My smoker door fell off right before a brisket cook last Saturday

I was preheating my offset smoker for a 15 pound brisket I got from the local butcher in Tulsa. The door hinge pin just snapped clean off when I opened it to add some hickory chunks. I had to rig it shut with baling wire and a cinder block so it would hold temp. Has anybody else had a hinge fail on a cheaper pit like mine?

2 comments

2 Comments

max_ramirez481mo ago

Haha, the cinder block rig takes me back. My cheap pit's hinge bolt sheared right off mid-flip of a pork butt last summer, and I ended up using a fireplace brick and a bungee cord to keep the door shut. It smoked fine but I looked like I was cooking with a science fair project strapped to the side. At least you got the brisket going, that's what counts.

casey8431mo ago

Did you catch that episode of Meathead's podcast where he talks about hinge bolts being the first thing to go on cheap smokers? Seems like everyone's got a story like yours, @max_ramirez48, but at least you kept it rolling. I swear half this hobby is just figuring out what junk around the house can stand in for a twenty dollar replacement part.