Landmann Kentucky offset smoker

[General85]

Yes, for now...I didn't try to add anything to raise the temperature again as I just wanted to see maximum and how quick it drops. Guess I would be adding more wood chunks to keep the temp up.

 

The spike at 195c has confused me though?

[Icefever]

3 hours ago, General85 said:

6:40 start,
7:05- 150c
7:30- 150c
7:45- 195c
8:00-145c
8:10-120c
8:38- 90c
9:00- 40c

Almost 2.5 hrs burn then.....not bad for the amount of fuel....but at 7.45 in 15 mins you lost 50c  then it's down hill all the way after that, so if I were you do a copy watch the temp at the first hour mark,  then add another log and watch the temp and map that way you are starting to get a picture of how she works.  Also did you map your air vents??  open, half open etc.??

Ice.

[jfeeney]

Hi guys

Just discovered the forum and this great thread on the Landmann Kentucky smoker. I have one of these smokers and I have cooked some amazing pork shoulder and ribs over the past 2 years with it. Here's what I've learned:

• It leaks like hell. I never bothered sealing with stove gasket but after reading this thread I intend to soon.
• Fire and temperature management is very tricky. Weather conditions can easily affect your fire and the thin metal is not conducive to stable temperatures. In order to get a predictable and clean burning fire, I use a USB powered mini fan to provide plenty of oxygen to the fire chamber. To prevent ash blowing into the cooking chamber and onto the food, I installed this wire mesh between it and the fire chamber.
• The in-built themometer is completely useless. I use this instead.

Here's a video of my baby in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt9VrKwWpEk&feature=youtu.be

 

All in all, this is a decent starter smoker. As with all smokers, you need to become familiar with its characteristics and learn how to cook effectively through trial and error. With the mods folks have suggested on here - and with how cheaply you can pick one of these up for - you can't go wrong really.

 

J 

 

[Icefever]

3 hours ago, jfeeney said:

learn how to cook effectively through trial and error.

You've hit the nail right on the head J......welcome to the forum,  having a guy with your experience on the Kentucky offset  is great.

 

Ice.

[Dendrobatty]

Been reading this with a sinking feeling having not long purchased my Landmann (different model but expecting similar glitches) and now both my piggy banks are well and truly empty (one contains £, the other is a hypothetical one that contains my wife's indulgence and good will!).

Thanks Jfeeney for giving me hope, as long as I am able to churn out some half decent food, the second piggy bank will start to refill, (the first will take a little longer), however, I think there is just enough in both to support a little "modding."

You may notice the number of watches on your YouTube go up, that will be mostly me 😆

[Cumminz]

On 2/28/2019 at 9:14 PM, goldencrunchs said:

Iceman to the rescue!!! Quick question. Is this supposed to sit on the lip (like in the picture) or hang over?

Hi i know that im a bit late on this one! i had exactly the same issue with my Landman, contacted their customer services and they replaced the lid. the new one was a much better fit.

[Cumminz]

Hi all

haven't posted in a while! i will be having my first smoke of the year on BH Monday, got some pork ribs and a beef short rib plus a chicken to smoke. will post some pics Monday evening!

[Icefever]

1 hour ago, Cumminz said:

having my first smoke of the year on BH Monday,

Hope it all goes well, no problem with the weather from what they are telling us.....🤞

 

Ice.

[Cumminz]

Thanks Ice, looking like a steady 23 degrees!🌞

[Smokin Monkey]

Post some pictures up!

[Cumminz]

A little late, as always! Turned out well.... Prepped the beef rib with a pepper dry rub and used a Wiri Wiri chili dry rub on the Pork ribs. i mixed some harissa dry rub with some olive oil and put under the chicken skin and also injected it with clarified butter fused with thyme, rosemary and garlic used hickory bbq sauce on the chicken about 20 mins from the end. 

 

I used a water pan for the first time and have to say it was very effective at helping maintain an even temp, will definitely use as a matter of course in the future. cooked at around the 210 to 225F. The cook for the ribs and beef took around the 4 hour mark, with the chicken going on for the last 2.5 hours, used beech for the smoke.  The pork ribs could of done with another hour if you like your meat falling of the bone, i prefer mine with a bit of resistance. I wrapped the pork ribs in foil for the last hour of the cook, would recommend for the last 2 hours if you prefer softer meat. I spritzed all the meat about every 45 mins with mix of apple juice and cider vinegar. 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Cumminz

[ProSmoker]

I've seen this model when I read this review, it's price range were at $120-150, it's fine on the first glance, but this is out of my budget, I'd find cheaper options with the same functional.

[Dnrn84]

Hi!

New here and new to smoking!

I got a Kentucky smoker last year and have struggled with getting pork shoulder up to temperature. I tried about 3 times before summer ended and although the pork cooked well it wasnt exactly pulling apart even after 10 hrs.

I very read through this thread and have just ordered the inkbird thermometer and will buy some rope to seal the bbq.

Unfortunately with this lockdown I cant just go out and buy a thermo and some fire rope straight away and I was planning to have another crack with a pork shoulder tomorrow.

Can anyone give me any tips to improve it without sealing the bbq and only the lid temperature? 

Thanks!

 

[jfeeney]

58 minutes ago, Dnrn84 said:

Hi!

New here and new to smoking!

I got a Kentucky smoker last year and have struggled with getting pork shoulder up to temperature. I tried about 3 times before summer ended and although the pork cooked well it wasnt exactly pulling apart even after 10 hrs.

I very read through this thread and have just ordered the inkbird thermometer and will buy some rope to seal the bbq.

Unfortunately with this lockdown I cant just go out and buy a thermo and some fire rope straight away and I was planning to have another crack with a pork shoulder tomorrow.

Can anyone give me any tips to improve it without sealing the bbq and only the lid temperature? 

Thanks!

 

You really need the thermometer to know where you're at. 

Question - are you wrapping in foil towards the end?

Here's how it typically works for me -

I smoke shoulder at around 225 degrees until it reaches internal temp of 140 (at which point they say it won't take on any more smoke). This tends to take 5 hours. 

I then wrap in foil and transfer to standard oven for another 5 hours or until it reaches internal temp of 195 - 200. Take it out and let it sit for another couple of hours.

After all this it's tender enough to start pulling.

Hope this helps.

[Dnrn84]

33 minutes ago, jfeeney said:

You really need the thermometer to know where you're at. 

Question - are you wrapping in foil towards the end?

Here's how it typically works for me -

I smoke shoulder at around 225 degrees until it reaches internal temp of 140 (at which point they say it won't take on any more smoke). This tends to take 5 hours. 

I then wrap in foil and transfer to standard oven for another 5 hours or until it reaches internal temp of 195 - 200. Take it out and let it sit for another couple of hours.

After all this it's tender enough to start pulling.

Hope this helps.

Thanks! I've found an old weber probe thermometer so I can check the meat and then use your method.

Thanks again!

[jfeeney]

So I made pulled pork again yesterday with this smoker and the results were very very good, even if I do say so myself!

I decided to film some of the process, hope this helps others:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Q87Gi3tCA

[Icefever]

1 hour ago, jfeeney said:

So I made pulled pork again yesterday with this smoker and the results were very very good, even if I do say so myself!

I decided to film some of the process, hope this helps others:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Q87Gi3tCA

Just watched the video mate 👍 anybody buys one now we know where to send them...

 

Ice. (BJ)

[dl8860]

Looks like a really well done mod, nice one. 

I have the non-smoker version of this https://landmann.com/uk/product/taurus-660-charcoal-barbecue/

Have used it with some success but my very amateur silicon beading effort (as messy as it sounds) is not in the same league as your aluminium and stove tape masterpiece! I've had it 3 or 4 years now, and I'm finding the lid is starting to rust on the inside. Otherwise the rest of it is in good nick really.

Are you sat tending the fire constantly though? Looks like the logs are burning pretty fast there! Or does it slow right down once you close the lid?

Last thing, would be worth saying that the oven cook bit should be done at similar or slightly higher temp than the smoker, the few times I've put it in the oven at 350F it has dried out, even if wrapped. Maybe you found different but I thought worth mentioning.

[General85]

8 hours ago, jfeeney said:

So I made pulled pork again yesterday with this smoker and the results were very very good, even if I do say so myself!

I decided to film some of the process, hope this helps others:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Q87Gi3tCA

That was an interesting watch, even though I have the same smoker!

My thermometer is on order at the minute. Do you guys find the thermometer on the smoker is way off? 

[jfeeney]

8 hours ago, dl8860 said:

Are you sat tending the fire constantly though? Looks like the logs are burning pretty fast there! Or does it slow right down once you close the lid?

Not really. Once I get the wood burning well and I have that fabled "thin blue smoke", I can walk away for 15-20 minutes. I only intervene if the temp rises close to 300ºF and will often let it drop gradually to 200ºF before tending to it again. 

Quote

Last thing, would be worth saying that the oven cook bit should be done at similar or slightly higher temp than the smoker, the few times I've put it in the oven at 350F it has dried out, even if wrapped. Maybe you found different but I thought worth mentioning.

With the regular oven I aim for the same temp of 225ºF. Low and slow is the name of the game!

[jfeeney]

1 hour ago, General85 said:

That was an interesting watch, even though I have the same smoker!

My thermometer is on order at the minute. Do you guys find the thermometer on the smoker is way off? 

Yes, hugely. You can't rely on it.

[Icefever]

10 hours ago, General85 said:

Do you guys find the thermometer on the smoker is way off? 

Don't trust any of them....buy a good digi one with 4 or 6 probes, that way you can check the temp inside the smoker and use the others in whatever meat your cooking.

 

Ice.

[General85]

59 minutes ago, Icefever said:

Don't trust any of them....buy a good digi one with 4 or 6 probes, that way you can check the temp inside the smoker and use the others in whatever meat your cooking.

 

Ice.

Ive ordered the Inkbird but it's only got 2 probes! I don't think I can add more to it.

[Icefever]

3 minutes ago, General85 said:

I don't think I can add more to it.

They make a 2 probe a 4 and a 6....I have the 4 probe, also a couple of thermo pens and one of those infra red dot ones.....why so many??? don't know but I do use them. 😉

Ice.

[General85]

So I've had my Landmann for a year now, grilled plenty but only tried to smoke on it twice, both times I failed! I need to find out where I am going wrong so here's the details. 

1st time- Got some decent ribs, put some rub on it and put them on the smoker. Now, I'm using cheap briquettes as I bought a load last year and Also bought some Oak splits last year, these are about 25cm long. I was trying to control the temp by reading the thermometer on the grill (unreliable I know now), I kept throwing on splits every time the temp dropped. I did wait till the thick white smoke went (I think). In total I must have used about 4-5 splits. I wrapped it in foil later and finished it in the oven. The food was horrible, it smelt and tasted just as bad. The taste was the same as when you throw on wood and it's just started burning. I put this down to possibly over smoking and Oak being too strong a flavour, also the fact that logs may have had moisture due to them being stored since last year and being too big for the Landmann.

So I went a head and bought some Cherry chunks and a very cheap rack of ribs from the supermarket, they barely had meat on them but I thought I want to practice on cheaper items as I will probably mess up, and I did. This time, I got the temp to 110c, maintained with one chimney of charcoal and just that one chunk of wood. Lasted about 2.5-3 hrs, I decided to wrap and oven again. The smell/taste was still too much, strong dirty smoke smell, not as bad as the first time though and it was dry. The meat was all pink inside, there was no smoke ring, I think the meat was so thin, it absorbed all the smoke.

So my question is, what am I doing wrong? I have a number of things in my head...cheap charcoal, poor quality meat, unreliable thermometer (I've ordered an Inkbird, waiting on delivery), smoking the meat too long, not spritzing or having a water pan and I't not convinced I let the wood burn long enough before I threw the meat on, I would say I waited about 10mins?

The smoker is sealed with stove tape and silicone although I have noticed very small leaks as the tape is pealing slightly in areas, I keep having to push it back down.

I've posted about this on other groups but as they're American based with far better smokers, I figured I'm better posting here where you guys know the size and how the Landmann works.

 

Any help is appreciated! Thanks