My neighbor's backyard smoker went from sad to legendary in just one season

So my neighbor Jerry has been using this beat up old offset smoker for like 5 years. It was always leaking smoke everywhere, rust spots all over, and the temp swings were wild. Last spring he finally got sick of it and decided to restore it instead of buying new. He spent like 3 weekends grinding off rust, patching holes with high temp silicone, and adding some fireplace gasket tape around the doors. Then he rebuilt the firebox with some firebrick he got on craigslist for $40. Dude even built a little work table off the side. The difference is crazy now. His brisket this summer came out way more even and he actually got a good smoke ring. Anyone else ever bring a junk cooker back to life or just upgrade to a new one?

3 comments

3 Comments

miles_hall24d ago

Tbh that firebrick tip alone is gold, I did the same thing to my old Oklahoma Joe.

rowan96924d ago

Yeah totally @miles_hall knows their stuff.

sage_green24d ago

Yeah the firebrick thing is legit. I did it to my offset last summer and it made such a difference in how steady the temps stay. Actually felt pretty dumb for not trying it sooner, you know? I had just been dealing with those crazy hot spots and thinking that was just how it had to be. But now I barely have to mess with the airflow unless I'm adding more wood. It's one of those small fixes that pays off way more than you expect.