THE HEAT BAFFLE One last point: Using flashing is a CHEAP, as well as a fast way to construct the heat baffle. This "heat baffle" is ESSENTIAL for proper Bandera Cooking Operation. (Note: NEVER cook without using the water pan either !!!) However, while using aluminum flashing is a good, fast and cheap exercise, it is FAR BETTER to make a "FINAL" heat baffle out of stiffer aluminum. You can get a LARGE sheet at an ACE hardware store for $12, and make several (or....IF you make a mistake.....). IF you plan on cooking BBQ ANY amount of times on youtr Bandera, you will earn quickly how wise this little tip is. Please do not be penny wise and pound foolish. For those of y'al who do NOT know what this is, a photo of this is attached. Also we have a gif drawing of this made up Thanks to MADMax Lorenz. This is also attached to this email. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. , I purchased the burner and regulator from shopdirect.com. Pleasant and easy to deal with. Hose and regulator kit(which included a needle valve) was $25. The burner, with air shutter and spring was $20. Freight to FL was $4.. The mfg. is morrone. The regulator is UL approved at 20 psi. The burner attached to the bottom of the firebox via a welded on bolt. Nut is provided. I drilled a hole in the side of the firebox to accomodate the widest part of the burner. I think it was a 2 1/2" holesaw- piece of cake. I get temps in the 250 degr range in less than 1/2 hr. 1 - 800 -266 -6971. web address www.shopdirect.com. Have fun. Hal Team Bandera Pit Crew Order Clothing at http://www.qns.com/~tyner/bandera/clothing/Clothing.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Ok...I got today one of the Marshall thermometers that someone cited a few months ago ... it tested (of course) perfectly w/ boiling water. It is 5 inches in diamter so I can see it from the kitchen. It's pretty cool. If you want an accurate industrial thermometer that fits right into the 1/2 nPT thread of the Bandera, here is the site: http://www.bweinc.com/marshall/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Briquettes in FireBox From: "Karl L. Sandwell-Weiss" I put some used ceramic briquettes from a gas grill in the bottom of my fire box to lift the ash pan off the floor. I did it to prevent rusting. I thought about using bricks, but they raise the ash pan too high for my taste, and leave a big footprint for water to get under and rust. Karl ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` FireBox Mods Red; You will be ALOT happier if in addition to using one of the cooking grates as your firegrate, if you also go get a piece of wire mesh (like is used for stucco houses, or to hold up tile in the bathroom (make sure, as Karl teaches us, that it is NOT galvanized). You can get this at Home Depot, Lowe's, a tile house, etc). Get this cut to the EXACT size of the firebox, INTERNALLY, and lay this piece of wire mesh ON TOP of the cooking grate. Build your fire on that. The wire mesh is not strong enough to support fire by itself...that is why you need a cooking grate beneath it. The benefit of JG's "mod" is that a NB cooking grate, since they use these things (like the ash pan) for more than one model of cooker) is that you pick up a WHOLE lot more fire area by doing this. And, as well, stop the problem of coals/briquettes/wood falling off the cooking grate onto the ash pan below, since the cooking grate does not fully cover the available fire box area. Good luck and we hope this helps. Also, a simple move for the grease problem is to simply line the bottom of the smoker each time with aluminum foil. It ain't elegant, but it works. Mikey ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bandera Mods Welcome to the group, Kevin. There are THREE....possibly four mods to the Bandera that come under the heading of "Possibly Mandatory." a) Raising the ash pan off the firebox bottom wall using a few ceramics briquettess to elevate it and let air underneath to reduce rust. b) a Baffle located inside the smoke box, and angling downward. A bent piece of aluminum works wonders, and you can actually use "flashing" (aluminum) to start with. c) Putting a grate on TOP of one of the supplied cooking grates ( the one you'll use as a fire grate). Wire mesh or expanded metal works here. Available from most hardward stores. d) Replacing your cooking grate (for the firebox area) with one that actually fills the firebox area...so when you're grilling you 1) get more cooking area and 2) food doesn't fall off onto the fire/ash below. In my humble opinion, sealing any Bandera door is LOW on any priority list. Just my opinion tho. Mikey We look forward to hearing your successes, tho, Kevin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shared Bandera Files 1. Open your browser window. 2. Navigate to www.onelist.com 3. In left column, enter your email name and password, and press (click) the SECOND blue button below PASSWORD entry white box, entitled "Member Center" Note: you MUST have been previously subscribed to our Bandera List for this to function. 4. When new screen is displayed, for "Member Center" with "Account Manager" just beneath it, scroll down using the scroll bar on the RIGHT SIDE of your screen to where you come to where it shows "You are SUBSCRIBED to X Lists" and then right below that it shows "Bandera" then "DIgest" "No Mail" and Unsubscribe" 5. CLICK on (the URL link) the WORD "BANDERA" 6. It will take you to THIS page: http://onelist.com/listcenter.cgi?listname=Bandera&yy=46660 7. Scroll Down using the Scroll Bar on the RIGHT SIDE of your screen until you see if the middle of your screen display "Calendar", then "Survey" below that, then "Bookmarks" below that and then "SHARED FILES" below that. 8. Double left click on the (URL Link) words "SHARED FILES" and you will come to the page you want ! It has a URL address of http://onelist.com/listcenter.cgi?listname=Bandera&yy=46660 Good Luck, Mikey PS - I actually did this AS I composed this tonight, so I know it works. There you can see ALL of the great Bandera Mods. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bandera comments from a Three Year Owner I've owned a Bandera for about three years and have come to like it very much. There were some things I had to learn about it (I'd used a bullet smoker before the Bandera), but that'd be true of any new BBQ tool. In no particular order - 1 - it drips a lot. I guess since there's a smaller floor area for drippings to pool, you have to be vigilant with the collector can. I had to shim the wheels with a cedar shingle ramps to get the drippings to go in the hole. My dog hangs out just waiting for me to open the door or change the can. 2 - temperature within the smoke chamber can vary a lot. I used the door thermometer and 2 Polder's to sort of map out its thermal characteristics and found the warm and cool (relatively) spots. I did the same during the first few smokings with various loads of meat (briskets, shoulders, butts, ribs.) Now I just know where to put the stuff at various stages. 3 - the original paint on the firebox didn't last 1 season. I use lump charcoal and wood and sometimes a coal or lump lays against the side, I guess. Anyway, I just wirebrush it when it starts to show and touch it up with grill paint. Oh, and I sometimes make a foil baffle to redirect the heat. This varies according to the load and how much sleep I want to get. :) As you might see, at the same time I was learning to use the Bandera, I was also learning to bbq. The experienced guys I've talked to are all at different points in the "art" of bbq, but are learning to manage the same variables using the tools they are most comfortable with. I use my head (not always effectivly, I'm told) and thermometers, others use their eyes and nose, etc. All methods are equally valid, 'cause they result in furthering the art and science of good bbq. Jeez - sorry for the soapbox ending! Email me if you have any specific questions, but you're probably way ahead of me in Q'education. BTW, I still use the bullet and a gas grill, too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Waterpan From: Lee & Jessica My brother is working on a PhD in biosystems engineering. Needless to say, he's a smart cookie. He cooks with a New Braunfels upright. He agrees that the water pan may or may not do anything for the meat, but nonetheless, should always be used. The reason - he pointed out that water is efficient at retaining temperatures comparatively speaking. Once the water is hot it takes no more energy to keep it hot because it looses no temperature; it can't, it's surrounding area is warmer. Also, it makes opening/closing the door less traumatic for the oven temperature. To make a flip flop analogy, it's like keeping milk jugs full of water in your deep freeze (when it's not full). Once the water is frozen, it looses less coldness after opening the door and it's actually cheaper to operate a freezer full of frozen milk jugs that it is to operate an empty freezer. Sumpin to think about. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thermometer If you look at the backdoor side of your thermometer, you will notice that your "probe" rod gets "gooked up (smoke, mop, etc)." Wipe it OFF or use some steelwool gingerly......... You'll notice an IMMEDIATE temperature change as it starts to climb. Mine was reading Wayyyyyyy low so I knew it was time to do this. Still prefer the oven themometers inside tho. On the grates. Hope this helps a few of y'all. Mikey ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` LazyQ Mod From: "Robert Pyle" I had posted this to another list, but thought it might be more appropriate here... I made a temporary lazy-Q mod to my Bandera (TRULY lazy...). I took the propane burner loose from a King Kooker tripod stand (part of a turkey fryer - 160,000 BTU burner). It just happens that after taking it loose (1 nut) there is about 2" of 1/4" bolt sticking out of the bottom. It also just happens that the metal hose fitting just passes through one of the vent slots on the Bandera firebox door. SO - I took a little 2 1/2" clay flowerpot, turned it upside down, stuck the bolt on the bottom of the burner through the hole and set the flowerpot on the bottom of the firebox (took out the ash pan). I stuck the hose through the top of the center vent in the fire door (there is a rod that controls the vent running along the center of the vent row - just happens to support the burner air intake/gas input at the perfect height for the flowerpot), screwed it to the burner and pulled it up flush with the vent hole so that the air intake was right at the vent. I plugged up most of the other air intake holes with aluminum foil so that the wood chunks smoke but don't burn too fast... I put the fire grate in the top slot and stuck a 10" cast iron skillet on it over the burner to diffuse the flames and keep from burning the paint off over the Bandera. Fired it up, adjusted the airflow to the burner and threw some hickory chunks into the skillet. Closed it up and had no trouble holding steady at 250 while I did 2 pork butts and a brisket. I did fill the water pan and replenish the hickory a couple of times. 10 hours later - Perfect 'Q!!! The brisket was tender and juicy and the pork just fell apart. (actually, I went to 205 on the butts and 200 on the brisket - left 'em in longer than intended. I was luck that all three were on the fat side, and that the pork butts were on the shelf above the brisket so they kept it moist!). And it takes about 2 minutes to put the burner in and out. And another two minutes to restore the turkey fryer to original condition. The gas fitting protrudes from the firebox and just barely gets hot to the touch (not even as hot as it gets when frying a turkey). Lazy maybe, but I was able to sleep all night without tending a fire, and the 'Q was GREATLY appreciated at lunch by my coworkers. pyler Smokin' in the Heart of Texas pyler Smokin' in the Heart of Texas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Funny Bandera Story Let me take a second and set the stage for this post, please .... Note: One of our Bandera@onelist.com members has told us he is now convinced about the Virtues and Value of a New Braunfels' BANDERA Smoker purchase and has informed our group of his forthcoming purchase this week of a Bandera. Karl Sandwell-Weiss sent this reply back to him. Every now & then, a GENIUS message gets composed that is simply TOO FUNNY not to share. So, in the Spirit if Good Times and a Bigggg Smile, I am sending this so y'all can enjoy it too. It applies to most smokers. ************************ From: "Karl L. Sandwell-Weiss": Be aware that this things weighs a bunch - about 250 lbs, assembled, more in the box due to the shipping material. You can get it home in a car, but a pickup or SUV is better. The yard guy and I had to work to get it loaded. I had to unpack mine in the front yard and carry the pieces to the back yard to assembly it. One person can put it together, but as Mikey says, two is better. The hard part is setting it upright once it is assembled. I wound up with some grass stuck between the fire box and smoke chamber but it burned out the first time I fired it up. I would recommend seasoning it by getting a cheap spray bottle (Home Depot's are too expensive, K-Mart, Target, Wally World have them for less than $2.) and spray the inside of the smoking chamber with cheap cooking oil. Make sure you get the racks sprayed as well, top and bottom, front and back. Put in the rib racks and sausage hangers as well and do them at the same time. You don't need a heavy coat, just a mist. Then build a fire in it with charcoal. Try to get to 500 degrees F to cook the oil and season the box. Don't worry about it if you burn the paint - this is a smoker, after all. One of your grills will become the coal grate. Not to worry, this is the way it was designed Now for location. If this was GA or TX, or OK, it has to be in the front yard, next to the dead car or pickup. In CA, I'm not too sure. If it is in southern CA, I'm not even sure Home Depot is allowed to sell them because BBQing causes air pollution, red meat is unhealthy, and bean sprouts taste yucko with BBQ. Northern CA may let you get away with it in the side yard. In any case, once you start to cook, be ready for the neighbors coming over to do a taste test. Another point. Your standards for Q will go sky high once you start cooking and you will find that your food is be better than 95% of the BBQ joints within 50 miles of where you live. (If you live in SoCal, the numbers go to 100% within 75 miles.) Once you get into this, you will need a chain saw and a pickup, if you don't already have them. How else are you going to get that dead tree home? And if you don't already have some, you will need to get some cast iron pans to make sides. Music is not a problem. Lots of Q'ing fans like Jazz, some like classical, many like country. Now when you start Q'ing, you will need drinks. Q is not know for it's delicate flavors, so you want something with some flavor. Beer is the drink of choice, with iced tea running a close second. I prefer micro brewed beers as they have more flavor. Bud and Coors are the favorites of many folks, but I think life is too short to drink unflavored beer. Iced tea, well you can start the War of Northern Aggression all over again as to weather it is suppose to be sweetened or unsweatened. I prefer it without sugar and with a slice of lemon. Your call here. Either is fine and mark you as a person of distinction. Wine - I haven't found a white that goes well with Q. Most hearty reds do well, and an occasional rose. Middle of the line reds are fine, but there is nothing wrong with a more expensive one. I am fond of Merlots and Burgundies, and a Decent Cabernet Sauvignon goes well also. A Sangria is fine while you are cooking. And you gotta have a hat. The rattier, beatup, and greaser, the better. It can be a gimmie cap, a cowboy hat, or anything else a working man would wear. Pith helmets are fine, as long as you have a story to go with it about how you Q'd the elephant after you shot it. Doesn't matter if you are a computer consultant and have never worn a hat, you gotta have one. You can't Q without it. Once you have cooked for a while, you will need to name your pit. You may decide on a name as you are loading it to take home. Speaking of names, you will quickly begin to answer to Bubba and and you wife or SO will quickly acquire two names, i.e.., Mary Jean, Bobby Sue, etc. Once you reach this stage, we will give you the secret Bandera handshake. Best of luck! Karl Sandwell-Weiss ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HINTS USING RED OAK Red Oak CAN be a difficult wood to work successfully. It imparts a most wonderful, unique flavor to all meats. I really like using the RED heart of the wood. But MOST all of it is good. But, you GOTTA watch the bark and the outer circumference. Red Oak tends to have a wet bark, and as well, some of the outer wood can be a little less dense and/or "pithy" depending on the age of the Red Oak and how the log was stored. I get my Red Oak in 20 inch or so "slices," about 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 thick. A lot of work for my best friend, but it is what I need. Then I sit on my rear in the driveway, and "chunk" it up with a chunking hatchet I got from Home Depot. This hatchet has a blade head that is forged, and the blade itself is somewhat dull. This makes it perfect for my task. I first take the slices and SLAM them down on the driveway. I may do this 2-4 times per "slice." This helps do two things: a) Knock off some of the bark. b) Knock off some of the outer, softer wood. The undesirable stuff. I then chuck it up into fist-sized and smaller pieces, and store them in these large, brown paper lawn bags from Home Depot. Please note that when I am slow cooking, Barbie gave me a LARGE aluminum pan, which I sit on top of my Bandera firebox. This large tray holds "new' wood, to preheat if before adding it to the fire. The "preheating" allows the Red Oak to combust even faster, and more importantly "cleaner." As you can see from what I have written, we use NO bark, and no "bad" outer circumference wood. Now, I am sure some people are reading and saying "No way I am gonna take the time nor do I have the time to chunk up Red Oak." And that is fine. Whatever floats your boat. We know this process works, and wanted others to see one more different approach to BBQ wood selection and processing. We CAN tell y'all that our product is quite delicious, and is FREE of any "bitterness" that comes from using bad wood, resulting in a non-clean burn. A "Clean" burn is what allows you to achieve that thin blue smoke. If I can answer any questions, feel free to write me privately, and a Good Que to each of you. Mike & Barbie Atlanta, GA - The HEART and SPIRIT of Dixie ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ USING RED OAK PROPERLY (Long) I have made so many references to Red Oak, and the wondrous effect it has on both grilling and slow cooking, I felt it was time for me to make a few personal comments on WHY it (seems) to work successfully for me. Red Oak is one of those woods where you can get alot of diverse opinions. We chose it after reading 100's of pages on the web when we started BBQ'ing, and the reference that Red Oak was an all around really good wood choice. It is plentiful, and is available in most parts of the country. David Spriggs tells me after seeing mine that he sees others call this Black Jack Oak. I am NOT writing this to say Red oak is "better" than Pecan, nor that Red oak is "better" that hickory. It is just that I have seen a few people over the past few years not get very excited about the use of Red oak for cooking, and Barbie and me always wonder why. WHITE Oak is not part of my discussion here. It is a FINE wood choice, and if you can get untreated scraps from a wood flooring installer, and it is your only choice, then it surely works well. It burns HOTTER, and longer, as it is heavier, more dense wood. It also seems to impart a less smoky flavor for those who like less smoke flavoring. For an extended (ie, long period) cooking time, like for brisket, it may be easier to start with Red Oak and then shift to white oak, after 4 hours or so. Red Oak leaves a unique, EXCELLENT Smoked flavor to meats, and this is regardless of whether you use it for grilling or slow cooking. It is a good, "healthy" flavor, but not one that is overpowering. We stopped using charcoal altogether, and only use Red Oak now. We have a good supply of Red Oak, and our best friend is willing to keep me well-stocked from his wood pile. I cook on a New Braunfels BANDERA, and also use the firebox as a grill, three to four times a week. We also use a MODIFIED Eldorado by N.B. as a Grill only, as we made modifications to it. We use that when we want/need a larger cooking surface for grilling. The Eldorado is not used by us for smoking/slow cooking. I digress. The Bandera as an offset smoker does NOT have a particularly large firebox, but then it only costs $280. We decided we needed to be VERY careful as to our fuel choices, to insure we get a good "burn" for that desired thin blue smoke we all work for when slow cooking. Continued In Part 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Bandera Baffel I am confused Bob. My Aluminum baffle is attached and NEVER needs adjusting. I made mine originally a couple of years ago. I have tried two more baffles, since then, to refine the angle and "depth" of the baffle (how far INTO the center of the Bandera do I want it to go. I have my smoke chamber base lined with fire brick "halves" (Wrapped in aluminum foil) to increase the thermal mass. I have found I want the baffle bolted to the TOP set of three bolts that are at the TOP of the smoke entry rectangle, and I have the baffle going "IN" so far as that the baffle ends about an inch from the CENTER of the water pan, looking from top to bottom. Hope this helps. These baffles can be made with the following items: A Piece of Aluminum. It does NOT have to be a "heavy gauge." A Drill bit (to drill the three holes...make 'em bigger than you need so you can adjust this when you attach it, and use three oversized "fender washers" to take up the slack in the holes). A pair of metal cutting shears. A ruler A Pencil. A vise to clamp the aluminum with a straight wdge attached so you can BEND the baffle after it is cut out. NOTE: It is NOT necessaary to make the "ends" of the baffle. Just cut a piece of aluminum and bend it at any appropriate angle. It's THAT simple. Attach it to those three top bolts (that again, attach the fire box to the smoke chamber box). No matter how rudimentary you think your baffle is, it will DO THE JOB and even out the heat entry/distribution in your Bandera smoke chamber. Good Luck to all, Mikey NOTE: If you have NOT made a baffle for your Bandera, you have ZERO idea how good this unit cooks ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Fire Grate: ===> Pls read this !!!! Last nite, while grilling, I looked "where" my fire grate was. It is located ABOUT 1 and 1/2 inches BELOW the LOWEST edge of the opening into the cooking chamber. This "edge" beinng part of the rectangular opening between the firebox and the cooking chamber. Maybe that will help tell you whether your fire grate is at the "right height." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All Wood in Bandera GREAT EXPERIENCES COOKING WITH ALL WOOD OR "The SWEETEST of Thin Blue Smoke !" Barbie & I wanted to relate a fact about the wonderful BBQ cooking experiences we enjoy every other week or so. And pass on a few tips that just possibly might help someone else. We use (Cheerfully so) a N.B. Bandera cooker. This, like many offset smokers, suffers from too small of a firebox. So getting the fire "right" and keeping it "right" for many hours requires ingenuity and a little craziness at times. What is "right" when it comes to SMOKE ? We work like heck for that "Sweet, Thin Blue Smoke," (something I am afraid at times I feel many cookers really have NOT experienced). Sweet, Thin Blue smoke is JUST that - it almost CANNOT be seen emitting from our smoker/cooker's exhaust chimney ! We, as you may already know, use only Red Oak, chunked up into cheese round-like sliced chunks. And, of course, with NO BARK whatsoever. Please allow me to REPEAT !: WITH NO BARK (and no bad circumferential wood) WHATSOEVER! I have the time, and the inclination, (To remove the bark and any not-so-good outer wood as well) and that is how we prefer to cook. Bark on MOST woods is NOT good, folks ! And of your wood was not properly stored, it may also contain BAD wood on the inside of the bark as well. We use Red Oak because we feel is imparts the BEST all-around flavor to the meats we cook into Que. Other may like Hickory (we do not have a ready access to that). Fergy likes, in particular, to mix Red Oak and Hickory 50-50. We wish we had that luxury. So, how do we obtain this almost imperceptible Sweet Thin Blue Smoke ? We use two excellent ideas purveyed thanks to our good friend, Max Lorenz, ferverently referred to as MADMax, here in Atlanta also. First Tip: We start off with a FULL chimney-full of charcoal in our Weber Chimney charcoal lighter. We are using hickory-blend charcoal. The charcoal makes a wonderful "heat base." We do not add to this during the cooking process, as we no longer need it after the fire gets going properly. Having a good "base" upon which your fire is "built" is similar in concept to the importance of having a good base or foundation to a new home you are building. After this charcoal is FULLY ignited IN the chimney, we dump it into the firebox, and put Red Oak chunks on top of the charcaol. This way, the charcoal makes a great "heat base." We let this all get burning really well, while at the same time, it gets the smoker heated up and ready to cook. The Bandera has a VERTICAL cooking chamber, with a water pan where the heat enters. It is very similar to the principles of the Weber Smoky Mountain bullet smoker ("WSM"), that is so highly regarded. This has nothing to do with the subject - I just wanted to add this. TIP 2: As soon as I close the top of my firebox, I put a LARGE aluminum pan on top of the firebox. The fact that the Bandera has a relatively good-sized firebox, that is square-ish in design, makes this easier. Then I place Red Oak "sliced" chunks flat down on this pan, and let them preheat. The fire box gets so hot, that the flat bottoms of these chunks turn black. Then, as I need more fuel, using LEATHER GLOVES, I lift off the aluminum pan, and put some more preheated chunks into the fire. This allows them to begin burning quickly, but more importantly ... CLEANLY. Virtually no "bad" smoke whatsoever. And if you smell OUR smoke, it DOES smell "sweet." Now I am sure alot of the old-timers here are laughing, saying everyone knows this. But we have seen several BBQ cooks who feel as though they really KNOW how to prepare Que, and we would personally be ashamed if our exhausting smoke was that thick and/or colored. And we have tasted it (this "bad" smoke) in the meat flavor of the finished product. The meat takes a small amount of "bitterness." A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL ITEMS: Our "Fire grate" is a custom-bent (from a welding shop) piece of expanded metal. We enjoy using this, as it "holds" the wood and coals well, but also allows the ash to fall thru to the ashpan underneath. If you do not already, look at where your fire is. Is there a good design for the ash to fall down and out of the way of your fire ? If not, you may decide to make a little modification, as we did, to help out in this area. And for goodness sakes, if you do not already do this, PLEASE empty your ashpan BEFORE you begin ANY BBQ venture. These words may seem like elementary items to many reading this, but you wouuld be surprised how many people (attempt to) cook que without doing these necessary items. To us, it looks like they are taking shortcuts, and of course, the end product will ALWAYS reflect this. Last item: We are now cooking ribs and pork butts on the top shelf on the Bandera cookbox. We feel as though while it is the coolest place in the cookbox, it allows us to regulate the heat better, and not have the meat affected so drastically by the dry heat entering directly from the firebox. So, in summary, as Dan Sawyer (and others) have pointed out so many times ..... IF you are going to cook using WOOD, and you desire that Sweetest AND Thinnest Blue Smoke, you CAN achieve this with a little pre-planning and small amount of extra work. Try the de-barking just once. And the chunking up. Especially if you have a smaller firebox. You just might really enjoy the results that these tips provide. Getting a Sweet Smelling, Ultra Clean Burning Fire IS possible - and your Que will be so much more enjoyable. And regardless of whatever you do, please, do not forget to PRE-HEAT your wood ! Sweet Smoke to Everyone ! Mikey and Barbie ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BANDERA SPRING CLEANING Mikey L For many of us, the warmer temperatures (or those about to be seen by you) will no doubt bring out those hungering desires to cook some Que. Well, there are a few things you can do NOW, that will make that first 'Que sessionn a little better. A) Cleaning If you used your Bandera at all last year, you have noticed how gunked up it now is in the cook chamber. Along the walls, etc. It's plain 'ole grease. SO get yourselves some DEGREASER and brush it on HEAVILY. That "purple" cleaner, made my Castrol (AutoZone has their own version which runs $4 a gallon) will do a pretty fair job. Let it set fer awhile before you either hose it off, or better yet., use a power washer. Do NOT be concerned about "health" hazards. Because you will need to re-seasonn your smoker once it is dry. The heat will kill anything you might be worried about. B) COSMETICS Now is also a good time - AFTER you have Really done your deep cleaning and re-seasoning - to get out the sandpaper and some 1200 degree BBQ paint. It won't last as long as the Powder Coating process that New Braunfels uses, but it's alot better than letting the rust "grow." I recommend TWO (2) coats. Do NOT use primer. It won't hold up to thr heat. C) TEMP GAUGE Don't ferget to also clean the probe on your Temp Gauge. ANYthing on it will make it read slightly more inaccurately. A little 320 grit sandpaper or steel wool does a good job. D) D0 NEED A TEMP GAUGE ? Hesitant to buy it for $30 at Home Depot ? Well, trot on down to WalMart ...... They now have them (3 inchers) for only $18 !!! The New Braunfels brand. In Stainless. E) Orienting the Temp Gauge Take a little lesson from the Racing community. Sinve we all know the door gauge is ONLY a "relative" indication of the cooking tempos at the grates, once you determne what temp your door gauge reads when an oven thermometer tells you that you have 250 degrees on the Center Grate, rotate your gauge so it points straight UP (12 o'clock ) at that point. I don't care if it (your door gauge) is reading 280 degrees or 230 degrees, because we know that YOU have determined the grate temp to be 250 degrees. This way you can quickly glance at the gauge, and if it's STRAIGHT UP, you know you're okay, or vice-versa. Hope these tips help ya, and I for one am awaiting hearing about whatever you're cooking. I am going back now to my BBQ Red Oak smoked chicken ! See 'ya ! Mikey