# Brinkmann 5-burner w/smoker - BIG vent in back?



## sdnetgeek (Aug 14, 2010)

Hi folks, this is my first post but you seem like a knowledgeable bunch.  I just bought the above Brinkmann @ HD, they dropped the price so since it's both grill and smoker, I thought I'd give it a shot.

If you haven't seen this model, it's a 5 burner grill (duh) with a smoker in the left side of the bottom cabinet. What strikes me as odd about this unit is at the top-back of the smoker cabinet, there is a vent hole about 4" square.  That seems to me to be pretty big, as if it would lose a LOT of heat and be very inefficient.

Anyone have any experience with this, and/or can say if this is a good design?  Sure I can (and will!) give it a try but meat isn't cheap enough for me to toss $5-10 worth of it out (or worse, have it edible but lousy!)

Thoughts?  Thanks.

Paul


----------



## adiochiro3 (Aug 15, 2010)

Pictures would be helpful before making too many comments.  My first thought is that there is a piece missing -- like maybe a smoke stack with a flue.


----------



## sdnetgeek (Aug 15, 2010)

I had to return to HD to get a 70" cover (per another user's recommendation) so I checked the other grills there - no cover or stack, and nothing listed in the parts list in the manual.  OK, pictures it is:








So you see the sizeable vent in the top-left, here's the back of the unit:







No cover.  (Trusty ol' Meco charcoal grill in the background, I guess that's kinda cruel to make it stare at the new one...;^)

Thanks.


----------



## jimredsox (Mar 4, 2011)

Hi Paul,

I also have this grill and purchased it at Home Depot .. I am glad your smoker is at least working .. Upon purchase of mine the valve that controls the gas to the smoker box is bad .. I am currently waiting to hear back from Brinkmann for assistance in replacing this valve.  They did sent me out a new one as soon as I told them of the problem, now it is just a matter of getting to it and getting it replaced.  Mind you I cannot even figure out how to take the knobs back off of the grill :)

As far as the hole in the back of the smoker box .. I would guess it is there to maintain temperature within the box .. as we know propane can heat a small area really fast and we need to maintain low temps around 200 - 300 range .. if you should loose to much temperature I have seen people use aluminum foil and just block as much of the hole as you need.  Was thinking after reading this that maybe if I make my own sliding damper it would help with these issue.

Best of Luck,

Jim


----------



## fpnmf (Mar 4, 2011)

Here's what I found!!

  Have a great day!

  Craig

http://www.google.com/search?q=Brin...ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGLL_en


----------



## SmokinAl (Mar 4, 2011)

Seems like it would use a lot of gas keeping the temp steady with that big of a hole. I'm sure at some point you are going to have to find a way to damper it a little.


----------



## sdnetgeek (Jun 12, 2011)

So, just to cap off this thread:

I had never had a chance to try the Smoke'n'Grill smoker until now, so today I smoked a 4 1/2 lb chicken for a test run (thinking a chicken is the cheapest thing in case it was a disaster).  Brined the chicken for 3 hrs per most peoples' advice, then rubbed with this rub recipe  (which is a very nice rub, if I do this again I would skip the cayenne pepper).  Bought a beer can stand at Cost Plus World Market for $3.99 (had it in today's Sunday circular) - should have bought two of them.

I fired up the smoker - empty it got to about 275F (you'll recall I started this thread because the smoker has a sizeable vent hole).  I think that the vent hole *is* too big, I hung a metal tray to cover it from the wind while cooking.  The water tray and chip holder are IMHO too small on this model (see pictures in an earlier post), and the chip holder is nearly impossible to refill. I used hickory chips (overpowered by the cayenne I think).  I had to refill water 3 times (probably should have been 4), cooked at around 240F on average for 1 3/4 hrs.  I think it could have used the extra 15 minutes but the thermometer said 172F in the breast.  Perhaps the thermometer wasn't centered.

And it came out well!  The breasts were nice and moist but thoroughly cooked, the thighs were *just* a small fraction pink.  I think the can stand is indispensible, as it allowed the fat to drain nicely.

Thanks for the replies!

Paul


----------



## piotrowr (Jun 26, 2011)

Hi, I just picked up the grill and when trying to get the burner on the smoker to stay on it does not.  It lights fine when holding down the knob on high and stays on when keeping it down for 30-60 sec but as soon as I let go the flame dies.  Tried several times and am curious if this was your experience...


----------



## ibanez1983 (Aug 17, 2013)

I have the exact same grill. Also valve busted out of the box. Went to use it for the first time and no go :(.

As for the huge hole in the back, i went back to HD, bought a steel electrical box cover, a hinge , some sheetmetal screws and a handle. Then rigged a little door for that hole so i can close it or keep it open as much as needed. Granted its not a perfect cover for the hole, but works.


----------



## grilldad (Aug 18, 2013)

Mine had a grill but I don't use it anymore because I installed a stack. check out my thread!


----------

