MrNess23 Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Hi, I'm a newbie to this smoking lark. I recently purchased the Kentucky smoker and have cooked a few things since I bought it last week (lamb ribs, burgers, sausages, chicken) and having read through this thread regarding adding the additional mods, which I think it will sort a lot of my problems out, maintaining a steady temp still feels like it'll be a problem for me. I've looked through vids and read posts on the internet about vents and so on but whenever I fiddle with them the temp just falls instantly. So I have to cook with the firebox side gate open and chimney wide open. Any adjustments sees a drop and will keep going until spent. I will buy the stove rope and silicon sealant today, but is there anything else I'm not doing correctly? Also, (this is my real stupid question) item 23 (the black pan attached to the hanging grill) what is that for exactly? Seems pointless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General85 Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 What are you doing to try and maintain the temp? Have you got enough fuel in there? Keep the stack wide open and only adjust from the firebox. I can't remember which is item 23, is it the black flat thing that goes on the side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNess23 Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 8 hours ago, General85 said: What are you doing to try and maintain the temp? Have you got enough fuel in there? Keep the stack wide open and only adjust from the firebox. I can't remember which is item 23, is it the black flat thing that goes on the side? Hi @General85, I just try to pile as much fuel in the pit as possible. I went through an entire large bag of coal and pieces of wood I found around the garden just to complete the cook and keep it between 250°-275° when cooking the lamb ribs. I had to stay by it's side near enough the whole 3hrs. Oh and no.23 is this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General85 Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Hmm, definitely get it sealed up and see if that makes a difference. Silly question, buy the temperature you gave, is that in farenheit? Number 23 is to put your coals on. The ashes should drop through the holes in to the ash tray...some anyway, the rest you will have to clean out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnrn84 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 After struggling with this for 18 months I've caved in and replaced it with the weber master touch premium. What a difference! Done a dry run today and I'm at 225f after 6 hours without touching it once! Cost £300 but b&q are doing the normal master touch for £120 at the moment. Its basically the same but doesn't have the hinged lid. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 This is what we see more often, these are very hard to manage, coupled with the poor build quality. I would never recommend an offset to a beginner. It puts more people off, congratulations on sticking it out for 18 months. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dl8860 Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 That is very stoic if you used it for 18 months without being able to hold a stable temperature! You'll find anything else a walk in the park after that hopefully. Enjoy the weber, hope you have some great cooks with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNess23 Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 Does anybody have any idea where I could source a metal strip like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 41 minutes ago, MrNess23 said: Does anybody have any idea where I could source a metal strip like this? To me that looks like plastering edge strip. Should be able to get it from B&Q or Wickes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigT70 Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 (edited) I had my second cook on Sunday with mine. I have sealed off nearly all the edges with rope. Need to put some more on the back edge of the smoker and it should be a seal (ran out for one of the edges). I sort of did the minion method by mistake (in a good way) after watching about the snake method on a kettle BBQ. Shoulder of Pork took just over 7 hrs (didn't wrap) and the chicken I let go for 4 and wrapped (tin foil) and put it back in for an hour as it was pink a little. Salt and pepper for the chicken and yellow mustard and a packet ready made herb/spice mix (world foods at Morrisons, by chance was looking and it had a good mix of herbage) and added smoked paprika. Used some apple wood on some Briquettes (1 1/2 bags i think). Edited May 21, 2020 by BigT70 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 5 minutes ago, BigT70 said: and the chicken I let go for 4 and wrapped (tin foil) and put it back in for an hour as it was pink a little. Do not be too paranoid about the chicken meat appearing to be a little pink around the joints so long as the chicken juices are running clear. Low and slow cooking, in combination with the young age of supermarket chickens, often leads to the meat around the joints becoming/remaining pink. Trust the thermometer. Once the chicken meat has reached 64 C then it is safe to eat. Ideally you should leave it to get to ~74C to give you that balance between not looking under cooked and maximum juiciness. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigT70 Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 3 minutes ago, Wade said: Do not be too paranoid about the chicken meat appearing to be a little pink around the joints so long as the chicken juices are running clear. Low and slow cooking, in combination with the young age of supermarket chickens, often leads to the meat around the joints becoming/remaining pink. Trust the thermometer. Once the chicken meat has reached 64 C then it is safe to eat. Ideally you should leave it to get to ~74C to give you that balance between not looking under cooked and maximum juiciness. Unfortunately Wade, though I would heed your advice with this and would have eaten the chicken. I have a wife who has had training within the catering industry and will not tolerate any pinkiness unless it's in the middle of her steak The extra hour just was enough and I threw a bit of water in the foil, so when I came to it again, we had a good head of steam and the pink was gone. Happy wife, happy life. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 I too am qualified to supervise food hygiene in the catering industry and was just advising you of the current standards. It is the temperature that is critical and not the colour. There is a big difference between the standard catering cooked roast chicken (usually roasted hot and fast) and smaller young chicken that is roasted low-and slow. Providing the chicken has reached at least 64 C then it is actually safe to eat - even if it still looks under cooked. The best compromise between appearance and juiciness though is around 74 C. Trust your thermometer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 It is important though to remember that we eat with our eyes as well as out taste - so if you think the "pink" chicken meat is not safe to eat then you probably wont enjoy eating it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoogl Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 30 minutes ago, Wade said: Providing the chicken has reached at least 64 C then it is actually safe to eat - even if it still looks under cooked. The best compromise between appearance and juiciness though is around 74 C. Trust your thermometer. Every-days a school day. 🤓 I'll keep cooking until 74C but good to know. I do agree having a thermometer and cooking for temp is the best way. Probing with a Instant Thermometer in multiple spots just to double check. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken™️ Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) Hi all, I’ve owned one of these for about four years, after snapping it up in an end-of-summer sale, and have been reasonably happy with it with minimal mods (a £10 roll of gasket tape and that’s about it). It has also been remarkably durable despite me taking minimal care of it... ... ...with one exception. My “part 23” is now absolutely falling apart, and I’m looking to buy a replacement, but want to make sure I’m getting the right bit. Is it the main chamber firebowl? I’m seeing that it’s out of stock in most spare parts stockists, so can anyone suggest an alternative to replace it if I can’t get my hands on one? (I’m not much for manufacturing, but a little bit of modding a different off-the-peg part would be okay if necessary) Thanks all. Edited July 24, 2020 by Ken™️ Clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken™️ Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 On 5/11/2020 at 9:00 AM, MrNess23 said: Also, (this is my real stupid question) item 23 (the black pan attached to the hanging grill) what is that for exactly? Seems pointless I’m looking for a replacement for exactly the bit you are taking about - if you don’t want/need yours, can I buy it off you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesMCC Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 About to buy my first smoker (2nd hand), this very Landmann Kentucky. This thread has been very useful and insightful. Thanks everyone. I am picking it up tomorrow or Friday so with any luck I might be smoking this weekend. If so, photos will follow. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icefever Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 I started of with a Kentucky...it's sat in the shed now...take it slow and get to know it, offset's are not as easy as others. When asked about what to cook most of us will say a spatchcock chicken...just enjoy it..👍 Ice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesMCC Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 8 hours ago, Icefever said: I started of with a Kentucky...it's sat in the shed now...take it slow and get to know it, offset's are not as easy as others. When asked about what to cook most of us will say a spatchcock chicken...just enjoy it..👍 Ice. Already gone with a gammon to test it, spatchcock will be for another day. Still have to arrange for pickup but that is just logistics! Oh and I have ordered some stove rope, and will be getting some sealant to make it a tad more airtight. Thank you for the suggestion and encouragement. I have no shed. It will be living outside, under its cover. Maybe with an additional tarpaulin. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken™️ Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 19 hours ago, JulesMCC said: About to buy my first smoker (2nd hand), this very Landmann Kentucky. This thread has been very useful and insightful. Thanks everyone. I am picking it up tomorrow or Friday so with any luck I might be smoking this weekend. If so, photos will follow. My Kentucky has finally gone to the great ash collector in the sky, but it gave me a few years of good cooking. I would definitely recommend investing in some gasket tape (nothing too fancy), as it has a tendency to leak. That said, I used it as a grill as much as I did as an offset smoker, and the leakiness doesn’t really matter for the former. Personal favourite cooks on it were spare ribs, pulled pork, and paella. Yep, you read that right. One of the easiest and best ways to get even distribution of heat across a paella pan is on a barbecue. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesMCC Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 11 hours ago, Ken™️ said: Personal favourite cooks on it were spare ribs, pulled pork, and paella. Yep, you read that right. One of the easiest and best ways to get even distribution of heat across a paella pan is on a barbecue. Por casualidad me da ganas de hacer una paella de esta manera ya que no pienso comprar un aparato solo para cocinarlas. How did you know I was of Spanish origin? I've hidden it so well! Ribs and pulled pork are definitely on the menu. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken™️ Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 4 hours ago, JulesMCC said: Por casualidad me da ganas de hacer una paella de esta manera ya que no pienso comprar un aparato solo para cocinarlas. How did you know I was of Spanish origin? I've hidden it so well! Ribs and pulled pork are definitely on the menu. Ostrás, no fastidies! Yo también! Coruñés por aquí, tu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesMCC Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Ken™️ said: Ostrás, no fastidies! Yo también! Coruñés por aquí, tu? Have PMed you as this is outside the remit of the forum and not in the language spoken by the others. Two Spanish speakers? What could go wrong? Edited April 16, 2021 by JulesMCC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty814 Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Hi guys. So fired up my Landmann Kentucky yesterday for the first time to season it and try to get to grips with a smoker as I have never used one before. To start with I sprayed the inside with vegetable oil and put about half a chimney of briquettes in the firebox with the lid open and the cook chamber lid also open. Once the heavy smoke had dissipated I closed both lids and left the side door and chimney cover fully open. I had a probe at the fire box end (215C) and one below where the chimney is (98C) so had a temperature difference of 117C across the cook chamber. I let this pretty much run hot for the seasoning. How do you guys control this when cooking? Has anyone used baffles to try and even the range? Also not sure how much charcoal I should be using to start as I currently have wood chips but think I'm going to move on to logs and just use charcoal for the bed. After the seasoning process I tried a chicken wing recipe from mad scientist BBQ YouTube channel where you boil the wings for 7 mins then transfer into smoker at 375F and cook for 20 mins or when the wings reach internal temp of 185F. I struggled to get the chamber to 375F (think highest I got was 340F but I think I just didn't have enough fuel) and wings internal was only 157F so I finished them off by grilling them in the firebox and turned out ok. Will try a cheap joint next before I move on to ribs/brisket. Any advice is welcome and appreciated and apologies for the wall of text! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.