How To Set Up A Brinkmann Charcoal Smoker
For any of yous who are not familiar with the ECB.. this is a nickname given to the inexpensive bullet shaped smokers found for thirty to l dollars at various section and hardware stores.
The one that nearly folks are familiar with are made by Brinkmann and thus the name is born..
El Cheapo Brinkmann or ECB for short.
What the ECB Looks Like
The setup is simple.. a cylinder shaped body with a charcoal pan on the very lesser, a water pan but to a higher place that and and so ii grates above the h2o pan.
All of this is covered by a dome lid containing a temperature guess that simply reads warm, ideal or hot.
There are unlike versions and yours may non be exactly the same every bit mine depending on when and where you bought it but the operation is pretty much the same and there are several things you can exercise to make them work a little improve.
Issues with the ECB and How to Set Them
Let's talk most the primary problem that folks usually take with the ECB and so I volition give you a few tips on how to make it operate a petty better.
First and foremost I hear complaints that it is next to impossible to go the temperature up to 225 degrees and hold it at that place.
You must make sure that you are using the right pans for water and charcoal.. the charcoal pan has a diameter of 15-1/two inches while the water pan is but 13-i/2 inches.
Air period to the charcoal is restricted in many cases and the only way for air to arrive is thru the access door which likewise allows heat to escape before it makes its' manner upwardly to grate level.
More Air to Charcoal Pan
To go more air to the charcoal pan without allowing the heat to escape out the door you will need to drill some holes in the lesser sides of the charcoal pan.
Utilise a ¼ inch drill chip and drill most eight holes in opposite sides of the charcoal pan. This will get more air up into the charcoal from the bottom which will assistance dramatically.
Raised Grate for Charcoal
Some other affair that will help the charcoal pan is to notice a round grate that is only slightly larger than the lesser diameter of the charcoal pan. When you lot lay this in the bottom of the pan it volition leave a space for the ashes to autumn down and away from the hot coals.
You can as well cutting 2 round pieces of craven wire that is about ane inch larger than the bottom diameter of your charcoal pan.
Identify this in the charcoal pan to lay your coals on.. just like the circular grate above, this will allow the coals to set upwardly to a higher place the bottom a little allowing the ashes to fall downward beneath instead of smothering them.
Airflow Regulator in Lid
The next thing that will help the smoker is a air regulator in the dome lid.
To facilitate this, use a 1/4 inch drill fleck and drill well-nigh 8 evenly spaced holes inside of a iv inch expanse on the superlative of the lid.
Attach a 5 inch piece of flat metallic with ane auto spiral so that you can cover the holes in any increase that you need to.
Better Access to Charcoal Pan During Cooking
Another option is to motion the legs from the inside of the smoker body to the outside.
You so set the charcoal pan on bricks or another platform that is not attached to the smoker body.
When you need fresh charcoal you lot merely have to elevator the smoker upwards and off the charcoal pan.. you may need a helping mitt with this but I accept performed this feat lonely on a few occasions.
Later on dumping the ashes and putting new lit coals in the charcoal pan, y'all can sit the smoker on top over again.
This preserves heat past not removing the lid and allowing the rut to escape.
Adding a Better Temperature Gauge
As you know, the temperature gauge that ships with the ECB leaves a LOT to exist desired! Warm, Ideal and Hot are no use to anyone when smoking and who knows what temperature IDEAL really is.
You can purchase a temperature judge to install in the hat of the smoker and I highly recommend this. The one I found was at Walmart and was made by Grill Care. Information technology is easily installed into a 7/8 inch hole drilled in the chapeau of the ECB. A knurled nut tightens onto the dorsum of the gauge with a pair of pliers and keeps it secured to the lid.
Last but Not Least..
These mods are just a get-go but volition allow you lot to get some good use out of your smoker and permit y'all a little more control over the heat.
I am convinced that the Brinkmann folks do non use their own smoker (no offense Brinkmann!).. if they ever practise then these mods will become standard on every charcoal model.
I hope this has helped the hundreds of you lot who accept written to me over the past several months saying that y'all cannot become your ECB to estrus to a higher place 200 degrees and that controlling the oestrus is almost impossible.
Employ the motion picture links that I accept attached to this tutorial to give you a better idea every bit to how the modifications should exist made.
Enjoy your ECB!!
✅ My rubs and sauce will exist the best affair you've always tasted and it's a great fashion to support what we do!
Yous tin can also order the formulas for my rubs and sauce and make these yourself at domicile. Grab those Hither and download immediately.
50 Comments
How To Set Up A Brinkmann Charcoal Smoker,
Source: https://www.smoking-meat.com/modify-brinkmann-ecb-smoker
Posted by: ogdenwhichown.blogspot.com
I'm trying to find a replacement charcoal pan cuz I got mine second paw. Any ideas?
The parts can be found online merely they tin be a little pricey. I've idea almost when mine goes bad I'thousand just going to find a big shallow stainless steel mixing bowl.
I likewise drill a little hole in the dome and slide a long skinny meat thermometer into my meat. This way I never have to remove the lid and I can watch the temp slowly rise in the meat and have information technology out at the perfect time. Good article, I have modded mine like yours.
Gosh. This article hits just about every idea I've had about the smoker. Later about the first ii hours information technology is impossible to get enough heat because of ash buildup. I've used a coat hanger aptitude at 90 degrees to poke up thru the center hole in the lesser of the fire pan to create an air passage only so the coals could burn. If the coals are agitated ashes fly up and get all over the meat. I had thought about modifying it so that I could lift the entire smoker up off of the burn pan just the holes in the lid and in the sides of the fire pan and the grate are something I had non thought nearly. The only thing I haven't seen addressed here is how to refill the water pan without opening the side of the shell (which loses heat).
Got a ECB that is nearly 4 years old at present and recently made some mods on it and it seems to be a very much improved smoker now.
Outset I drilled 4 1/2 inch holes in the lid and used a self tap screw to secure a large pickle jar lid over the superlative of the holes…..Very adjustable rut flow now.
Nest I removed the cheap temp gauge and replaced information technology with an oven temp gauge of the same size from the local Wally World….about 5$
Then I repositioned the brackets and added a few more so every bit to be able to arrange heights of water pan and grilling racks as needed.
The wood/charcoal pan has a few rusted holes so drilling wasn't need for that but I did lower that pan down and information technology sits on a few bricks now instead of up in the smoker trunk. And lastly I remade and reshaped the door then it gives meliorate admission and seals tighter.
Then last weekend I smoked a beefiness briquette ..almost v hours with a foil wrapped 1 hour remainder menses earlier returning it to the heat for an additional i hour. WOW!!
Didn't use a thick sauce..made up an LBJ way Sparse mop sauce and served it over the meat hot. Talk about happy people…my company at meal time nigh broke out into a Knife fight over the remaining portions.
Will be smoking a turkey this holiday.
The charcoal pan on my ECB is just about toast. I have been using wire mesh to hold the coals in only now the cancer is creeping up the sides. Brinkman no longer offers replacements as they desire you to buy their new grills. I saw where one gent picked up a Masterbuilt mini charcoal grill from Hd to use instead simply they don't carry them anymore either. Anyone know of a something I can utilize in identify of the priginal charcoal bowl that volition fit inside the ECB?
Doug,
I used a Weber Smokie Joe as my fire box. Just move the legs to the outside of the smoker and it volition fit right over top of the minor weber gill. I did make some mods in in the base of the Weber that are in this thread.
Sorry, lost the link. Thank you for the recommendation!
I'm currently using a modified ECB fume n grill. I bought a galvanized steel bushel tub to sit a inexpensive 15 inch tabular array meridian grill inside. I used the ECB legs on the tub. I drilled almost fifty holes in the lesser and sides. I laid expanded metal grate in the bottom that is elevated an inch or so. Too added ii weber vents to the tub the grill sits in. I get eight to ix hours 225° on a load of bbk coal, using the minion method.
Doug,
Attempt to detect a large shallow stainless steel mixing bowl at a eating place supply store or warehouse.
Very good read. Cheers to all for the suggestions for improving the ECB. One of the mods I was thinking about would be to put a ring of twisted aluminum foil around the elevation of the unit so the superlative would sit down on the foil, making a adequately adept seal and stopping the heat from escaping out the elevation. Has anyone tried this or something similar? – Sidney
Virtually the water pan…Not actually sure exactly what the purpose of this is other than to catch drippings and keep them from smothering the coals. Recall the secondary purpose is to have a heat reserve so the temps recover faster afterwards lifting the lid or other ways nosotros allow the heat to escape.
My mod was to line the pan with foil, then fill the pan with washed sand. (I cooked the heck out of the sand prior to the commencement use to get rid of annihilation unwanted that might be in the sand that I didn't desire 'smoking' my meat. Encounter next paragraph.) To keep the sand clean, I cover it with foil to grab drippings and proceed them out of the sand. I change this superlative layer of foil prior to each cook/fume.
I preheat the sand on a propane burner like one would apply for a turkey frying pot. This helps the smoker go to temperature much quicker as at present the coals can heat and smoke the meat and you lot're are not wasting those BTUs trying to oestrus the sand/water. The sand hold the heat well and temperature recovery is quick after lifting the chapeau, opening the access door, or lifting the whole affair off to add together more than fuel to the fire pan.
I'll have your criticisms, but then far it'south worked very well for me. It's the same idea equally placing foil wrapped bricks in a Bradley or similar smoker.
Hello Matt. My understanding is that the h2o pan is at that place to proceed the meat from burning and also to keep the meat from drying out. I have used a water smoker both with and without the pan. With the h2o in the pan it is a totally different kind of cooking. Someone said they filled it with vino to do a turkey. That would be interesting. Happy BBQ'ing.
Just came across your site and read your improvement suggestions to the Brinkman Smoker. I take made similar modifications to mine but another 1 that I made was to increase the meridian so I could hang long sausage links for smoking which too increased the capacity for sausage smoking. I took a piece of xviii′ wide flashing and constructed a round extension the same size every bit the inside diameter of the smoker trunk on one end but large enough on the other to allow the smoker dome chapeau to fit inside. Secure the seam with a few sheet metal screws. Slip this extension inside the smoker and attach it with sheet metal screws the torso. Now the smoker body is well-nigh 17″ taller than before. With about half-dozen more than three/4″ long canvas metallic screws installed around the top edge will requite the grill grate and dome lid something set on. I hang my sausage from the grate that has now been moved up. I utilize dowel rods attached with Southward hooks to hang from the grate. This gives me plenty of room to hang long links and I accept successfully smoked 30-lbs at once! Be sure to use metal flashing that is substantially stiff enough to support the weight. Promise others find this useful.
I've used my ECB just a few times after being modified, I drilled the holes in the bottom of the ash pan so that the ash would non smother the coals but fall through, I then used an inverted restriction drum to hold the pan up and still permit the ashes to fall and yet be contained inside the drum. It seems to piece of work well. I take as well elevated the ash pan higher into smoker past placing a brick on the brake drum to get a higher temp. I did this toward the end of the smoking time rather than waste charcoal, this worked but placed it very close to the water pan.
The ideal grate for the charcoal to fire from, is the grate from a standard 22″charcoal weber kettle. To fit the grate: remove the legs and other brackets and hardware that protrude into the smoker. Install the grate, its a nice tight neat fit.. Buy a deep stainless steel mixing basin with a flat lip which is the aforementioned diameter as the bottom of the Brinkman. Adhere the mixing basin to the brinkman with some homemade metal clips and rivets. This will exist your ash catcher. Install a weber type air vent (same as in the weber kettle lid) on the side wall of the bowl. Adjacent make some new legs approx ten″ long from some 1″" square tubing and attach the legs to the outside of the Brinkman (two bolts each leg). Position the legs to give a 2″ clearance between the lesser of the bowl and the ground. You volition need to drill new mounting holes for the legs.. If you find that the lip on the bowl you only fitted is marginally bigger than the diameter of the brinkman , merely notch the legs to let the lip to fit into the legs. You can also fit a weber blazon air vent to the brinkman lid. These two added air vents superlative and bottom will give you lot plenty of control over the fire temperature and work in the same way as the weber kettle. Install a proper Temp indicator into the brinkman hat. After cooking, to empty the ashes, plough the brinkman upside down and finish cleaning with a h2o hose.
I built this a couple of years agone and information technology really works well. Its stands very stable and looks a neat package.
I didn't desire to mount the legs on the outside and have to worry about getting round patio blocks.
Rather than mount the legs on the outside, I used a dremel to cut three – ii inch wide notches the lip of the charcoal pan. When I place the pan, I lift information technology up inside the unit with the notches matching where the legs are. Then I plow the pan so that the notches no longer lucifer upward.
To add together charcoal, I at present utilize an oven paw to accomplish nether, elevator the pan slightly and plow the notches to friction match up, then only drop it out.
Alternatively, if I want to use the method with the round patio blocks, I tin can just line up the notches and hoist the smoker on and off while never rotating the pan.
Thanks for the mods!
Nothing like a good place to chill with fellow smoke in oz and got my first smoker ii days ago after many months of research on what to buy or whether to build one.in the end my daughters got me one for an early fathers day prezzie couldn't have asked for anything better.
Its a master forge charcoal smoker similar to your brinkmans but by the audio of it much amend. Has air intake slots in coal pan. A thermometer that actually has a numberd gage although I will exist installing another that goes bellow 145c for common cold smoking purposes.
And I had no probs property the temp at 150-160
For 3.five hours while I smoked a chook for tea with a mesquite forest chip and my ain rub.
The air reg modern is the only other I volition be installing for fine tuning purposes.
Groovy site and I institute the newsletter extremely usefull cheers.
So to all those that dear to fume grab a coldy and Ill come across ya out at that place.
How would you prepare the gap that is around the lid and superlative of the smoker. I am curing my smoking to be able to use it later. I am wondering what will work in that gap to help keep the smoke in? But also won't burn up later on the starting time use.
But read a transmission for an ECB, and Brinkmanns offers a small grate for the charcoal pan called the Charcoal Heat Boost Grate model item#115-0001-0 that you can order. Call up they would of included one instead of making you buy information technology.
Turns out that when Brinkmann starting time came out with this, at that place were holes in the charcoal pan. Afterward a couple of lawsuits from people who stupidly used their smoker on their deck & started it on burn, Brinkmann eliminated the holes. If the consumer drills the holes, they have on the liability, is how Brinkmann's lawyers saw it.
Also quick question nearly the mods for the Brinkmann. Trying to find a suitable grill to fit into the charcoal pan. Looked at some chicken wire and I thought it seemed a bit flimsy and thought information technology might only buckle nether the weight of the coals. Is 2 levels of the craven wire really solid plenty to hold the dress-down or does information technology need further support from beneath
The double layer of chicken wire works simply it'south not a perfect setup by any ways.
I probably need to update the page.. since I wrote that, I have found a really pocket-size round grate (possibly 8-ten inches bore) that works perfectly. The dress-down sit on the grate and air is able to go to the coals from below. It works wonders for that Brinkmann smoker.
I establish the small grate at our local Westlake Ace Hardware but you lot may be able to observe one at Home Depot, Lowes or online at Amazon.com
Jason, that would probably piece of work. Yous may need to bend in or straighten the taps on the edges to make it fit a little better simply that should be easy to practise and besides gives you a little bit of adjustment since, if you curve them out straight, information technology will cause the grate to sit a trivial higher in the charcoal pan. If yous bend then nether, the grate will sit lower.
It volition definitely work better than craven wire ;)
Hello Jeff, Ideally how much space do I want beneath the grill? Also do I desire to be drilling the holes beneath the level of the grill to permit better airflow?
I used a grate meant for a Weber Smokey Joe – I found a store locally that sold them. Fits perfectly! Thinking about getting another i and using both with the grates perpendicular to each other. A single grate lets a lot of small coals fall through, so I desire to try doubling it up
Best instructions I've seen, and I've spent a lot of time looking. I'm a unmarried parent feeding a son with the metabolism of a fighter jet. I'thou saving these and subscribing to your newsletter.
I am using a Master forge model #: CBS1101L. It seems to require constant attending to maintain temp. TZhe thermometer is accurate enough but it seems to have a very healthy appetite for charcoal, Are the mods you describe for the Brinkmann ECB applicable to my smoker?
I merely now read these replies. In Texas there was a visitor, 35 years ago, called Mr. Meat Smoker that started the barrel h2o pan smoker I believe. The principal difference is the lid fits down over the barrel body thus the fume does not escape like a Brinkman. When yous employ it in the rain water does not baste into it and put out the dress-down. I believe Brinkman either bought the patent or inverse the lid to go effectually the patent. I have three of these one-time smokers two of which I bought 30 years ago.im going to do some of the mods suggested.i
I have used the electric Brinkmann smoker for over 20yrs and had the same one for that period of time. Never had whatsoever issues with temp i use it year round ,Living in the midwest even in wintertime its works great .
I just purchaed an ECB and performed the Pan modern.. (Drilled some holes.. stuck the legs on the exterior and rested information technology on bricks.. I acutally thought I was going to go too hot while smoking.. My digital kitchen gauge was showing temps around 275 @ rack level before I raised the rack.. and lowered the height of the coal.
I do demand to get a vii″ Grill pan for the coal becuase ther was a meaning amount of ash at the terminate of a 2hr smoke.
I'yard also going to endeavor soaking the wood for longer and wrapping in foil / venting teh foil.. putting directly on the coals made them take hold of pretty apace.
In responce to Ramons question I saw in another video where one guy glues some door gasket from a woods burning stove to thst within border after he fashiond a vent in the lid. I similar the foil idea besides..I think im going to screw some flashing in a tent shape around my edge and add together the lid vent
And then glad I read this…cooking country manner ribs…merely mod I made at this time was to drill the charcoal pan and add together a grate for the ash to fall into. Made a huge deviation..I was fifty-fifty able to bring the heat back up afterward a pelting storm took me downwardly to warm by adding chips and blowwing into the holes…Thank Yous!
Does anyone accept any annotate on Ramon's question regarding the gaps effectually the lid? I used my ECB for the first fourth dimension yesterday and information technology turned out some pretty stellar pulled pork, but I'm concerned almost the amount of fume and heat escaping since the lid is so out-of-round (basically bulges on either side where all the smoke vents out, so modifying the lid would be useless to me).
But for the tape I only used the smoker to impart the apple wood smoke, and then finished the pork in a sealed foil pan on my grill at 250F for an additional iii hours. I don't think information technology would ever melt on the smoker itself even though the needle was sitting no more a few degrees on either side of dead center "ideal" the entire fourth dimension.
Thanks!
Buying a heat kit (fiberglass impregnated rope) is probably the best idea but simply making a snake out of tin foil and sealing the gap from the lid will suffice.
I'm on my second Brinkmann (now living in Oz) – don't worry about the gap. The wood will make more smoke than required and has to 'waste' somewhere. Every bit for the rut, pay attention, change the draught, add charcoal, whatever is needed. Make sure you have your favourite brewski to hand. That's why smoking is more fun than BBQ, certainly Uk and Oz manner, where you throw a lump of meat over coals and its either undercooked or destroyed in no time. Barely before you've had time to savour your favourite ale! I've just smoked a whole Turkey, 9kgs, took 13 hours, turned out marvellous and fed a party of sixty. Didn't matter to me though. Past the finish, I was truly mellowed.
Only picked up my first ECB and I am looking at the mods listed here. I accept already drilled the charcoal pan and ordered a charcoal grate meant for a Weber Smokey Joe. My plans are to add together a pair of BBQ Pit Wood Smoker Temp Gauge Thermometers, one in the lid and one in the body for each cooking level. I was thinking about a Rutland Grapho-Glas Rope Gasket Kit, 3/eight-Inch to fill the gap and adding a weber kettle way adjustable damper to the lid. My thinking was this would give better air menses command and hence amend temperature command and reduce temperature loss caused by a passing rain storm by reducing the amount of rain that would enter through the gap. Am I over thinking this? Can't wait to start smoking! Thanks to everyone for their input!
In the process in completing the mods on the ECB and they are working well. Smoked some wings today and they turned out corking. Do you lot think that in that location is enough room within to add a third rack for wings but? I have both filled and retrieve I demand more infinite.
I've 'beefed' mine up by using roughly 3/8" 10 three" bolts, 2 nuts and washers where the standard pressed brackets are as it seemed too weak for large loads. I only smoked 2 x 9kg turkeys with no trouble. Like shooting fish in a barrel to drill iii extra holes and slide the bolts through, using the basics/washers either side of the body of the smoker to gear up the depth into the unit before pinching them up good and tight.. By setting the heads on the within, it helps prevent the grids sliding. I reckon you could fit as many grids as space will allow. I've also fitted my grids with wire 'handles' to brand lifting them out when heavy that much easier.
I have a smoker that is like in design just it came with a vent on the superlative,the fire door is still pocket-sized and the coal pan is unvented. It otherwise looks exactly like a Brinkman. I have used it twice and it seemed to piece of work well for this novice and maintained a 225-250 degree temp very well, information technology got college when the water in water pan was allmost gone but calculation water dailed it right back in. Mine is branded Outdoor Gourmet. I will be trying the modern of placing the coal pan on bricks or something. Basicly i wrote this to say I believe these mods Jeff suggest will help people since mine seemed to work well with the factory lid vent. Love your site btw Jeff thks.
I had a very old Brinkman I bought in Texas around 1996. This model had a blackness enamel base with an outside rim the carcoal pan sabbatum in/on and the main body sat on that, making it dead like shooting fish in a barrel to lift the body off and refill the charcoal pan. The charcoal pan was as well vented.
The current unit of measurement is not equally adept and must toll more than to manufacture. By-the-by, Brinkman couldn't be bothered to post one to Australia for me – besides much trouble! But they would deliver to a friend in Canada, who posted information technology on. Shame on y'all USA, how you always going to leave of the GFC if you plow business away?
Jeff,
Thanks for the tips. My ECB, has huge gaps where the chapeau meets the torso of the smoker. Is this normal, or exercise I demand to practice something to cover the gaps? I've been stuffing foil in the gaps, but still can't go the temp to 220, even with some of the mods. Can y'all assist???
I alive in Michigan and I have smoked foods with no problem in the dead of winter. I use a galvanized garbage can and put it on height of the Brinkmann raised with a brick on either side. With a couple holes drilled in the top of a can to allow out excess smoke.
Slap-up article. I got a brinkmann ECB for a hymeneals nowadays and have been struggling with this thing for almost 10 years now. Glad I found this article and will be doing the mods asap. 1 thing though, in your pics it appears as though you drilled holes in the water pan and non the charcoal pan. The water pan is coated and black, the charcoal pan has no coating and is not tapered from the sided to the bottom,
Howdy Smoking World. 1st time smoker here with the ECB Stainless Steel Smoker-grill. I did pork ribs for my 1st time and what a lot of work keeping the temp upward effectually 160. Used vii lbs of charcoal and feels like I was in a wrestling match. Also used Blood-red forest chips – couldn't gustation whatsoever of swallow. The ribs had good taste but wish they would have gotten hotter than 160. Going to invest in some of the mods so the adjacent time I fume information technology won't be a job.