# NewBie to smoking



## smokingjake (Mar 23, 2006)

HI everybody as you know am new to smoking and look foward to meeting you all and learning as much as I can about smoking.  



smokingjake


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## bob-bqn (Mar 23, 2006)

Howdy Jake!

Lots of good people here willing to help. 8) Don't miss your chance to roam the archives for valuable advice. And feel free to ask questions.


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## Dutch (Mar 23, 2006)

Greetings Jake! Check out tulsajeff's Smoking Basic eCourse, it is an excellent primer to get you started in the right directions.


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## brianj517 (Mar 23, 2006)

Hi Jake,

Welcome to our little corner of the web. There's lot's of great info here, so grab youself a cold one and read on... Feel free to chime in any time with questions or comments...

Cheers,
Brian


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## jlloyd99 (Mar 23, 2006)

Welcome Jake, glad to have you here in our little corner of the web.  I'm sure you'll enjoy it here.  Feel free to ask and share, the advise you get here can't steer you wrong.


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## larry maddock (Mar 25, 2006)

yo jake dude,
what type of smoker do you have??


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## smokingjake (Mar 25, 2006)

I have a charboil.  Its long shaped about 7 feet I geuss with a fire box.  I am doing up some ribs for the first time and a meat loaf also the first time tomorrow.  I only have done chickens 3 times so far had the butcher cut the whole chicken in 1/2 and did a brine solution for 12 hours and smoked for 6 hours and the 3 times that I have smoked so far got me and my family hooked on smoking.  I am really into this smoking thing and I plan on taking it to the limits.  I am already thinking about building my own smoker.  So I can use logs instead of cowboy charcoal and hictory chips.  I think it would be better to smoke with logs instead of charcoal.  But thats a ways away for now I just want to learn as much as I can.  Thanks for asking.  I think this site is a good place to start.


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## monty (Mar 25, 2006)

Jake, my friend! Pick a time when you can get comfy and pop a cold beverage, your choice, and just take some time to browse through all the postings. You're gonna love what you see!
Welcome and happy smoking!
Cheers!
Monty


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## bwsmith_2000 (Mar 25, 2006)

Hello Jake,
      Sounds like I may have a smoker just like yours. It's a Char Broil horizontal off set type smoker. Anyway, if that is indeed the type you have, I can tell you of some modifications that Igot from this forum and have applied to mine. They are simple and made a world of improvement. I also have a wide body GOSM (SS) that I have learned to absolutely enjoy. 

Anyway, welcome to the forum!! Let us hear from you often and don't forget the pictures.


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## smokingjake (Mar 26, 2006)

I would love to hear about the modifications you have made.  I am getting ready now for the smoke later today.  The band I am in is all coming down for it so i on the hot seat :-).  And thanks for your welcoming me to this forum


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## scott in kc (Mar 26, 2006)

Jake, Welcome from a fellow smoker and musician. Well musician might be overstating my playing abilities, but I have been sitting behind a mixer for over 20 years (only occasionally now) but still enjoy every chance I get to participate in the making of music.

Best of luck with your party!!


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## bwsmith_2000 (Mar 26, 2006)

Jake, 
     I can't find the link right now but from memory, I basically made three mods. First, from Home Depot, I purchased a piece of sheet metal. It was probably 18x18 or so. I cut a piece from it and rolled it into a cyclinder and inserted it into the lower portion of the chimney so that it effectively extended the chimney to the grill level. 

Next, I used the remainder of the sheet make a baffle extending from the fire box opening into the cooking chamber. I trimmed the corners and actually bolted it to the fire box opening by removing one of the nuts holding the firebox and cooking chamber together. Then placed the upper portion of the baffle over the screw and replace the nut. When in place, the baffle extends at about 45 degrees from the fire box wall down into the cooking chamber and is about 7-8 inches long. 

The last change I made was to also purchase three sheet metal pieces. I also got these at Home Depot. They are about 6 inches wide and about 18 inches long. As I recall, I had to cut about two inches off the ends to make them work. The first one of these, I placed in the cooking chamber about two inches from the fire box and over the baffle. It rests nicely across the cooking chamber about 3-4 inches under the cooking grids and can be easily removed for cleaning. The next plate was trimmed just like the first and also placed into the cooking chamber next to the first but leave about one inch gap for smoke to get through. The third plate was then placed in the cooking chamber next to the second but leave about 2 inches spacing. 

By doing these relatively small mods, I was able to reduce the difference in cooking temp in the chamber from about 70* from end to end to about 10*. It made all the difference in the world. And by the way, there is one more change you will need to make if you do some long smokes. Like a brisket or butt. You'll need to raise the charcoal/wood grid by a couple inches and/or plan to occasionally clean out the ash build up under the fire grid. (When it builds up it tends to smother the fire.) 

I wish I could remember the source of this information so that I could give proper credit. I know that I got the info from someone here on the forum and like I said, it made a tremendous difference in the cooker. I now really enjoy cooking on it. Many thanks to whoever you are and my apologies for not being able to remember.


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## smokingjake (Mar 26, 2006)

ke


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## scott in kc (Mar 26, 2006)

FL Bill, this is the link I posted recently that you said would have been helpful if you'd found it before you made the mods.

http://www.teddybearbbq.com/SmokerModifications.pdf


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## Dutch (Mar 26, 2006)

If that doesn't work for you try this one

Smoker Modifications


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## smokingjake (Mar 26, 2006)

Thanks Earl D- i printed it out.  The baby backs are looking good First time I tried ribs period.  I have smoked them for 3 hours and I  just now put them foil with alittle apple juice for 3 hours then 1 without the foil.  Just put in 5 lb meatloaf also.  I am alittle nervous about the ribs I have been maining a tamp of 225 to 250 mostly 225.  i am using cowboy charcoal and a humnk of hickory 1 every 1/2 hour.


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## smokingjake (Mar 27, 2006)

The baby back ribs and meatloaf came out great.  The meatloaf was very surprising and the ribs were so tender and not dried up at all.  My other half was afriad of the whole smoking thing but now she is starting to love it.  I guess I'll be cooking a lot more and that is cool.  


Thanks all for your help

Jake


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## bwsmith_2000 (Mar 27, 2006)

Dutch,
      Your reference works well. But Scott, I went back to your referenced site before I sent my post to "Jake" and I get a return message that the site is not available. I tried it again this morning and I can't get into it. That's unfortunate because it worked well.


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## bob-bqn (Mar 27, 2006)

Congrats on the successful cook Jake! 8)


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## larry maddock (Mar 27, 2006)

yo jake dude,
it sounds real good.

is new matamoros a hispanic community???


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## smokingjake (Mar 28, 2006)

Whats up larry maddock?  No its on the ohio river and is a crazy country town.  About 1200 people total.  If that.  1/2 the town has Native American roots.  Myself I am Irish and German and Native American.


take care Larry 


Jake


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## bluefrog (Mar 28, 2006)

Dutch,
Thanks for the link to the modifications.  I've been using my charbroil off set for years and never could get it quite right.  I think with these modifications I'll "be cooking with gas".


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