(Part 2) Top products from r/BBQ

First off, you can grill on anything, a cheap $30 grill from Walmart will make a steak taste as good as anything else if you know what you're doing. Smoking is a little different but if you want to keep the cost down, I got a smoker from amazon for Father's day that was less than $150. After some sealing along the edges it's an excellent smoker. Some of your questions are a bit vague, a lot of it depends on what you're cooking. I do pork butts for competitions and the general rule of thumb is to cook low and slow, about 250 degrees is your sweet spot, for about an hour for each pound of meat. Once you get an idea of how your smoker handles you will know how often to add fuel and check the temperature. There are plenty of great meat thermometers available everywhere that link with your phone through Bluetooth and you can set it to alert you when the temp drops too low. Really it comes down to what you want to cook. Every type of meat has an ideal time and temp and even wood and type of cooker. I smoke ribs on a 50 gallon drum grill with hickory wood. I do my butts on a box smoker with maple wood. This is what I use for most of my smoking Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQ59VTO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_C7rGyb0MAMD9Z with various woods mixed with charcoal based on what I'm cooking. I use a separate plain barrel grill for every day grilling. I'm just one guy telling you what I use. There are a lot of ways to burn meat and I think at the end of the day you should go with what works for your budget and skill. If you're just getting into it and want to learn, get a cheap $100 smoke box. This is a great book that will teach you all the basics of cooking any type of bbq The Barbecue! Bible https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761149430/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_d.rGyb7HTT3HP . This is a great subreddit that always has a lot of good cooks showing off really good stuff so I'm sure you will get more advice, but this is my advice, I learned from a man who's won a lot of contests but I still bought that book and try to learn from many sources. Pm me if you want more specifics but it's going to come down to what you want to cook that determines how you go about doing it.

I'll second the recommendation for starting out with a Weber Kettle 22" for your first smoker if you're looking to get started doing charcoal smoking. It's the most versatile outdoor cooker you'll find for a reasonable price and it won't fall apart on you even if you abuse it, unlike others. Also, parts and accessories are far, FAR easier to find for it than any other cooker.

You can fit a full brisket or a full rack of ribs (or two) on it as long as you're careful and you rotate at least once during cooking. It has enough space to feed family and friends. You'll only need a larger smoker if you're regularly cooking for large groups of people (10 or more).

It will also use less fuel than a larger smoker like the WSM (which I also own) and it's easier to maintain temps as long as the seal on the lid isn't wonky.

If you maintain a low temperature like 225, you can get 6-8 hours out of the initial load of coal you place in the unit at the start of cooking. To give you an idea of the difference: this amounts to about a 1/4 to 1/3 of a large bag of Kingsford blue on my 22" kettle but almost an entire bag on my 22" WSM for the same duration.

Here's the exact setup I would suggest for starting out for your first few years of learning this craft:

Weber 22 inch Original Kettle - $99

Hinged, Heavy-Duty Cooking Grate (Hinges are crucial for adding charcoal in the middle of a cook and this will last quite a bit longer than the grate that comes with the vanilla Original) - $20

Slow 'N Sear smoking kit (Not 100% necessary but does make the heat way less direct, which is a very good thing when smoking)) - $90

IQ110 Automatic Temperature Regulator (Also not 100% necessary, but almost eliminates the need to tend your vents when smoking) - $140

Thermoworks Smoke (do NOT cheap out on your thermometer! Get something cheaper and you will just wind up constantly replacing probes due to them reporting false temps. You have been warned!) - $100

With this setup, you can turn out BBQ every bit as good as you can on anything short of a full-on log-burning offset smoker with just a little bit of practice, and you won't have to "baby" it. You just dump more charcoal in every 7-9 hours (depending on desired temps, wind, and leakage).

And if you decide to go with a WSM or other charcoal smoker down the road, the latter two items (temperature regulator and thermometer) can be moved over and will work just as well with it.

Even though I love love love my WSM, I find myself still using my Kettle quite a bit when I'm just cooking for myself, my immediate family, and/or one or two friends. It's just more efficient and less of a hassle.

Hope this is helpful!

Take some precautions. Don't pour burning coals directly onto the deck, keep a water hose or fire extinguisher handy, don't setup the grill against the house. (Unless the wall is brick... but even then, I'd have my reservations)

Since you're aware enough to even ask the question beforehand I'm sure you'll be cautious enough in practice that this shouldn't be a problem.

Here's what I'd recommend to get started:

Grill

Cover

Chimney Starter

Fire Starting Cubes

Tongs

I know, the grill looks cheap, and boring, and it doesn't do anything fancy, and you're absolutely correct. But the pure simplicity of this grill is it's brilliance. It does everything a good grill should:

A.) Contain fire

B.) Control Airflow

Seriously that's what a good grill needs to do. The airflow controls the temperature, and the temperature controls how your food cooks, and will change depending on what you're trying to cook. Also this grill will last as long as you're willing to take care of it, and all the pieces are replaceable, and easy to find. So if something does break, you can buy a new one, and swap it out in a few minutes. Then there are accessories galore for this thing. Google "Weber Kettle Accessories" you'll see. (Full disclaimer, I'm an Akorn fan all day every day, but I went through several iterations of gimmicky grills before settling on the Akorn, and for anyone starting out, I'd recommend getting either the kettle or the Akorn. The kettle has more accessories, and a larger cooking surface. The Akorn is a more capable smoker right out of the box, and needs fewer accessories. You weren't really asking for a recommendation on a grill, or a comparison of different grills, so I guess I got off track a little, but I've written this much now, and I'm not going back.)

tl;dr - be smart. you'll likely be fine. don't fry turkeys indoors.

Not to be "that guy," but BBQ and grilling are two related but different things. BBQ is about slow cooking using lower temperatures and hardwood, and grilling is is faster cooking over wood, charcoal, or gas. BBQ is a way of dealing with cheaper cuts of meat such as brisket and pork shoulder, where the long, slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue and dissolves the fat, which tenderizes the meat. Grilling is done usually over higher heat and works best with foods that are less fatty, such as steak, fish, burgers, and pork chops. These foods will usually dry out if cooked low and slow, so the quicker cooking works better.

You can BBQ with an inexpensive barrel smoker such as a Brinkman's Smoke'N Grill, but the kettle grills such as the Weber are really better suited to straight grilling. I know there are people who do smoking with soaked chips and gas grills, but Aaron Franklin made a good case in his book Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto that that's not true BBQ. My first unit was a "Texas hibachi," which is a 40 gallon drum split in half, and it worked just fine for what I used it for.

In any event I'd recommend getting a charcoal grill and a recipe book such as Steven Raichlen's The Barbecue! Bible and start trying recipes. It's really the best way to learn.

In his book, Barbecue Bible, which I would highly recommend, he has a recipe for caveman potatoes.

Probably the best way to cook sweet potatoes (white or orange yams) is roasting on the coals. I'll throw them on top of the coals and turn them after half an hour. Sweet, smoky, and delicious, every time. After an hour they'll be cooked perfectly, just peel off the char. You can serve them mashed, or whole. I like them with a little bit of honey butter, or even plain.

I make two of my own plus a garlic pepper blend I use as a base rub for most of my BBQ meats, but purchase 3 or 4 others that have a following on the competition trail, like Dizzy Pig or Smokin' Guns.

The best advice for making your own is to buy good spices online (storebought ones can be years old), and also check out Paul Kirk's book, it is very helpful in teaching you how to combine seasonings for your own rubs, and has good recipes too.

Got a slew of books, but as has already been mentioned, Amazing Ribs is my primary source for pertinent BBQ data. There is simply no better resource out there, print, binary or otherwise. It's my go-to for technique.

For recipes, I have a decent library. Here's just a few of my books: [Smoke and Spice by Cheryl and Bill Jamison](http://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Spice-Cooking-Real-Barbecue/dp/1558322620/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343976826&sr=1-1&keywords=smoke+and+spice0, Peace, Love and BBQ by Mike Mills, Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book by Chris Lilly, Low and Slow by Gary Wiviott, Championship Barbecue by Paul Kirk, Real Grilling by Jamie Purviance, and few specialty books like Asian Grilling by Su-Mei. All excellent resources for recipes.

I do as well. Allen Vaughn has a great website, Full Custom Gospel BBQ and he was just named as the BBQ Editor at Texas Monthly, which has got to be one of the greatest jobs of all time.

I also know people who like Myron Mixon's book, although I have never actually seen it. The cupcake chickens that have been on the frontpage this week came from it, so probably some good recipes in there as well.

It looks identical to the one I have except mine says "redi check" instead of ivation. Just went to look at my amazon cart and I bought on jan 8th 2014: "

Maverick ET733 Long Range Wireless Digital Thermometer
Set - Dual Probe - Remote BBQ / Smoker / Grill / Oven / Meat /
Thermometer - Perfect for Thanks


the link now goes to:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FM8DJHQ

which is the exact one you linked to.
ie - it's a Maverick ET733, rebranded.

Yes, I am quite happy with it and remember reading reviews before buying. It's well regarded.

Yea I didnt think butcher paper would be worth it until I tried it. It is pretty awesome, link to what I bought.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NC5S6OM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Your bark does look pretty fantastic.

Personally, I tend to cook Pork Spare Ribs when I do ribs and use only a dry rub as far as seasoning. The rub is one I bought from a local store, but you can find it on Amazon. It's called Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub (http://amzn.com/B002TT46DM). I would also research the 3-2-1 method if you choose to do Spare Ribs.


Regardless of it all, as previously said, do what you enjoy eating. You're the best judge of it.

Peace, Love and Barbeque

http://www.amazon.com/Peace-Love-Barbecue-Recipes-Outright/dp/1594861099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417791602&sr=8-1&keywords=peace%2C+love%2C+and+barbeque

The recipes in this book are fantastic, and make up the basis of many of my rub and sauce recipes.

Minor things aside, like how many sensors can be attached, how it's powered, what it physically looks like, etc, most Bluetooth LE wireless thermometers are all the same Chinese "iBBQ" guts. This is obvious when you look at the app they use, as it's always exactly the same minus the branding. See:

• Tenergy Solis
  
• Inkbird (different case, different probes, but same app == same guts)
  
• Whatever this thing is
  
• And another one
  
• And another one
  
• And another one
  
• seriously, I could do this all day
  
  Same guts, usually the same probes (Inkbird's probes seem higher quality, but I bet they're still compatible with everything else here), same app. These are all just different companies that hire a factory through Alibaba to build a custom shell (and oftentimes not even that, just slap their name on the same old shell), and then drop-ship them on Amazon.
  
  That said, the guts aren't bad. I've been using a Tenergy Solis for a little over a year, and though the probes lose their color quickly in the smoke (I can't tell the difference between yellow, orange, and purple), they're still reasonable accurate, easy to use, and I'm still on the same set of batteries from over a year ago. Range is also solid, as Bluetooth LE can go a pretty decent distance.

You might get a better response over at r/grilling.

But since you're here, I'd point out that it's going to be hard to find a new, gas grill for under $150 that's worth a damn. I recommend getting a used, 10 year old, Weber Genesis Silver or Gold with 3 burners (some only have two), or if you can find one some of them come with a side burner and an extra table (the side burner is nothing great, but the extra table is handy).

These can be found in decent shape on Craigslist for around $100 in most areas. The grill shells will last forever and the internal parts are readily available and not terribly expensive. The stainless grates are durable and ridiculously easy to clean. There are plenty of sites and blogs about refurbishing these grills, just google it.

If Grandma is set on buying something new, then I'd go with the 22-inch Weber Kettle Premium charcoal grill. This thing is iconic for a reason. They're very well made, they're built to last, you can buy replacement parts and upgrades to cook just about whatever you want.

I also purchased from amazon [this](Pink Butcher Kraft Paper Roll - 18 " x 175' (2100") Peach Wrapping Paper for Beef Briskets - USA Made - All Natural FDA Approved Food Grade BBQ Meat Smoking Paper - Unbleached Unwaxed Uncoated Sheet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCCQ9K4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_AOeFAbB16G7MW)

It is awesome and a normal amount.

My favs

Peace, Love, & Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies

and amazon knows me so well the others come up on the same page (for me at least)

Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto

Smoke & Spice, Updated and Expanded 3rd Edition: Cooking With Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue

Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling

If you absolutely have to stay under $50 then go with this..

http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Remote-Smoker-Thermometer-ET-73/dp/B0000DIU49

If you want to spend a little more get this one...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FM8DJHQ?psc=1



I own that first one and i've never had any problems with it. It's the older model (that's why it's cheaper) but the thing has been rock solid for me. You cant go wrong with Maverick. They're commonly recommended for a reason.

Whatever you choose make sure it's a wireless one. I can sit my ass on the couch and watch the game and know exactly what's going on outside. It's great!

I think you've got the grill grate. The ECB charcoal pan is 15", and should be ~13" inside the bowl. The Smokey Joe cooking grate ( Weber 7431) is 14.5", but the charcoal grate ( Weber 7439 ) is 10.5".

You could also buy the 10" Brinkmann charcoal grate, which might work better than the Weber 10.5". Consider drilling some holes in the bottom if you do this, as it also helps airflow.

edit: use a few pieces of brick to prop the grate up a bit, otherwise. So long as there is 1" of gap or less on the outside it should be fine for briquettes.

If you like electric I recommend you go with a Masterbuilt pro. This is hte one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-20070411-30-Inch-Controller-Electric/dp/B003XJGEGY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1467319050&sr=8-6&keywords=masterbuilt+pro

and I usually use a AMAZ-N pelet smoker at the bottom instead of the wood chip feeder.

https://www.amazon.com/A-MAZE-N-AMNPS5X8-Pellet-Smoker/dp/B007ROPJ1M/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1467318800&sr=8-7&keywords=pellet+smoker

This has worked out well for me and I have made many nice racks of ribs and a few small briskets. This 4th will be my first attempt a a larger brisket.

I just used this Grill Mates Sweet and Smokey I found at Walmart. Today I'm trying ribs and I found this Plowboy's Yardbird rub recommended on the Interne so I picked some up (found it at Ace Hardware of all places). I put it on the ribs about an hour ago and I must say it smells a lot better than the Grill Mates, if you can find that I recommend it (just by smell haven't gotten to taste it yet).

I don't know much about gas smokers other than this one, so if it's a gas smoker you want, I can't help.

However, if you are looking for a general recommendation, I would go with a WSM. It's what replaced my gas smoker, and I have been happy with it over the last 4 years since I got it. To make things easier so that the smoker doesn't have to have a babysitter, I also got a temperature regulator which allows overnight briskets as well as sleep.

The price is a bit steep for each of these, but it has been well worth it because of the end product.

This doesn't help with cleaning, but if you do end up buying a new grate, make sure you get one with hinged openings on either side. This is a lifesaver for adding more charcoal or wood to your grill after you've put the food on.

Here's the $20 standard Weber replacement grate with hinges: https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7436-Replacement-Hinged-Cooking/dp/B000WEPHKW/

For $35, here's the fancy, heavy-duty version with the removable center ring (also hinged), which works with the Gourmet BBQ System:
https://www.amazon.com/Weber-8835-Gourmet-System-Cooking/dp/B0044EQM9Q

I have the 18 1/2 version of this smoker and I frequented The Virtual Weber Bullet for a while. Great place to start, specifically with the smoker we share. I picked up a chimney, some paraffin fire starter cubes, stole a pair of my wife's pot holders and these bad boys. Have fun!

Just get a Smokenator. I have one and it works incredibly well. So far I have used it to smoke brisket, pork shoulder and two whole chickens.

Edit: If you go with the Smokenator, you'll definitely want to pick up a hinged replacement cooking grate like this one. It makes loading charcoal and wood and refilling the water pan much easier.

Cooker: Kingsford Barrel Grill (Not technically a smoker, but I've learned to BBQ on anything).

Time: 3 1/2 hours for whole chicken and 2 hours for wings.

Temp: 250F

Wood: Hickory

Equipment: Tenergy Solis Digital Meat Thermometer w/6 probes. This was my first time using it after I bought it and I was very impressed. Used 1 probe to read cooking chamber temp and one for the whole chicken. Worth the $54 and uses a Bluetooth app.

Edit: link to thermometer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077821Z4C?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Oh man.. Totally forgot to mention thermometers.

The gold standard is these -
Maverick ET-733 You can also go with the older ET-732

And any good cook has a Thermapen. Yes, they are worth the money.

I've done 10+ before and found using these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007ZGURK/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01
It didn't take too long, it is not like you are doing a competition turn in so with those and some bear claws it worked great. I have never tried a drill or kitchen aid, just seems like overkill

Here’s a link to butcher paper on amazon:

Pink Butcher Kraft Paper Roll - 18" x 175' (2100") Peach Wrapping Paper for Beef Briskets - USA Made - All Natural FDA Approved Food Grade BBQ Meat Smoking Paper - Unbleached Unwaxed Uncoated Sheet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCCQ9K4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ASO6CbVN16XSP

Peace, Love and BBQ. Mike Mills, baby!

I like all the books by Paul Kirk. His Championship Barbecue Sauces gives instructions on how to develop your own sauce and rubs. I think that is the second book I ever bought and it is sitting next to me as I type this.

http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Kirks-Championship-Barbecue-Sauces/dp/155832125X/ref=pd_sim_b_6

I've got these and love them

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XAL1QE/ref=psdc_3563992011_t3_B00L5GL3HC

​

Those are just for handling meat. I also have some welders gloves for handling hot metal objects. I use them with the charcoal chimney or when I have a metal pan in the grill/smoker than I need to handle.

alton brown had the best answer: http://www.amazon.com/IQ110-Temperature-Regulator-Standard-Adapter/dp/B00A7F1B60/

I used this one works great Fireblack Hi Temp BBQ smoker Gasket Self Stick 15 ft High Heat 1/2 x 1/8 Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TAJW0QE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oVBkDbBJ9N76H

THIS The wood scraper he is talking about. I have one and it works great.

I recommend Paul Kirk's Championship BBQ Sauces. Worth every last penny, and has way more than just sauces. It's got seasonings, marinades, infused oils, curry powders, rubs, I mean, you name it, it's got it.

This is a shameless unaffiliated promotion, and I approve this message.

yeah thats what i had and hated it too. idk how those get so recommended. its noisy and had a terrible interface

i replaced it with some chinese white-label thing with 6 probes thats been way better. https://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-Thermometer-Controlled-Bluetooth-Stainless/dp/B077821Z4C/

the app is way easier to program and use and it doesnt beep incessently. the cables have metal braiding which seems nice but they tend to kink up, though that hasnt effected functionality at all. i still use my instant-read to verify things but its good enough to track cooking

I used this on my BGE. https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Gasket-Adhesive-Large-Kevlar/dp/B004MNW1TE. It's not magic, but it works a lot better than the one that came on it.

I have these gloves and they are wonderful.

http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Raichlen-Best-Barbecue-Insulated/dp/B0007ZGURK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425917900&sr=8-1&keywords=+B0007ZGURK+|+B003FZAVZ6|B0007ZGURU

I used to own one of these Chargriller table-top grills. It was the best little grill I ever owned. I gave it away when I moved to the big city, cuz there was no more room in the moving van. I really miss that little grill. I took it everwhere. Fishing, camping, the bicycle races, mountain biking, the beach. I've done everything from a whole chicken on it, to smoking ribs (can get 2 racks of baby backs in there). You can fit 3-4 whole, bone-in chicken breasts in there at a time. The only down-side is that the paint is NOT a high temperature paint, and if you want the unit to last, you'll need to periodically spray it down with vegetable oil to keep it from rusting.

... hell.. I might buy myself another one for my birthday :)

edit: obviously, if you want something that's still small, but has taller legs - get the taller one.

Run away from that and get this:

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-14401001-Original-Premium-Charcoal/dp/B00MKB5TXA/ref=dp_ob_title_garden

You will be much happier.

Seal it up well! Install a high heat gasket like this around both doors. Use high heat silicon to seal any joints. The key to working with an offset is to be able to completely control airflow. You can't do that if the thing isn't sealed well.




Make sure the smoker you buy is a good quality steel too. Ultra cheap offset smokers use very thin grade metal that won't properly hold or distribute heat.







I was buying bags of Kingsford smoking logs at Home Depot, but at $18 per cubic foot it was getting expensive. I sourced a firewood supplier in my area that sells hickory and bought a bunch of it for much cheaper. I'll probably still go to Home Depot for mesquite since I use it less often and it's impossible to find in New Jersey.

I agree with above comments on being able to smoke on these. I honestly use my Weber kettle more than my WSM. Pick up one of these bad boys and don’t worry about adding a thermometer to the grill itself (they aren’t as accurate anyways because they’re positioned at the top-where all the hot air is). ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Remote Digital Cooking Food Meat Thermometer with Dual Probe for Smoker Grill BBQ Thermometer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GE77QT0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ggTSDbJ65VRF0. You can put a probe in the meat and one on the grate and bob’s your uncle. Made many a fine Boston butt/rack of ribs on my kettle. You did good.

Forgot to mention-set it up indirect. I bought the Weber charcoal baskets to hold the charcoal. You’ll also want one of those grates where the edges lift up so you can add coals on a longer smoke. Weber Hinged Cooking Grate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WEPHKW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1jTSDbAVXC5C3

Here's a good link on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NC5S6OM

sorry. I probably explained it wrong. All weber grills have two grates. One that you put your meat on the the 2nd smaller one on the bottom that you put the charcoal on.

When I normally smoke on my weber grill (some people say that these 3 words should not be in the same sentence, but I digress) The top grate holds the meat to one side and the charcoal is held off to the other side with these rails on the bottom smaller grate.

So, on the bottom grate you have a portion of the grate being used by the charcoal and the rest free space. In this picture you see aluminum foil covering the bottom grate not taken up by the charcoal basket. (this is what I do) I have read that you can place some meat on the aluminum foil on the lower grate and then have 3 pieces of meat smoking.

I've seen good things about this: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Scrape-Woody-Paddle-Natural/dp/B013S1SM4I but I haven't actually used it.

No, they are not.
I have this set of gloves for pulling meat off of the smoker, and pulling the boston butt apart. They are very nice for hot things.

Thermopop

This bacon cure with the recipe tied to a mason jar filled with the cure.

Head lamp

Clam Shell Tongs

Roll of Heavy Duty Foil

Roll of Pink Paper

Spool of Butchers Twine

Polder wired probe thermometer

Instead of a basket throw everything on a decent sheet tray.

This is what I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XCCQ9K4/

I picked up a 6 probe digital not to long ago for $60

Seems there out of stock now but they have a 2 probe for $27

its a scraper

Bbq Bible

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0761149430/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?qid=1417791485&sr=8-1-spell&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

How to Grill

One of my go to books

Slow n' sear plus a gasket kit make all the difference in the world.

Fireblack Hi Temp BBQ smoker Gasket Self Stick 15 ft High Heat 1/2 x 1/8 Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TAJW0QE?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Here are a couple I'm thinking of checking out:

https://smile.amazon.com/Smokin-Myron-Mixon-Winningest-Barbecue/dp/0345528530/ref=sr_1_2?

https://smile.amazon.com/Complete-Wood-Pellet-Barbeque-Cookbook/dp/0757003370/ref=sr_1_21?

This is what I use:

Pink/Peach Butcher Paper Roll 18" X 150' in Durable Carry Tube https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NC5S6OM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kO4uxbDWZ2209

Pink Butcher Paper Kraft Roll 18"... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NC5S6OM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

What Weber do you have? The grill or the smokey Mountain smoker?

If the grill, you can purchase a hinged grate that you can simply lift the hinged section to add more charcoal.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-7436-Replacement-Hinged-Cooking/dp/B000WEPHKW

Mr. Bar-B-Q Insulated Barbecue Gloves https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XAL1QE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7PLKAbW59T5ZJ

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Bar-B-Q-Insulated-Barbecue-Gloves/dp/B000XAL1QE

Not quite the same but the ET733 is one sale on amazon.ca for $69.99: http://www.amazon.ca/Maverick-Range-Wireless-Smoker-Thermometer/dp/B00FM8DJHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395533783&sr=8-1&keywords=maverick+et+732

Plowboys Yardbird Rub:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002TT46DM?pc_redir=1414337082&robot_redir=1

You can replace the smoker box with this:

http://www.amazon.com/Char-Griller-2-2424-Table-Charcoal-Grill/dp/B003HFFVJK/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1451548600&sr=1-2&keywords=brinkmann+smoker+box

Just knock out the blank on the side and it should be a direct bolt up.

Char griller sells a firebox attachment I found a thread where they attached it to their brinkman pit.

http://www.amazon.com/Nomex-Gasket-Adhesive-Upgrade-Large/dp/B004MNW1TE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347637019&sr=8-1&keywords=nomex+gasket

Something similar to this I am guessing?

Lived two years in an apt complex that did not allowed charcoal grills so... bought a MES. This is what I got for it that helped with the smoke and bark.

I switched to just using pellets instead because I had so many issues trying to get the tray to work. Bought one of these things - https://www.amazon.com/MAZE-N-Pellet-Smoker-Smoking-Works/dp/B007ROPJ1M

Better grab them soon. That's the older version. (Nothing wrong with it, just pointing it out).

I just bought the [newer one] (http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-ET-733-Wireless-Smoker-Thermometer/dp/B00FM8DJHQ/ref=pd_sbs_lg_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1457FKKPAPZXSEDTKA99), last week.

No, it's a Nomex one from amazon. Link

Mine is 10.5" in diameter (using two of these grates criss-crossed and bailing wire-tied). On the sides I used expanded metal (two sheets as found at Home Depot), bolted together with some legs on bottom. I made a handle out of the C-shaped bolts from hardware store. I used the Instructables UDS basket as guide.

Mine requires refilling through long smokes, but my smoker is not a true UDS (instead, it's two barrels forming a "T"), so I believe it goes through more fuel because of this. I was also limited by the door size I have though, so if you can make a bigger one, I suggest it.

My disdain for pellet smokers is probably no secret, but being that this was a gift, I'll tell you what I've learned from them. Don't sell a gift, especially from your father in law. That's a dick move.

1. You're going to end up with a shitload of pellets from a shitload of different manufacturers. Start here. Maybe here too.
   
   
2. You're probably going to want one of these, too, because they don't put out a ton of smoke to begin with.
   
   
3. There's a little button on it that you can use to adjust the auger speed. That'll add more/less pellets per temperature setting. You'll probably have to adjust that based on ambient temperature, because if it goes too fast, it'll clog up and stop burning. That little button is, in my opinion, stupidly hidden, and should be a knob right on the front of the control panel.
   
   
4. Depending on the model, you can seal the chamber a LOT better than it comes from the factory to keep more smoke in and on the food. For the first round, feel free to shove foil in. Long-term, use the same gasket strips that you'd use on a BGE, like this.
   
   
5. WARNING: This one can cause a fire. Again, depending on which model, you can restrict the airflow from the smoke stack. This may or may not cause the heat to flow back up through the auger, and result in a very, very unfortunate mishap. If you decide to try this one, be very, very careful. I'd advise against it, but hey, this is NEWFREELAND.
   
   
6. People will tell you to put it on "smoke" before cooking. This is a bad idea. You probably won't get food poisoning from doing this until you're really, really comfortable with that process. If you're doing something that has nitrates in it, by all means, go for it. Otherwise, fucking yikes.
   
   There are a ton of other things you can try, but these will definitely get you started.