Today's Smoker Project: Pastrami

Dave, here's my other smoker. It's an older New Braunfels, with a lot heavier gauge steel than the newer ones. I converted it from woodburning to propane. I used the burner from a turkey fryer, and added lava rocks on a grate above the burner as ballast. I also added a baffle plate to get even out the temperature in the cooking chamber. It holds a nice steady temp now...unlike how it was when I was just burning wood. I still get plenty of smoke by placing a small pan of wood chips or chunks next to the burner.

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A downright tasty thing to do! I considered one of those electric smokers but that's as far as I got. Still using my steel pipe one with the firebox. Sometimes that is not always convenient. Hmmm. Guess I need to ponder again.

I still have my OK Joe smoker; it's a little bigger and heavier than the New Braunfels I had before. It's used for larger items like turkeys or a big run of ribs or brisket. I added a baffle plate on the opening from the firebox and some steel plates along its length to even out the temperatures. I've thought about adding an electric element (or propane like Vaughn) to the firebox for better temperature control, but that's a back burner project (pun intended)

For routine smoking, we love having our MasterBuilt electric. It's just right for all kinds of stuff: Boston butt, chicken breasts and leg quarters, fish filets, ribs, and ABTs.

To round out our outdoor cooking, we also have a gas grill for the hot and fast stuff!
 
...To round out our outdoor cooking, we also have a gas grill for the hot and fast stuff!

When we bought this house, the previous owner had installed a natural gas line to the back patio for a gas grill. I had a nice propane Weber grill that was only a couple of years old, but my dad made me an offer I couldn't refuse. He wanted a Weber, so he bought me a new natural gas version of my grill, and he took my old one. I love being able to grill to my heart's content without having to deal with propane tanks. I think the grill gets more use than our stove.
 
Well Vaughn, any time you are cooking outside is better than cooking inside. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned. I have this firebox smoker that I use pecan oak scraps in and works great. It's nothing fancy, just solid and functional. I had a propane grill that was given to me which was handy when I just wanted to do hot dogs. It pretty much bit the dust some time back and I have made no move to replace it. I just go out and build my fire and fill the water pans and smoke away! But, I still think now and then about one of those electric ones. But, think is all I have accomplished on that. My brain is more to thinking on the design of my new kiln and the like than that. The kiln is more important to me.
 
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