 2015)

Gary,  thank you for the comment [emoji]128077[/emoji]  the ribs tasted great family loved them!   
Happy Smokin' [emoji]128298[/emoji]


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## joes bbq ribs (Aug 5, 2015)

:grilling_smilie:


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