Thanks man!!! just made mine today! came out great! Had to use some elbow grease using a hacksaw but it got the job done! love your videos! THANKS AGAIN!
@@CookingWithRy Question ... instead of making a basket why can you place just the flat metal in the box? Like just the bottom without the sides ... wouldn't that work too?
@@CookingWithRy Thanks for responding so quickly. I just bought this char-griller king griller. It's my first smoker. I am doing the suggested mods you and others on youtube have given. My fire box isn't very tall so the sides on the basket wouldn't be but a couple of inches maybe. I couldn't get all the things suggested at the store so I had to order half of what I need online. Looking forward to using it ... liked your jerky in the oven video ... looking forward to make it with the smoker. :)
Thanks Ry! I made one of these in about 10 minutes! So much easier to control the ash and fire. At home depot I noticed there were two kinds of the expanded metal; one was for use with BBQ as the grilling surface, the other was general purpose. the general purpose was just $9 whereas the grilling surface quality was smoother, but cost $26 for the 24x24. Oh, I forgot to add: I took the little squares that I cut off and put them in the bottom of the basket which keeps the smaller coals in place a little longer before falling through B-)
Made the basket today after wanting one for several years. This was the best mod I made on my Oklahoma Joe longhorn. I struggled to get the temp to over 225 using only the mfg grate. This box burns super hot and efficiently. Now I have to keep the vents amongst completely closed. Thank you!
This was SUPER helpful! I made mine yesterday following your directions. The only difference is that I used stainless steel zip ties. Over 3 hours in on a smoke today and I haven’t had to do anything to maintain the fire. This has completely changed smoking for me. Thank you!
Thanks, I was able to buy two 12x24 pieces and Criss crossed them using your video. No cutting required, used the ties you mentioned, fits perfectly in my Oklahoma Joe's Highlander.
I made the basket the way you showed in the video, it turned out great. Used it for a month then came across the pieces that were cut out for the corners. Wired them to make a square And put that in the center of the basket to make a better snake burn. This is working well for me.
Wanted to stop by and say thanks for this video. I built my box today. Quick and easy. Used it today and worked better than I expected. Thank you again.
Much appreciated Ry! Made my basket today and it fit great in my Char-Griller side fire box. I’m giving it a test drive tomorrow when I smoke some ribs, sausage, and chuck roast! Thank you!
Hi Ry. I really enjoy your videos. I recently got an OK Joe Highland Smoker and went to Lowe's to get the expanded metal sheet but all they had was 24 x 12 inches so I bought two sheets and made the basket by overlaying the sheets. Then I discovered the cooking grates for the firebox would not fit properly after I turned the fire grate around to raise the fire as you suggested in your Air Flow Tip video. I made another fire basket but this time bent the edges over 2 inches and flattened them down then bent the sides up 4 inches instead of 6. This solved the problem. Now the cooking grates fit just right especially for reverse searing steaks, etc. Another advantage is that the top edges are bent over so they are not nearly as sharp as the naked edge. Thanks again for all your great videos!!
@@CookingWithRy said 20 cooks and still going strong? see how its going to hold up for my July 4th party. Doing 15 rack of ribs and needed a upgrade to the charcoal box
Morning Ry 👍. Nice and simple way to make one thanks for sharing. I messaged you a little while ago you were talking about saving the unused charcoal. I mentioned about putting a sliding damper between the fire box and the unit. Made one and have tried it a few times can't believe how much I save with the fire closed off. Love your videos buddy keep them coming. 🇨🇦🥓🍻
Hi Ray my son and I made a no weld charcoal basket, we are going to use it tomorrow for a brisket smoke. Going to make another one with seven inch sides, thank you for making this video
RY, I watched your video, purchased the components and made a coal basket. I have a Char Griller offset smoker and I was NEVER able to get good prolong heat to stay in the main box; 185 -190 degrees after everything settled. After building one of these baskets...I maintained 230-235 degrees for several hours before having to add more charcoal. With everything almost closed up...220 degrees. Thanks for sharing! My Char Griller has not worked this good...ever. Also, like you I turned my grate sideways and had 4-4.5 inches of room under my basket allowing great air flow.
I haven't made the basket yet but had the same low temp problem before I started using a small personal fan aimed at the intake vents. Now I easily maintain 275 in the cooking chamber and it's magic at getting it back up to temp after checking/turning the meat.
Ry - Good stuff as always. I went to Lowes (based on your ideas described) and they only had the 12 X 24 grates. Of course I had to purchase two in order to cover the dimensions, and guess what I discovered with 2 12X24s? You don't need any tools: you can simply bend 6 niches in on both sides - for both grates (you get four walls of grate at this point). Next layer them over top of one another (you get a double layer of grate on the bottom as they both come up the 6 inch sides) as the four walls come up catty- corner but dimensional. The double bottom layer of grate likely keeps the charcoal confined on the grate longer. If that isn't a bonus (maybe you know of a more compelling reason to take this approach), simply not having to use any tools to cut for the walls was definitely a bonus. I literally completed the task in 10 minutes (took me longer to add the metal wires). Thanks for the inspiration!
Ry and Brad thanks for sharing! I also used 2 12x24 grates today and the basket came out perfectly! My coals burn WAY longer instead of falling through the stock grate that comes with the Highland. Thanks again!
Brad DeVore what gauge was the grid at Lowe’s? I’m contemplating doing the same Thing you did. I’m just curious if the thickness is higher than 16 gauge that it’ll be too think and burn/bend part faster?
I just made one for my smoker and thanks to this it turned out great. I bought a larger sheet and made another one with the extra pieces and will give it my buddy for his smoker. Thank you, Sir, I am a huge fan of your videos!
Thanks man, i was just about to waste money on oryginal weber baskets:) One tip, that I woluld add is once i bent downwards first side and flipped around i had short piece of lumber, which i clamped to table, so they would help me with bend allignment
Great idea. I’m glad I came across this video as I was just about to purchase a sheet of expanded metal and rig something up. For those ties you could use segments of metal hanger as well.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I was looking at 90 bucks and a two week wait for a pre-built basket. 19 bucks and 30 minutes later and I have the perfect basket!
I just made one. I didn't cut off the corners completely I just bent them In. I also used bolts instead of rebar ties to keep it all together. Thank you for the idea :)
Took me about 45 minutes total to make this for my Lang. I bought the steel for $17.99 at my local Ace, $2 less than HD lists it for. I modified the dimensions slightly as I wanted a lower wall in front for easier access. So my front wall is 4" high, and that gave me 2 more inches in length to the basket. so now it is 12"w x 14" l x 6" high. Thanks a ton for this idea!
Thank you - this will be an easy mod. I think I am going to go one step farther and use angle iron for the four corners and just use bolts and nuts. But great idea for a simple build!
Thanks Ry! Made mine today and making one for my son ASAP. I could not get a 24x24 piece. Lowe's only had 12x24 which worked as well if not better since I did't have to cut any. It gives me a double bottom which I don't think will hurt. We'll see but thanks again!! I really enjoy your videos.
I picked up some expanded metal today I noticed it's galvanized will that be ok or no, I thought if I went ahead and made the basket after the first burn it should burn off the galvanized? What's your thoughts please and thank you.
Thanks for the video, Ry. I made mine yesterday. Lowe's didn't have the 24x24 but Home Depot did. Not sure how this can be done in thirty minutes. Took me much longer even using a grinder and only cut myself twice. lol I enjoy your grilling videos and I imagine you drive your neighbors nuts with the smell of smoke cooking so often. Ha
That's hilarious to me as my father and I did this a few years back. A lot of it had to do with his persistence on ways we should do certain steps, however it still took us around 3 hours. Ended up being a great time either way. BTW, I tried to get him to watch this video before we started. Of course, he didn't need to.
This is great, perfect for getting my pull behind smoker able to hold a fire inside the smoke chamber so I can cook a mean roast beef quarter. You done real good. Thanks!!
I made this too. Not same as this, but very similar. Works great, use ur mind, best tool available. Regardless, keep it simple. Sharp anvil makes for klean bends. Quality proportionate to GIS.
Great video. Explanations/instructions were clear, and to the point. I bought a cheap flux core welder a while back, just to tinker around for little jobs like this.....but this is just too easy to make. Plus a charcoal basket won't be having to withstand a lot of stress....so welding seems a little over the top when simply using wire or bolts will do. Thanks again.
Wow! Great video. Very cool idea and nice job doing it. Thank you for this video. I'll probably do something like this for my smoker. I am getting my first one next week. Can't wait to do this to it
You mentioned using a screwed-in board to bend the steel over. You could just use those clamps to pinch the steel between the board and the edge of the bench. Then you're not screwing into your bench. Good video.
Try hog rings, they will hold up against the heat longer. I raise rabbits and make my cages so I have the tools already. Thanks for the idea, I don't weld either.
I just made one this weekend. I have a Char-Griller Smokin' Champ, but the 12"x12"x6" size you made fit perfectly. I added a piece of threaded rod, inside the firebox, so that the basket could sit above the ash drawer. That will allow me to dump ashes on a long cook without disturbing the fire. One question I had, did you "season" your basket before you used it the first time? In the description for a video from The BBQ Cop, he said he had to throw away meat the first time he cooked with the new basket because he didn't season it first. I had never even considered it until I read that and I haven't come across any other mention of seasoning the basket before using it to cook. So, I thought I'd ask your opinion on the matter.
I didn't season it. Didn't notice any difference. The only reason I can think there might be an issue on the first use is if there are any greases/oils on the bare metal. That could burn off and affect the food the first use.
Thanks for the reply. It would seem that if there was any oil on the metal, the cardboard that the metal came in would have oil stains on it, which I didn't see. Plus, my gloves were not full of oil from handling the metal while I was making the basket. In the absence of any traces of oil, I'm going to throw caution to the wind and just use it. It was fun making the basket and fitting it in my new smoker. I can't wait to try it out this weekend.
J rings to hold the corners? Like they use for cages? Cement ties and wrapper? You can make a metal bender two 2x6 and a couple of hinges. I used t hinges. Leave a space the thickness of your metal. Fold down one 2 by6 to bend it.
Ry, I followed your link to buy the expanded metal and it now costs more for the piece of metal than it does to buy a complete basket made by Oklahoma Joe's. LOL I took the easy way out and ordered the basket from Amazon.
The brisket came out pretty damn good. Didnt help that i got a 3 hour late start because it was raining cats n dogs. Trying to get our canopy up in that rain SUCKED. finished it at 9pm, it was nice having thick slices of meat you'd never get at a BBQ place. Used apple wood chunks w a spicy marinade injection to give it a good kick.
Great video sir simple yet effective wish I would of saw this tutorial last year plus only could find smaller sheets of expanded metal at lowes in my area
What would happen if you didn’t completely remove the corners? Just cut in once per side? Then overlap the excess to make a cleaner, more secure corner?
this is fantastic! the top of my hose reel near my hot box is like swiss cheese now from coals falling out of the flue. when i'm smoking i try to stay around 180°, so i'm constantly operating the flue and the smoke stack valve... but when i'm BBQing anything, it stays open and red-hot coals shoot out of there between checks (it takes 6-8" of coal to get the smoker up to 400°)
Just finished making mine. Welded up some spots on the corners and also used some stainless ties. I used stainless steel expanded metal. Hoping it works good. Also do you have the dimensions for those tuning plates? I have been waiting in that other thread for a response.
I need to learn some basic welding. I don't have the dimensions. I don't really feel right giving away what someone else has worked so hard on developing. But, also, because of the slight variations between the product and the cooker (I had to modify holes for bolts to fit through) it's actually better to work off exact measurements from your own unit. The part where the firebox meets the cook chamber was where I had to do the most work.
Cooking With Ry ah yeah I completely understand and I agree. Didn’t think of the development side of it. At any rate I will take some measurements of my put and make some if you send me your email I will send some pictures when they are done. May be a few weeks.
Only had my smoker for a short time, only just become available at a reasonable price in the UK, anyway trying to buy bits for these things here in the UK is like trying to find hens teeth! Spent ages trying to get the bits but eventually found them and was able to make a basket as per you're video. Thank you sir, it seems to work just perfect and solved the issue of charcoal falling in front of the firebox air vent and all for just £23.00. Well done. Any chance of a video for making a baffle plate? Majority of people in the UK think BBQ means burnt burgers and sausages with a helping of uncooked or over cooked chicken! Thanks again buddy.
I have a pre-built baffle plate in my unit, but that's an interesting idea on testing out a homemade one. I know people have done that very thing using basic materials--the charcoal grates from the bottom of the smoker wrapped in heavy aluminum foil. I'll have to think about that :)
The UK is a desert as far as smokers and bbq'ing are concerned. I had a fabricator who I gave all the dimensions too along with a drawing of how I wanted the holes spaced and that the firebox end needed to be at 45 degree angle to force the heat down, under and along the chamber and they were going to get back to me with a price but they never came back. Since had a quote from another guy of, wait for it, £160.00 so around $210🤯 BBQ life is tough for us Brits my man!
Ry, Took on board your reply and after a bit of thought went with the following. Used the two grates from the firebox, I never cook in the firebox, covered them with two large aluminium foil trays, I mean the heavy duty ones, which I cut at each corner to allow me to flatten them out! Once the edges were folded over the grates they were a tight fit. Angled the first one at 45º to cover the firebox and then laid the second. Not perfect but it does force the heat down and along and has given a more even heat distribution and thus temperature across the whole cooking area. I'm learning to be inventive! Case of have to I guess?
I make you right old chap. These videos are most helpful, most informative and of great assistance to a smoker who is just beginning his culinary smoking journey. Be lucky old bean...🧐
Awesome video! Just FYI, Harbor Freight sells an inexpensive bender that works great for bending angles. Anyway, great video! Now off to Home Depot I go.
Thanks man!!! just made mine today! came out great! Had to use some elbow grease using a hacksaw but it got the job done! love your videos! THANKS AGAIN!
That's great to hear! I've used a hacksaw MANY times when the grinder wasn't handy. Keeps the elbows limber :)
@@CookingWithRy Question ... instead of making a basket why can you place just the flat metal in the box? Like just the bottom without the sides ... wouldn't that work too?
@@spirittoo What I find is the sides of the basket help contain coals, chunks of wood, etc, that might fall off toward the vent door :)
@@CookingWithRy Thanks for responding so quickly. I just bought this char-griller king griller. It's my first smoker. I am doing the suggested mods you and others on youtube have given. My fire box isn't very tall so the sides on the basket wouldn't be but a couple of inches maybe. I couldn't get all the things suggested at the store so I had to order half of what I need online. Looking forward to using it ... liked your jerky in the oven video ... looking forward to make it with the smoker. :)
less spread. keeps them touching together more so burns better and more efficiently.
Thank you. This Video helpes. Much love from Bavaria / Germany
Thanks Ry! I made one of these in about 10 minutes! So much easier to control the ash and fire. At home depot I noticed there were two kinds of the expanded metal; one was for use with BBQ as the grilling surface, the other was general purpose. the general purpose was just $9 whereas the grilling surface quality was smoother, but cost $26 for the 24x24.
Oh, I forgot to add: I took the little squares that I cut off and put them in the bottom of the basket which keeps the smaller coals in place a little longer before falling through B-)
Jewels like THIS is why I cone to the comment section.
You used he grilling one?
Made the basket today after wanting one for several years. This was the best mod I made on my Oklahoma Joe longhorn. I struggled to get the temp to over 225 using only the mfg grate. This box burns super hot and efficiently. Now I have to keep the vents amongst completely closed. Thank you!
So glad it helped you out :)
Used this video to help make a charcoal basket for my PK Original grill, worked perfectly. Thank You.
Followed your video and made one for my offset today. An easy mod that I’ll use for years. I would of never thought of this. Thanks for posting!
This was SUPER helpful! I made mine yesterday following your directions. The only difference is that I used stainless steel zip ties. Over 3 hours in on a smoke today and I haven’t had to do anything to maintain the fire. This has completely changed smoking for me. Thank you!
6 hours in…consistent temps very little fire management. You’re making my family’s 4th this year!
I like that!!! The music, the blues, was awesome!!
Thanks, I was able to buy two 12x24 pieces and Criss crossed them using your video. No cutting required, used the ties you mentioned, fits perfectly in my Oklahoma Joe's Highlander.
Fantastic! That bottom will definitely be strong :)
I made the basket the way you showed in the video, it turned out great. Used it for a month then came across the pieces that were cut out for the corners. Wired them to make a square And put that in the center of the basket to make a better snake burn. This is working well for me.
Great idea!
Wanted to stop by and say thanks for this video. I built my box today. Quick and easy. Used it today and worked better than I expected. Thank you again.
That’s fantastic!
Made this today for my new Old Country Pecos. Came out great. Will use it soon. Thanks for video!!
Awesome!
Much appreciated Ry! Made my basket today and it fit great in my Char-Griller side fire box. I’m giving it a test drive tomorrow when I smoke some ribs, sausage, and chuck roast! Thank you!
Fantastic!
Hi Ry. I really enjoy your videos. I recently got an OK Joe Highland Smoker and went to Lowe's to get the expanded metal sheet but all they had was 24 x 12 inches so I bought two sheets and made the basket by overlaying the sheets. Then I discovered the cooking grates for the firebox would not fit properly after I turned the fire grate around to raise the fire as you suggested in your Air Flow Tip video. I made another fire basket but this time bent the edges over 2 inches and flattened them down then bent the sides up 4 inches instead of 6. This solved the problem. Now the cooking grates fit just right especially for reverse searing steaks, etc. Another advantage is that the top edges are bent over so they are not nearly as sharp as the naked edge. Thanks again for all your great videos!!
Great ideas to mod that for keeping that grill grate in there!
Used your guide just now and worked like a charm for my chargrille smokin champ. Thank you!
That's great!
@@CookingWithRy said 20 cooks and still going strong? see how its going to hold up for my July 4th party. Doing 15 rack of ribs and needed a upgrade to the charcoal box
Morning Ry 👍. Nice and simple way to make one thanks for sharing. I messaged you a little while ago you were talking about saving the unused charcoal. I mentioned about putting a sliding damper between the fire box and the unit. Made one and have tried it a few times can't believe how much I save with the fire closed off. Love your videos buddy keep them coming. 🇨🇦🥓🍻
Thank you, man, really helpful especially for those who don't have enough budget. Appreciate it!
Hi Ray my son and I made a no weld charcoal basket, we are going to use it tomorrow for a brisket smoke. Going to make another one with seven inch sides, thank you for making this video
Awesome! Hope it works well for you. Mine's still going strong :)
RY, I watched your video, purchased the components and made a coal basket. I have a Char Griller offset smoker and I was NEVER able to get good prolong heat to stay in the main box; 185 -190 degrees after everything settled. After building one of these baskets...I maintained 230-235 degrees for several hours before having to add more charcoal. With everything almost closed up...220 degrees. Thanks for sharing! My Char Griller has not worked this good...ever. Also, like you I turned my grate sideways and had 4-4.5 inches of room under my basket allowing great air flow.
I love hearing that! Awesome :)
I haven't made the basket yet but had the same low temp problem before I started using a small personal fan aimed at the intake vents. Now I easily maintain 275 in the cooking chamber and it's magic at getting it back up to temp after checking/turning the meat.
A tisket, a tasket, I really like that basket.
Good idea. Very doable
Ry - Good stuff as always. I went to Lowes (based on your ideas described) and they only had the 12 X 24 grates. Of course I had to purchase two in order to cover the dimensions, and guess what I discovered with 2 12X24s? You don't need any tools: you can simply bend 6 niches in on both sides - for both grates (you get four walls of grate at this point). Next layer them over top of one another (you get a double layer of grate on the bottom as they both come up the 6 inch sides) as the four walls come up catty- corner but dimensional. The double bottom layer of grate likely keeps the charcoal confined on the grate longer. If that isn't a bonus (maybe you know of a more compelling reason to take this approach), simply not having to use any tools to cut for the walls was definitely a bonus. I literally completed the task in 10 minutes (took me longer to add the metal wires). Thanks for the inspiration!
Sounds great! Good thinking :)
Great tip. It proves that none of us is as smart as all of us.
Ry and Brad thanks for sharing! I also used 2 12x24 grates today and the basket came out perfectly! My coals burn WAY longer instead of falling through the stock grate that comes with the Highland. Thanks again!
Brad DeVore - Used this method and basket came out perfect! Thanks for your comment.
Brad DeVore what gauge was the grid at Lowe’s? I’m contemplating doing the same
Thing you did. I’m just curious if the thickness is higher than 16 gauge that it’ll be too think and burn/bend part faster?
I just made one for my smoker and thanks to this it turned out great. I bought a larger sheet and made another one with the extra pieces and will give it my buddy for his smoker. Thank you, Sir, I am a huge fan of your videos!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU! I LOVE THIS MODIFICATION FOR MY SMOKER! THANKS FOR SHARING!
Thanks Ry! Was able to build one for myself after watching this. Can’t wait to use it on the next cook
Thanks man, i was just about to waste money on oryginal weber baskets:) One tip, that I woluld add is once i bent downwards first side and flipped around i had short piece of lumber, which i clamped to table, so they would help me with bend allignment
Nice job, work's as needed and best of all ultra cheap! Cheer's.
Great idea.
I’m glad I came across this video as I was just about to purchase a sheet of expanded metal and rig something up. For those ties you could use segments of metal hanger as well.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I was looking at 90 bucks and a two week wait for a pre-built basket. 19 bucks and 30 minutes later and I have the perfect basket!
Fantastic! So glad it helped you out. I didn't want to spend the 90 bucks either :)
Made mine tonight using this video. Thank you!
Awesome!
I just made one. I didn't cut off the corners completely I just bent them In. I also used bolts instead of rebar ties to keep it all together. Thank you for the idea :)
Any way that gets it to work for you is a good way :)
John here simple and it works my dad always told me if it ain.t broke fix it lol. Good job
Took me about 45 minutes total to make this for my Lang. I bought the steel for $17.99 at my local Ace, $2 less than HD lists it for. I modified the dimensions slightly as I wanted a lower wall in front for easier access. So my front wall is 4" high, and that gave me 2 more inches in length to the basket. so now it is 12"w x 14" l x 6" high. Thanks a ton for this idea!
Awesome! So glad it was helpful :)
Thanks for the helpful video made mine today fit perfect in my char griller can’t wait to try it out
That's awesome! Hope it works well for you :)
Just made one for my OJ Longhorn combo today. Thanks for the info.
Its done, I made one this morning. Thanks all the good information
Glad you found it useful :)
That is using your head Bro, great idea.
Upohlstry hog rings, and hog ring pliers work excellent too.
Thank you - this will be an easy mod. I think I am going to go one step farther and use angle iron for the four corners and just use bolts and nuts. But great idea for a simple build!
Thank you!
Thanks Ry! Made mine today and making one for my son ASAP. I could not get a 24x24 piece. Lowe's only had 12x24 which worked as well if not better since I did't have to cut any. It gives me a double bottom which I don't think will hurt. We'll see but thanks again!! I really enjoy your videos.
Double bottom can't hurt :)
Gonna be my first mod, already have it made and I get my smoker tomorrow👍
Just ordered a piece of expanded metal thru your link above. Great informative video. Gonna make this basket this week. Thanks for posting!
Mine's still going strong after a year :)
I don't see a link? Can someone please share?
Thanks
Thanks Ry, I just made this on Sunday might have taken 30 min. works great,, I love how it keeps the coals off the sides of the fire box,,
I'm glad it worked out for you!
I have a baffle plate like yours, and I have not installed it , can you turn the Fire Box bolts around?
Thanks for the video. Went out and bought the stuff today.
Awesome!
I picked up some expanded metal today I noticed it's galvanized will that be ok or no, I thought if I went ahead and made the basket after the first burn it should burn off the galvanized? What's your thoughts please and thank you.
Don't use galvanized. It can give off fumes when burned.
Nice one Ry, I've been looking for basket ideas. Very helpful. Not a thing wrong with that basket!
Just made one for myself and it was quick and easy. Thanks for the video.
My pleasure. Hope it works well for you :)
Great video! Thanks for sharing your ideas. How long will the grill last? How often do you replace it?
I don't have that smoker anymore, but the basket was still going strong when I parted ways with it earlier this year :)
Nice and simple. Thanks for posting.
Thanks! I have a follow up video on how it's held up coming out tomorrow :)
Looking forward to it.
Thanks for the video, Ry. I made mine yesterday. Lowe's didn't have the 24x24 but Home Depot did. Not sure how this can be done in thirty minutes. Took me much longer even using a grinder and only cut myself twice. lol I enjoy your grilling videos and I imagine you drive your neighbors nuts with the smell of smoke cooking so often. Ha
That's hilarious to me as my father and I did this a few years back. A lot of it had to do with his persistence on ways we should do certain steps, however it still took us around 3 hours. Ended up being a great time either way. BTW, I tried to get him to watch this video before we started. Of course, he didn't need to.
You could also use some stainless steel zip ties from harbor freight in place of the rebar ties.
I just made one for my husband's grill. It was easy and it works great.
OhMersaeMe That's great!
*Mate of the year right here!*
This is great, perfect for getting my pull behind smoker able to hold a fire inside the smoke chamber so I can cook a mean roast beef quarter. You done real good. Thanks!!
You're very welcome :)
I just made me one!! I can’t show you a pic - but it turned out great!! Thank you for the video!!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Nice!
Thank you sir I wiil make my basket your the man👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I made this too. Not same as this, but very similar. Works great, use ur mind, best tool available. Regardless, keep it simple. Sharp anvil makes for klean bends. Quality proportionate to GIS.
Yeah I would have loved to have an anvil :)
Made mine today, works great, now making another one for my horizontal, gloves are a must, my dog ate mine, now I have bandaids,!!!!
That expanded metal is unforgiving without gloves :)
Great video. Explanations/instructions were clear, and to the point. I bought a cheap flux core welder a while back, just to tinker around for little jobs like this.....but this is just too easy to make. Plus a charcoal basket won't be having to withstand a lot of stress....so welding seems a little over the top when simply using wire or bolts will do. Thanks again.
Great job, thanks for sharing
Thanks for this. Just added this to my OKJ Highlander. Smoking brisket tomorrow for Friday. Let you know how it turned out.
literally the best bbq channel.
Made one for my Weber kettle. Are rebar ties safe to use? Thanks for your help
As long as they’re not galvanized they should work.
Great video RY
Wow! Great video. Very cool idea and nice job doing it. Thank you for this video. I'll probably do something like this for my smoker. I am getting my first one next week. Can't wait to do this to it
Awesome! Enjoy that smoker :)
Cooking With Ry thank you
Thank you sir.
Superb video, made one today. I am so glad I found your channel!
That’s what I love to hear! Awesome :)
How thick is that expanded steel? IT doesn't say anywhere... I'm trying to find equivalent locally... but the ones i find are quite thin (under 2 mm)
Appreciate it the video bro. Made mine today super easy. Mine fits perfect in chargriller side fire box. Thank you
Awesome! So glad it worked for you :)
You mentioned using a screwed-in board to bend the steel over. You could just use those clamps to pinch the steel between the board and the edge of the bench. Then you're not screwing into your bench. Good video.
Good idea :)
Great idea man
Appreciate this video! Mine came out great and saved money!
Awesome!
Try hog rings, they will hold up against the heat longer.
I raise rabbits and make my cages so I have the tools already. Thanks for the idea, I don't weld either.
Great idea 👍
Thanks for posting this!!! Taking mine tonight!
My pleasure. Good luck :)
I just made one this weekend. I have a Char-Griller Smokin' Champ, but the 12"x12"x6" size you made fit perfectly. I added a piece of threaded rod, inside the firebox, so that the basket could sit above the ash drawer. That will allow me to dump ashes on a long cook without disturbing the fire.
One question I had, did you "season" your basket before you used it the first time? In the description for a video from The BBQ Cop, he said he had to throw away meat the first time he cooked with the new basket because he didn't season it first.
I had never even considered it until I read that and I haven't come across any other mention of seasoning the basket before using it to cook. So, I thought I'd ask your opinion on the matter.
I didn't season it. Didn't notice any difference. The only reason I can think there might be an issue on the first use is if there are any greases/oils on the bare metal. That could burn off and affect the food the first use.
Thanks for the reply. It would seem that if there was any oil on the metal, the cardboard that the metal came in would have oil stains on it, which I didn't see. Plus, my gloves were not full of oil from handling the metal while I was making the basket. In the absence of any traces of oil, I'm going to throw caution to the wind and just use it.
It was fun making the basket and fitting it in my new smoker. I can't wait to try it out this weekend.
Very good video Ry, thanks. Whats the dimensions on the charcoal basket you made?
I believe it was about 12x12x6 :)
J rings to hold the corners? Like they use for cages?
Cement ties and wrapper?
You can make a metal bender two 2x6 and a couple of hinges. I used t hinges. Leave a space the thickness of your metal. Fold down one 2 by6 to bend it.
Lots of options. The rebar ties have held up so far :)
Its agood idea your box smoker.
Ry, I followed your link to buy the expanded metal and it now costs more for the piece of metal than it does to buy a complete basket made by Oklahoma Joe's. LOL I took the easy way out and ordered the basket from Amazon.
Love it, thank you for the tip...
made one just now.getting ready for my first brisket Wednesday .
+John D III Great! Hope that brisket turns out smoky and tender :)
Me too.If i ruin it im going to kick myself in the ass.Still doing my research figuring out what im going to do.
The brisket came out pretty damn good. Didnt help that i got a 3 hour late start because it was raining cats n dogs. Trying to get our canopy up in that rain SUCKED. finished it at 9pm, it was nice having thick slices of meat you'd never get at a BBQ place. Used apple wood chunks w a spicy marinade injection to give it a good kick.
First video I have watched of this
..i wondered where it came from...thanks..great video
Glad you enjoyed it :)
Great video sir simple yet effective wish I would of saw this tutorial last year plus only could find smaller sheets of expanded metal at lowes in my area
Glad you found it helpful :)
What would happen if you didn’t completely remove the corners? Just cut in once per side? Then overlap the excess to make a cleaner, more secure corner?
That sounds like it would work great :)
this is fantastic! the top of my hose reel near my hot box is like swiss cheese now from coals falling out of the flue. when i'm smoking i try to stay around 180°, so i'm constantly operating the flue and the smoke stack valve... but when i'm BBQing anything, it stays open and red-hot coals shoot out of there between checks (it takes 6-8" of coal to get the smoker up to 400°)
Yeah the basket is a real help :)
Well I know what my DIY project will be... thank you
It's so simple even...I could do it :)
Just finished making mine. Welded up some spots on the corners and also used some stainless ties. I used stainless steel expanded metal. Hoping it works good.
Also do you have the dimensions for those tuning plates? I have been waiting in that other thread for a response.
I need to learn some basic welding. I don't have the dimensions. I don't really feel right giving away what someone else has worked so hard on developing. But, also, because of the slight variations between the product and the cooker (I had to modify holes for bolts to fit through) it's actually better to work off exact measurements from your own unit. The part where the firebox meets the cook chamber was where I had to do the most work.
Cooking With Ry ah yeah I completely understand and I agree. Didn’t think of the development side of it. At any rate I will take some measurements of my put and make some if you send me your email I will send some pictures when they are done. May be a few weeks.
Thanx, a lot Ry you saved me some money. Great video
Glad it was helpful :)
Only had my smoker for a short time, only just become available at a reasonable price in the UK, anyway trying to buy bits for these things here in the UK is like trying to find hens teeth! Spent ages trying to get the bits but eventually found them and was able to make a basket as per you're video. Thank you sir, it seems to work just perfect and solved the issue of charcoal falling in front of the firebox air vent and all for just £23.00. Well done. Any chance of a video for making a baffle plate? Majority of people in the UK think BBQ means burnt burgers and sausages with a helping of uncooked or over cooked chicken! Thanks again buddy.
I have a pre-built baffle plate in my unit, but that's an interesting idea on testing out a homemade one. I know people have done that very thing using basic materials--the charcoal grates from the bottom of the smoker wrapped in heavy aluminum foil. I'll have to think about that :)
The UK is a desert as far as smokers and bbq'ing are concerned. I had a fabricator who I gave all the dimensions too along with a drawing of how I wanted the holes spaced and that the firebox end needed to be at 45 degree angle to force the heat down, under and along the chamber and they were going to get back to me with a price but they never came back. Since had a quote from another guy of, wait for it, £160.00 so around $210🤯 BBQ life is tough for us Brits my man!
Ry, Took on board your reply and after a bit of thought went with the following. Used the two grates from the firebox, I never cook in the firebox, covered them with two large aluminium foil trays, I mean the heavy duty ones, which I cut at each corner to allow me to flatten them out! Once the edges were folded over the grates they were a tight fit. Angled the first one at 45º to cover the firebox and then laid the second. Not perfect but it does force the heat down and along and has given a more even heat distribution and thus temperature across the whole cooking area. I'm learning to be inventive! Case of have to I guess?
Sometimes when you've gotta make things work, you make them work :)
I make you right old chap. These videos are most helpful, most informative and of great assistance to a smoker who is just beginning his culinary smoking journey. Be lucky old bean...🧐
How high off the bottom of firebox does it need to sit? Can it sit too high? What’s the highest he would want it off the bottom
If you would have left the corner pieces, you could have bent those around then added a nut bolt. Either way, it gets the job done.
I didn't think that. Great solution/suggestion :)
Reddirt83 can you elaborate on what you mean? im about to build one!
Ty
Awesome video! Just FYI, Harbor Freight sells an inexpensive bender that works great for bending angles. Anyway, great video! Now off to Home Depot I go.
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you! Now I need a sawsall!
Nice little build.
Thanks!
Nice
Tried this and it came out perfect!
Thank You
Ry. the 12x12x6 is the perfect size for the highland which I also have!!
Great! Mine's been working like a champ :)