Update! I've been using my Offset Smoker, and as a grill nowe for months. It's working awesome. Some things I've done to smoke stuff now.... YOu can see my foil covered grill plate being used a deflector plate out of the fire box. those are some rubbed Boneless Turkey breasts early in. You can also seen my water pan near the firebox, and my exhaust deflector that keeps way more smoke in the smoke chamber. https://imgur.com/a/DYNVENo I've decided this is one of the best mods I've tried for the firebox. some old grill plates put in a V on top of the lower plate. Plenty of air flow, less of the smoke you don't want. My lump charcoal, and hard wood chucks are burning much cleaner and completely now! https://imgur.com/a/EFNouu2 https://imgur.com/a/e8vvEqQ Here's the stupidest thing aboutr this Oklahoma Joes Highlander offset smoker- this year model anyway- if you shut the ash drwer all the way, those little vents on that slider plate are NOT nearly enough intake air to keep a clean fire. Lots of talk on the forums about it. I have to leave the ash drawe rslid out about an inch to get about the right burn, with the outlet flap always open all the way. https://imgur.com/a/ESTEbe7 ** It TX, I always used Mesquite. I'm now in WI, and it's really expensive, even for the smallest quantities of it. So, I figured out the one brand advertises 100% Mesquite Pellets. All the rest say 'blend'. So, bang for the buck I decided to try them, over a bed of lump charcoal, with the occasionsal hardwood chuck too. I new the pellter would fall right thru my fire box grates though. So, I remembered I had a SS strainer that I used for my Reef tank stuff. I tried it for the first time a few days ago. It worked great! https://imgur.com/a/Xz0LfqM I then foil wrapped those turkey breasts after about an hour at 200-250- Mesquite smoke for a bit more to get the internal temp via probe to the high 150's to lowe5 160's. They came out GREAT! Moist, tender, deliciious. https://imgur.com/nw5jfva
(Gas and old offset in back of truck for landfill today) Im looking for a Ok Joes highlander but none of the stores have one smh There is a chargriller pro at Lowes $329 but everything at stores is pellet
Just ordered the Ok Joes highland from Home depot online. $377 with tax so I need go get a can of canola oil and some high heat rattle can paint. Did you buy a cover?
I too used canila oil spray for the 'seasoning burn' as we also use it in our kitchen too. I also use a wire brush and High Heat Grill paint too! I just use some older tarps i have laying around to cover it when not in use too. I also clean the ashes out best I can w/in a day of using it. I hope you checked out the pictures I posted of the mods I've done to mine. I got most of the ideas from other forums too. Good luck! I'm happy with mine.
I looked at your mods. Where did you get the pipe for your exhaust? Sucks that your hooked on mesquite wood lol I have a local supplier and get a quarter cord of mesquite for next to nothing $25. Its split wood so I just get my ax out to suit my box. The taste using this wood is addictive. Thanks for the info
you can buy right off the OK site. I bought a reverse flow and shipped to canada for reasonable price few years back.
if you add 2-3" plate to reduce the size of the hole to the cook chamber you get much stronger air draw, use the 4 bolts there already.
Fron a big box store like Menards, Home Depot, etc. That adjustable elbos is about $3.50. It's some kind of heater/dryer vent pipe. Another new mod!! Although it worked great, I didn't like the fine mesh strainer I used the first time. So I bought a 3 pack of a metal 'vegetable grill rack' and made another 'burn box' with it. Another original idea by Todd! I have lots of them. I should nave, but I've never tried to patent anything LOL. ** It's motrocycle/race bike realted too!! I'm holding the cut and bend sides/ends with 'Safety Wire'! No, I didn't put a fancy twisted end on it though LOL. I put a few pellets in to make sure they would go right thru- rthey don't.
How about you just fly to Texas and rent a 1 way uhaul box with 2 cords of mesquite logs. Save your Todd mods for another day.
Mesquite is the devil here in TX. It starts out as a weed (because every mature mesquite tree deposits hundreds of seed pods with another hundred or so seeds in each pod). That stout weed will become a small tree if left alone. That is why mesquite is ubiquitous here in TX. It is everywhere! It does make a good smoking wood for beef but I am not a fan if using it for chicken or pork. It is also shitty firewood because it just wants to smolder and smoke. Great for brisket but not so good if you just want to sit outside and watch some flames in the fire pit. YMMV...
Cant believe you dont like the chicken and pork flavor with mesquite...it does do something special to beef. I agree. When I do my pork butt I only smoke it 4 hours then stick it in the oven for another 4-6 hours. I put a nice base of apple juice in the pan and use that to baste it every hour. That pork pulls sweeter and jucier than any restaurant I've been to.
I *LOVE* mesquite smoked jerk chicken... something about the mesquite really sets off the jerk seasoning! I cook it at least 2x a year... more if I'm lucky.
It has arrived (2 stinking weeks from home depot) but im about to run her in for the 1st time. Am I missing a peice that goes to the upper part of the grill. Dont tell me that cost extra?
Yep, called support...no idea what those are welded in there for since its not in the manual but said its probably for a warming rack lol
Starting the process of smoking a 16lb Turkey. Step 1 - brine turkey in bag with salt, brown sugar, lemons, oranges and garlic for 24 hours. Step 2 - Rinse turkey and cover in a honey hog rub. Step 3 - set in smoker at 300 ish temp till breast is at 165 f
