# TX - Extreme BBQ Makeover - New Braunfels Smoker Refurb



## jackthejester

Hey Guys (and gals!) ....

I found the SMF forums last week while digging for info on a smoker I was going to buy ...

Always heard great things about the New Braunfels Smokers, and ran across one locally on craigslist. Basically the ad was ... "husband is gone, time to move his cooker" .... he must not have been much for cooking (recently). I know the newer Charbroil version has thinner metal and a bolt-on firebox. Not this one, must have been an original New Braunfels, as it's got 1/4" steel cooking pit and firebox, welded together. And is HEAVY! She was asking $200 and I got it for $150 ... 

I'd love to know from other Forum members if they recognize anything about this smoker, years, etc ... It is a New Braunfels (had a crumbling label on the chimney end) - with 'Chuck Wagon Cooker' on the side of a chuckwagon image. Label was falling apart, so that's all I officially know. Theres what might be a manufacturing code or serial # inside the main pit lid - Y1316.  Any other comments or info is mucho appreciated.





















Pretty rough shape, on the surface, not sure this dude ever cleaned this out. I spent Friday afternoon getting dirty with my hand sander, some 80 grit sandpaper, a drill and wire-bristle cup that removed a ton of firebox rust, gave the pit exterior a good sanding and hit it all with 3-4 cans of high temp Rustoleum (1200 degrees). I fired up an obligatory first burn that night and painted another coat or 2 while it burned off the ickys inside ...

BEFORE (after sanding, before paint)







Found some replacement grills at Home Depot on Saturday and we were in business .. 

AFTER (for now ... ;))








24 hours later after it had arrived at our address, we had to test drive it with a tenderloin that had been in the freezer .. Hormel Lemon Garlic tenderloin, straight from the package, nothing added.







Results were mixed .... we thought the taste was right on, and we thought the texture was a little rubbery. Might it have just been the processed / packaged tenderloin or indeed over-extended cooking times???







Any comments or suggestions welcome if you've had tenderloin experiences, I'm pretty new to hardcore smoking ... I've been grilling since I could flip burgers on the grill with my dad, 30+ years ago .. but this is my first experience owning an offset smoker and I'm all ears to those more experienced.

Tenderloin was ~1.5lb placed on the grill closer to the firebox than not. Temps generally stayed between 225-250 (gotta love the new toy that plays right the first time!!!), it did fall as low as 180ish and got as high as 320ish, but never for an extended period of time.

We're doing a beer can chicken tonight. I bought a beer-can chicken stand on clearance at the grocery store probably 3-4 years go, it's sat in the cabinet - guess it's time we put it to good use.

If there's such a thing as BBQ "pRon", I swear I feel like I just found the stash .. love the SMF!

We're a Mid 30s couple in Fort Worth, TX - shes a TCU grad, I'm a Baylor Grad originally from Houston, we love good friends, good food and good music, often traveling to see our favorite band, Widespread Panic, across the country, making gobs of friends nationwide. Need to hook me up a trailer pit and go on tour .... veggie burritos, sheesh, how bout a slab of ribs, bro or a sausage (on a stick, maybe) ? 1 for $3, 2 for $5 .. good times!

And since it would seem relevant to these parts ... here's the TCU Football Lettermans BBQ Smoker wagon, only 3 places down from our football stadium tailgating spot, selling $10 all-you-can eat BBQ plates,complete with satellite on top and flat panel TVs showing the game(s) on the front. I brought my grill the first game, and never saw the need after that .... you blame me?







My first post ..... glad to be here .. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





dave. in TX


----------



## blackhawk19

Welcome to the SMF, great deal on your smoker. Sign up for Jeff's 5 Day Ecourse


----------



## mossymo

jackthejester
Welcome to SMF and congrats on your great find !!! You have it looking good. I am positive someone will be along shortly that knows the history and has product knowledge of that smoker.


----------



## pigcicles

Welcome to SMF Dave. Congrats on the snag. Been seeing a lot of good deals being grabbed up off of craigslist lately.


----------



## jackthejester

funny you say that .... I just got the PDF format and printed it, but haven't had a chance to read it all .. this'll give me an excellent place to start, understanding YourMileageMayVary - you guys have some amazing forum threads that have already been a big help in cleaning and readying the smoker to where I am now .. and learning quick! 

.. so do you 'name' your smoker?? .. ;) - looking out the back window, with smoke streaming out the chimney it kinda looked locomotive-ish .. .Casey Jones, baby! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.. gotta love a new hobby ... SMF looks to be a sweet community and resource .. 

Thanks to you all ...

dave.


----------



## seaham358

welcome... nice smoker and great refurb..
read up on the sight there is tons of info here and its easy to find.
We love pics here so post away..


----------



## dbeast420

Nice score on the NB. Looks like a first class job on the clean up


----------



## peculiarmike

Can't believe you stole that smoker from that nice little ol' lady!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




Amazing what a couple cans of high temp. black will do.
Keep that thing fired up and post some pics of your grub.


----------



## walking dude

dont know if its a OFFICIAL thing to do.......but there had been several christenings of smokers here.........

maybe ask for help on naming it.......get us ALL involved.......

nice.......ahhhh........steal............heheheh


dude


----------



## redbrinkman1955

She didnt know what she had you got a great deal good job on the re-paint, post more pics
Good Luck and Good Smoking
Redbrinkman1955


----------



## Deer Meat

Welcome and great refurbish job. Smoker loooks great
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Be sure to post pics of your smoked goodies, also known as Qview.


----------



## deejaydebi

Welcome Jack -

Great deal you got there and a fine job cleaning her up! Many of us name our smokers. It's a great hobby! Enjoy!


----------



## johnd49455

Welcome to the SMF Family
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Great find & gald you jumped in love the Q-view keep em coming
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I don't know much about the NB but I am sure someone will be along to give you the info you request.


----------



## ajthepoolman

Hell of a deal.  I would like to snag a NB or something from Oklahoma Joe.  

Welcome to SMF!


----------



## pigcicles

Especially for a killer knockoff price


----------



## bbqpitstop

Welcome to SMF, and nice smoker refurbish. It looks a lot like the one the welders in Kansas made me on their smoke break on a job we were on. Too bad I never did get the barrel portion cut open and eventually passed it on to a neighbor when  I couldn't get it finished up. Now I wish I had kept it. 

Lived in Fort Worth waaaay back when I was a teen, but I"m sure it's where the brisket was best.


----------



## hawgheaven

Welcome Dave, you have landed on the best smokin' site in the world! Nice refurb on the NB... may it give you many years of great service! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Have fun!


----------



## coleysmokinbbq

Hi Dave!...Welcome to the *SMF*!...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...Glad to have you Aboard!...You're gonna like it here!...

Great job there!...Ya got yourself a real winner!...


----------



## bbq bubba

Welcome to the SMF!


----------



## richoso1

Glad you've joined the SMF. I like the pics, how about some Q View in the future?


----------



## gypsyseagod

welcome to smf. great pics & great score.


----------



## squeezy

Wow! ... such a serious firebox for the size of that smoker!

Looks great and BTW ... welcome to SMF!


----------



## jackthejester

WOW!! .. THANKS you guys!!

Great to come back to your comments .. I'm soo looking forward to doing more - this weekend!

 .. I've got more pics of our first two attempts and wanted to tell you what I did and see if you guys have some suggestions ... 

Last weekend we did the pork tenderloin - little rubbery, great flavor. I kept the temp ~225-250, it did fall a little when my fire went down (already read Jeffs note on fire building and maintainence - so now, I'm a little better prepared ..
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I'd LOVE to hear ya'lls tips on building / maintenance of your fire + wood - I'm assuming you've all got a ritual you follow ....
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





(maybe this is a thread all on its own) - then I start reading the 'allnight stories' and am wondering exactly what I've wandered into ... 

so anyway ... the tenderloin .. I had read temps from 165 up to 180 or so ... did it about 4+ hours ~225 most of the time ... didn't touch it, just let it smoke above the water pan .. should I have turned and basted (didn't do that either..eek!) ... maybe cooked in a pan (more on this next adventure)

Comments + Suggestions Welcomed .... what was left over from our meal got devoured at the football game, so couldnt have been too awful .. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	











Check the Fresh Jalapeno from the garden to the right ... I've got tons of tomatoes and jalapenos coming up soon .. ideas while I smoke meat goodies for the veggies? foil packs, maybe? - or straight up smoke? - that one was tasty and HOT!

Second Try was a Beer Butt Chicken (I found the Recipe threads on this one AFTER we did it, but hey - ya live and learn) - I bought a Roasting Chicken (is that right?) - seemed to be what I was after - I neglected to cut the entire top off the can, removing just the tab, leaving the regualr opening, but filled it with tasty St. Arnolds microbrew from my favorite brewery in houston! ... we stuffed 2 jalapenos inside and half an onion in the neck ..

Again .. 4hours ~225-250, pulled it off at ~165 .. I later learned we should have done it hotter (~325, maybe?) and for a shorter time .. I'm not sure if I had the meat thermometer in the right place, but it seemed to be a thick piece of meat (suggestions?)















The red dot was explained on the package as a 'popout thermometer', but since I knew I wouldn't get close to the recommended 400 they suggest to Oven Roast at, it never 'popped'







The chicken breasts and 'top' (for lack of a better term) seemed to be great .. thick juicy white meat .. the back portions, legs, etc, were undercooked, even still kinda pink once I started to pick it apart.

So ... the next afternoon, i picked the carcass of all the remaining meat, added some onions and jalapenos and went and fired the smoker back up for another 60-90 mins of smoker wood chips to help it along ..

I'm loving me smoked chicken tacos the last 2 nights .... ;) - and I think I now have a permanent smoking pan, as *everything* in that dishwasher load now smells like last weekends smoking session... not that theres anything wrong with that .... but I guess you probably have smoking items, and non smoking items. So the smoker now has a pan .... hehehe - and it fits perfectly between the rails - had to, to clear the bird!

NOW .... This weekend I have 2 items I want to do, but am now wondering what I should budget timewise to do this right .. 

About 5lbs each of a beef brisket and a rack of spareribs .. I've been reading the threads and comments in the recipes, and if you guys are starting on thursday for sunday's brisket I need to start juggling my schedule .. 

Would love any comments or tips on smaller rib / brisket cuts and rituals ... 







..and finally have to share a wound from the original refurb project last weekend and have to wonder if this doesn't admit me to some club .. stupid rookie .. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





short story .. grill above the firebox fire fit great (front to back) .. but was a little too big (too wide) to be easily removed from said firebox (esp when warm!)

So when I needed to stoke the fire, I used a set of tongs to pick up the diamondplate grill and went to drop in some wood chunks and the grill twisted right off the tongs onto the back of my hand ... hadn't moved that quick in a while ... woooo!

Told the girl at work it was my new 'gang' branding .... so I guess y'all are my peeps now ...

Smoke ON!








dave. in TX


----------



## gypsyseagod

p.s. i lived in south hulen/crowley... they didn't have that pit then... go froggies....


----------



## jackthejester

The TCU Football Letterman own (I think!) and man that during each home game to raise money for the TCU letterman's association. I'm a Baylor Letterman and have thought about suggesting this to our guys .. good day at the game, good folks and raising money for the association ..   Usually a great mix of ribs, sausage, brisket, potato salad and other assorted goodies .. $10 plate for all -you- can- eat .. I'm probably at an advantage as our 'parking spot' for football tailgating is only 2 spaces up the aisle from this mother, so my camping chair is in full use maybe by halftime .. ;)  I'll have to bring you guys the Q-View next home game ... ;) yum!  dave.


----------



## squeezy

The tenderloin would have been fine at 160Âº and might I suggest spritzing with a little apple juice and wrapping it in bacon next time.

Beer butt chicken works best at about 325Âº to 350Âº for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on size.

You don't need to remove the top of the can unless you want to ... I just use a can piercer around the top.

Internal temp should be near 180Âº at the thigh.

An offset smoker may be difficult to maintain that high a temp.

For ribs, just use the 3-2-1 method.

Brisket, roughly 1 1/2 hrs per lb. ... more important is finish temp, usually 190Âº to 200Âº

Hope I was some help! Stay with it, you'll get it!


----------



## gypsyseagod

ok now i'm hungry........the fatty is gone, 1 rib left, italian sammie meat & quickfast i see chix  soup but i need bulk.. it's all yer faults.......


----------



## walking dude

nice q-view dave....

you dindt say how big the pork was...............next time, try brining it........really helps with the moisture...........mine this last sunday was great.......used hickory and cherry........the cherry really helped with the sweetness..........i have a thread on it somewhere, with q-view.......i also have a brine recipe in a thread that blawkhawk started on bringing pork tenderloin........mite want to check that thread out also

doing BIB Yardbird tonite...........and a boston butt, that i am doing sat.

will be posting q-views on those.......

great looking meal

d8de


----------



## lovetosmoke

Welcome to the forum and it looks like you are doing awesome


----------



## ur3rdimcfly

Hey everyone, I know I'm resurrecting a long-dead thread here, but I need some information.













Is this a "1" before and after the Y...or is that possibly some [brackets]?

124 or 24...still quite excited that I got this.

It's a New Braunfels Chuckwagon...they don't make them anymore, and I've been googling for about 2 hours, figured I'd ask you guys and see what comes back!


----------



## austonian

I have a NB Chuckwagon Cooker indentical to yours.  Was given to me as a present new some 20 years ago????    A internet search appears to confirm the company is out of business.  My smoker has Y2160 under the lid so I believe it to be a manufacturer's serial number.   You are correct in saying the grill is heavy!  With a little care, the grill should last forever.  BTW, I am in Austin.


----------



## double rr

just ran across this old thread on a internet search I have the same cooker The CO. was chuckwagon cookers in ft. worth out of business now they sold pits at the state fair in dallas for a few years they had a few varations some had a vertical chamber they were really affordable and built well Ihave owned many cookers over the years and build pits also theres is the best cooking pit I have had . I am cloning my pit to a 24 in version hopefully it will cook as well .


----------



## Jack W.-Austin

jackthejester said:


> Hey Guys (and gals!) ....
> 
> I found the SMF forums last week while digging for info on a smoker I was going to buy ...
> 
> Always heard great things about the New Braunfels Smokers, and ran across one locally on craigslist. Basically the ad was ... "husband is gone, time to move his cooker" .... he must not have been much for cooking (recently). I know the newer Charbroil version has thinner metal and a bolt-on firebox. Not this one, must have been an original New Braunfels, as it's got 1/4" steel cooking pit and firebox, welded together. And is HEAVY! She was asking $200 and I got it for $150 ...
> 
> I'd love to know from other Forum members if they recognize anything about this smoker, years, etc ... It is a New Braunfels (had a crumbling label on the chimney end) - with 'Chuck Wagon Cooker' on the side of a chuckwagon image. Label was falling apart, so that's all I officially know. Theres what might be a manufacturing code or serial # inside the main pit lid - Y1316.  Any other comments or info is mucho appreciated.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pretty rough shape, on the surface, not sure this dude ever cleaned this out. I spent Friday afternoon getting dirty with my hand sander, some 80 grit sandpaper, a drill and wire-bristle cup that removed a ton of firebox rust, gave the pit exterior a good sanding and hit it all with 3-4 cans of high temp Rustoleum (1200 degrees). I fired up an obligatory first burn that night and painted another coat or 2 while it burned off the ickys inside ...
> 
> BEFORE (after sanding, before paint)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Found some replacement grills at Home Depot on Saturday and we were in business ..
> 
> AFTER (for now ... ;))
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 24 hours later after it had arrived at our address, we had to test drive it with a tenderloin that had been in the freezer .. Hormel Lemon Garlic tenderloin, straight from the package, nothing added.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Results were mixed .... we thought the taste was right on, and we thought the texture was a little rubbery. Might it have just been the processed / packaged tenderloin or indeed over-extended cooking times???
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any comments or suggestions welcome if you've had tenderloin experiences, I'm pretty new to hardcore smoking ... I've been grilling since I could flip burgers on the grill with my dad, 30+ years ago .. but this is my first experience owning an offset smoker and I'm all ears to those more experienced.
> 
> Tenderloin was ~1.5lb placed on the grill closer to the firebox than not. Temps generally stayed between 225-250 (gotta love the new toy that plays right the first time!!!), it did fall as low as 180ish and got as high as 320ish, but never for an extended period of time.
> 
> We're doing a beer can chicken tonight. I bought a beer-can chicken stand on clearance at the grocery store probably 3-4 years go, it's sat in the cabinet - guess it's time we put it to good use.
> 
> If there's such a thing as BBQ "pRon", I swear I feel like I just found the stash .. love the SMF!
> 
> We're a Mid 30s couple in Fort Worth, TX - shes a TCU grad, I'm a Baylor Grad originally from Houston, we love good friends, good food and good music, often traveling to see our favorite band, Widespread Panic, across the country, making gobs of friends nationwide. Need to hook me up a trailer pit and go on tour .... veggie burritos, sheesh, how bout a slab of ribs, bro or a sausage (on a stick, maybe) ? 1 for $3, 2 for $5 .. good times!
> 
> And since it would seem relevant to these parts ... here's the TCU Football Lettermans BBQ Smoker wagon, only 3 places down from our football stadium tailgating spot, selling $10 all-you-can eat BBQ plates,complete with satellite on top and flat panel TVs showing the game(s) on the front. I brought my grill the first game, and never saw the need after that .... you blame me?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My first post ..... glad to be here ..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> dave. in TX


Manuel, I live in South Austin. I bought my NB smoker back in 1997 while living in Lakeway. I have completely revamped it. I visited Aaron Franklin and saw his personal pit and modified mine according what his looked like. I have photos. Contact me and I'll share.


----------



## aardvark

I bought one of these smokers new back in December of 1996, still have it and use it often, #Y2209.  Mine still has the manufacturing sticker on it although it is pretty faded and hard to read.  It can be found on the left side under the handle.  The company that manufactured these smokers was Chuckwagon Enteprises which was located in New Braunfels (at least that's what the sticker says), I believe it is NOT the same as New Braunfels Smokers or the outfit in Fort Worth somebody mentioned in a previous post.

The door handles on mine are made of stainless steel, the ones in the picture in a previous post appear to be black.  Not sure if they had different handles or those have been painted, etc.

Below are images from the sales sheet where I bought mine, it may give you an idea of which model you have and the value of it in 1996.













ChuckwagonEnterprise2



__ aardvark
__ Jul 6, 2019


















ChuckwagonEnterprise1



__ aardvark
__ Jul 6, 2019


----------



## JC in GB

Welcome from Wisconsin.


----------

