Just a update, smoker is now home in it's resting place. I did the first burn today and overall i am very happy.
The temps were good easily was able to achieve 300 degrees Fahrenheit , in fact it actually got to 320 degrees Fahrenheit . The only issue i had was the heat on the fire box door the top plate buckled a bit so i could not close door, this is a minor issue and easy to fix. Just need to jack it out and make it straight again then weld a angle iron on top to stop the movement.
The Cooking Chamber door was sound no movement at all.
Will fix next weekend then i can do my first cook, very confident with my build.
Just a quick question what would a average temp be for slow cooking in a smoker, would it be something like 250 degrees Fahrenheit .
Thanks to all for help and advice given much appreciated.
Pete Mazz wrote:250 is a good temp for all around smoking. I use it for anything that needs rendering. For poultry I shoot more for 300.
Thanks, good to know that my smoker can achieve these temps with no problems at all.
Just proves if you do all your calculations on the pit calculator it should be sweet.
I can sleep easy tonight knowing all is good.
I noticed when it had cooled down the door actually closed so it is a fairly small mod to stop the bowing when it gets hot.
One thing i noticed is that when i took the photo of the temp gauge i relalised that the ball valve was open and when i closed it the temp went up to 320 degrees, so good to know you can also control heat with this to.
First cook done, thought i would start of easy and just smoke 2 chickens.
The smoker was a amazing all worked sweet after i fixed the door.
Chickens smoked with cherry wood, glazed with maple syrup and i used Oakridge Pork and Chicken rub.
Cooked for just over 3 hours holding temps between 250 and 300 degrees, the meat just fell of the bone.
Next cook ribs.
Today's cook Pork Ribs and Pork loin.
My Smoker works a treat and now with the Tappecue set up it is fantastic.
The Tappecue allows me to monitor the temps very easy, as my smoker is down the bottom of my yard it saves me from walking up and down the stairs. Now i can monitor from inside the house and only go to my smoker when i need to add some more wood/charcoal.
Big thumbs up for Tappecue it's a great investment.
My meat was cooked to perfection, the Tappecue does not lie. Once it reaches the right internal temp you know it's cooked.
Today was a big learning curve for me on the timing of getting the cook right, so next time i will have a better understanding and it can only get easier.
Just a quick question, is it OK to throttle the heat by using the lid on the stack.
I cooked some ribs and wings yesterday and i am noticing that closing my dampers is not as effective as closing my stack a bit,when i close the stack just a bit i notice a instant drop in temperatures and am able to control the temps a lot easier.
Is this normal and OK to do.