Mac's BBQ, ...The "Artisan" CSG, ..first look in the flesh

[GUS]

Well, she's arrived, & boy has someone been beefing this one up with a steroid filled brine injector or what!?

Whilst no-one who owns the regular Mac's csg would ever describe it as "average" first impressions of the Artisan is like putting your shoes by that of a pro league basketball giants & the incredulous look you give it ....and you thought you were a big boy eh!?

In case you are wondering, it runs to the same depth in terms of its framework (when filling) but the sheer size is like comparing a stream against a river in terms of capacity, the supplied weight of smoking dust amounting to 298g bagged weight, (if I recall correctly the regular csg comes supplied with 98g).

channel width on reg csg 24.42 mm (according to my cheapo diy range micrometer)
channel width on artisan 48.18 mm

Depth on both remains the same, top to bottom around the 25.28mm mark.

Side by side the unit consists of the same gauge wire & chrome frame (hey, the proven design formula works so well in such a simple form, why change now & add confusion) !?

Get ready to wear a track into your lawn "just checking it's still alight" ...this one is going to pull an all nighter, ..may as well install a remote I.P. camera & save yourself the bother getting dew on your feet, I have a feeling this is going to be both a capacious & kick-ass performer.

Welcome to Mac's smokehouse, ...you wanna go LARGE!? ..course you do.


Pictures to follow,

[wheels]

Thanks Gus.

Phil

[GUS]

Got her going at 6.30pm tonight to start off 4kg of mozzarella.

Additional info: as we all know, microwaving the dust beforehand helps prevent "fizzle out" & ensures a good overnight burn (mostly) to achieve this you have to carefully pile a dinner plate till it resembles the potato mash mountain on close encounters, ..this also means you need a BIG old tray to sit the Artisan on ready for filling, & i'd recommend a bread knife or similar to spread the filling evenly, (it is capacious indeed).

Such was the qty of wood-dust I did 3 x 3.30 minute full power turns in the microwave, mixing & cooling in a couple of containers, subsequently the pottery plate was incredibly hot (thank goodness for the pro-q heat mitts, I needed em).

hopefully doing some pulled pork later this week.

wish me luck.

[GUS]

Still going strong approaching 8 am, the next morning, outside under very wet / damp conditions, with a couple of turns to go, (6.30pm - 8.00am = 12.5hrs current burn time)


Estimate i'll get 15hrs burn out of it. (which appears to be 2 full capacity burns in terms of dust material based on previous measurements).

Either way, i'm getting used to the small bbq smoker for over winter, maybe some more vent required, but it was taking colour very nicely, taste & venting another matter obviously.

However I remain positive.

(not looking forward to cleaning it mind)

[GUS]

A lick more smoke?



(I need to learn about re-sizing images, ..but the fact is i'd rather be smoking)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2G8OUHCMAA7k4S.jpg:large

[welsh wizard]

Hi Gus

I am teetering on the edge of asking Father Christmas for one of these but read on the Hotsmoked web site that the artisan CSG is suited for smokers of 170L. My Bradley is c103L and I was wondering if it would work successfully in that or would the food come out a little acrid? It is I suppose a question of ventilation at the end of the day to get a good throughput, but I would be interested in your thoughts and also what size smoker did you try it in?

Cheers WW

[GUS]

Hi WW.

I'm still at the testing stage, & therefore hoping I haven't ruined anything cold smoked made thus far, it's sitting in the fridge / larder for maturation purposes.

Due to a leak in my workshop office I had to strip it out along the side where the indoor smoker was set up & vented, I'm still approaching the fix due to the technical nature of roofing ventilation & the rubbish that are "GRP roofing" firms lest I cause more problems.

Therefore I have risked acrid smoke overkill by means of do it or lose it..
My freecycle weber is a smallish unit, I haven't come across a decent price for stove paint for my barrel bbq to finish that off & allow the artisan to stretch it's legs some more.

However the smoke was as expected the acridity I sampled straight after smoking based on duplicate calculations of smoke exposure output appears ok, smell on all samples was ok, as was appearance, ..too early to tell just yet though.
the vent was less open than i'd have liked, but it appeared there was a good throughflow, moisture was / is my problem currently.

So far the artisan wins out for me based on size for cleaning when giving it a scrub, the wide channels allow you to whiz round it, I will try & run a partial channel fill based on a measured fill for the regular csg & see how it runs.

I do plan to make a proper outdoor shed eventually but the interior unit "was the height & width of your typical interior doors, with exhaust venting from the top. (haven't calculated interior litres capacity.)

[welsh wizard]

Thanks Gus

That is most helpful. I am pretty sure its all down to the throughput so if Farther Christmas is willing and financially able, it will be a longer smoking Christmas for the Welsh wizard........

[wheels]

170L? Isn't that about the size of a chest height fridge?

Mmm...

Just saying!

[welsh wizard]

Depends on how tall you are

sorry couldn't resist that one.....................

[wheels]

Nice one!

It'd be worth considering though 'cos then it'd free up your Bradley for hot-smoking.

Phil

[welsh wizard]

I must admit I have not used the Bradley for hot smoking for over 20 years. I find the pucks they provide give a real taint to the food (possibly the glue they use), not nice IMO. Also they are bloomin expensive and a faff...................sorry its not that Im anti Bradley as I am sure I like a lot of people on here, i cut my teeth on the Bradley and I used to think it the best thing since sliced bread, but alas no more..................

Cheers WW

[wheels]

It's a pricey cold smoking box. I'd 'float it' for sale on a well known auction site, with a opening bid price to cover its replacement chamber, and hope it flies.

Phil

[welsh wizard]

Trust me after over 20 years of use the only person who wants this is the scrap man however I am looking for another cold smoking chamber if you have any advice. Oh and I am totally useless at practical things so it would have to be off the shelf. Not one that I would have put up obviously...........

[wheels]

Only advice is to ask around. Mine came from a friend of a friend who overheard us talking in the pub. A stainless box the size of a small fridge for a tenner. I was chuffed!