Drum Smokers Get The Job Done Right
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The Hunsaker Vortex smoker offers a quick, portable way to cook barbeque at home. Company founder Mark Hunsaker grew up on a farm in Illinois, where he had opportunities to experiment with metal fabricating and welding. When he worked as an insurance adjuster, Hunsaker spent his nights and weekends building smokers. “Eventually, my wife told me it was time to move the workshop out of our garage,” he laughs. “We’ve expanded three or four times in the 25 years since.”
The company began producing its Vortex Smoker about 15 years ago. “A big appeal is its simplicity,” says Hunsaker. “The barrel lets you cook hot and fast, not just low and slow. That was a novel concept when we were first releasing it.”
Hunsaker buys brand new 55-gal. barrels rather than burning used ones. “In our opinion, that’s just a lot safer for a product that interacts with food,” he explains. The smoker features high-quality stainless-steel hardware, a design that eliminates internal hotspots, and robust wheels that improve portability. It’s well suited to both barbeque beginners and seasoned pros.
The Vortex comes in five colors of heat-resistant paint (flat black and cast iron, and gloss black, red, or blue) and your choice of one or two cooking grates. It includes a charcoal basket system to create a smokey sauna that evenly cooks and flavors meat. The floating hinge lid system makes it easy to check on food without losing heat, and the unique floor-mounted foot-control air intake system makes controlling the internal temperature easy. It’s also possible to hang meat in the smoker. “This maximizes its capacity,” he says. “We’ve seen guys fit 24 racks of ribs in one barrel, easily a dozen chickens.” Hanging also allows for better control of air temperature for even cooking. “You can crank up the heat without risking the meat.”
Each Vortex Smoker ships preassembled. Pricing starts at $999 per 55-gal. unit. Hunsaker also manufactures a DIY drum smoker kit ($349) for those who already have a 55-gal. drum and want to transform it into a smoker at home.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Hunsaker Smokers, 5812 Brown Station Rd., Columbia, Mo. 65202 (ph 573-554-4368; www.hunsakersmokers.com).
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Drum Smokers Get The Job Done Right FARM HOME Food The Hunsaker Vortex smoker offers a quick portable way to cook barbeque at home Company founder Mark Hunsaker grew up on a farm in Illinois where he had opportunities to experiment with metal fabricating and welding When he worked as an insurance adjuster Hunsaker spent his nights and weekends building smokers “Eventually my wife told me it was time to move the workshop out of our garage ” he laughs “We’ve expanded three or four times in the 25 years since ” The company began producing its Vortex Smoker about 15 years ago “A big appeal is its simplicity ” says Hunsaker “The barrel lets you cook hot and fast not just low and slow That was a novel concept when we were first releasing it ” Hunsaker buys brand new 55-gal barrels rather than burning used ones “In our opinion that’s just a lot safer for a product that interacts with food ” he explains The smoker features high-quality stainless-steel hardware a design that eliminates internal hotspots and robust wheels that improve portability It’s well suited to both barbeque beginners and seasoned pros The Vortex comes in five colors of heat-resistant paint flat black and cast iron and gloss black red or blue and your choice of one or two cooking grates It includes a charcoal basket system to create a smokey sauna that evenly cooks and flavors meat The floating hinge lid system makes it easy to check on food without losing heat and the unique floor-mounted foot-control air intake system makes controlling the internal temperature easy It’s also possible to hang meat in the smoker “This maximizes its capacity ” he says “We’ve seen guys fit 24 racks of ribs in one barrel easily a dozen chickens ” Hanging also allows for better control of air temperature for even cooking “You can crank up the heat without risking the meat ” Each Vortex Smoker ships preassembled Pricing starts at $999 per 55-gal unit Hunsaker also manufactures a DIY drum smoker kit $349 for those who already have a 55-gal drum and want to transform it into a smoker at home Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Hunsaker Smokers 5812 Brown Station Rd Columbia Mo 65202 ph 573-554-4368; www hunsakersmokers com
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