Diamond Plate Smoker Question

Sticks-n-Chicks · Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Kansas City

I just ordered a DPP and hope to have it in the next 4 weeks. Question for any of the DPP owners.

1. What do you typically smoke with?

2. How did you season the smoker?

3. What do you typiclly do when startng the smoke up?

4. Any Suggestions?

cl007ark · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Deer Park, Texas

1. I smoke with pretty much oak. Have use some hickory and mes.
2.Ran the fire at about 300 for about 5 hours, spraying the inside with Pam about every 30-45 min.
3.Load the basket with charcoal and use the propane assist to start it up once going good throw about 2-3 splits on and kill the propane. she's ready to run in about 20-30 min.
4. Just play around with the damper system until you figure how to maintain temps. I went to my first C/O and fought the heat the whole day. After about three cooks on it I got it figured out. Alot of good threads on here about the DPP.
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Andy
Around the Corner Cookers
DPP Fat50

Slobberin' Hog · Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 20 Location: K.C. MO

Hey Sticks,

We got our Fat 40 in Feb. You will not be disapointed. We got ours used from Okie Jay so it was already seasoned. As far as getting the fire going, we start with one chimney full of charcoal then throw a couple of sticks on top of that. Then we repeat this process one more time. After that it is one or two sticks every hour. We leave the fire box dampers all the way open and close the stack dampers about a quarter of the way. This gives you a pretty blue smoke for the entire cook. We use oak and hickory in our cooker. Just the right amount of flavor. The only issue we have with the cooker in getting the ashes out of the fire box because the wood tray sits a little low in the box. The best thing we found to get to the ashes is an old golf club. We use a sand wedge to just scrape the ashes out.
Where abouts in KC are you? We are just north of Liberty. Are you going to cook in any comps this year? If you want to see the Fat 40 in action we will be cooking the weekend of Aug. 15th and 16th in Excelsior Springs. If you have any questions feel free to drop me an line. I'll help if I can.

Gary,
Slobber'n Hog Bar-B-Crew
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DP Fat 40
Webber Kettle

Florida Boy · Posted: Jul 17 2008 Post subject:

I smoke with mainly Oak and some pecan for major cooks. I seasoned mine with veggie oil. First as Travis stated before first thing take to car wash and wash all the machine oil off inside and then oil the top bottom and all the grates every part of the inside. Starting up if wood is dry enough put two splits on each end of fire box and light log starter for 20 min. If not lay bed of lump and hit log starter for 20 min(make sure both doors are left open) then the last 5 min of the 20 put two splits at each door. I always like at least two splits at each door for each snout
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We Smoke Country Style cuz we are Country Boyz
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OddThomas · Posted: Jul 17 2008 Post subject: Re: Diamond Plate Smoker Question

texbbqpits · Posted: Jul 18 2008 Post subject:

Previous answers are pretty much what I do with my 50 model. I primarily use post oak and red oak with some hickory every now and then blended in. I personally don't like pure hickory for the fire. I also used PAM to season the unit for about 4 hours with an application about once an hour. Be sure and wash out the grill area prior to seasoning. Start up times vary with the wood and how much it is aged. The oak I'm presently using is about 18 months old and extremely dense and hard and takes about 30 minutes for a good start with the gas starter. Last batch was not as dense and required less time. I usually start with two or three sticks on each end (4-6 sticks total) depending on size.
I don't recommend using a water hose to wash out the fire box. I sprayed mine out several times with no problem, but I also sprayed it out and got mud (ash and water) into several of the holes in the fire starter and it was a pain to get it out. (Used an air compressor on high with a long snout and them connected the air compressor hose to the gas hose for the burner). I usually just use a brush or an old shop vac now.
Good luck with your pit. You're gonna love it. Tom r
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Home made offset
Bradley 6 Rack Digital

Sticks-n-Chicks · Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Kansas City

OddThomas and texbbqpits

Great information thank you so much.

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jul 18 2008 Post subject:

I went out an d bought an HVLP gravity paint spray gun, and 3 quarts of veggy oil.

Fired up the air compressor and painted every surface of this cooker with the oil before lighting the first fire.

I got a good coal bed going with lump and nicely seasoned wood, then added some less seasoned splits (the ends were actually bubbling sap when they got going)

This way I cooked the oil onto the steel, then coated it with a light coat of creosote from the unseasoned wood. Not to the point of being sticky, but to bake it on solid so it does not flake off and expose bare steel

A freind (that is not too bright when it comes to stuff like this) thought that the racks were painted with black paint. He tried to scrape it off with his fingernail and swore up and down it was painted and not from my seasoning and burn-in.

You can get an affordable spray gun from Harbor Freight tools, I always prefer gravity feed as opposed to siphon models, they are just easier to use especially at odd angles.
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

Poppa's PTL Club · Posted: Jul 18 2008 Post subject:

OK, once you have it seasoned, you clean it out after every cook with water (obviously, no soap).

How often do you guys re-season, if at all?
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I likes to eat 'da pig!
Acts 11:5-9

OddThomas · Posted: Jul 18 2008 Post subject:

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Jul 19 2008 Post subject:

I have been running mine with the charcoal/water pans, So I have only had to remove those for a scraping. and I hit the racks with the torch to burn off the mung to get it crispy, then hit those with a scraper & brush.

Mine has seen the carwash only once, I added about 5 gallons of water here and 1 quart of 'SmokeHouse Cleaner" I let that slosh around on the way to the carwash. and blew out the grease that way. it came out squeky clean.

Re-oiled the affected areas and cooked it in again.

*
Smokehouse cleaner is a food-safe solution that cuts through grease and creosote. It is USDA approved for use in food production area's.

I got a sample from my main chemical guy to try and I like it.
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

OddThomas · Posted: Jul 19 2008 Post subject:

Poppa's PTL Club · Posted: Jul 19 2008 Post subject:

The weed burner is a great thing. You can get them cheap at Northern Tool. I'll also head down to m local restaurant supply store and ask them about the cleaner. It's caustic, so I'm wary, but I've dropped nastier stuff before.

Because mine has the grill added, the charcoal/water pans are not something I can add on. I am thinking I might try to fabricate some sort of removable flat plate that would sit on top of the snouts in the cook chamber to even out the heat a little more. I'm brand new to the cooker, so I've got a ways to go to make it work for me.
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I likes to eat 'da pig!
Acts 11:5-9