The Char-Griller.......... reborn

It may have been quiet around this blog for a few weeks......... and that's because we've been working on a special project! When I first got into smoking meat, I started with a Masterbuilt Pro propane smoker. It has served us well................... really well in fact (to the point that we lovingly refer to it as "Ole Faithful.")

Something was gnawing at me, though. As delicious as the food was coming off of Ole Faithful, I knew (and was reminded by several online posters) that “true BBQ” comes from charcoal sourced heat. After scoring a deal at Home Depot for a short Bullet, we sold that and found this Char-Griller Outlaw on Craigslist. I'll be the first to admit, she wasn't much to look at. Five to six years of neglect had taken its toll. However, the seller took my $15 after I verified that all of the rust was merely a surface issue. 

What the Char-Griller looked like when we brought
it home. 

 I knew I wanted a good looking piece so we wheeled it into the garage and busted out the Ryobi grinders and sanders. It took one long Friday night (and a few wire wheels) to expel the orange dust from the surface but it was well worth it. A quick trip to the car wash and a pat dry from some old towels meant were ready for paint the next morning. In this restoration, I used a few Rustoleum high temp products to make the ole Char-Griller light up (no pun intended.) I hit all the parts with the 2,000 degree primer for two coats with a light sanding in between. 

When it came time to paint the barrel and fire box, I wantedsomething that would pop a bit more so I found one of the grill paints (good to 1,200 degrees) in a burnt copper color. I shot another three coats of paint on those and use regular black on the frame, handles, shelves and smokestack.  Luckily, it dried well and fast so assembly began in earnest. I sourced all new nuts and bolts and it helped that they were all the same size (1/4 inch.) I also began adding my mods at this time. Luckily, the smoking/BBQ community knows this model well and I got several good ideas. 

Stripped and ready for primer
& paint!

You'll notice the two thermometers on the front of the lid. They are a necessity as the factory unit is less than reliable. I also took some high temp gasket and ran it around the lid and the fire box door. I used some dryer hose to extend the chimney opening all the way to the grates to help keep heat in. 








Lastly, I flipped the ash tray for the grill down and added some cake pans full of sand. The sand acts as a thermal mass and beats water, plus it holds the ash tray up to where it covers the opening between the fire box and the cooking chamber. This helps keep the temps even across the grates. 

One of the many mods made

As I was assembling the grill, I used healthy amounts of food safe RTV silicone that's rated to 650 degrees. This gives me a good seal to help keep temps up. I also sealed the cooking chamber and fire box with gasket material. Something that was immensely helpful was probably the most important: the charcoal basket. I used expanded steel, a cutting wheel and some rebar wire ties. Check out this video from Cooking with Ry for the details.  

By the end of Saturday, the ole Char-Griller had a new lease on life. I tallied up my receipts and, including the price of the unit, I was right at $134. Brand new, these retail for $200 without all the mods. 

The finished product!

Sunday morning, I wheeled her into the backyard and lit my coals. Chicken drumsticks and asparagus were a part of the maiden voyage and boy did they turn out great. I identified where I had some leaks and some areas for improvement but no major issues!  I learned an awful lot about fire control and have quite a ways to go. This unit is on the cheaper end so I don't have any unrealistic expectations with it....... she will be a challenge, no doubt. I know that an upgraded stick burner and/or an Ugly Drum Smoker build is in my future. Once that happens, this unit will likely become a straight charcoal grill. Until then, though, we'll learn to master this unit ……. The one we're calling "the 426."