Char Griller 7474

[Hannibal]

Hey guys (and gals). Hope all is well.

This summer seems to have flown by so far for me. I have been so busy with other things I haven't had time to smoke much this summer or post a lot

Of course, low and slow doesn't jive with not having much time, so fast and furious grilling has been my standard as of late. It seems that my trusty gasser has seen it's better days, so I got a new one.... with a twist.

I picked up a Char Griller 7474 at Tractor Supply. It is pretty much the same as the 5050, but comes with the side fire box. For $299 with the fire box, I thought it was a pretty good deal.

My father-in-law helped me put it together (so it works!) Even better, he converted it from LP to NG for me so I never run out on the gasser side. It took a while to put together, but it was pretty easy.

I hooked her up to the quick disconnect gas line on the house and fired her up to check it out and burn off the machining/packing oil. She hit 650 with all burners on high in no time.

I also threw some Kingsford Comp into the firebox to heat up the other side for a burn off and experiment with the temps, etc.

Looks like I will be pretty happy with it. It might take me a while to figure out the temps and I am sure I will want to modify some things pretty soon, but I think it was a good choice.

I am going to attempt to smoke some ribs on it tomorrow once I get a steady temp.

I'll take some pics tomorrow when it's light out and add them in case anyone is interested in the mod from LP to NG.

[Meat Hunter]

You ain't kiddin man, the Summer has flown by. Old man Winter is right around the corner That's a sweet setup ya got. Look forward to seeing some good eats come out of it

[Hannibal]

You ain't kiddin man, the Summer has flown by. Old man Winter is right around the corner That's a sweet setup ya got. Look forward to seeing some good eats come out of it

Yeah, I am not too sure how this thing will do in the winter for smoking, but at least I can turn on the gas and stay warm!

[Texas-Hunter]

That is a good price.. Not many places carry the 7474.. Now your done playing with the temps toss some mammal flesh on that bad boy.. Let's see some meat!!

[curious aardvark]

that is a neat bit of kit.

So is there a connection between the two halves ?
If not I think I'd be sorely tempted to fit some ducting with a sliding connecting door (should be fairly simple - says he who's never done any metal work :-)

That way you'd have a a big gas smoker, a big charcoal smoker, and a mass of cool hybrid options.


I keep looking at cheap gas grills with en eye to converting for use as gas smokers.
What you got there would be ideal as 90% of the work's already done

[Hannibal]

that is a neat bit of kit.

So is there a connection between the two halves ?

Nope, the gas grill is stand alone. It is basically two grills on the same cart. On the left, the gas grill. On the right a charcoal grill that has a side fire box attached that also makes it an offset smoker. The side burner is awesome for starting charcoal in my charcoal chimney.

I've got it going right now with couple slabs of reeyabs. It is burning a little hotter than I'd like, but I think it will be ok. It was doing pretty well coasting along at 240ish but then once the chunks of hickory dried out, they ignited and raised my temps up, they peaked at 275 before I went out there and made a few adjustments. It is humming along at 250ish now, and appears to be slowing down.

[sweet_magnolia]

Can't wait to see some pics! I love my Chargriller 5050 with SFB!

[Hannibal]

pix as promised

Chuggin along...




The old grill. Going to be rebuilt (burners, etc.) and taken to the summer house on the island.



The natural gas quick connect. (Works like an air chuck.)



And... what's cookin'

[Hannibal]

View from my Lazy Boy...

[Mikey]

Chuggin along...




The old grill. Going to be rebuilt (burners, etc.) and taken to the summer house on the island.



The natural gas quick connect. (Works like an air chuck.)



And... what's cookin'

First of all congrats on the new smoker
Gotta say you're the first I've seen that's stuck a probe in the ribs.
I check mine with my red Thermapen when I think they're getting close to done. You sir, are truly a trend setter

[Hannibal]

First of all congrats on the new smoker
Gotta say you're the first I've seen that's stuck a probe in the ribs.
I check mine with my red Thermapen when I think they're getting close to done. You sir, are truly a trend setter

I had to do something with the other probe! LOL Being the first smoke on the new smoker, I just wanted to keep an eye on things. I'm doing the 2-2-1 for these babies. About another 10minutes before I wrap them up.

The probe will then be going into tomorrow's dinner (a 6.5lb briskey flat). Might as well keep smokin', right?

[scotth]

I was thinking I could cut some flexible dryer vent and attach one end to the stack on the charcoal side and the other to one of the stacks on the gas side. Start a charcoal fire and have a cold smoker on the gas side.

I'll take some pics tomorrow when it's light out and add them in case anyone is interested in the mod from LP to NG.

I'm very interested in what parts and labor are needed to do this mod.

[Slanted88]

Be right nice get up ya got there Cat Daddy!

[Richtee]

View from my Lazy Boy...

Heh..I like the "Lazy-cam"

[Hannibal]

I was thinking I could cut some flexible dryer vent and attach one end to the stack on the charcoal side and the other to one of the stacks on the gas side. Start a charcoal fire and have a cold smoker on the gas side. .

That would be pretty interesting if it worked. I don't think it would be tight enough out of the box though, might need to do some pretty heavy mods to make that happen. But if you get it done, I'd love to see it!

I'm very interested in what parts and labor are needed to do this mod.

The stock propane regulator that comes with the grill was permanently attached to the two lines that fed the grill and the side burner, so I went to Menards and found a replacement regulator set up that had a screw in 3/8" T fitting that attached the two lines to the regulator. I unscrewed the regulator and screwed in the quick disconnect NG line. I just set aside and saved the new regulator in case I need a new one for something else that runs on LP. I had to get a couple of fittings to attach the 3/8" QD chuck to the 1/2" gas line that comes out of my house.

The only other thing needed was to drill out the orifices that feed the burners (attached to the opposite end of the valves where the burners slip over).

We used a #52 drill for the grill burners and #53 for the side burner. I read online somewhere that the little brass fittings with the orifices in them are easy to break if you take them out to drill them, so I followed the advice and drilled them out right in the fixture. Works like a charm.

The QD line came with the chuck fitting and was on sale at Lowes for $25, regularly $35. The replacement dual line regulator was supposed to be $26, but was mismarked for $10 so I got a lucky deal. Note: To buy new 3/8" flex lines and a T fitting would run about $35.