I love mine. My friend welded my fire box together and welded them together. My lid leaks a bit but I'm very happy with it. Wouldn't bother with painting that fire box. Just keep it oiled
I have now added a balance plate that I bought from Smokermods in the USA and a fire grate from Ebay.I still have no other mods and it fantastic. Most of the paint now has burned off the fire box but after every use I rub vegetable oil into it and keep it covered when not in use.
I just bought the Highlander last week and did the hack making a deflector out of the two grates from the fire box wrapped with aluminum foil, works great. Once you learn the true temp differentials, left to right top to grill surface this should be a constant that is all you need to know. Then adjust your temp accordingly. You could add 10 thermometers chart all information, then remove the thermometers and you would know everything and different thicknesses of cuts and place accordingly.
I bought an electric smoker and use my Oklahoma Joes smoker as a regular BBQ and put the charcoal on the main barrel, is that ok? Food comes out great especially steak. I use the electric smoker for pork shoulder and ribs, and the Oklahoma joes for burgers, steaks, and chicken.
Michael Castellano your smoker you can use it how you want. I do not use mine like that. It’s used as a smoker like it was built for. It’s a good smoker.
I'm thinking of getting one. In the shop, they had the exhaust at the same end as the burn box, with the explanation that the heat passes under the food and the smole then passes back over it (reverse) and out the same end. Is there a reason why your exhaust is at the opposite end to the firebox?
@@ericmiller8653 I understand that but the reverse flow has tbe option of being used conventionally. Is there a reason I might need to use one way or the other for different recipes etc?
I believe the thinking is that you essentially get more smoke flowing through the chamber evenly across your food. I have an offset with the smokestack on the opposite end of the fire box and it works great
So I've had mine for about 1 year and it works great only complanet is the paint burned off the fire box but is no big deal and the temp gage mine came with was about 300 degrees off
Enjoyed the Vid mate thanks for sharing. do you need much airflow to keep the wood burning. My old smoke needs a good amount of natural flow or the fire just goes out. but could be due to a smaller firebox. I've just upgraded to one of these and waiting on delivery :)
My Oklahoma Joe gets hotter at the top of the chamber. My digital thermometer at grill level reads 75-100* lower than the thermometer on the cover. I'm thinking I need some deflectors.
markass211 mine is the same but heat rises but I am used to how the temp is at the top and I know it's going to be cooler at meat level. I use a Maverick for long cooks that lets me know if it's to hot at to cool. I still do not have any mods and this little stick smoker works just fine. I also have to UDS smokers so I have enough room for a lot of meat.👍
One great modification that helps get the heat down to the cooking grate level is to extend the chimney inside the unit with a drier vent elbow or a piece of the flexible type drier vent tube that goes all the way down to the cooking grate. The heat can't escape through the chimney until it fills the upper part of the chamber bringing the heat to the meat. Because the heat is increased at meat level, you will use much less fuel to achieve the heat desired for the cook. Another good modification in the interest of managing the heat inside the box is to use the heat deflectors giving you more even heat distribution from side to side. This is one of the more expensive add-ons unless you DIY your own deflectors. After doing a lot of research on which smoker I was planning to buy, I read a lot about people saying that the Oklahoma Joe's Highland smoker is notorious for leaking a lot around the seams of the firebox halves, around where the firebox joins the cook chamber, around both doors and around the chimney. Sealing the seams will also help with keeping the heat inside the box and therefore enabling better heat management. I plan to use high temperature Nomex felt grill gasket material to help seal these leaks. I bought some Nomex felt that is 1/8" thick and 3/4" wide and it has a self adhesive backing. In spite of these issues I still bought the Oklahoma Joe's Highland smoker because at the price point ($268 USD at WalMart) and given the quality of the materials used it still can't be beat. These are the modifications I plan to do and I feel like when they are complete I will have a very high quality smoker easily worth $700-$800 USD or even more.
Next time the fire box is heated up spray some canola oil on it and it will be better than the paint, it will coat it and seal it from rusting out, can even do the whole pit on the outside and rub it down.
The fire box is small enough without putting bricks in it. It’s ok they will always peel paint around the firebox I just keep it oiled. Thank you for your comment.
I just bought one for $75 used! I can’t wait to use it
I love mine. My friend welded my fire box together and welded them together. My lid leaks a bit but I'm very happy with it. Wouldn't bother with painting that fire box. Just keep it oiled
I have now added a balance plate that I bought from Smokermods in the USA and a fire grate from Ebay.I still have no other mods and it fantastic. Most of the paint now has burned off the fire box but after every use I rub vegetable oil into it and keep it covered when not in use.
I just bought the Highlander last week and did the hack making a deflector out of the two grates from the fire box wrapped with aluminum foil, works great. Once you learn the true temp differentials, left to right top to grill surface this should be a constant that is all you need to know. Then adjust your temp accordingly.
You could add 10 thermometers chart all information, then remove the thermometers and you would know everything and different thicknesses of cuts and place accordingly.
Thanks for the demo. Mine arrives today and will be seasoning the thing tomorrow.
How do you like it? Thinking of buying one myself.
@@MC5EVP1981 I highly recommend it.
@@cpguitars1 cool, I'm going to buy one today.
dont worry about leaks. i won many contest with mine leaking air. and no mods. ... even at 20 below it works just fine
I bought an electric smoker and use my Oklahoma Joes smoker as a regular BBQ and put the charcoal on the main barrel, is that ok? Food comes out great especially steak. I use the electric smoker for pork shoulder and ribs, and the Oklahoma joes for burgers, steaks, and chicken.
Michael Castellano your smoker you can use it how you want. I do not use mine like that. It’s used as a smoker like it was built for. It’s a good smoker.
The same thing happened with mine. Paint just peeled off the fire-box.
I'm thinking of getting one. In the shop, they had the exhaust at the same end as the burn box, with the explanation that the heat passes under the food and the smole then passes back over it (reverse) and out the same end. Is there a reason why your exhaust is at the opposite end to the firebox?
The one you looked at was a reverse flow smoker. The smoke stack on the opposite end is considered more conventional
@@ericmiller8653 I understand that but the reverse flow has tbe option of being used conventionally. Is there a reason I might need to use one way or the other for different recipes etc?
I believe the thinking is that you essentially get more smoke flowing through the chamber evenly across your food. I have an offset with the smokestack on the opposite end of the fire box and it works great
i bought this oklahoma joe's from asda last year and mine did the same the first time i used it i had to put heatproof paint on it
I just keep it oiled after every use and it has oil blackened itself. Thanks for the comment.
Hey Cider, what is that container called that you initially burned the charcoal in?
It’s called a charcoal chimney
My God! I've never seen one so clean. Looks like it came right out the factory door.
So I've had mine for about 1 year and it works great only complanet is the paint burned off the fire box but is no big deal and the temp gage mine came with was about 300 degrees off
Nice seasoned. Did you figure out where you leak was under the cooking chamber & firebox?
+Hizzle Man41 it was the paint burning off. I covered it in cooking oil and next cook it was fine
good jod cider looking as if you are having fun
Just got mine. Going to fire it up today for the first time. Is the oiling it first necessary?
+Cary Davis yes mate a good season will keep it good just like a wok
I know this is a couple years old, but that lumber looks like pine?
redski1960 it’s pallets
Is this the Highlander..
is it worth to buy that smoker highland?
Yes its worth the money if you get it cheap but it does use a lot of fuel
Beautiful Mal,My two sit almost at the same spot
Oak?
Enjoyed the Vid mate thanks for sharing. do you need much airflow to keep the wood burning. My old smoke needs a good amount of natural flow or the fire just goes out. but could be due to a smaller firebox. I've just upgraded to one of these and waiting on delivery :)
Yes i keep the door ajar
Wood name?
My Oklahoma Joe gets hotter at the top of the chamber. My digital thermometer at grill level reads 75-100* lower than the thermometer on the cover. I'm thinking I need some deflectors.
markass211 mine is the same but heat rises but I am used to how the temp is at the top and I know it's going to be cooler at meat level. I use a Maverick for long cooks that lets me know if it's to hot at to cool. I still do not have any mods and this little stick smoker works just fine.
I also have to UDS smokers so I have enough room for a lot of meat.👍
One great modification that helps get the heat down to the cooking grate level is to extend the chimney inside the unit with a drier vent elbow or a piece of the flexible type drier vent tube that goes all the way down to the cooking grate. The heat can't escape through the chimney until it fills the upper part of the chamber bringing the heat to the meat. Because the heat is increased at meat level, you will use much less fuel to achieve the heat desired for the cook.
Another good modification in the interest of managing the heat inside the box is to use the heat deflectors giving you more even heat distribution from side to side. This is one of the more expensive add-ons unless you DIY your own deflectors.
After doing a lot of research on which smoker I was planning to buy, I read a lot about people saying that the Oklahoma Joe's Highland smoker is notorious for leaking a lot around the seams of the firebox halves, around where the firebox joins the cook chamber, around both doors and around the chimney. Sealing the seams will also help with keeping the heat inside the box and therefore enabling better heat management. I plan to use high temperature Nomex felt grill gasket material to help seal these leaks. I bought some Nomex felt that is 1/8" thick and 3/4" wide and it has a self adhesive backing.
In spite of these issues I still bought the Oklahoma Joe's Highland smoker because at the price point ($268 USD at WalMart) and given the quality of the materials used it still can't be beat. These are the modifications I plan to do and I feel like when they are complete I will have a very high quality smoker easily worth $700-$800 USD or even more.
Next time the fire box is heated up spray some canola oil on it and it will be better than the paint, it will coat it and seal it from rusting out, can even do the whole pit on the outside and rub it down.
All ready done that 👍
Are you still happy with your oklahoma Joe?
Yes, i am it was well worth the money I paid.
Cider Talbot thanks! I'd love to get one, but the trouble and strife just said they are too costly. Oh well
Thanks again
Mike
great video I own a highland great grills...thx.
Tim usa thank you for your comment
perhaps if you put a firebrick on that one side of your smoker it won't burn off the paint
The fire box is small enough without putting bricks in it. It’s ok they will always peel paint around the firebox I just keep it oiled. Thank you for your comment.
same thing happened to my firebox when i burned it in and they sent me out a can of paint, you can get them to send out a new firebox too
Looks like maple
Too much white smoke. Make sure your splits are burning an open flame.