.... I know it's a gasser, but I already have a WSM and one of the largish
Chargrillers with a side firebox. They both have their uses and strengths
and won't be abandoned, but I'm thinking about a Vermont Castings vc3624gs
smoker box for it's set it and forget it qualties. I don't seem to be able
to find any reviews for it. Does anybody have any experience with this gas
smoker?

"D. Winsor" > wrote in message
...
> ... I know it's a gasser, but I already have a WSM and one of the largish
> Chargrillers with a side firebox. They both have their uses and strengths
> and won't be abandoned, but I'm thinking about a Vermont Castings vc3624gs
> smoker box for it's set it and forget it qualties. I don't seem to be
> able to find any reviews for it. Does anybody have any experience with
> this gas smoker?
>

Just a blurb about it here http://bbq.about.com/od/grills/a/aa032506a_3.htm

I have a Great Outdoors smoker and I've had another similar and like them
both. I don't know if the VC is worth the extra $$ or not, but I did see it
for $549 I paid $128 from the Wal Mart web site for mine and had it shipped
to a local store.

http://www.barbecues.com/web/catalog...d=230&cm_wid=B

This is what I have
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3342508

You can buy a lot of ribs and briskets for the price difference, but it is
your choice. I think they both will work about the same.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

> I have a Great Outdoors smoker and I've had another similar and like them
> both. I don't know if the VC is worth the extra $$ or not, but I did see it
> for $549 I paid $128 from the Wal Mart web site for mine and had it shipped
> to a local store.
>
> http://www.barbecues.com/web/catalog...d=230&cm_wid=B
>
> This is what I have
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3342508

When you use wood chips for smoke, do you get a smoke ring in meat? Do
they burn or just smolder? One of the "features" of the Bradley is that
it uses pucks and does not heat them to the point of ignition. The
result is a "sweet" smoke with little creosote, but the drawback is that
meat has no smoke ring.
--
---Nonnymus---
You don’t stand any taller by
trying to make others appear shorter.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
et...
> Just a blurb about it here
> http://bbq.about.com/od/grills/a/aa032506a_3.htm

This I saw, but there's no comprhensive reviews for it it seems. There
doesn't seem to be much of a stir in consumer review land.

>
> I have a Great Outdoors smoker and I've had another similar and like them
> both. I don't know if the VC is worth the extra $$ or not, but I did see
> it for $549 I paid $128 from the Wal Mart web site for mine and had it
> shipped to a local store.
>
> http://www.barbecues.com/web/catalog...d=230&cm_wid=B

I'm being offered it for $599 cdn from a local retailer here in
Newfoundland. Wal Mart here carries a smaller one which is similar to yours
for $189cdn. I've got to admit that the VC looks a lot solider.

>
> This is what I have
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3342508
>
> You can buy a lot of ribs and briskets for the price difference, but it is
> your choice. I think they both will work about the same.

Yes, but The VC is a lot larger and solider than the one available to
Canadians. Home Depot carried a smaller VC smoker last year that's no
longer available. This is the trouble with being out of the mainstream.
Out here you have to take what they offer or pay the premium. Those new
seals on the VC look like the bee's knees for battling the wind here.
That's where half the problem lies.

On a brighter note I got a 104kg of Royal Oak lump for $1 p/kg this week.
It's the first time I've seen lump for half the going price for briquette.
As a bonus I was able to trade over fifty dollars worth of company loyalty
points for the cost too. :-) I battled the winds with rich amounts of fuel
to barbeque long chunks of beef short rib and turkey.
>
>

"D. Winsor" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
> et...
>> Just a blurb about it here
>> http://bbq.about.com/od/grills/a/aa032506a_3.htm
>
> This I saw, but there's no comprhensive reviews for it it seems. There
> doesn't seem to be much of a stir in consumer review land.
>
>>
>> I have a Great Outdoors smoker and I've had another similar and like them
>> both. I don't know if the VC is worth the extra $$ or not, but I did see
>> it for $549 I paid $128 from the Wal Mart web site for mine and had it
>> shipped to a local store.
>>
>> http://www.barbecues.com/web/catalog...d=230&cm_wid=B
>
> I'm being offered it for $599 cdn from a local retailer here in
> Newfoundland. Wal Mart here carries a smaller one which is similar to
> yours for $189cdn. I've got to admit that the VC looks a lot solider.
>
>>
>> This is what I have
>> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3342508
>>
>> You can buy a lot of ribs and briskets for the price difference, but it
>> is your choice. I think they both will work about the same.
>
> Yes, but The VC is a lot larger and solider than the one available to
> Canadians. Home Depot carried a smaller VC smoker last year that's no
> longer available. This is the trouble with being out of the mainstream.
> Out here you have to take what they offer or pay the premium. Those new
> seals on the VC look like the bee's knees for battling the wind here.
> That's where half the problem lies.
>
> On a brighter note I got a 104kg of Royal Oak lump for $1 p/kg this week.
> It's the first time I've seen lump for half the going price for briquette.
> As a bonus I was able to trade over fifty dollars worth of company loyalty
> points for the cost too. :-) I battled the winds with rich amounts of
> fuel to barbeque long chunks of beef short rib and turkey.
>>
>>
>
>

I have the Walmart model. It is a wide body smoker which I believe they
offered for one year only. I paid $99.00 US.

It is flimsier than the GSM, but as I live in Texas, do not really need the
mass that our brothers in the north need. I am fully satisfied with it.

I agree the gaskets are a valid selling point, I just wonder if they are
worth their extra cost.

I had SWAMBO sew a quilted cover for it for those cooler (<100 degree) days

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3342508

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
et...
>
> "D. Winsor" > wrote in message
> ...
>> ... I know it's a gasser, but I already have a WSM and one of the
>> largish Chargrillers with a side firebox. They both have their uses and
>> strengths and won't be abandoned, but I'm thinking about a Vermont
>> Castings vc3624gs smoker box for it's set it and forget it qualties. I
>> don't seem to be able to find any reviews for it. Does anybody have any
>> experience with this gas smoker?
>>
>
> Just a blurb about it here
> http://bbq.about.com/od/grills/a/aa032506a_3.htm
>
> I have a Great Outdoors smoker and I've had another similar and like them
> both. I don't know if the VC is worth the extra $$ or not, but I did see
> it for $549 I paid $128 from the Wal Mart web site for mine and had it
> shipped to a local store.
>
> http://www.barbecues.com/web/catalog...d=230&cm_wid=B
>
> This is what I have
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3342508
>
> You can buy a lot of ribs and briskets for the price difference, but it is
> your choice. I think they both will work about the same.
>
I wrote quite a long post on rec.food.cooking about this question. Edwin, to
your credit, you're able to say the same thing with much fewer words. I
couldn't get my identical smoker to yours heat low enought to smoke, even
after CFM, the parent corporation that owns both Vermont Castings, and Great
Outdoors, sent me another burner. Finally I took it back to Walmart.
How low can you get yours to go?
I wonder if the winpier narrow $98 model would smoke at a lower temp.

Kent

"Kent" > wrote in message
> I wrote quite a long post on rec.food.cooking about this question. Edwin,
> to your credit, you're able to say the same thing with much fewer words. I
> couldn't get my identical smoker to yours heat low enought to smoke, even
> after CFM, the parent corporation that owns both Vermont Castings, and
> Great Outdoors, sent me another burner. Finally I took it back to Walmart.
> How low can you get yours to go?
> I wonder if the winpier narrow $98 model would smoke at a lower temp.
>
> Kent
>

The lowest I can get it to go in typical summer conditions is about 230
degrees. I just his the igniter, turn it to low, and let it go. In cooler
weather there is plenty of power to get it up to a good cooking temperature.
I don't know what the high limit is, but I've easily had it to 350-375. I
always keep the top vent open.

IIRC, you were in the southwest and the ambient was very hot compared to
what is typical here, 75 to 85. If you tried using it in 110 degree
weather, I'd guess a low could be in the 275 range.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

"Nonnymus" > wrote in message
>
> When you use wood chips for smoke, do you get a smoke ring in meat? Do
> they burn or just smolder? One of the "features" of the Bradley is that
> it uses pucks and does not heat them to the point of ignition. The result
> is a "sweet" smoke with little creosote, but the drawback is that meat has
> no smoke ring.

I do get a smoke ring. I use a combination of chips, chainsaw sawdust, and
chunks, maybe some cutoffs of hardwood from a furniture project. Whatever
happens to be in the bucket. The instructions say to soak them, but I
don't. I have an abundance of wood scraps so I don't try to conserve any.
Sometimes they start burning too, but that is not a big deal either, except
that the heat spikes up for a few minutes when that happens.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
t...
>
> "Kent" > wrote in message
>> I wrote quite a long post on rec.food.cooking about this question. Edwin,
>> to your credit, you're able to say the same thing with much fewer words.
>> I couldn't get my identical smoker to yours heat low enought to smoke,
>> even after CFM, the parent corporation that owns both Vermont Castings,
>> and Great Outdoors, sent me another burner. Finally I took it back to
>> Walmart.
>> How low can you get yours to go?
>> I wonder if the winpier narrow $98 model would smoke at a lower temp.
>>
>> Kent
>>
>
> The lowest I can get it to go in typical summer conditions is about 230
> degrees. I just his the igniter, turn it to low, and let it go. In
> cooler weather there is plenty of power to get it up to a good cooking
> temperature. I don't know what the high limit is, but I've easily had it
> to 350-375. I always keep the top vent open.
>
> IIRC, you were in the southwest and the ambient was very hot compared to
> what is typical here, 75 to 85. If you tried using it in 110 degree
> weather, I'd guess a low could be in the 275 range.
> --
> Ed
> http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/
>
Thanks so much, that's exactly what my problem was. Now I know.

Kent

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
t...
>
> "Kent" > wrote in message
>> I wrote quite a long post on rec.food.cooking about this question. Edwin,
>> to your credit, you're able to say the same thing with much fewer words.
>> I couldn't get my identical smoker to yours heat low enought to smoke,
>> even after CFM, the parent corporation that owns both Vermont Castings,
>> and Great Outdoors, sent me another burner. Finally I took it back to
>> Walmart.
>> How low can you get yours to go?
>> I wonder if the winpier narrow $98 model would smoke at a lower temp.
>>
>> Kent
>>
>
> The lowest I can get it to go in typical summer conditions is about 230
> degrees. I just his the igniter, turn it to low, and let it go. In
> cooler weather there is plenty of power to get it up to a good cooking
> temperature. I don't know what the high limit is, but I've easily had it
> to 350-375. I always keep the top vent open.
>
> IIRC, you were in the southwest and the ambient was very hot compared to
> what is typical here, 75 to 85. If you tried using it in 110 degree
> weather, I'd guess a low could be in the 275 range.

Geez, 75-85 is a hot summer day here. 30C is a rare occurrence. The VC is
a good deal larger than the GOSM available here. It's also stainless steel,
a good deal sturdier than the GOSM, and is supported by a local Vermont
Castings dealer. There are many pros for this unit.

The basic Bradley is on sale right now for $299 cdn, but it's not really
large enough and I don't like the whole wood puck gimmick. The Bradley has
no local support at all and supplies for it are sporadic at best.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
news
>
> "Nonnymus" > wrote in message
>>
>> When you use wood chips for smoke, do you get a smoke ring in meat? Do
>> they burn or just smolder? One of the "features" of the Bradley is that
>> it uses pucks and does not heat them to the point of ignition. The
>> result is a "sweet" smoke with little creosote, but the drawback is that
>> meat has no smoke ring.
>
> I do get a smoke ring. I use a combination of chips, chainsaw sawdust,
> and chunks, maybe some cutoffs of hardwood from a furniture project.
> Whatever happens to be in the bucket. The instructions say to soak them,
> but I don't. I have an abundance of wood scraps so I don't try to
> conserve any. Sometimes they start burning too, but that is not a big deal
> either, except that the heat spikes up for a few minutes when that
> happens.

Do you use the wood box that came with it? Personally I use an old Bush's
baked bean can, and then use wood chunks. I have the smaller, less
expensive model from WallyWorld.

>

"Kent" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
> t...
>>
>> "Kent" > wrote in message
>>> I wrote quite a long post on rec.food.cooking about this question.
>>> Edwin, to your credit, you're able to say the same thing with much fewer
>>> words. I couldn't get my identical smoker to yours heat low enought to
>>> smoke, even after CFM, the parent corporation that owns both Vermont
>>> Castings, and Great Outdoors, sent me another burner. Finally I took it
>>> back to Walmart.
>>> How low can you get yours to go?
>>> I wonder if the winpier narrow $98 model would smoke at a lower temp.
>>>
>>> Kent
>>>
>>
>> The lowest I can get it to go in typical summer conditions is about 230
>> degrees. I just his the igniter, turn it to low, and let it go. In
>> cooler weather there is plenty of power to get it up to a good cooking
>> temperature. I don't know what the high limit is, but I've easily had it
>> to 350-375. I always keep the top vent open.
>>
>> IIRC, you were in the southwest and the ambient was very hot compared to
>> what is typical here, 75 to 85. If you tried using it in 110 degree
>> weather, I'd guess a low could be in the 275 range.
>> --
>> Ed
>> http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/
>>
> Thanks so much, that's exactly what my problem was. Now I know.
>
> Kent
I have the smaller unit from Walmart. It only has the top vent, no bottom
side vents like the larger one. With it set on low, and the top vent open
all the way, it's no problem to get it down to 200deg or lower, depending on
outside temp, in the direct sunlight, etc. Upper end, with it on high,
top vent closed as much as it'll go(still open about 3/4") if there's not
much wind and the outside temp is over 75-80, I can get the cooker itself
well over 500deg, close to 600. Hot enough that I've been playing around
with using it as a pizza oven as well.

Took it with me on a trip to Richmond for the races, camping there I cooked
up about 15lbs of pork, 8 racks of baby backs, a bunch of sausage, kielbasa,
brats, etc... as well as beans(put your beans in on a lower rack and catch
the drippings from the meat above..mmmmm). Then, one morning decided I'd
try something different. Bought a cheap aluminum foil pan at the market and
a tube of biscuits. Got the smoker up to a good 350+, put the biscuits in.
Worked perfect.

>

"43fan" > wrote in message
>> Kent
> I have the smaller unit from Walmart. It only has the top vent, no bottom
> side vents like the larger one.

I have the large one, but no side vents. May be a cost cutting deal for the
WalMart model? I don't see a need for them yet.

"43fan" > wrote in message
>
> Do you use the wood box that came with it? Personally I use an old Bush's
> baked bean can, and then use wood chunks. I have the smaller, less
> expensive model from WallyWorld.
>

I use the box that came with it, but anything will do. It is large enough
for decent sized chunks. I like chunks because they last longer but I
often put some sawdust in there too to help it start faster.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
. net...
>
> "43fan" > wrote in message
>>
>> Do you use the wood box that came with it? Personally I use an old Bush's
>> baked bean can, and then use wood chunks. I have the smaller, less
>> expensive model from WallyWorld.
>>
>
> I use the box that came with it, but anything will do. It is large enough
> for decent sized chunks. I like chunks because they last longer but I
> often put some sawdust in there too to help it start faster.

The box that comes with the smaller one, well, if you try to put the lid on
it anyway, is way too small for chunks. It's about 6" square, maybe 1.5"
deep. That's why I went to the bean can, it fits nicely on the holder, and
rests against the water pan above.

>

"43fan" > wrote in message
. ..
> The box that comes with the smaller one, well, if you try to put the lid
> on it anyway, is way too small for chunks. It's about 6" square, maybe
> 1.5" deep. That's why I went to the bean can, it fits nicely on the
> holder, and rests against the water pan above.

That smaller one is $189 Cdn here. It looks usable, but the VC looks
usabler.
>
>>
>
>

"D. Winsor" > wrote in message
...
>
> "43fan" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> The box that comes with the smaller one, well, if you try to put the lid
>> on it anyway, is way too small for chunks. It's about 6" square, maybe
>> 1.5" deep. That's why I went to the bean can, it fits nicely on the
>> holder, and rests against the water pan above.
>
> That smaller one is $189 Cdn here. It looks usable, but the VC looks
> usabler.
>>

Biggest reason I'd like to have the larger one is, can't fit a full rack of
baby backs in without cutting them in half. And, without using a rack to
stack 'em in, I can only fit about 6-7 racks total in at one time, and
that's really pushing it.

Other than that, and the fact that I'd like to go to some of the local
competitions, but they won't allow gas models, it's a great unit. Probably
a good 10-15 people at the Richmond campground were standing around while I
did a sales pitch. *laffin* Great Outdoors should give me commission on the
10 or so units they probably sold from just that one weekend. *g*

>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

> This is what I have
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3342508
>
> You can buy a lot of ribs and briskets for the price difference, but
> it is your choice. I think they both will work about the same.

This was my first smoker. I bought the big block cover for it, and it's
weathered several winters just fine. I still use mine in the cooler months
for overnight cooking sessions.

If you fiddle around with the valve at the propane tank, you can get it down
as low as you want. I was actually having the problem with modern propane
tanks described he

Propane Tank Problems:

Noted problems with new style tanks.

Symptoms - Low or weak flame, long heat-up time, grill doesn't burn as it
should. Possible cause - The new style QCC Tanks have a safety feature built
into the tank valve which restricts the flow of gas to a low level if the
valve senses release above a certain level. This feature appears to be
causing some malfunctions. Opening the propane tank valve full open may
cause the safety device to activate. Open the valve on top of the tank 1/4
to 1/2 turn only. Do not open all the way. To reset the internal valve turn
the tank off. Disconnect the hose and regulator. Wait 5 minutes. Hook the
grill back up and slowly open the tank valve one quarter of a turn.



I'm sorry I don't have the web page that describes this, but I suppose if
anybody googled it, you'd find it.



Anyway, back to the GOSM - there's even a Yahoo email group called


dedicated to owners of the Great Outdoors Smokey Mountain propane vertical
water smokers. Those of us who own one agree it's a whole lotta trouble-free
smoker for very little money.




--
EZ
Traeger BBQ075 "Texas"
CharGriller Smokin Pro
Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Wide Body
CharmGlow 3-burner All-Stainless Gas Grill
Weber Kettle One-Touch Silver 22-1/2"
Weber Kettle Smoky Joe Silver 14-1/2"