Halftime Smoker setup done in 20 minutes

The team over at Halftime Smoker hooked us up with a smoker to try out, so I figured I’d show you how to set it up right out of the box.

All you need is a Phillips-head screwdriver and an adjustable wrench to put it all together. It should take you around 20 minutes to go from box to patio.

Let’s dive in!

In the box

The Halftime Smoker comes shipped in a large cardboard box with all of the contents wrapped thoroughly. Here’s what comes in the box:

• Cooking chamber with lid
• Grates, rib hangers, and drip pan
• Poultry holder and lifting handle
• Legs and ash scraper
• Assembly guide

As we get into the box, Halftime Smokers includes some add-ons with the smoker a bottle of Scrub Daddy Grill Cleaner, a Steam -Clean BBQ Brush from Scrub Daddy, and a vertical whole-chicken rack with lift hook. That’s cool!

So everything comes wrapped in heavy-duty paper and enclosed in plastic bags.

Here’s what you’re going to find when you dive into this big shipping box.

The parts

• 3 Cooking Grates
• 3 smoker unit legs
• 3 Rib Hanger Supports
• 3 Rib Hangers
• 3 grate brackets
• 1 Drip Pan
• 1 Ash Removal Door
• 21 bolts
• 12 nuts

The first thing you will want to do is put the legs on the bottom of the smoker. The are already tapped so all you’ll need to do is screw the bolts into the legs into the bottom of the smoker.

After you affix the legs onto the smoker, flip it over and get started with the grate brackets. You’ll want to insert two bolts through the smoker and into the bracket, securing with nuts on the inside of the smoker. There are three brackets so you’ll have 6 bolts and nuts to use for this step.

The next step is to attach the 3 rib hanger supports. Same drill as the grate brackets, and these will be attached near the top of the smoker.

After all the hanger supports are installed, drop your three rib hangers into the slots and place the top on the smoker and make sure you have a snug fit and nothing impedes the top on the inside.

The drip pan sits on the bottom of the smoker, and your three grates fit nicely on the grate brackets. You likely won’t use all of the grates if you’re smoking whole racks of ribs, but I just wanted you to see all of the pieces in the smoker at one time.

The last thing to do is install the ash removal door on the bottom under the hole in the coal ring and you’re all set.

From the makers

A Halftime Smoker uses a vertical design with indirect charcoal heat to cook your food from all sides. This setup creates steady, even heating without constant attention.

Heats up fast and cooks quicker than traditional smokers by surrounding the food evenly for juicy, flavorful results. You can also set it and forget it, with no flipping, rotating, or temp-checking during a grill session.

Halftime Smoker, again, is a vertical smoker, unlike traditional grills that cook with direct heat. It uses indirect charcoal heat and wood smoke, allowing for faster cooking and better flavor retention. It’s also quite portable, requires no gas or electricity, and can be easily transported for outdoor camping trips, tailgates or picnics at the lake.

The Halftime Smoker is the perfect solution for vertical speed cooking and smoking. Our unique design allows you to cook everything from brats to brisket and anything in-between in half the time of a traditional smoker. The unmatched speed delivers flavorful and juicy food using indirect charcoal heating and requires zero maintenance once the lid is closed.

Halftime Smoker times

• 3 Racks of Ribs: 60-75 minutes
• Beef Brisket: 20-25 minutes per pound
• Pork Shoulder: 15-20 minutes per pound
• Whole Chicken: 7-10 minutes per pound
• Prime Rib: 12-15 minutes per pound