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Adventures on the Meadow Creek BX50 Box Smoker

July 1st, 2015

Meadow_Creek_BX50_Smoker_5

I just returned from a week long trip to Iowa where Marlin runs our sales office and warehouse. A highlight of the trip was cooking on the Meadow Creek BX50 Smoker. One day we loaded it with St. Louis ribs, chickens, pork loin, and pork butts. A couple days later we cooked ribs, chicken, loin, and a turkey. Here are a bunch of shots from these cooks to bring you closer to the BX50 and tantalize your taste buds with delicious barbecue produced on this smoker.

Meadow_Creek_BX50_Smoker_1

Day 1

Meadow_Creek_BX50_Smoker_2

Day 2

The BX50 is striking in appearance… likely bigger and heavier than what you would expect just seeing it online. It weighs 625 pounds and the cooking chamber is 29″H x 24″W x 20″D. This “beast” eats meat and is ready to support decent sized catering gigs and large backyard parties.
 
Firing the BX50
Meadow_Creek_BX50_Smoker_3

BX50_Smoker_Torch

BX50_Smoker_Lighting_2
 
Optional Guru Controller
We used the guru on the second day. The BX50 holds such a consistent temperature that it’s easy to get consistent results without a guru. In fact, without the guru, we hardly had to fiddle with the vents once it was zeroed in and our charcoal lasted six hours. But the guru is a great tool to have if you want to run it through the night or won’t be around to keep an eye on it occasionally.

Marlin

Meadow_Creek_BX50_Smoker_Guru

Meadow_Creek_BX50_Smoker_Guru_2

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(Latest version of the BX50 has 2 firebox vents instead of 4 like this one has.)

The BX50 is a water smoker and uses a LOT of water. It comes with a 5 gallon water jug which holds enough water for an 8 hour cook.

BX50_Smoker_Water_Bottle
 
Cooking Grates
The cooking grates slide out for loading and checking the meat.

Ribs_4

Chicken_2
 
Meat and finished product from the BX50:

Ribs

Trimmed Ribs

Ribs_3

Seasoned rack of ribs

Smoked_Ribs_2

Smoked ribs

Smoked_Pork_Loin

Sliced pork loin

Smoked_Chicken_2

Smoked chicken

Smoked_Chicken

Chicken, pulled and sliced

Smoked_Turkey

Smoked turkey

Smoked_Turkey_2

Smoked turkey, pulled and sliced

Pulled_Pork

Pulled pork

 
Observations:

Two common challenges BX50 users face is not firing it hot enough and firing it too hot. Once Marlin loaded it with charcoal and let it sit for a while with the torch on the charcoal, waiting for it to come up to temperature as usual. Somehow we got distracted and left the torch on until it peaked somewhere north of 400 degrees.

Sometimes when you over-fire it, it can take a long time to get it back down to operating temperature of 225–250 degrees. Thankfully, it wasn’t that bad for us, and it wasn’t long until the guru was pushing air into the firebox, which means it wasn’t too badly over-fired. What caught us unprepared though was the burnt grease. The high heat incinerated the grease from the previous cook, which covered the meat and ruined the appearance.

Smoked_Ribs_Black

“Burnt grease” ribs

At first I thought we had an airflow problem and therefore, too much smoke. But the meat was not too smoky, and we didn’t burp any smoke Sunday morning. Whad’ya know?

Just like any other charcoal smoker, the BX50 needs your help to turn out amazing barbecue—the magic combination of fuel and smoke and airflow. You could choose to use an automated smoker fired with pellets or gas, but something has attracted you to this story. Maybe it’s the legacy of cooking with charcoal and wood or Meadow Creek craftsmanship.

We believe there is more to life than machines. Even in today’s era of sophisticated automation, Meadow Creek is keeping alive the tradition of playing with fire and helping their users harness this cooking style for long cooks and large crowds.

The BX50 is truly a notable achievement in the Meadow Creek line for both ease of use and fuel efficiency.

Read more about the BX50 Box Smoker here.

Any questions or comments, please leave a comment below.

Sizzling regards,

Lavern Gingerich

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2 Responses to “Adventures on the Meadow Creek BX50 Box Smoker”

  1. Ritchie Almaguer Says:

    Hi guys it great to finally see some info on the BX50 . I purchased my from you about 1 1/2 years ago. I love mine . I just have gotten the courage to cook different meats at one time like you do . Can you hel me out here . Is there any particular way to arrange to meet ? Like pork on top chicken on bottom? Thanks Ritchie

  2. Lavern Says:

    Thanks for your feedback, Ritchie. No, I don’t think it matters how you arrange the meat.

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What did you think of the videos? Meadow Creek makes some amazing smokers, pig roasters, chicken cookers, and grills. All this equipment is made in the Amish Community of Lancaster County, PA. The talented craftsmen at Meadow Creek hand-make each unit. They seriously go the extra mile to make sure you’re smoked pink. What really puts the sauce on the brisket is all the revolutionary features and options that make barbecue fun and easy, and even a money-machine, if BBQ is your business.
Integrity: Meadow Creek cookers are made in a culture of Godly ethics—honesty, diligence, and fairness. Whether it’s a Shoo-fly pie or a barbecue smoker, you will be treated right.
Stainless Steel Grates: Every Meadow Creek barbecue cooker comes standard with non-rusting stainless steel grates. This eliminates the hassle of scrubbing rust and the danger of possible rust contamination on your meat.