"Jake" > wrote in message
...
> Greetings Fellow Food Enthusiasts:
>
> I recently noticed that, through years of credit card use, I've
accumulated
> enough "points" to actually get something worthwhile. After evaluating
the
> various products available the Brinkmann Gourmet Charcoal Smoker and Grill
> really caught my eye. The old Weber grill currently sitting on the deck
> was given to me by a friend and has certainly seen better days. I've
spent
> some time researching the Brinkmann Gourmet unit this afternoon and it
seems
> to be regarded as a decent entry level smoker once some modifications are
> done. While I'd love to begin experimenting with smokers I'd like to be
> certain that the Brinkmann Gourmet can also be utilized as a grill. All
of
> the manufacturers documentation seems to indicate that it can but I
haven't
> seen any posts or opinions on how well it performed grilling duties. Does
> anyone care to comment on their experiences with the Brinkmann Gourmet
and,
> more specifically, whether it will also work well as a grill that will
> receive extremely frequent use? Also, I've read some concerns regarding
> using the unit on a wooden deck. Does this only apply when using it's
> smoking capabilities?
>
> As always, thanks in advance for any feedback, input or advice,
>
> J.P.
I used to have one of these and liked it. I made several mods and did mostly
low & slows with it. But grilling is easy enough. The body is a round part,
like a soup can with both lids removed (but obviously bigger). For low and
slow, you put the 'body' on the charcoal pan which sits in another pan with
short legs. Then you put the water pan and one grill on the lower brackets
and one grill on the upper brackets and then the cover. Now your set for low
& slow cooking.

For grilling, you put the 'body' in the bottom pan with legs then put the
charcoal pan on top with the grill on that. Now you're ready to grill.

It's tougher to describe than actually do.

Since the charcoal pan is in the bottom pan with legs for low & slow, and
the legs are only about 1-2 inches high, I can see a concern with using it
on a wooden deck. But for grilling, there is no more concern than with any
other grill.

Good luck.

P.S.
Make the mod for controlling air flow to the bottom pan with legs (a movable
alumnum slider).Also consider wrapping the body in fibregalss insulation and
cutting out for the door in the body. These two mods will make a
considerable positive impact. You don't need to do the cutting of holes in
the fire pan to increase air flow since the gourmet model has holes
(actually slits) in the fire pan. You also don't need to put holes in the
lid since the lid does not seal well (at least mine didn't). Unless you do
something like add a gasket to seal the lid, holes are unncessary, IMHO.
Although I did have them in mine.