Welcome to my site!!

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Welcome to my site! First, be sure to read my disclaimer at the bottom of this page before going any further.

Like many of you, I love the taste of smoked foods. I first started smoking meats on a "bullet-style" smoker. Although compact, I always thought it was a difficult and messy task. I thought that some day I would buy an "offset smoker" since it seemed like the best way to smoke meat with easy access to the fire, water, and meat.

Once the water pan in my bullet-style smoker developed a leak and put out the coals it was time to get something new. It was a decision of selecting a better bullet-style or an offset style cooker. I had a hard time justifying the extra cost and size of the offset smoker. Once I contemplated the use I got out of my bullet-style smoker and weighed the probable extra use out of an offset that would be easier to use, I was convinced the offset would be the best solution.

Arriving back home from the warehouse discount center, I unloaded the big box full of heavy steel. It was a Sliver Smoker made by New Braunfels (abbreviated "NB"). As I assembled the product I was well pleased that the little extra money bought me many more pounds of steel than what a bullet-style would have bought.

Like so many before me, I found that I had a terrible time controlling the heat. My first smoking was a little disappointing. I ventured on to the Internet and found an excellent site called, HomeBBQ.Com. The people all seemed to have the right answers and all understood my problems. I found a few answers that at first were hard to believe, but now I know that I am just one of many that have went down this path before.

First, the "bullet-style" smoker is an "excellent" smoker. It probably has won more BBQ competition awards than any other smoker. By its design, it is ideal for smoking meats. The right/best bullet-style smoker makes a big difference. The standard is the Weber Bullet (otherwise known as, the Weber Smokey Mountain or "WSM"). This smoker cost about the same amount as the larger and heavier Silver Smoker offset smoker.

Secondly, The Silver Smoker is an "introductory" level smoker. Smokers that start at the beginning range of $800 is what serious cooks consider a good starting point. I was convinced that the Silver Smoker was made of "thick" and heavy metal, but it is pretty much considered a tin can compared to a $800 smoker. The thicker metal does make a difference.

Since it was unlikely that I could justify it due to entertaining (which typically means watching the dog chew on a bone around here) I needed a better smoker, I decided to take advice from those on the Home BBQ site and do some "tuning" of my Silver Smoker.

You should be aware that I am a just an average cook that likes handyman projects. Since I am a website designer I decided to document the tuning of my smoker for the web. I found it difficult to find many pictures on the web showing modifications so I took a lot of photos of my tuning and mods.

I hope you find this site helpful!

Disclaimer:
This site is designed to be an "idea" site and not a tutorial site for making modifications to your smoker. I will present things that have worked for me and also things that didn't work as well. It should be apparent that modifying a device that is designed to contain fire may create known and unknown hazards and dangers. Likewise, food safety should be considered when making changes to a food-preparation device. If you are intending to modify your own smoker then I suggest that you consider contracting with a professional that has the knowledge and tools necessary to do a proper job. I am not a professional, so do not rely on anything presented on this site as safe or done properly.