Nomex BBQ Smoker Gaskets?

[gblowfish]

I've got a Weber GSM smoker. It does a pretty good job, but it leaks smoke around the lid and from the fire door. Thinking about buying this kit:

http://www.amazon.com/Gasket-Weber-S.../dp/B00CI6WFCU

Anybody had any experience with Nomex gaskets on a smoker?

[gblowfish]

My pal Mr. Doggity said if you do use Adhesive backed Nomex tape as gasket seals, you have to make sure your smoker is spotless clean before you stick the tape onto it, or it'll leak. Would probably be best to install this on a brand new smoker than a used one. Of course, it's the older used smokers that leak the most....so....

I guess I can live with a little smoke sneaking out here and there. It is an imperfect world after all.

[srvy]

When I bought my first WSM I remember reading in manual that smoke leaking out door is normal and part of the design. Granted this was maybe 30 years ago when I bought my first but they haven't changed much.

[srvy]

Also friend uses a WSM to cook pizza all the time and can reach temps of 500* plus standard smoker. So leaking smoke shouldn't be a huge issue. Those temps are approaching a ceramic egg at 700* at 2/3rds the cost.

[KCTitus]

Originally Posted by srvy

Also friend uses a WSM to cook pizza all the time and can reach temps of 500* plus standard smoker. So leaking smoke shouldn't be a huge issue. Those temps are approaching a ceramic egg at 700* at 2/3rds the cost.

only way to do that is with the door literally off...using nothing but dampers, I cannot get mine over 300.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by KCTitus

only way to do that is with the door literally off...using nothing but dampers, I cannot get mine over 300.

No but I think he uses wood not Briquets.

[srvy]

When he is in town I will ask him. I also remember members doing same in a thread here. Actually reaching 600 on a Weber. I only smoke with mine but do a search people are doing same thing with WSM they do with eggs its out there. But I am very certain its not briquets.

[KCTitus]

Originally Posted by srvy

No but I think he uses wood not Briquets.

Yeah, you'd need an open flame plus no water in the pan.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by srvy

That is not closing the damper
It is regulating the heat like a thermostat. opening and closing the damper. The lid is the heat damper. I believe the bottom damper controls smoke. You dont want a white smoke you want a barely noticeable almost a blue smoke. If you like billowing white smoke coming out just roll up newspapers and throw it in because that is the flavor the meat will take on.

http://amazingribs.com/index.html
Nice site with some facts to back it up.

I'll check the site.

But the temperature controller will close the damper at times. Ultimately I'd rather just have a remote probe thermometer that gives me an alert when needed and I'll adjust the bottom to control air flow to the coals. I don't like the idea of ever shutting down what amounts to an exhaust vent.

Originally Posted by KCTitus

Any WSM users do overnight winter time smokes? I dont own a DigiQ or similar product, and I'm very nervous to try that without said tool or having to get up every couple of hours to check temps/fire.

I have an iGrill and I love the thing. I have a meat probe and an ambient air probe so if I'm doing an all-nighter with pork butt or something, I'll set the ambient air probe to range from 225-240 and the meat probe to 195. If the grill falls out of the range, my phone starts yelling at me until I wake up to change it. The unit itself can run 4 probes simultaneously if you felt the need and the settings are all done via your phone. You can set temperature ranges so if it falls above or below a designated level you get an alert. You can program custom ranges as well - extremely user-friendly interface. It also has a graphing feature that allows you to go back through a line graph and see exactly what your temperature did at what times. It's really handy for seeing when the stall period started on pork butt and getting a feel for when its starting to pull back out of it.

They're a little pricier than the maverick but just as accurate and far more versatile, IMO. I use my thermopen to calibrate it and it's never more than a degree or so off (and the thermopen is a legit thermocouple so you know it's balls on). I have a maverick as well and it's gone to the tailgate box just so I always have something in there. I never use it anymore.

If you use the minion method on the coals, you should have plenty of juice to make it through the night. If you're really worried about the external temp messing with the rig, you could always go buy a water heater sleeve and wrap the smoker for added insulation and steadier heat control.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Good advice all. I've been wondering how much wood is just right or too much once the fire gets started. I usually start with a charcoal chimney full of Kinsgford, then use chunks of hickory or apple wood to build smoke. Try not to over - do it. Also, try not to go too crazy with the dry rub on the ribs, to make them too salty or too gritty. Each time I do a batch, I get a little better. I've been pre soaking ribs overnight in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and apple juice with kosher salt, then dry them off, let them come to room temp, apply dry rub, let them sit till the dry rub turns a mahogany red, then get em in the smoker at about 225 to 240 for about two to three hours, then pull them out put them in tin foil, rubbed with some squeeze soft butter, put them in the oven for another two hours at 225, don't sauce them until about 15 mins before serving.

Been pretty lucky with that formula. Works best with baby back ribs. The country style ribs are a little too fatty and chewy. I like a clean pull when you bite on them.

Boy, with the right rub I've found you can almost never over-rub one. In fact, most people tend to put too little on there. Just don't use a commercial rub and you should be fine - commercial rubs almost always use too much salt, IMO.

I use the 3-2-1 method as well - the dreaded 'Texas Crutch'. Eh, **** the purists, it's easier and a hell of a lot faster. I don't pre-soak mine but do put some apple juice and some 'Tryme Tiger Sauce' on them right before I wrap. I think the Tiger Sauce really helps with the Maillard reaction and helps thicken the bark up. When I put them on for the last hour I just prop the door open to about 4 inches of opening to let the heat get up to the 350 range and it really crisps up that outside. I presume you remember to rip off the fell/silverskin before you put them on? It makes a huge difference with ribs, IMO. Maybe it's not as big a deal with baby backs - I'm a spare rib man myself.

[Stewie]

That company is trying to sell you a bill of goods.

I've had that exact smoker for over 10 years... and yes, you get some smoke through the door and lid at first. After about 30 minutes into the cook there should be no visible smoke for the rest of the time.

We aren't trying to cook in a vacuum. As has been said, if it holds temp why is anyone worried about some leakage? There a huge holes top and bottom to maintain temperature.

I use a version of the Minion method for brisket. It's a mix of Kingsford, lump, oak and hickory. It works quite well.

[Predarat]

A lot of times by the time you get through 4-5 smokes those things are worthless due to the heat, smoke, ect.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by srvy

Also friend uses a WSM to cook pizza all the time and can reach temps of 500* plus standard smoker. So leaking smoke shouldn't be a huge issue. Those temps are approaching a ceramic egg at 700* at 2/3rds the cost.

Do you know anyone that's ever used a kettle pizza? I've talked myself out of buying the cadillac rig several times; with the brick tombstone underneath and the cooking steel top.

You could get some outstanding heat/convection on one of those and I would think you could get the neopolitan style pizza with that good crust 'pop' to form the lighter/bubblier crust from the expensive wood ovens for 1/10th the cost.

[tooge]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Boy, with the right rub I've found you can almost never over-rub one. In fact, most people tend to put too little on there. Just don't use a commercial rub and you should be fine - commercial rubs almost always use too much salt, IMO.

I use the 3-2-1 method as well - the dreaded 'Texas Crutch'. Eh, **** the purists, it's easier and a hell of a lot faster. I don't pre-soak mine but do put some apple juice and some 'Tryme Tiger Sauce' on them right before I wrap. I think the Tiger Sauce really helps with the Maillard reaction and helps thicken the bark up. When I put them on for the last hour I just prop the door open to about 4 inches of opening to let the heat get up to the 350 range and it really crisps up that outside. I presume you remember to rip off the fell/silverskin before you put them on? It makes a huge difference with ribs, IMO. Maybe it's not as big a deal with baby backs - I'm a spare rib man myself.

I used to rip off the membrane. Now I just score it with a sharp knife. It actually holds a bit of fat in and helps with moisture. Score about every inch diagonally and then crosswise to the first cuts. You won't know the membrane is even on there, and there will be more moisture.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by tooge

I used to rip off the membrane. Now I just score it with a sharp knife. It actually holds a bit of fat in and helps with moisture. Score about every inch diagonally and then crosswise to the first cuts. You won't know the membrane is even on there, and there will be more moisture.

So you probably don't wrap, then?

Because if you use the crutch, there's never a moisture issue that I've seen and ultimately I think removing the membrane gets you just a little more smoke penetration.

I'll tell you what the best purchase I've made for ribs is, though - a very heavy duty rib rack.

http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Raichle...words=rib+rack

I friggen love this thing. Most of them are too short for spare ribs so your ribs fold at the top and make contact so you don't get an even cook. They're cheaper materials so they don't hold up worth a damn and they aren't coated so they're a pain to clean.

This thing is massive but fits perfectly in a 22.5 kettle. It's very tall so it holds the ribs perfectly upright and you get a great even smoke all across the rack.

It's made the process virtually bulletproof.

[tooge]

The only time I wrap is if I'm pressed for space. Then I will stack them all up to cook the last hour or so. I think wrapping them gives a "steamed" quality that I'm not real fond of. Sort of like a really tender brisket that's done in the oven, covered with onions and wrapped in foil. Super moist, but the natural fats in between the muscle fibers tends to steam out, and leave the meat more "wet" than juicy. That probably doesn't make sense.

I guess the best way I can describe it is this: So, imagine you have an overdone steak. You want it to be more juicy. So, you dip it in warm water. Yummmm, NOT! That is how wrapped ribs compare, IMO, to unwrapped ribs. Those natural fats just don't seem to escape as well without the steam.