[img][img][/img][/img](hopefully) here are a couple of pics of the offset smoker Chris bought me for Christmas.
Due to ongoing fire restrictions have only fired it up once, a test run on some butcher's thick Italian style sausages.
A 4 hr. smoke keeping the temp. around 150c resulted in a skin colour around "boot polish mid tan" and a core temp. of 70c.
Sliced at an angle, the skin was slightly tough (nat. gut casing) but a definite smoke flavour which had penetrated into the meat giving a pleasing aftertaste of smoke, chilli and garlic.
Very happy with first up results, going to attempt a chicken next before graduating to a leg of venison.
M

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I thought something would go missing!

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Michael, how big is the cooking area on that one??

Looks good.

Derek.
The cooking area is 30 x 50cm, the firebox 20 x 25cm. I made the above size firebox from a piece of perforated metal I had to protect the chamber wall.
The cooking area would hold 2 pork ribs, a brisket or 4 chickens quite comfortably.

The smoker (which requires assembly, a task at which I am far more proficient than driving a computer) is fairly thin metal, but I think with undercover storage will last quite well.

I am going to experiment with baffles (the "smokers" call it tuning) to try and obtain the best consistent heat/smoke ratio. I found that I was getting at times a higher than wanted temperature.

Plenty of time to play with it, once the weather cools off a trifle. :)
M

That is a good size.

We are off on a cruise to New Zealand next week.  Hopefully the weather will have turned a bit cooler for when we get back.

Mind you I remember hot summers like this years ago.

Very good Mikel.
I am going to have get one just like yours.
I am on my fourth lot of home made bacon and temperature  control is critical (100 to 120c)or the fat renders. Smoked and cooked for a internal Temp of  65c to 70c eaten as is or fried, all the bugs are gone.

Looking forward to following your progress. Have been pestering my wife for a while now to get me one of these

Looks good MikeL.
Can't wait to see some results.
You must have been a very good lad during 2018. :D

Aart....shame, you know me well enough to realise I am always a "good lad" 8-)

Champing at the bit waiting for the weather to cool down though, we are still on full restrictions.  :(

Cant have it all ways but, Chris' son and wife have just landed in Bris. from the UK, on their way down to us for a few days then on the their unit at Avoca Beach where we will join them for a few ales and bbq seafood.  :D

Would be good if the weather holds as is before they return home to London and late winter conditions.  :)
m

Today attempted some Aldi spice rubbed thigh fillets and a few more butcher Italian style snags.
The pic is around 1 hr. into a 3 hr. smoke with initial temps around 350c. for 45 mins. then able to regulate to ~185c. for the balance.
Did not take a final pic., a late summer storm arrived but we were done just in time  ::)

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Should have said the chicken is to be sliced for a salad.
It turned out with a  ::) flavour.
We all very happy with progress so far......venison next  :P
M

Top job there Mikel.
When  I return from Wagga an offset smoker is on the shopping list.

Did it taste as good as it looks?

White box wood gave a good even burn with a fairly light smoke plus the dry Aldi Texas BBQ rub. Did a full 3hr. smoke on a hand full of wood....very economical to run.

The chicken end result, nice mid brown colour with good smoke taste and chilli bite.  :D
Snags not tried yet, will slice and nibble with cheese, bikkies and a decent Red.
M

Mikel,
I brought the smoker on line today off Dick Smiths the same as yours, I should have it by Friday
$99 free delivery. I will play around with heat control before I do more smoking.
Muzz

Today on the smoker: 3 hours into a 5hr. smoked leg of venison. internal temp now 47*, aiming for 65* then a 30min. rest before slicing.

Bum!! no pic

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Looks lovely Mikel.

In the final stages. Wrapped but with a bit of extra heat to bring the internal temp up plus 2 garlic butter foil wrapped spuds.

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Carving up ready for the plate.
Very happy with the result, should have been more than 2 of us to do it justice....but then, some nice venison sangers will happen.
As an afterthought I should have done more foil wrapped veg', it works as a great oven and quite easy to control temps.

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I have never been a big venison eater, mainly I guess because of supply, but that sure looks great.

Well done.

Never tried venison myself, but geez that looks good

Mikel,
Top job looks great.
Venison should smoke well as it is very lean meat.
I will brine a leg of lamb and smoke it, when I get things sorted.

Muzz..pleased you have one on the way, there are no real tricks in the assembly but the wheels need bushing, they are a very sloppy fit on the axle.
Yep, very happy with that venison result, after well trimming the silver skin I pumped it with port and did keep basting it during the smoke. The wood used was 50/50 white box and ironbark so the smoke was not too dense. (no green wood). Kept the temp around 150-175c.
For the next smoke I have some beef short ribs in the freezer, very fatty so thinking about boiling first. Bit of youtube research coming up methinks. :)
M

Looks good, we use to have venison when we lived at Peachester. Might be time to fire up the smoker again now the weather is cooler.

Colour looks Mikel.
How was the smokey flavour?

Mikel
Received my smoker this morning, assemble and gave it a burn 15 heat beads gave 150c for 2 hrs +
( so 10 or 11 should  be about the 100 to 110 c mark) with apple wood chips plenty of smoke. I will do more bacon over the coming days.
Muzz 

Good one Muzz....I reckon you might become a local bacon supply source.  ;)
Did you/will you make a fire basket? I did not like too much the idea of hot coals on the fairly thin metal of the firebox so used some perforated metal I had to make one up. It sits on the supplied rack.
As TBF asked, (reply went with forum corruption) the venison leg I smoked turned out very well, good smoke taste with chilli rub background.  :)
M.

That's a good idea Mikel.
Was thinking Perforated Pizza tray my do the trick.
Muzz

How would one of those old chip baskets go.  Often see them in Op Shops.

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Mine can be seen in very first pic (click enlarge).
Thing about charcoal etc., burns pretty hot with a direct draught going through.
M