Braunfels Black Diamond smoker
Dean Braun
$179. What are the feelings out there concerning this smoker. It seems to
be higher quality than other smokers I've seen (heavy duty construction,
thicker metal, ect....). What, if any, modifications need to be made to
improve its cooking? What are the benefits it has over a home-made one of a
similar design?
Thanks in Advance........Dean Braun (no relation)
drew cutter
in the last year. New braunfels were bought out this year. The only
thing you need to do new braunfels is come up with some type of regular
for the smoke flow / temperature . Usally home made device. A good
smoker (professional BBQ quality) will cost you around 300 + . OK joes
got bought out by the same company.
Billy Bob
Dean Braun wrote:
> I've been dieing to get into real BBQ and saw the Black Diamond on sale for
> $179. What are the feelings out there concerning this smoker. It seems to
> be higher quality than other smokers I've seen (heavy duty construction,
> thicker metal, ect....). What, if any, modifications need to be made to
> improve its cooking? What are the benefits it has over a home-made one of a
> similar design?
>
>
I have had my NBBD for 3 years and I really like it. I converted mine to
propane as you will find it to be a bit labor intensive. Get the thermometer
and get a cover. Mods are possible to make it more efficient. You gotta ask
around. There are some very clever modifications that can be made.Good luck
Billy Bob
dst...@my-dejanews.com
WRONG Mr. Cutter. You have been slamming the quality of New Braunfels for
some time. I replied to you before on the BBQ Forum. As a matter of fact New
Braunfels is learning and listening to its cutomers. They have changed the
design of the Black Diamond so that the smoke stack is lower in the cook
chamber. The thickness of the steel is .104" thk 12 gauge. The same as it
has always been. The fit on some of the doors is not as good as it used to
be. But, for the money, they do the job. I do not work for NB, but am a
satisified owner of their Bandera model, a design with a vertical chamber
only, that no other smoker company presently makes. The only mod I needed to
make to mine is a installed a sheet metal baffle over the firebox opening.
-Dave
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The Boogie Man
<sa...@extremezone.com> wrote:
>I've been dieing to get into real BBQ and saw the Black Diamond on sale for
>$179. What are the feelings out there concerning this smoker. It seems to
>be higher quality than other smokers I've seen (heavy duty construction,
>thicker metal, ect....). What, if any, modifications need to be made to
>improve its cooking? What are the benefits it has over a home-made one of a
>similar design?
>
>Thanks in Advance........Dean Braun (no relation)
>
Dean --
Not sure, but sounds as if you may be following the same road I took.
About a month ago, I bought a Black Diamond (same price, plus added
10% for senior citizen) then turned around and added the NB
thermometer ($29) and the cover ($30).
Previously, I was using a "modified" Thermos Gas grill, then also an
inexpensive ($30) and highly modified Brinkmann vertical smoker. In
each case I was able to improve on the barbecue through modifications,
but the final answer is to stop fooling around, spend the money, and
get a good unit designed for the task.
The New Braunfels Black Diamond does exactly what I wanted to do --
burn hickory and slow cook/smoke North Carolina style pork barbecue.
With the gas grill previously, I could get the lower temperature I
wanted (225-250 degrees) but the smoker box was just not effective
enough and had the added drawback of raising the cook temperature
above my desired range.
I've read the other comments offered to you so far, and have to agree
with dstarr that the quality is sufficient and satisfactory. The
smokestack extends well into the cooking area, and there's no problem
at all in keeping the smoke in. The fuel-box damper assembly (coupled
with varying the amount of fuel in the burn) plus the smokestack
damper is more than adequate for controlling the
temperature/atmosphere within. I generaly try for 240-250 degrees on
the thermometer, which is actually reading about 20 to 30 degrees
higher than at the meat, depending on it's placement. I also run a
digital probe in the meat, cooking it to around 185 degrees.
If you want to spend more you can -- Klose makes some upscale models
that have an excellent reputation, but they are understandably more
expensive. I passed on Brinkmann's counterpart to the Black Diamond
--the ones I saw on display were relatively unstable, plus the doors
fit poorly or were warped. Perhaps some of that can be corrected by
re-shaping the doors duiring assembly, or by opening/checking the unit
before buying it. Either way, I'm not willing to take on a
manufacturer's quality control problems. Since the price was about the
same, the Black Diamond's quality of door fit and metal gauge made it
the logical preferred choice.
So far, I have not identified any "modifications" to the unit's basic
operation. I may drill a drain hole and add a hanging can for fat
collection, but little else. I'm looking forward to using the Black
Diamond a lot next year -- especially after having cut a pickup truck
full of Hickory this morning -- give that until next April/May to dry,
and there'll be some serious barbecuing then!
Regards,
The "Boogie" Man
I was a little surprised and amused with Billy Bob's comment about
having converted his unit to gas (for ease of operation) -- especially
since I was looking for just the opposite -- a full scale wood burner.
Hey -- whatever it takes to do what you want to, makes sense to me.
The time could come where I would do the same, but right now I have
the Black Diamond dedicated to burning "logs" and doing pork barbecue,
and the Thermos will be doing what it does best -- high temp grilling
-- steaks, tuna, and salmon. And it's just as well -- barbecue leaves
a real mess to clean up in a gas grill, especially if you want to use
it the next time for something delicate like broiled salmon.
Joseph O'Connell
information on the various brands available, their strengths and weaknesses,
upgrades and improvements you can make, etc. etc.
Take a look at it at http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/
Joe
btw -- today I q'd 2 butts for Pulled Pork sandwiches -- on the NBBD --
couldn't be happier.
JenSummers
<ocon...@lex.net> writes:
>The place to start is with the BBQ FAQ: there you will find lots of
>information on the various brands available, their strengths and weaknesses,
>upgrades and improvements you can make, etc. etc.
>
>Take a look at it at http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/
>
>Joe
>
>
This is an excellent website for information on how to improve the NBBD smoker.
I bought a NBBD smoker for my husband and he modified the smoker according to
the instructions found at this site and the smoke trail is from the firebox
over the food and out the smoke stack. When he first bought it, smoke would
pour out everywhere and it didn't burn efficiently; oh yes, and the thermometer
was 75 degrees higher. Consequently, we bought an over themometer and the
items outlined in the modification at the above website. The smoker is
"buttoned up" and is as perfect as it can get.
Not living south of the Mason Dixon Line means that the heavier, better built
smokers aren't available to us up North. The shipping of the heavier 10 gauge
smokers is about the cost of a smoker, around $200 or so.
Good Luck.
Jennifer Summers
Jack Schidt
built
smokers aren't available to us up North. The shipping of the heavier 10
gauge
smokers is about the cost of a smoker, around $200 or so.
Good Luck.<<
EVERYTHING is available to us north of the MD line. you should have learned
this 133 years ago.
Drew cutter
price drop since they were bought out. If they are listening to the
customer that great - I'm only commenting on New braunfel that were
produce when they were bought out around June and what has been said on
the professional bbq bullentin boards .
I don't see how they can drop their prices and maintain the same
quality for the professional bbq taste. I'm not a welder so I can't
comment on the quality of their welds or sheet metal used . The prices
have drop around 100.00 on their grills. New braunfel have been gear
toward the more serious bbq'er before they were bought out ( a little
pricey before they were bought out around here). I can't see much
difference in other grills that I see at kmart , etc and new braunfels.
As far as the vertical chamber Pitt and Spitts has a model. Its been my
under standing that Pitt and spitts was bought out.