OT: BBQ Pits

[WhyNotaSooner]

What you got? Old Smokey, Oklahoma Joe, The Green Egg? I'm hoping to get a smoker in a few weeks. I have a Char-Grill smoker up in Brenham at the In-Laws that I carried up there to smoke some meat while visiting. It's a cheapy, but it has cooked some good meat through the years. I just replaced the side firebox. But now I want to get a good smoker for the house.

Any suggestions?

 

[Soonersincefitty]

I'm between smokers right now, but I'm gonna bite the bullet and get a Big green egg soon.

They're rumored to have a long service life and I'm sure it will last longer than me.
The circle of life.

 

[K2C Sooner]

What you got? Old Smokey, Oklahoma Joe, The Green Egg? I'm hoping to get a smoker in a few weeks. I have a Char-Grill smoker up in Brenham at the In-Laws that I carried up there to smoke some meat while visiting. It's a cheapy, but it has cooked some good meat through the years. I just replaced the side firebox. But now I want to get a good smoker for the house.

Any suggestions?

 

[iasooner1]

I was handed a nice Traeger for my last birthday that does a solid job.

 

[Sooners83]

What you got? Old Smokey, Oklahoma Joe, The Green Egg? I'm hoping to get a smoker in a few weeks. I have a Char-Grill smoker up in Brenham at the In-Laws that I carried up there to smoke some meat while visiting. It's a cheapy, but it has cooked some good meat through the years. I just replaced the side firebox. But now I want to get a good smoker for the house.

Any suggestions?

I have had the large green egg for about a year now. It does take a little bit of time to get used to it, but it will do everything from a typical smoker to a high temperature pizza cooker.

 

[DallasSooner]

If your going to spend the money can't go wrong with a Traeger or a Big Green Egg.

 

[Tank Gossage]

Green mountain grill.... pellet smokers/grilling is the way of the future man! I absolutely love mine!!!

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Oh man, tanker!

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Prilosec up and bon apetit!

 

[roygbell]

What you got? Old Smokey, Oklahoma Joe, The Green Egg? I'm hoping to get a smoker in a few weeks. I have a Char-Grill smoker up in Brenham at the In-Laws that I carried up there to smoke some meat while visiting. It's a cheapy, but it has cooked some good meat through the years. I just replaced the side firebox. But now I want to get a good smoker for the house.

Any suggestions?

Just buy you a big ole charcoal grill and use some bricks in one end of it to make yourself a fire box Then use some bricks on the top to divert the heat more evenly. I don't know why people have to go to such expense and extremes buying smokers. I have an old Oklahoma Joe smoker that I have used for years. It isn't any better than the old charcoal grill I rigged up as above for a smoker.

All you need to smoke great meats is indirect heat from a good smoking wood to get the great smoked flavor.

Once upon a time I built a smoker out of an old abandoned commercial freezer. The thing was about six feet tall, two feet wide and about six feet long. I cut a hole in the top for a damper. Cut a hole in the bottom and dug a trench to the side of it. Buried a 50 gallon drum for a fire box and used stove pipe to pipe the smoke from the drum to the bottom of the freezer. Ran some copper pipe from the bottom of the drum for air source and fixed a way to control the air flow at the top of the drum. I would load the drum up with hickory and start the fire then put the lid on and cover it up with about four inches of dirt.

In the Fall I would hang about 15 turkeys in it and get the temperature up to about 100 and cold smoke them for about four days. Best damn smoked turkey ever. I gave them to neighbors for Thanksgiving and then Christmas. The 50 gallon drum would smolder for a week or longer.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Roy, I'm pretty old school myself. I've read, studied and watch youtube vids about the Greens etc. I think I'm going just go with the Oklahoma Joe, be done with it & start smoking some meat.

I appreciate everyone's input and posts.

 

[veritas59]

Just buy you a big ole charcoal grill and use some bricks in one end of it to make yourself a fire box Then use some bricks on the top to divert the heat more evenly. I don't know why people have to go to such expense and extremes buying smokers. I have an old Oklahoma Joe smoker that I have used for years. It isn't any better than the old charcoal grill I rigged up as above for a smoker.

All you need to smoke great meats is indirect heat from a good smoking wood to get the great smoked flavor.

Once upon a time I built a smoker out of an old abandoned commercial freezer. The thing was about six feet tall, two feet wide and about six feet long. I cut a hole in the top for a damper. Cut a hole in the bottom and dug a trench to the side of it. Buried a 50 gallon drum for a fire box and used stove pipe to pipe the smoke from the drum to the bottom of the freezer. Ran some copper pipe from the bottom of the drum for air source and fixed a way to control the air flow at the top of the drum. I would load the drum up with hickory and start the fire then put the lid on and cover it up with about four inches of dirt.

In the Fall I would hang about 15 turkeys in it and get the temperature up to about 100 and cold smoke them for about four days. Best damn smoked turkey ever. I gave them to neighbors for Thanksgiving and then Christmas. The 50 gallon drum would smolder for a week or longer.

It's true that you can rig up a million different configurations and get good results. That said, I've owned a Big Green Egg for 7 or 8 years now, along with a Weber, and a custom smoker I had made when I was overseas. The BGE, because of the ceramic construction, provides much better heat retention and, thus, much better efficiency. Also, there is no comparison between a steel smoker and the Egg come winter time. Good luck trying to keep a cheap grill at 225 degrees for hours when it's below 40 degrees outside... not saying it can't be done, but it takes a lot of tending to do it. Once I get my BGE to temp, I'm done. Period. No adding lump/wood after I close the lid. The only downside to the BGE is the size. It's only big enough to handle one brisket, or a couple of butts, or three or four racks of ribs. If you don't need to cook more than that, you can't beat it. Used strictly as a grill..... there is no match for it. Period.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Well finally!
The master shows up!
I've been pimping the eggs until my fingers are falling off.
Thanks for weighing in there V.
And none too soon by the by...

 

[veritas59]

Well finally!
The master shows up!
I've been pimping the eggs until my fingers are falling off.
Thanks for weighing in there V.
And none too soon by the by...

Haha..... I've been QRT for awhile, fitty. Damned work has been interfering with the important stuff! I leave for a few days, and you jack-legs lose a running back!

 

[K2C Sooner]

What you got? Old Smokey, Oklahoma Joe, The Green Egg? I'm hoping to get a smoker in a few weeks. I have a Char-Grill smoker up in Brenham at the In-Laws that I carried up there to smoke some meat while visiting. It's a cheapy, but it has cooked some good meat through the years. I just replaced the side firebox. But now I want to get a good smoker for the house.

Any suggestions?

What you got? Old Smokey, Oklahoma Joe, The Green Egg? I'm hoping to get a smoker in a few weeks. I have a Char-Grill smoker up in Brenham at the In-Laws that I carried up there to smoke some meat while visiting. It's a cheapy, but it has cooked some good meat through the years. I just replaced the side firebox. But now I want to get a good smoker for the house.

Any suggestions?

Smoking is overrated........Direct heat..............

 

[LittleJoe24]

I don't know why people have to go to such expense and extremes buying smokers. I have an old Oklahoma Joe smoker that I have used for years. It isn't any better than the old charcoal grill I rigged up as above for a smoker.

Yeah, well except that I can start a brisket in the morning on my Traeger, then go sailing. Don't have to sit around and tend the fire. It'll be nearly done when I get home.

 

[veritas59]

I don't know why people have to go to such expense and extremes buying smokers. I have an old Oklahoma Joe smoker that I have used for years. It isn't any better than the old charcoal grill I rigged up as above for a smoker.

Yeah, well except that I can start a brisket in the morning on my Traeger, then go sailing. Don't have to sit around and tend the fire. It'll be nearly done when I get home.

Exactly. That's what I like about the BGE, as well. Once I set the dampers, I'm done. When I'm doing butts, I usually put them on around 6 or 7 in the evening and I won't open the lid until 3 or 4 the next afternoon. And, believe it or not, I'll still have at least a half-full firebox of lump charcoal and charred wood chunks left over for the next cook.

 

[Plainosooner]

I'm in the minority but I like Dickey's.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

I don't know why people have to go to such expense and extremes buying smokers. I have an old Oklahoma Joe smoker that I have used for years. It isn't any better than the old charcoal grill I rigged up as above for a smoker.

Yeah, well except that I can start a brisket in the morning on my Traeger, then go sailing. Don't have to sit around and tend the fire. It'll be nearly done when I get home.

Well for me, half the fun of smoking meat is spending the time sitting around, taking it easy, popping a few tops and just BSing. I'm one that truly enjoys the process. But I guess you can still do that w/ a Green Egg too.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Yeah, there's a lot more to cooking cow or pig that one should consider.
That is the camaraderie that comes with submarining 16oz. tall boys every time your team scores points.
The joy of 'winning' at quarters. I mean really, this is the stuff that memories are made of.

I could go on but you'd be nauseous...more later.

 

[SoonerCole]

I'll throw my 2 cents in. I've used several smokers over the years ( Okie Joes, Weber, Green Egg). I prefer the Cookshack Smoker. It is foolproof and made right here in Ponca City Oklahoma. It is the preferred smoker of a lot of the restaurants around here (commercial version). It is electric. YES, I said electric. I know some hard core smokers will curl their noses at the thought of an electric smoker, but I'm telling you it is the best I have used. It has a fire box that uses chunks of real wood with a heating element. You simply dial the temperature you want and it will hold that exact temp for as long as you want. They come is several sizes and I've never heard anyone say a negative word about it. Mine will hold several Briskets, Pork shoulders or 9 racks of ribs.

 

[pfka_ms]

I remember my dad loading one of these down with chicken halves. His had a fire box instead of electricity and lasted for years. Of course back then we didn't know you weren't supposed to line the door with asbestos. LOL

 

[Belldozer1]

I have a Green Egg too. I would buy a large or extra large one though. Anything smaller wouldn't really be practical imo.

 

[K2C Sooner]

I have a Green Egg too. I would buy a large or extra large one though. Anything smaller wouldn't really be practical imo.

I have no idea about green egg smokers, but I gave you your first" like" for your work on OB........LOL

 

[NWBoomer]

Still have my brinkman smoker from college. It handles bulk and cooler smoking projects (salmon etc...). The side firebox can be a small grill, or I can use the main part as a double grill for big cooks.

Can't justify spending $1,500 on the appropriate sized BGE. Bought a "vision" egg cooker. Its basically the cheap Sam's knockoff version. But I got it for $400. Its a "set it and forget it" cooker like the BGE's but it doesn't retain heat as efficient. But... Who cares, I do pizzas and brisket (big packer cuts) and pork shoulders etc...

Best of both worlds. Burgers and steaks on Brinkman. Slow smokes on the vision egg. I will never ever own a smoker that plugs in.

 

[Belldozer1]

I have no idea about green egg smokers, but I gave you your first" like" for your work on OB........LOL

Haha, thanks K2C Sooner. I could post that I am donating a $1,000,000 to the LH Foundation over there and still not receive a 'like'.

 

[Belldozer1]

The only complaint I have with the Green Egg and it is probably user error is that I like my bbq kind of smokey and it seems that I can't ever really get that taste that I am going for with the Egg as often as I can when cooking with a pit using a firebox and burning wood. As far as retaining constant heat for smoking briskets etc. it's great though.