Cooking With Ry it has been working great thank you. I did a 15 hour cook and went through a lot of charcoal. Have you tried smoking with hardwood like some pit masters do? If so what do you recommend? Thank you!
When I first saw what you did it was like a giant neon sign going off - THIS IS THE BEST FREE MOD EVER!!!! I'm on year 4 of my Highland and really love it. Simple mods - inside stack tube pointed down, short baffle plate in the smoke chamber to deflect heat/smoke downward, used high-temp caulk at assembly and a gasket. For the money I just don't think you can beat the performance. Thanks for posting this trick/mod!!!
New news to me. I bought mine used... the previous owner used it two times. I spent most of the day yesterday attempting to maintain a good steady temp, which didn't happen. I just set it up this way to burn everything off and store. I can already see steadier temps. Thanks.
You were definitely not the last guy to know, because this was news to me....and it actually saved my Oki Joe (I was ready to give that thing away)! I was at the end of my wits as to why I couldn't achieve and/or maintain good smoking temps and was having dirty smoke. This did the trick, whether it was more airflow and/or heat proximity to the cook chamber hole, I don't know (probably more the latter). I actually took this tip one step further and propped the fire box up on a couple of stones for a few extra inches. The result? I can finally maintain a constant, clean burning 225F, and even get temps up in the 250F -300F range. Thanks for the honest review. This is what youtube should be all about.
I just ordered the Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker and I had NO idea about this. When I get mine and set it up I will definitely do this from the start. Thank you for this tip 🙂
These OKJ Smokers are much more sturdy than I had originally thought. I just bought a used Highland at an estate sale. Used twice then kept in a garage here in AZ for 5 years. The previous owner was a tinkerer, he installed the heat deflector from a pellet grill in this thing. I can't wait to use it, and your videos are giving me great ideas B-)
Meet too bud. Lol I also took that charcoal grate that has the curved base pan welded to it (I have the combo version, dont know if other versions have it) broke it off with a hammer and put it in there next to it, one over laps the other a little bit but then it holds all of my charcoal all the way across it. 🤷🏻♂️ worked for me.
Thank you sir! I'm in the process of tweaking my smoker, and while this is not a physical change to the smoker as such, definitely something i will be doing going forward. Thank you sir, for all that you do!
Ry's tutorials are making me more and more excited about my OKJ. I"m still a bit of a novice having only seasoned my OKJ, but I'm learning it's all about that firebox.
This really made a difference. Thanks for the tip. It does make the fire closer to the top which is concerning since the flames touch the top at times. I'm concerned about it warping the metal since the fire is too be a little lower.
I am definitely trying this this weekend! I am smoking an 18 lb brisket and 3 racks of baby back ribs on my lyfetime offset smoker. The long cook will benefit from the increased airflow!
Thank you Ry! I have been having the same issue on longer burns. everything is fine for first 2-3 hours then, boom.... temp goes down and had hard to get back up to temp. I will try your suggestion soon. Thanks again.
Great tip! I guess at this point I am the last one to know this trick. For those looking, the Charcoal boxess are for sale on ebay. They sell in 12x12x6 and 12x10x6 basket sizes. The 12x10x6 gives you more clearance, but the 12x12 will fit.
I know this is an older video and I did hear about this somewhere else however I noticed there was more ash in my cook chamber with the tray up rather than down but on a long cook it does fill up in the lower location. Maybe your basket helps with that somehow. Thanks for the thoughtful video.
Thank you. I'm going to try this because I've been very frustrated trying to maintain a 325 F smoke for whole chicken. Seems I can't get past 300 and I've tried several different ways to fix it by experimenting with charcoal. I think this may work, not only because it gives more room for ash buildup, but also because the box in the regular grate position is really low compared to the passageway into the main smoker.
You don't need your temp that high to cook a chicken on a offset.. if your tryna cook that hot do it on a regular charcoal grill... offsets are for low and slow tender smoked foods
Just completed a 2nd seasoning burn. Maybe too impatient but I can't get the temp above 300°. For most cooks that's probably ok, but it doesn't seem to hold temp. But I'll give this trick a try. Thanks!
300 is a pretty high temp on the Highland, though I can usually hold 325 if I need to. I like to use smaller splits of wood so I can stoke the fire more as needed to build that temp. It burns a bit more, but it's doable if necessary. Mostly though I'm in the 225-250 range :)
THANK YOU!!!!! bought a Highland this week. Did the seasoning burn-in yesterday (6 hours). Put on a couple pork butts tonight. Seeing some temp issues. One cause: firebox damper needs to be tightened....it had closed on it's own at one point (thank Zod for the remote temp sensor I have). And I'm sure the ash build up is cutting down on airflow. I have my coal/wood grate the way you had yours initially. Guess what I'm doing later today when I pull the butts off? Again, thank you!!!!!
It's the WORST! when that happens. I've got to tighten mine every cook and mid cook sometimes use how coals to prop the door open. Doing bigger brisketts and pork butts now we just ordered the BBQ Guru which completely replaces that flap with a computer controller that pretty much turns the smoker into croc pot like simplicity.
I have the same problem With my 20 year old New Braunsfels Vertical smoker. Thanks, I will be raising mine to 4 in as well. Do you scrape the ashes out on a long cook?
I use royal oak briquettes. They are really cheap and have pretty low ash buildup. Have six butts going on my RF longhorn right now using it. Another thing that you could look into is a BBQ guru. Its essentially a fan that blows air into the fire to increase the heat. They are compatible with offsets, but they were originally designed for WSMs and Eggs.
Six must be the number. I've got six tri-tips going on my highland this afternoon. I've seen that BBQ guru, but I think my issue on longer cooks has just been ash build up. I'll have to look into that royal oak and compare. Kingsford is what I've been using.
I did that same mod on both my reverse flows, and it helped quite a bit. What I did was just took a piece of a metal rod, cut two pieces the exact same length, and stuck them in below the charcoal cage, which raised it several inches. Now that I've used Royal Oak, I'm never going back. Its also about seven bucks a bag. That kingsford leaves one heck of a mess.
Thanks for this hack. Lord's will, i will be purchasing the Oklahoma Joe Highland pretty soon - within a week actually. I look forward to owning one. Your vids, along with The BBQ cop, are helpful.
I did this and the fan assist on my grill boy I sho love it I'm able to maintain even temperatures across each side of the smoker no heat management system or nothing good tip or should I say tips
Wow, I hadn't thought of this. I'm pretty new to using a smoker, I have a low end Brinkman with a small fire box, ash really builds up on the bottom grate. I'm going to try this, thx! I also like the destaco clamps you have on your cooking chamber. My lid is a little loose, I'm gonna try that too!
I took the charcoal grates out of the bottom of the cook chamber and turned them sideways in the fire box. It gives you a grate the full length of the fire box and raises it up
I just bought one. Struggled the first time I used it. I smoked jerky using lump charcoal. Could not keep the heat consistent. Ill try that. And what size is your charcoal cage? Im a welder, i can make myself one fast.
Thank you. As we speak im currently smoking my second round of Jerky. Im still having trouble trying to keep my temp range between 140 to 160. But im a first timer so, trial and error.
Could anyone suggest a sealant to use to seal up the top and bottom of the firebox? Seems to have quite a bit of unwanted airflow from where the top and bottom aren't quite sealed
The problem I keep running into is the meat temperature goes up too high too fast and I have the meat as far away from the heat source as possible. I close down the chimney and firebox vent to bring it down but end up having to open the lid slightly to keep that temp down to get a long smoke. Am I doing something wrong?
When I run into that problem, the temp racing, I’ve usually found that I’m using too much fuel. That’s why on the OKJ I started cutting my quarter splits of wood down to 10 inches.
Sorry I'm from Québec so english is not my first language. I'll try to be clearer. I can buy those metal sheet with the diamond pattern. They come in sheet of 24''X24'' but they have 2 different tickness, 1/2'' or 3/4", wich one should I use to build my basket for my smoker?
Hello again, in this pandemia only a few stores are open, the only metal they sell are galvanized steel. Does it matter? Is it dangerous to use galvanized steel while cooking?
What time should we be over Saturday? Seriously, let us know how it works. Maybe a short couple of segments in a video as the cooking progresses, with temps along the way. I'll be trying this when my grill gets here!
Man all the tips!! Just made my minion maze for my charcoal basket. My question is with the basket higher do you run the risk of burning the paint off your fire box? I’m noticing mine is starting to peel after only one use.
My paint was gone after a few cooks with the grate lower. The paint WILL burn off on the OK Joe firebox. I'm actually going to be doing a video on repainting mine soon :)
It does anybody have the correct measurements for the baffle plates as I'm wanting to make my own and where do you get the metal at and how thick is it supposed to be is it aluminum or Steel?
Hi Ry, my name is Carlos and i spoke with you a couple of weeks ago regarding the grommet that you installed on your Oklahoma Joe smoker. I have just received mine. In one of your videos in look like your grommet has a metal housing around the perimeter, but mine is only grey plastic. Am i missing something? Also, did you use a step bit to drill the hole? Is it 1 1/4" hole? One further question regarding the meat thermometer I also have a Maverick unit, and my pit probe registers roughly 30 degrees lower than my two thermometer install on the smoker door. I understand heat rises, but i am wondering which temp to follow when i am smoking. Thanks for your valuable input, Carlos .
Hi Carlos. I'll be doing a video on the grommet very shortly, so that may help with some visuals. But to answer your questions -- there is no metal attached to the grommet. It is just a stiff silicone that fits into the hole you drill. If you look at its edge, you have that 'slot' which creates a channel around the circumference of the grommet. The edge of the hole you drill slips into that channel. It can be tricky getting it in. I had to use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull the sticky bits into place. The step bit I used was to make a 1 1/4 inch hole. As far as the temps, I mostly rely on my digital probe at grate level for temps. I test every probe by checking the temp of a pot of boiling water with it. That should register about 212 F. If it is off, I note that so I can mentally know that a certain probe needs X degrees adjustment. But 30 degrees between grate and the top of the pit seems normal to me. My thermometers at the top of the cook chamber run between 20 and 40 degrees above the digital probe at grate level. Hope this helps :)
I have a question my Oklahoma Joe Offset Smoker I bought I am wanting to know if I need to take the Firebox back off and put a regular I have a question my Oklahoma show offset smoker I bought I am wanting to know if I need to take the fire box back off and put a regular felt gasket between there or should I just stick with pipe furnace cement or a high temp gasket sealer in between there instead
If it's already mounted, I would first try a bead of the high temp RTV to see if it seals any leaks you have. The way I did it was to create a gasket using the RTV before attaching the firebox to the cook chamber. I let it harden for several days so it became a very solid rubber-like compound and then bolted the two together. I haven't had any issues with that setup.
It lets air get under the fire. I can’t believe the grate comes that low. I had an older offset different brand that had same issue. I put chunks of brick under it to bring it up off the floor. The fire needs to breathe. You will notice achieves higher temperatures with just charcoal. I had to add wood to get to 300 before. With firebox side door wide open. Now 350 degrees with just one 2x4x8” piece of wood door shut window full open. And keep temperature consistent.
I have been looking for an expanded metal grate for my Oklahoma Joe Highlander. Has anyone seen one? I don't see any modders using them maybe there is a reason?
I got mine from Home Depot. You really have to look for it. I had trouble locating it and the employees were no help. Usually, if you go online and look for it, it will let you know if your local Home Depot has it in stock. The website will even tell you which aisle to find it. I was able to locate it thanks to the website on my phone while inside the store. No thanks to the employees.
You COULD do the mods after, but I would do them before the first burn. That way you have a smoker that's ready to cook right after it's seasoned. As for the best method--make sure the smoker is thoroughly clean, inside and out. Wipe the interior of the cook chamber, including door, down with a thin coating of oil. I use canola oil, but regular vegetable oils will do. Start a fire in your firebox with charcoal, then add some wood that you'll be smoking with (hickory, mesquite, etc...) and let the temp come up to 225-275 for a couple hours. And that's it!
Thanks for the info, Ry! In the process of my seasoning now. Didn’t see the video before the top about doing the mods first, but at least I see where the smoke is getting out. I really have good seals except around the doors. No leakage so far from the fire box. Anyway, thanks and I enjoy your channel.
Hey, Ry. Love your videos since discovering them about a month ago. I gotta ask, with the basket raised up, did you find yourself closing off the damper more than before, or was it about the same? More airflow usually means more heat so while you gained more burn time by having more space for ash buildup, did you have to compensate by closing the damper a little more than you previously had to?
I almost always have the door open when I'm starting a cook for the best airflow, maybe 45 degrees open. I don't even bother with the damper at that point. Once the fire is established I will 'read' it and the overall temp of the pit. Sometimes I will only use the door as a control, others I will close the door and have the damper open. But I always run with the damper fully open. One flaw of the Highland, I believe, is that undersized inlet. A larger damper would be really nice on this unit. Thanks for watching!
Cooking With Ry couldnt agree more. I believe the inlet on the OKJs are pretty bad. I wish there was a door mod out there somewhere or I have the privilege of running into a welder one day. Great videos by the way, they are very helpful
Everything is so "tight" on it when removing and reinstalling baffles and or grates it never once crossed my mind to turn it the long way, just thought it isnt no way..new subscriber here.
Char Griller is curved, so for Chargriller smoke boxes, just turn it over. My new broil king off smoker has two racks. They are already high enough, but they are so far apart, using lump charcoal has far too many smaller pieces falling through. So, I'll probably do a basket for this reason. Or just get a small piece and lay flat. On the broil king, there is a removable ash tray that I can slide out if I need to dump ash without messing around with the coals.
thank you I just built my Oaklahoma Joe and didn't know this trick I will try it for sure!
I can honestly say it has worked wonderfully for me. Good luck!
Cooking With Ry it has been working great thank you. I did a 15 hour cook and went through a lot of charcoal. Have you tried smoking with hardwood like some pit masters do? If so what do you recommend? Thank you!
Which one did you get?
@@lospolloshermanos2692 I use cherry wood
When I first saw what you did it was like a giant neon sign going off - THIS IS THE BEST FREE MOD EVER!!!! I'm on year 4 of my Highland and really love it. Simple mods - inside stack tube pointed down, short baffle plate in the smoke chamber to deflect heat/smoke downward, used high-temp caulk at assembly and a gasket. For the money I just don't think you can beat the performance. Thanks for posting this trick/mod!!!
You're welcome! I remember thinking -- Wait...is it really this simple? Glad you found it useful :)
New news to me. I bought mine used... the previous owner used it two times. I spent most of the day yesterday attempting to maintain a good steady temp, which didn't happen. I just set it up this way to burn everything off and store. I can already see steadier temps. Thanks.
You were definitely not the last guy to know, because this was news to me....and it actually saved my Oki Joe (I was ready to give that thing away)! I was at the end of my wits as to why I couldn't achieve and/or maintain good smoking temps and was having dirty smoke. This did the trick, whether it was more airflow and/or heat proximity to the cook chamber hole, I don't know (probably more the latter). I actually took this tip one step further and propped the fire box up on a couple of stones for a few extra inches. The result? I can finally maintain a constant, clean burning 225F, and even get temps up in the 250F -300F range. Thanks for the honest review. This is what youtube should be all about.
See, this is great! I've been helped so many times watching someone else on TH-cam, I'm so glad I was able to pay it back some. Happy smoking!
I just ordered the Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker and I had NO idea about this. When I get mine and set it up I will definitely do this from the start. Thank you for this tip 🙂
These OKJ Smokers are much more sturdy than I had originally thought. I just bought a used Highland at an estate sale. Used twice then kept in a garage here in AZ for 5 years. The previous owner was a tinkerer, he installed the heat deflector from a pellet grill in this thing. I can't wait to use it, and your videos are giving me great ideas B-)
Hey Ry just wanted to give you a Big Thank you for this video I tried your tip today on my third cook on my Oklahoma Joe huge difference .
Awesome 👍
I turned my grate like that too, but I also put a double layer of foil under that to keep it from damaging the bottom of my fire box
Meet too bud. Lol I also took that charcoal grate that has the curved base pan welded to it (I have the combo version, dont know if other versions have it) broke it off with a hammer and put it in there next to it, one over laps the other a little bit but then it holds all of my charcoal all the way across it. 🤷🏻♂️ worked for me.
That was my first thought as well.
Thank you sir! I'm in the process of tweaking my smoker, and while this is not a physical change to the smoker as such, definitely something i will be doing going forward. Thank you sir, for all that you do!
Good tip Ry, I just purchased this smoker yesterday on clearance and I'll definitely turn that grate. I need to make a fire basket like yours. 👍
Yeah the grate turn was such an 'Aha!' moment :)
Ry's tutorials are making me more and more excited about my OKJ. I"m still a bit of a novice having only seasoned my OKJ, but I'm learning it's all about that firebox.
@@CookingWithRy is there anywhere i can buy that charcoal basket
@@Lorde360 I made that one out of expanded metal. I did a video on how to make it if you search my channel for it. Very easy :)
@@CookingWithRy thanks a ton 🙌. Im definitely enjoying the good results i get from your videos
Thnx just purchased 3 in 1 Oklahoma joe smoker grill still in box need all tips i can get 🙂👍
Very nice tip. Just purchased a new Highland and smoked for first time today. I had this exact problem. Thanks for sharing your discovery.
This really made a difference. Thanks for the tip. It does make the fire closer to the top which is concerning since the flames touch the top at times. I'm concerned about it warping the metal since the fire is too be a little lower.
I'm new to smoking and constantly had to scrape ashes out of the box. This totally helps, thank you.
add a aluminum foil pan at the bottom to collect the ash
Thanks for the tip I just got one and gonna do the same but also add a aluminum foil pan at the bottom to collect the ash.
It does make a difference. I have been doing it that way for 5-6 yrs now. Good stuff brother
I have to say that is a really good discovery. Thanks for sharing.
Man, thanks for this video!!!!!!!!! I smoked for 12 hours due to lack of airflow!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!! Gonna try this!
Hey, I hope it helps. It's sure helped me :)
I am definitely trying this this weekend! I am smoking an 18 lb brisket and 3 racks of baby back ribs on my lyfetime offset smoker. The long cook will benefit from the increased airflow!
Hope it helps!
Thank you Ry! I have been having the same issue on longer burns. everything is fine for first 2-3 hours then, boom.... temp goes down and had hard to get back up to temp. I will try your suggestion soon. Thanks again.
I hope t helps! It sure has improved my longer cooks :)
Great tip! I guess at this point I am the last one to know this trick. For those looking, the Charcoal boxess are for sale on ebay. They sell in 12x12x6 and 12x10x6 basket sizes. The 12x10x6 gives you more clearance, but the 12x12 will fit.
Thanks Ry. I'm doing my initial burn in to season my new Okie Joe today and am glad I found this video.
Keep it thin brother.
Awesome! Enjoy that Joe :)
I know this is an older video and I did hear about this somewhere else however I noticed there was more ash in my cook chamber with the tray up rather than down but on a long cook it does fill up in the lower location. Maybe your basket helps with that somehow. Thanks for the thoughtful video.
Just got one.. and will use this tip.!! Thanks Ry.. !! U r the Man !!
Just stumbled upon this. Thanks Ry for the tip. Gonna use this from now on.
Going to give that a try this upcoming weekend...thanks
Thank you. I'm going to try this because I've been very frustrated trying to maintain a 325 F smoke for whole chicken. Seems I can't get past 300 and I've tried several different ways to fix it by experimenting with charcoal. I think this may work, not only because it gives more room for ash buildup, but also because the box in the regular grate position is really low compared to the passageway into the main smoker.
You don't need your temp that high to cook a chicken on a offset.. if your tryna cook that hot do it on a regular charcoal grill... offsets are for low and slow tender smoked foods
I raised mine as soon as I put my grill together and it works great. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome!
Cooking With Ry I’ve been watching a lot of your videos!! Great channel!!! Keep em coming!!!
Awesome tip. I propped my charcoal grated up higher, inside the actual grill. Never thought about this for the box.. lol Thanks!
Seasoning mine for the first time right now. This is a great idea!!!
This is a great tip. Always have issues on a long cook with keeping the temp right. Will def try this the next time
It's really helped me :)
Just completed a 2nd seasoning burn. Maybe too impatient but I can't get the temp above 300°. For most cooks that's probably ok, but it doesn't seem to hold temp. But I'll give this trick a try. Thanks!
300 is a pretty high temp on the Highland, though I can usually hold 325 if I need to. I like to use smaller splits of wood so I can stoke the fire more as needed to build that temp. It burns a bit more, but it's doable if necessary. Mostly though I'm in the 225-250 range :)
THANK YOU!!!!! bought a Highland this week. Did the seasoning burn-in yesterday (6 hours). Put on a couple pork butts tonight. Seeing some temp issues. One cause: firebox damper needs to be tightened....it had closed on it's own at one point (thank Zod for the remote temp sensor I have). And I'm sure the ash build up is cutting down on airflow. I have my coal/wood grate the way you had yours initially. Guess what I'm doing later today when I pull the butts off?
Again, thank you!!!!!
It's the WORST! when that happens. I've got to tighten mine every cook and mid cook sometimes use how coals to prop the door open. Doing bigger brisketts and pork butts now we just ordered the BBQ Guru which completely replaces that flap with a computer controller that pretty much turns the smoker into croc pot like simplicity.
Great tip! I’ll be smoking a boneless pork sirloin roast tomorrow or Wednesday and I’ll give it a shot!
I have the same problem
With my 20 year old New Braunsfels Vertical smoker. Thanks, I will be raising mine to 4 in as well. Do you scrape the ashes out on a long cook?
I do. I have a metal bucket and ash rake to clear it out :)
Thank you I have never noticed what way I got my great I’m gonna check it good tip
Thanks for the great tip! I have 2 cooks on my new O J smoker + i will try this out.
I use royal oak briquettes. They are really cheap and have pretty low ash buildup. Have six butts going on my RF longhorn right now using it. Another thing that you could look into is a BBQ guru. Its essentially a fan that blows air into the fire to increase the heat. They are compatible with offsets, but they were originally designed for WSMs and Eggs.
Six must be the number. I've got six tri-tips going on my highland this afternoon. I've seen that BBQ guru, but I think my issue on longer cooks has just been ash build up. I'll have to look into that royal oak and compare. Kingsford is what I've been using.
I did that same mod on both my reverse flows, and it helped quite a bit. What I did was just took a piece of a metal rod, cut two pieces the exact same length, and stuck them in below the charcoal cage, which raised it several inches. Now that I've used Royal Oak, I'm never going back. Its also about seven bucks a bag. That kingsford leaves one heck of a mess.
Yeah I'm thinking the increased space below the charcoal cage will help somewhat. I'll know later today :)
Thanks, didn't know, just bought one last month, have yet to fire it up...
Thanks for this hack. Lord's will, i will be purchasing the Oklahoma Joe Highland pretty soon - within a week actually. I look forward to owning one. Your vids, along with The BBQ cop, are helpful.
It's a great smoker to start out on without having to spend a lot of money. Thanks for the kind words :)
I did this and the fan assist on my grill boy I sho love it I'm able to maintain even temperatures across each side of the smoker no heat management system or nothing good tip or should I say tips
Awesome! Glad it helped :)
Wow, I hadn't thought of this. I'm pretty new to using a smoker, I have a low end Brinkman with a small fire box, ash really builds up on the bottom grate. I'm going to try this, thx! I also like the destaco clamps you have on your cooking chamber. My lid is a little loose, I'm gonna try that too!
Make sure you really need them. I ended up removing mine around the one year mark of using my Oklahoma Joe's. Just didn't seem to be necessary :)
Awesome video, just got my smoker. Do you have a video on fire management
Not a specific one, no.
Nice tip. I have a BGE, but just bought a Oklahoma Joe and trying to figure out how to use this thing
Awesome tip. I hadn’t thought of that either. I’ll do it the next time I fire up the smoker.
I’m thinking about buying that smoker gave you used charcoal with chunks instead if logs?
On occasion I have. It will eat up a lot of chunks, but it's doable.
Cooking With Ry thank you for replying does it hold longer on the charcoal? I have a 22 kettle was considering a 26 but the ok joe is on sale?
@@trippingonfaith7094 It's a bigger cooking volume so more fuel. That can be either charcoal or wood :)
Im definitely going to try this. Thanks for sharing
Thank you Sir! I will be trying this out this weekend.
I took the charcoal grates out of the bottom of the cook chamber and turned them sideways in the fire box. It gives you a grate the full length of the fire box and raises it up
+Scotty W That's a good idea.
Oh wow ya I've been struggling with too much ash in the bottom. Thanks for the tip.
I just bought one. Struggled the first time I used it. I smoked jerky using lump charcoal. Could not keep the heat consistent. Ill try that. And what size is your charcoal cage? Im a welder, i can make myself one fast.
The finished size from folded expanded metal (24x24 sheet) was 12x12x6 :)
Thank you. As we speak im currently smoking my second round of Jerky. Im still having trouble trying to keep my temp range between 140 to 160. But im a first timer so, trial and error.
Your a big help! Thanks for every shared idea
Very helpful Ry, thanks man. Keep the good content coming.
Could anyone suggest a sealant to use to seal up the top and bottom of the firebox? Seems to have quite a bit of unwanted airflow from where the top and bottom aren't quite sealed
A nomex gasket can fill that gap.
The problem I keep running into is the meat temperature goes up too high too fast and I have the meat as far away from the heat source as possible. I close down the chimney and firebox vent to bring it down but end up having to open the lid slightly to keep that temp down to get a long smoke. Am I doing something wrong?
When I run into that problem, the temp racing, I’ve usually found that I’m using too much fuel. That’s why on the OKJ I started cutting my quarter splits of wood down to 10 inches.
Hey thanks a lot,, I just got my new Oklahoma.. I will sure try it..
awesome !,, thanks again,, I would have went out this with fasteners and labor,, you nailed it!
Thanks so much Ry!!
Excellent tip. Going to try that this weekend.
I hope it helps. It sure has helped me.
Hello, what should I use for the firebox? 1/2 or 3/4 thickness
Not sure what you're asking.
Sorry I'm from Québec so english is not my first language. I'll try to be clearer. I can buy those metal sheet with the diamond pattern. They come in sheet of 24''X24'' but they have 2 different tickness, 1/2'' or 3/4", wich one should I use to build my basket for my smoker?
I would choose the 1/2 inch :)
Hello again, in this pandemia only a few stores are open, the only metal they sell are galvanized steel. Does it matter? Is it dangerous to use galvanized steel while cooking?
@@laurentchagnon1898 It should NOT be galvanized.
Thanks for the info Ry. Happy Smoking.
You just blew my mind. Thank you for the tip
Sometimes the simple things just work. I remember when it hit me how simple this was :)
How did I not notice this! Thank you!
I felt the exact same when I figured it out :)
@@CookingWithRy I appreciate you sharing sir. Gonna use it for my cook today.
OMG you just blew my mind. I feel like an idiot now. Thanks Ry.
Welcome to the club :)
What time should we be over Saturday? Seriously, let us know how it works. Maybe a short couple of segments in a video as the cooking progresses, with temps along the way. I'll be trying this when my grill gets here!
Man all the tips!! Just made my minion maze for my charcoal basket. My question is with the basket higher do you run the risk of burning the paint off your fire box? I’m noticing mine is starting to peel after only one use.
My paint was gone after a few cooks with the grate lower. The paint WILL burn off on the OK Joe firebox. I'm actually going to be doing a video on repainting mine soon :)
Cooking With Ry awesome!
Does the smoker come with the charcoal basket?
No I made the charcoal basket. This video shows how I did it: th-cam.com/video/O4mxUUE9OjI/w-d-xo.html :)
Nice thanks
Interesting. My cooker came with a false bottom attached to the grate, so I could not turn mine that way.
How did it work out for you on Saturday
It was a cook for Memorial Day and it worked great :)
Think out of the box. Classic example.
Just cooked with mine yesterday...you are a Genious!
Made a huge difference!!!!
It does anybody have the correct measurements for the baffle plates as I'm wanting to make my own and where do you get the metal at and how thick is it supposed to be is it aluminum or Steel?
I have a brinkman trailmaster and I've been trying to figure out how to get more air under the fire. Can't wait to try it out.
Hope it helps. Not familiar with your smoker, but there's probably a way to elevate it if this method doesn't exactly work for you :)
Hi Ry, my name is Carlos and i spoke with you a couple of weeks ago regarding the grommet that you installed on your Oklahoma Joe smoker. I have just received mine. In one of your videos in look like your grommet has a metal housing around the perimeter, but mine is only grey plastic. Am i missing something? Also, did you use a step bit to drill the hole? Is it 1 1/4" hole? One further question regarding the meat thermometer I also have a Maverick unit, and my pit probe registers roughly 30 degrees lower than my two thermometer install on the smoker door. I understand heat rises, but i am wondering which temp to follow when i am smoking.
Thanks for your valuable input,
Carlos .
Hi Carlos. I'll be doing a video on the grommet very shortly, so that may help with some visuals. But to answer your questions -- there is no metal attached to the grommet. It is just a stiff silicone that fits into the hole you drill. If you look at its edge, you have that 'slot' which creates a channel around the circumference of the grommet. The edge of the hole you drill slips into that channel. It can be tricky getting it in. I had to use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull the sticky bits into place. The step bit I used was to make a 1 1/4 inch hole. As far as the temps, I mostly rely on my digital probe at grate level for temps. I test every probe by checking the temp of a pot of boiling water with it. That should register about 212 F. If it is off, I note that so I can mentally know that a certain probe needs X degrees adjustment. But 30 degrees between grate and the top of the pit seems normal to me. My thermometers at the top of the cook chamber run between 20 and 40 degrees above the digital probe at grate level. Hope this helps :)
I have a question my Oklahoma Joe Offset Smoker I bought I am wanting to know if I need to take the Firebox back off and put a regular I have a question my Oklahoma show offset smoker I bought I am wanting to know if I need to take the fire box back off and put a regular felt gasket between there or should I just stick with pipe furnace cement or a high temp gasket sealer in between there instead
If it's already mounted, I would first try a bead of the high temp RTV to see if it seals any leaks you have. The way I did it was to create a gasket using the RTV before attaching the firebox to the cook chamber. I let it harden for several days so it became a very solid rubber-like compound and then bolted the two together. I haven't had any issues with that setup.
It lets air get under the fire. I can’t believe the grate comes that low. I had an older offset different brand that had same issue. I put chunks of brick under it to bring it up off the floor.
The fire needs to breathe. You will notice achieves higher temperatures with just charcoal. I had to add wood to get to 300 before. With firebox side door wide open. Now 350 degrees with just one 2x4x8” piece of wood door shut window full open. And keep temperature consistent.
Great tip, thanks for sharing!
My pleasure :)
I have been looking for an expanded metal grate for my Oklahoma Joe Highlander. Has anyone seen one? I don't see any modders using them maybe there is a reason?
I've seen fabricators use the very heavy gauge stuff for welding custom grates, so it must be available somewhere.
I got mine from Home Depot. You really have to look for it. I had trouble locating it and the employees were no help. Usually, if you go online and look for it, it will let you know if your local Home Depot has it in stock. The website will even tell you which aisle to find it. I was able to locate it thanks to the website on my phone while inside the store. No thanks to the employees.
@@Krommel can you provide a product name or HD link for the larger grate?
Are you still using it this way?
Yes. Every time I fire up the Highland :)
Awesome
Where can I get this Charcoal Basket?
I made it, and will be doing a video in the next week to show how to build one.
LavaLoc makes a great one! Worth the money.
Actually, that’s the way I always put mine. Not sure if the instructions said to put it the other way… cause I didn’t read them
This is brilliant
Just bought a new Oklahoma Joe Highland.....what’s the best method to season and first burn? Also, is it ok to do the mods after the first burn?
You COULD do the mods after, but I would do them before the first burn. That way you have a smoker that's ready to cook right after it's seasoned. As for the best method--make sure the smoker is thoroughly clean, inside and out. Wipe the interior of the cook chamber, including door, down with a thin coating of oil. I use canola oil, but regular vegetable oils will do. Start a fire in your firebox with charcoal, then add some wood that you'll be smoking with (hickory, mesquite, etc...) and let the temp come up to 225-275 for a couple hours. And that's it!
Thanks for the info, Ry! In the process of my seasoning now. Didn’t see the video before the top about doing the mods first, but at least I see where the smoke is getting out. I really have good seals except around the doors. No leakage so far from the fire box. Anyway, thanks and I enjoy your channel.
Firebox door is the last thing to worry about, I discovered. A little extra airflow in there actually helps :)
Yes it does work!
Thanks, first time I've seen this tip.
You're very welcome. So far it has really worked out well for me.
Got me a Highlander today. Im going to try this on my first smoke on the weekend.
Awesome! Enjoy your Highlander :)
Nice tip, thanks
You're very welcome :)
Thanks for tip
Lol. I did that the first day I got my smoker.
Thanks.
Hey, Ry. Love your videos since discovering them about a month ago.
I gotta ask, with the basket raised up, did you find yourself closing off the damper more than before, or was it about the same?
More airflow usually means more heat so while you gained more burn time by having more space for ash buildup, did you have to compensate by closing the damper a little more than you previously had to?
I almost always have the door open when I'm starting a cook for the best airflow, maybe 45 degrees open. I don't even bother with the damper at that point. Once the fire is established I will 'read' it and the overall temp of the pit. Sometimes I will only use the door as a control, others I will close the door and have the damper open. But I always run with the damper fully open. One flaw of the Highland, I believe, is that undersized inlet. A larger damper would be really nice on this unit. Thanks for watching!
Cooking With Ry couldnt agree more. I believe the inlet on the OKJs are pretty bad. I wish there was a door mod out there somewhere or I have the privilege of running into a welder one day. Great videos by the way, they are very helpful
Thanks man!
Everything is so "tight" on it when removing and reinstalling baffles and or grates it never once crossed my mind to turn it the long way, just thought it isnt no way..new subscriber here.
Yeah it was a 'you've gotta be kidding me' moment for me, too :)
I didn't know. Now I do.
I did the same thing a few weeks ago. Makes you feel kind of silly for not doing it sooner
I know. When I saw it I did a double take and thought 'Wait...was I doing it wrong all along?'
I did this before i found this video i thought that was how it was supposed to be
Brilliant 😇
Char Griller is curved, so for Chargriller smoke boxes, just turn it over.
My new broil king off smoker has two racks. They are already high enough, but they are so far apart, using lump charcoal has far too many smaller pieces falling through. So, I'll probably do a basket for this reason. Or just get a small piece and lay flat. On the broil king, there is a removable ash tray that I can slide out if I need to dump ash without messing around with the coals.
BRILLIANT!!