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[Xring01]

Living in SoCal has a few benefits, weather being the best benefit. There are also alot of pretty bright people also.

Background on me. Born and raised in Texas, spent 8 years in the military, the last 20 plus years in SoCal. When it come to BBQ. I am Texan, very particular. I do not like Super Sweet, or vinegar, or most of the stuff that comes out of the South. Keep it simple, let meat speak for itself.

For those of you who love that stuff, you cant help, its the way you were raised. You have ever right to like it and make, Texans, make it different.

Living in SoCal, there truly is not alot of good BBQ places like Texas. Pretty much every place where two roads cross. There is guy with a BBQ trailer, selling brisket.

So many years ago, being frustrated with not being able get good BBQ, I decided to build a offset BBQ. So flipping thru Craigslist one day, looking for a welder and materials to make one, I found a nice Pitts/Spitts offset for a SMOKIN Deal.. SO I bought it. Thats pretty much what I have used for the majority of my smoking. But I also have Weber WSM, Weber Ranch, Weber Kettle and other stuff.

Therefore you can see my reluctance to get into Pellet smokers. My neighors have the Green Mountains, and Traegers. Frankly I was never impressed with what they produced. Just not the same as offset. Frankly, just no smoke flavor. I am Texan, I like mesquite, and I like heavy smoke flavor.

Flipping thru Craigslist the other day, I found a Jenn U Wine Jerry Junior Proto Type for sale at a very good price. This design allow you to put wood chunks on top of the fire deflector plate, creating alot more smoke than a regulat pellet grill. It basically has the Pellet Pro Hopper/Controller, with 5 racks in a vertical design.

I do not have alot of experience with it yet, and messed around with it a few times. Today, I put small batch of Hot Wings, and some Chicken Qtrs on it. Ran it at about 300 degrees with a few chunks of Almond wood and Traeger Hickory pellets.

Wings, turned out amazing. Awesome, great wood flavor, crispy enough skin.

The chicken qtrs, cooked to 165, flavor was really good, great smoke flavor. The skin wasnt as crispy as I prefer... But that was my fault. Lesson learned.. run it at 325 degrees next time.

So, Like the fact that I do not have to tend a fire every couple of hours. I am not a truly converted to Pellet yet... need to get a brisket or two under my belt with it, then I can give final judgement.

But its a chicken cooking machine..

The other night. I put a couple of Ribeyes on it, for smoke mode.. but I finished them on my gas grill at 650 degrees... That was very convenient. Kinda a reverse sear. And a xxxx good steak.

I will update this when I get a more experience with it.

Overall I am pretty happy with the Jenn U Wine Jerry. Take a look at his stuff. Pretty simple idea, and works.

[Bentley]

Gonna be honest with you from the start...Your 1st post, name of a company in title, last sentence a plug for the company...looks like an ad to me!  Guess we will see where it and you go from here!

[Xring01]

Its my first post, cause its the first time I am using a Pellet Smoker..

Wow, some senical people on this site...

I have absolutely no affliation with any BBQ Manufacturer...

Now I do make my own seasoning that many people have told me to sell, but I have yet to find the time to do it.

Cause my full time job pay my bills nicely, but takes up alot of my time.

Hopefully that puts the above comment to bed.

First comment on it, because no one else on the site had mentioned them, and its a slightly differenct take on a traditional Pellet Smoker... Which I thought you guys would find interesting..

I am willing to bet several others figured out how to do the same thing on there smokers.

[Bentley]

As senical, or cynical as they get...and the owner to boot.  The best of both worlds!

Wow, some senical people on this site...

[Xring01]

Search my username on Smokering,

You will see I have been on that site, and a contributor for many many years..

Never sold a thing there..

[Bentley]

If so, we look forward to your contributions on this site!

[ArborAgent]

I’ve always thought that was a weird mod to a Pellet smoker. Takes away from the convenience if I have to keep adding wood to it.

Would love to know more about how it works.

[Xring01]

The convenience is still there. On this design..

I can add wood just by opening up the rear hatch, obviously I will need to take some pics..

But I dont have to open the hatch..

A 3" cube of almond wood, lasted about 4-5 hours. There is a bit left, but its 90% gone. I was informed to used larger chunks of wood, when I bought it... But I had this, and wanted to try it.

I was Told that a 4" x 8" chunk of wood will last 10 hours or more... In addition, I was warned not to put to much wood on it.

What I can tell you, is that a thin blue haze of smoke was steady once it came up to temp.

I am not say it will do this at 225-250... what I am saying is it did it at 300...

I have not done a low temp smoke yet... YET.. Stating that, so the mods know I am not a rubber stamp of approval.

I have not proved this smoker to my satisfaction with a brisket YET>>>>

Thats gonna be awhile, because I have a cubed up brisket in the freezer for my next poker night.. Yes, that brisket was cooked on my offset smoker.. gotta use it up, before I do another.

CHILI.. Smoked Brisket Chili. owe yeah. Chili, Poker, Bourbon, Cigars.. Gonna be a good night with my buddys.

Did I mention I know a guy who makes home made bourbon.. wink wink. That dude can make some seriously good stuff.

Its hard for me to understand. In CA its legal to buy 420/weed, but illegal to make bourbon, shine.. Does that make any sense at all?

[LowSlowJoe]

If I really wanted to... it would be trivial to add a plate above my direct grilling area on my PG500 that would allow me to make wood smolder/smoke.  It would be REALLY easy in fact....  Generally speaking, there's just not much need to add more smoke , than what the PG500 already produces at moderate temperatures...  In most cases, the PG500 smokes really well , up to about 275F, sometimes at temps bellow 200F, it can get too much smoke.

  If I were to do something on the PG500, I'd probably try to design in something that allowed me to raise, or lower the metal plate... The height would possibly need to be adjusted to keep it from getting too hot, causing the wood to burn to quickly...  But anyway.  I see my PG500 as a offset, a vertical smoker, and a grill all rolled into one, providing me a great deal of versatility.

[pmillen]

Generally speaking, there's just not much need to add more smoke , than what the PG500 already produces at moderate temperatures...  In most cases, the PG500 smokes really well , up to about 275F, sometimes at temps bellow 200F, it can get too much smoke.

Xring wrote that, like some pellet pit users, he likes heavy smoke flavor and doesn't find enough in the food produced on his neighbors' GMG and Traegers.  He'd probably like what you and I think of as too much smoke.

I don't want readers to think that I find fault in that.  It's not wrong.  It's just different from my preference.

[Bobitis]

That's some pretty serious cashola right there.

I'm having a hard time justifying that output for an unoriginal idea that would work on most pits already out there.
My Jr has a heat deflector, so why not add a hunk-o-wood on top? What wood happen if that hunk decided to catch on fire? 

No thank you.

[DE]

"For those of you who love that stuff, you cant help, its the way you were raised. You have ever right to like it and make, Texans, make it different."

No disrespect meant Xring01, but ALL Texans don't like a heavy smoke profile! But your are correct, you have that right!

[Bobitis]

I have a cousin in TX that makes stick burners. 18' long/24" diameter ones that you tow behind your truck.

I love him till the end, but will never tell him he's missing out. "Bless your heart" comes to mind... You do know what that means.

When I was young, Dad had a Little Chief electric smoker (came with directions and everything). He'd take us out smelt dipping, and we'd come home with pails full of those vile creatures. The only way to make them edible was to smoke them until they were drier than jerky, and had the creosote taste that only that little smoker could apply.

Mind you, he makes some fantastic deer back strap jerky. It's just not for me. A couple bites is ok tho. My ex used to put salt on ham. 

I quit smoking cigs over a year ago. Prior to that, I quit using salt in most everything. There's a LOT of rubs out there I've only tried once because of all the salt they contain.

My point? We're all raised in different manners. Some never get over it. Many do. What's left is another dimension in flavor.

I no longer care for heavy smoke because I can now taste the meat. I no longer care for excessive salt because I can now taste the other spices.

 

[Xring01]

That's some pretty serious cashola right there.

I'm having a hard time justifying that output for an unoriginal idea that would work on most pits already out there.
My Jr has a heat deflector, so why not add a hunk-o-wood on top? What wood happen if that hunk decided to catch on fire? 

No thank you.

Bob, I bought it used and paid less than a new Traeger Texas sells for. I was about to buy a Pellet Pro Hopper to build a small cabinet smoker.. I found this one CL.. It came with the Pellet Pro hopper..

I am quite sure I can sell if for what I paid for it...

The cost of the Green Mountains/Traegers, is to high in my opinion. Especially when you see how thin the metal is and how light weight they are made..

Again, thats my opinion.

Another thing, you mentioned you do not like much salt. I agree, I make my own rubs/seasonings that has a small amount of salt. I do this so you can put alot on, get the Onion/Garlic/Pepper flavors. Rather than just tasting salt.

PM me your address,  I will send you a little care package...

[riverrat49]

I can assure you the GMG DB/JB is anything but light weight, I have been competing for the last 5 years and put hundreds of miles, numerous competitions and more than there fair share of abuse including recently when the JB tipped over on blacktop and sustained no damage other than some scuff marks, are they a FEC's or MAK's no, but they are not delicate either.

 

The cost of the Green Mountains/Traegers is to high in my opinion. Especially when you see how thin the metal is and how light weight they are made..