• The KillerFrogs

OT: Smoker Recommendation

WhatTheFrog

Active Member
I cheat with a pellet grill, too. I don't care to claim to be a pitmaster, but I get zero complaints with my finished products. That's all I care about. Better than any of the chains around. I am a big Cousins fan and I've known them for 30+ years. I was bummed when they closed the Alliance location. I use pellets from Cabelas since they're close. I like hickory, pecan, and I sometimes use their "competition blend".
 

namollec

Full Member
I imagine that lots of folks have their own preferred source of wood. Me?
I get mine from Buc-ee's. It's actually pretty good.

But I left my offset in MN with family when I moved back to TX. So now I swing by Buc-ee's, get their oak and pecan bags and drive to MN. I get my applewood from orchards up there.

I'm drying out some apricot that I trimmed locally. Fruitwoods do great with pork / bird.
If anyone has a fruitwood (pear, apricot, etc) source, please PM me.
 

CardFrog

Active Member
I cheat with a pellet grill, too. I don't care to claim to be a pitmaster, but I get zero complaints with my finished products. That's all I care about. Better than any of the chains around. I am a big Cousins fan and I've known them for 30+ years. I was bummed when they closed the Alliance location. I use pellets from Cabelas since they're close. I like hickory, pecan, and I sometimes use their "competition blend".
the ability to keep the temperature within 10* of either side of your target for 14 hours (assuming a full hopper) is hard to beat. And I too get few complaints except from my wife who doesn't like smoked food, which is all the more reason for me to do it.
 

tyler durden

Tyler Durden
I cheat with a pellet grill, too. I don't care to claim to be a pitmaster, but I get zero complaints with my finished products. That's all I care about. Better than any of the chains around. I am a big Cousins fan and I've known them for 30+ years. I was bummed when they closed the Alliance location. I use pellets from Cabelas since they're close. I like hickory, pecan, and I sometimes use their "competition blend".
Ditto on Cousin’s...always my favorite.
 

westoverhillbilly

Active Member
I have a Traeger, Big Green Egg and an offset Log Smoker. The Traeger provides the most constant temperature and is easiest to use, but my problem with it is that it doesn't put enough smoke into the meat. I've started using a pellet smoker tube inside the grill to alleviate that problem but it still doesn't put enough smoke flavor into the meat, so I'm going to get a second one.. The offset log smoker takes a long time to get the fire started and the meat side up to temperature, but it is the best way to get a long smoke on pork shoulder or brisket completed consistently and thoroughly as the smoke lingers and flows over and through the meat. The BGE is, however, the best overall in that it can go as high or low as you want it, especially for grilling while smoking is darn good too. I use very little lump coal and alot of the lesser expensive mini-logs that put an abundance of smoke into the meat, which is the whole reason to smoke instead of baking in an oven. I like all wood flavors- they're all good but tend to use fruit woods on fowl and mesquite/hickory on beef & pork but I don't know why.
 

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
Fruit woods.

I had a lovely Orange tree back at The Barn that was killed by a brutal freeze a few years ago. I cut the tree up, thinking that I could use the wood for something at some point. Turns out that the traditional method of Paella used orange wood in the fire.

Now, all I need is a big Paella pan...
 

don

Active Member
Big fan of the Slow N Sear on the Weber Kettle, especially searing ribeyes.

I did a ton of research and was going to get a Kamado Joe (more versatile add-ons and newer technology than BGE) from a Costco traveling show a few months ago (they sell the demos), until I found a Weber Summit Charcoal demo at half off. Love it but its priced too high at retail.

Not on the mesquite bandwagon. Love cherry for ribs and Meat Church for rubs.

There are some good free videos from Franklin on youtube. Also like the local DFW dude, Baby Back Maniac's.
 

Double V

Active Member
So does this lady...

gghhtt.jpg
Mmmmmm, pizzaaaaa
 

Double V

Active Member
One of the best you can buy straight from the prisons of Texas (seriously a great smoker 10 Ga. carbon steel):

https://tci.tdcj.texas.gov/products/metal/park/bbqsmokergrill.aspx

32” x 75” x 77” tall with 21” x 18” firebox and 7” x 36” stainless steel work surface. Constructed from 10 Ga. carbon steel, 6 sq.ft. expanded metal cook surface in smoker, 2.625 sq. ft. of cook surface in firebox. Smoker/ Grill includes cool grip wire handles, damper controlled firebox, utensil hooks, grease drain, and threaded mounting hole in front of lid for thermometer (thermometer not provided, hole is filled with a threaded plug). Finish is high‑temp black paint.
These look awesome, and that price for 10ga steel is unbeatable, but says no sales to individuals...
 

dawg

Active Member
Like pitmaster Harry Soo says, “everything in barbecue is a three-hour argument.” So here’s my $0.02, fwiw:

What’s your price point and how much room do you have? If $1000-1500 or more and no space limits, I’d say get a good steel offset with thick metal with good welds. The metal thickness is important for holding in heat, and welds are important for preventing leaks that will let air in and wreak havoc on your ability to hold temp. They’ll be a learning curve with building a fire/holding temp in an offset, but the bbq flavor they produce is hard to beat.

In my case, since I’m not kf.c 1%, I went with a 22” Weber Smokey Mountain ($400 on Amazon). Had it six years and love it. Simple to use, holds 225-250 rock solid for hours (I set it up, get it to temp, go to bed, and wake up with it still at temp), and produces great barbecue. It can hold a full packer brisket (I’ve done up to 20#) without trimming and full slabs of spares without pinwheeling or cutting them to fit. Upper and lower cooking chambers, so you can smoke six pork shoulders for a church get together if needed.

Like others have said, though, kamado’s are a good option due to versatility: sear the heck out of burgers and steaks, cook a pizza or bake bread, and go low & slow for barbecue.
 

BABYFACE

Full Member
I have a Traeger, Big Green Egg and an offset Log Smoker. The Traeger provides the most constant temperature and is easiest to use, but my problem with it is that it doesn't put enough smoke into the meat. I've started using a pellet smoker tube inside the grill to alleviate that problem but it still doesn't put enough smoke flavor into the meat, so I'm going to get a second one.. The offset log smoker takes a long time to get the fire started and the meat side up to temperature, but it is the best way to get a long smoke on pork shoulder or brisket completed consistently and thoroughly as the smoke lingers and flows over and through the meat. The BGE is, however, the best overall in that it can go as high or low as you want it, especially for grilling while smoking is darn good too. I use very little lump coal and alot of the lesser expensive mini-logs that put an abundance of smoke into the meat, which is the whole reason to smoke instead of baking in an oven. I like all wood flavors- they're all good but tend to use fruit woods on fowl and mesquite/hickory on beef & pork but I don't know why.

And this my whole issue with pellet smokers. Where is the smoke? I prefer a good smoke ring. Log smokers definitely the best, but the most work.

For brisket or ribs, 50% oak, 25%mesquite, 25% Hickory. This is my blend ratio. The oak gives stability in temperature but milder in flavor. The mesquite gives it that bite. The Hickory gives that deep rich smoky flavor.
 

WhatTheFrog

Active Member
Yea, the model I have is supposed to go to 450 but doesn't get near that.
That's surprising. Mine's a Cabelas branded Camp Chef and it'll get plenty hot, but I never use it for grilling. I have a 22" Blackstone that I do all of my other outdoor "grilling" on now that I also use for tailgating. Those griddletops are pretty dang sweet and I highly recommend those.
 

BrewingFrog

Was I supposed to type something here?
I have been reading some missives from a fellow who is a big sous-vide fan. He has been cooking all kinds of things in his water rig, from ribs to whole butts, and getting what he calls fabulous results. I don't think his rig is big enough to cram a brisket into, but he'll probably try to use a bathtub or something. Maybe an old sink...

Anyway, the method is simple: Put meat in vacuum bag and seal up. Put meat in water bath and heat to desired temperature over time. The trick is the temperature can be controlled perfectly and held for hours, unlike using old-fashioned forms of matter like air which require some guesswork and skill to maintain, and once you reach that desired time/temperature curve you can remove the meat and give it a proper sear to work that Maillard magic.

I have gone so far as to purchase a good sous-vide heater, but I haven't yet gone and done the deed. Oh, I've cooked big T-Bone roasts in the oven to cook them through before showing them to the coals, but I haven't yet mustered up the courage to bag one and put it in a hot water bath. Old habits die hard. And my hide shirt makes me itch something fierce. But, I digress...

My lovely and talented (not to mention patient) wife has suggested cooking a chicken in the sous-vide, but to put some tasty items in the bag with the chicken to infuse the bird while cooking. Some herbs, butter, cat fur, whatever. That may indeed happen soon!
 

CardFrog

Active Member
And this my whole issue with pellet smokers. Where is the smoke? I prefer a good smoke ring. Log smokers definitely the best, but the most work.

For brisket or ribs, 50% oak, 25%mesquite, 25% Hickory. This is my blend ratio. The oak gives stability in temperature but milder in flavor. The mesquite gives it that bite. The Hickory gives that deep rich smoky flavor.
I actually get a nice smoke ring on my pellet on both brisket and pork etc. but to each their own I guess. Agree on the hickory and mixing with cherry or apple or even mesquite produces very different smoke flavor. Pellets are very convenient and I think that is what makes them desirable.. No doubt an offset is better for hardcore smoking.
 
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