The Joy of Grilling and Barbecue

A Brinkmann Smoker that will Drastically Step up your BBQ Game

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(7/21/2019 Update to article) – The Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition may not be available any longer. This Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Offset Smoker is, from what I can tell, the exact same smoker with the same features.

I decided to step up my own BBQ game by taking the plunge by buying a new Brinkmann Smoker called the Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition offset smoker. And, you know what? It was one of the best decisions I ever made! (Don’t miss my youTube video further down in the article!)

I had been using my Brinkmann Smoke N Grill that I wrote about in this article and it did a pretty good job. It’s actually a great 1st smoker for any BBQ enthusiast to get their feet wet. But, to be perfectly honest, it was difficult to maintain temperature with the Smoke N Grill which is a vertical water smoker and maintaining temperature is one of the most important factors when it comes to barbecue.

Granted, this offset smoker cost me about 6 times as much as the Smoke N Grill. The Brinkmann Trailmaster cost me $299 and the Smoke N Grill goes for about $50. But, the Trailmaster was worth every penny big time! In fact, my father-in-law after eating some pork ribs I cooked for him the other night said “I would have paid $500 for that smoker!”

Check out my YouTube video below of me cooking some baby back ribs on a smokin’ hot day at my home in the White Mountains of NH!

A Brinkmann Smoker worth every penny!

Brinkmann Smoker
Brinkmann Smoker with lid open

He went on and on about how great they tasted and he had never had anything like it before. I also smoked some sausages during that cook and he pretty much said they were the best sausages he ever ate. My father-in-law is an 80 year old Greek man and food is and pretty much has been his life so there’s some experience there when it comes to eating really good food. And this was only the 2nd time we had done ribs on this smoker but we made some small improvements over our 1st rib cook which certainly paid off. In my opinion, there is something really special about smoked meats and this Brinkmann offset smoker does it really well!

One thing that you have to know going in is that you will have to fine tune this Brinkmann smoker! I cannot stress this enough because the last thing I want you to do is to purchase this smoker, try to use it, and get frustrated. If you try to use it right out of the box, you will run into some issues like leaky joints, uneven heat across the smoker, and a poorly-placed thermometer that will not read the temperature at meat level which is what you need. As a result, it will be hard to maintain temperature, the grates nearest the firebox will be much too hot in comparison to the grates furthest away, and you won’t know the true temperature at which you are cooking.

I will be going into detail in another article that will detail the enhancements that I have made to my Brinkmann Trailmaster thanks to a lot of other really good grillmasters out there who have shared their tips. I made it a point to make these enhancements before I did my first cook so that I wouldn’t be frustrated and give up on my smoker.

Ribs Done!
Spectacular Ribs!

All I know is that this offset smoker has literally changed my grilling and barbecue life. Check out the ribs I smoked last week! I’m looking forward to sharing with you the enhancements I made and what I have learned from my initial experiences with this offset smoker. And, in time, I’d like to share how I will perfect my skills using this Brinkmann smoker. I’m that confident that I will be able to crank barbecue as good as anyone in time. Stay tuned!

(7/21/2019 Update to article) – The Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition may not be available any longer. This Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Offset Smoker is, from what I can tell, the exact same smoker with the same features.

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24 Comments

  • Hi Steve,
    I already have one and I love it! I’m sure you could sell it to someone on eBay.

    Best,
    Bob

    Reply
  • I just stumbled upon your site today. My family have me a Outdoor Gourmet Hill Country smoker for father’s day last year year. I believe my smoker is an updated and rebranded version of the Trailmaster. Outdoor Gourmet also has a vertical offset smoker similar to what Brinkmann use to offer. Outdoor Gourmet can be our purchased from Academy Sporting Goods. Here is the link for the Hill Country smoker https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/outdoor-gourmet-hill-country-offset-charcoal-wood-smoker

    Reply
    • Thanks Tim,
      Sorry I didn’t reply sooner. Yeah, I’d say that one and the Oklahoma Joe look a lot like my Trailmaster. Have you been using it since you got it?

      Best,
      Bob

      Reply
      • I have used it several times and have learned several lessons through trial and error. It’s been too hot in Texas the past few months to do any smoking though.

        Reply
      • Hey Bob,
        Our neighbor is moving and he sold us his Trailmaster smoker for 50.00 bucks. Super excited to start smoking. We’ve been looking for a smoker for a while so today we lucked out.

        Reply
      • I can assure you that the Oklahoma Joe is not the same as the Brinkman I have a Brinkman smoker and also an Oklahoma Joe and the Oklahoma Joe is much heavier and thicker than the Brinkman.
        The metal is almost twice as thick.

        Reply
        • Thanks Glenn, I appreciate your insight. I may look into an Oklahoma Joe in the future.
          Thanks,
          Bob

          Reply
    • Hi Bob – I have a Brinkmanship Trailmaster L.E. that has a grease drain issue… The grease tends to flow and collect at the firebox end, then drip out of the leg holes, which makes a big mess. Have you seen a good mod to add a grease bucket below the right (opposite) end, near the connection to the firebox? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Hi,
        Don’t you have a drip hole on the left-hand side below the smokestack? Could it be possible that your smoker is out of balance? I would place a level on the grill grate and see if it is out of balance. If so, you could probably place something under each of the right-hand legs (back and front). If it is level, maybe you can simply drill a hole on the underside of the smoker closer to the firebox. The metal is fairly thin so just pick up a metal-cutting drill bit for the hole. You can probably pick up another hanger that you can attach a metal can to and have another drip hole on each side as a result. Understand what I mean?

        If you can’t find another hanger just place a plastic pail or something that will catch the grease on the platform at the bottom of the smoker under the new hole you drilled.

        Bob

        Reply
  • Any good website for tips on smoking? Just picked up a Trailmaster from my neighbor and I am new to this, need help. TIA
    Tama

    Reply
  • I love my Trailmaster but my firebox needs to be replaced has any one found an alternative that would fit the L.E. Trailmaster? I really would hate to pass it down or throw it out so soon.
    Thanks,
    Tarrie.

    Reply
    • Hi Natarra,
      I actually had my ash container beneath my firebox extended by a local welder. So, I can now have a long cook and the ashes won’t fill up too high. Have you considered talking to a local welder about either fixing your current firebox or building you a new one? It might be cheaper than buying a new smoker and you can still use your Trailmaster! 🙂

      Best,
      Bob

      Reply
  • I got one new never used for sale with a bonus side shelf that swings in or out.
    Reach me at my email
    Thomas s.

    Reply
    • Hi Thomas,
      I have one and use it religiously. Thanks for letting me know but at this time I’m good!
      Best,
      Bob

      Reply

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