Hey - I saw some info on a Kingfisher Smoker -
http://www.kingfisherkookers.com/kombo.htm - that advertises a water jacket
as part of the side firebox. Lotsa questions -
1) Any opinions on the value of something like a water jacket for keeping
meat moist?
2) How does it introduce the steam? Perforated pipe inside the cooking
chamber?
3) Anybody ever tried a homemade mod to do this? I've got a CharGriller. I
think it's similar to the Brinkmann SnP.
Thanks,
SuzyQ

SuzyQ wrote:
> Hey - I saw some info on a Kingfisher Smoker -
> http://www.kingfisherkookers.com/kombo.htm - that advertises a water
> jacket as part of the side firebox. Lotsa questions -

> 1) Any opinions on the value of something like a water jacket for
> keeping meat moist?

It won't keep meat moist. If water had anything to do with keeping meat
moist, then why is my mom's chunks of stew meat, boiled until tender, able
to suck the saliva out of my mouth :-).

The largest factor to meat drying out -- aside from heat -- is air movement.
Anytime you heat air, you MOVE air. Air movement is bad, unles you want to
make jerky or fruit leather.

> 2) How does it introduce the steam? Perforated pipe inside the cooking
> chamber?

Steam will make meat taste just like stew meat. It will -- as with a pan of
water -- add to the humidity which will act as a small heat
evener-outter..... It will make the inside tempuratures less prone to real
high hot spots or cold spots. But nothing will help with that issue better
than tuning the pit with baffles. Or just rotating the meat. Or rig up a
shelf that rotates.

> 3) Anybody ever tried a homemade mod to do this? I've got a
> CharGriller. I think it's similar to the Brinkmann SnP.

Suzy, I wouldn't waste the time, effort or money. Just my opinion, but this
is just a way to sell another add-on piece of equipment.
--
Dave
Dave's Pit-Smoked Bar-B-Que
http://davebbq.com/

To replicate this on a barrel smoker, get a can opener and open the top
of a soda or beer can and fill with some liquid like whisky, vinegar,
and some rub then place in the barrel on bottom as close to the fire
box as you can get it so the liquid steams out.. Works the same way,
just another way to introduce moisture into the chamber. Some people
do this as well as mop then maybe a Texas crutch at the end (getting
the meat and wrapping it in tin foil with some extra mop sauce and
place the tin foil enclosed meat back in the barrel smoker). I haven's
seen the inside of the kingfisher, just the outside, but i doubt it's
pipes and you'd need to be able to get in there and clean it every once
in a while because people seldom just put water in there. Hope this
helps.

CAS