all-weather outdoors set-up

[smokin stu]

I am building a shed in my back yard and am planning on building a small box on the side of the shed with a slide out or some such thing in order to leave my BS out there permanently.  The box will keep the weather out (mostly)and I can design a slide out or hinged walls so the BS is open to the air when I am using it.  I want a permanent awning so if I plan a big BBQ, I can still smoke in the rain without getting electrocuted.

What has been peoples experience with the BS exposed to the elements?  Anyone have any designs out there on a combination storage/working platform for their BS?

[car54]

Welcome smokin stu

Here is what I have done





Brad

[SMOKEHOUSE ROB]

car54 nice setup. what is that little box with a dial and red light down on the right corner next to your BS ?

[car54]

Rob it is a 250 watt secondary heater on a rheostat.



Brad

[nodak]

If I may interupt-

Nice set-up car54!!!  gives me some idea's too.  Is the secondary heater necessary (It gets cold here in winter too), are those bricks in there to help maintain heat?? Assuming that's your controller on top.

Anything you'd change if you did it over?? Does anyone else have any ideas?

as far as controllers go is the Power Raptor Package that Includes th BBQ Guru Competitor & BBQ Guru Power Raptor the ultimate package and can one find it cheaper than $247.00 US. the boss lady has told me I should buy it, but I want to wait and see how much I use the smoker first as I'm cheap.




"I can respect you and even your opinion, but that doesn't mean I agree with you"

[car54]

Nodak,

The main reason that I put the secondary heater in was to bring the smoke box temperature up quicker after putting in 30 pounds of pork butt.

You might want to check in to a PID controller. They are cheaper and more accurate but you will have to do some wiring.

Brad

[smokin stu]

Car54,

Freakin' awesome.  Inspirational, to say the least.  I have the backyard shed all figured out (having a local Mennonite farmer build me one - cheaper than building it myself and a lot nicer looking as well).  Once I get that in next spring, and run power to it, I will be designing and building a setup much like yours.  Thank you for your photos.

This forum is a great place to get good ideas.

As for your extra heater, I ran into some timing trouble when my pork back ribs were taking a whole lot longer to cook when I went from having normally two racks in there to having eight!  I could not get my temperature up to 210.  Slowed the whole meal down considerably.  With a BS full of meat, and your extra heater working, the hot steam must just pump out of the top.

[SMOKEHOUSE ROB]

smokin stu welcome to the forum. how did you check the temp inside the BS? i have noticed that the door gauge probe if loaded with meat on the middle shelf sits to close to it and you will get a different reading. get your self a remote temp gauge.

[smokin stu]

I got a "Redi-Chek" remote meat probe thermometer and was relying on the door probe to get the BS temperature.  I never thought that meat too near the probe would throw it off.

I really like my remote meat probe as I can have the reciever set up in my pocket or in the kitchen and the alarm will go off when the meat hits a set temperature.

I guess I will need to find a remote oven probe as well.  Where is the best place to put the probe in the BS to get the most accurate readings?

[IKnowWood]

I also started with the same Maverick industries RediCheck remoe setup (ET-72 I think).  I like it lot.

I later got the Maverik Industries RediCheck Smoker temp device.  The ET-73 and it came with the smoker prbe that lets me attach the probe to a grate just about anywhere.  And adds a Meat temp probe to it.  So 2 probes, one Smoker and another Meat.  

Now, I still use the ET-72 as well.  Especially if cooking multiple items at once.

One time I had three meats (Turkey Breat, London Broil, and Ham) in the smoker at once and had to also pull out my Weber remote device as well.

Check them at Amazon, Search "Maverick Redicheck"

The Medina's in Maryland's Eastern Shore

[TomG]

Brad, I'm about to install a second heating element and was wondering why you hooked yours up to a dedicated controller?  Like I need an excuse to build another PID!

Thanks-Tom-

[car54]

Tom,

I just saw your post. It is not hooked up to a dedicated contoller but it is hooked up to a rheostat. With the rheostat, I can vary the amount of wattage or even turn the secondary heater off. Both my heaters are controlled by the same PID.

Brad

[TomG]

Hi Brad, here is why I was asking:


The consensus on how to solve the BS heat problem from the tech support depts. of three different suppliers was to add a heating strip, preferably finned. And damn if a stainless steel 350 watt unit didn't come up on eBay. $16 and 5 days later it was in my mailbox.
I haven't permanentely installed it yet and have only had a chance to test it at a set temp of 235*.  With the generator off and an ambient of 60* it took 17 mins to reach an empty cabinet temp. of 235 and only 8 mins to get back to 235 after opening the door for 3-4 mins. I used dedicated PIDs for both the BS cooking element and the secondary heater.  Your idea of putting a rheostat on the secondary will be perfect if the strip needs to be cranked down.

[str1der]

Brad,

      How are you venting your smoke? Is there an opening in the top of you shed?

Smok'em if you got'em

[car54]

Strider, I use a roof vent above it.



It works well.

Brad