JoeWras
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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- Sep 18, 2012
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Well three or four of you pointed to amazingribs.com. Thanks for the pointer! I may get lost there. Nice.
Outdoor Cooking Appliance Question
- Thread starter Red Badger
- Start date
LOL!
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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- Jun 25, 2005
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- 10,252
For colder outdoor temps, I've seen people buy a welding carbon-felt blanket to wrap around their appliances. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Tillman-Heav...eywords=welding+blanket+large#customerReviews
I meant to mention that I like his "Memphis Dust" recipe for pork ribs and pork shoulders. He uses something different for beef, BTW,,
enjoy the site, and yes, you can get lost. And if you want more, he has a paid subscription kind of thing with more info. I haven't bitten yet, but I'd bet it's worth the few bucks.
OldShooter
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
OK, a few additional comments to follow my post #5.
In NC, you know what BBQ is. Some comments here are a little mixed up; steaks and burgers do not involve BBQ, cooking them is "grilling."
Many products that are basically grills can also be used for bbq, but like a Leatherman multi-tool, they are not optimum for all the jobs they can be made to do. For example, I could bbq in MY 22" Weber kettle but it is IMO a crude tool with little capacity. My pellet smokers are the right tool for bbq.
Ceramic grills like the heavily and successfully promoted BGE can also be used for bbq in the same way the Weber kettles can. BGE is the most expensive AFIK but there are others that look to me to be just as good. I see few or no ceramic cookers at bbq competitions. Ditto few or no Weber grills.
There is a class of smokers that are basically round and tall. The Weber Smoky Mountain is one. Others are based on 30 or 55 gallon steel drums, sometimes called UDS ("ugly drum smoker") These are very popular on the bbq comp circuit IMO primarily because they are fairly cheap. The can turn out excellent 'cue but I will never own one because I don't want to hassle with moving and removing grates to get to the fire and the hassle of sometimes having to hang meat because the grates are too small diameter to take it otherwise. Others, obviously, don't see this as an unacceptable hassle. Zealots abound.
In NC you should not need an insulating blanket, but the cheap ticket is a $15 moving blanket from Home Depot. At 225deg smoking temps it works fine. I learned the hard way, though, that if you get the cooker up to searing temperature the cheap HD blanket will burn!
You will probably read a lot about temperature control. Manufacturers and aftermarket controls sellers like to make a big deal of this but it is really not. Other than the surface, the mass of the meat never sees temperature swings; it is heating and cooking based on the long term average. So as long as the temp doesn't get so high that it physically affects the surface it is no big deal. There are many passionate debates about this on the BBQ Brethren forum but I have never seen a single claim that temperature excursions have affected the actual cooked product. Some cooks, however, seem to go crazy if they see +/- 20deg. YMMV.
In NC, you know what BBQ is. Some comments here are a little mixed up; steaks and burgers do not involve BBQ, cooking them is "grilling."
Many products that are basically grills can also be used for bbq, but like a Leatherman multi-tool, they are not optimum for all the jobs they can be made to do. For example, I could bbq in MY 22" Weber kettle but it is IMO a crude tool with little capacity. My pellet smokers are the right tool for bbq.
Ceramic grills like the heavily and successfully promoted BGE can also be used for bbq in the same way the Weber kettles can. BGE is the most expensive AFIK but there are others that look to me to be just as good. I see few or no ceramic cookers at bbq competitions. Ditto few or no Weber grills.
There is a class of smokers that are basically round and tall. The Weber Smoky Mountain is one. Others are based on 30 or 55 gallon steel drums, sometimes called UDS ("ugly drum smoker") These are very popular on the bbq comp circuit IMO primarily because they are fairly cheap. The can turn out excellent 'cue but I will never own one because I don't want to hassle with moving and removing grates to get to the fire and the hassle of sometimes having to hang meat because the grates are too small diameter to take it otherwise. Others, obviously, don't see this as an unacceptable hassle. Zealots abound.
In NC you should not need an insulating blanket, but the cheap ticket is a $15 moving blanket from Home Depot. At 225deg smoking temps it works fine. I learned the hard way, though, that if you get the cooker up to searing temperature the cheap HD blanket will burn!
You will probably read a lot about temperature control. Manufacturers and aftermarket controls sellers like to make a big deal of this but it is really not. Other than the surface, the mass of the meat never sees temperature swings; it is heating and cooking based on the long term average. So as long as the temp doesn't get so high that it physically affects the surface it is no big deal. There are many passionate debates about this on the BBQ Brethren forum but I have never seen a single claim that temperature excursions have affected the actual cooked product. Some cooks, however, seem to go crazy if they see +/- 20deg. YMMV.
OP
OP
Red Badger
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
OP here. Thanks all!!! 
I am leaning towards a pellet smoker. I have a Weber kettle that can step up when needed for straight grilling. Traeger has some pretty good competition since the patent(s) expired, so will give the higher rated ones (including Traeger) some tire kicking.
BTW, 225-240 degrees F is plenty hot for smoking most meats, isn't it? What do you smoke that you need it hotter than that?
Unless I stuff the offset firebox with an inordinate amount of coals, it runs 190-200 when cold out. Even with a cauldron going, it tops out around 225. I add an insulated pad to help. Like others, I don't care to babysit that much. Monitor and adjust, no problem. Fuss incessantly to maintain temp? Nah, time to move on.
FWIW, I'm a two probe guy. One for the critters and one for the cooking chamber. 'Que and such is way too important to use any of the SWAG methods of estimation.
I am leaning towards a pellet smoker. I have a Weber kettle that can step up when needed for straight grilling. Traeger has some pretty good competition since the patent(s) expired, so will give the higher rated ones (including Traeger) some tire kicking.
BTW, 225-240 degrees F is plenty hot for smoking most meats, isn't it? What do you smoke that you need it hotter than that?
Unless I stuff the offset firebox with an inordinate amount of coals, it runs 190-200 when cold out. Even with a cauldron going, it tops out around 225. I add an insulated pad to help. Like others, I don't care to babysit that much. Monitor and adjust, no problem. Fuss incessantly to maintain temp? Nah, time to move on.
FWIW, I'm a two probe guy. One for the critters and one for the cooking chamber. 'Que and such is way too important to use any of the SWAG methods of estimation.
OP
OP
Red Badger
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
OK, a few additional comments to follow my post #5.
In NC, you know what BBQ is. Some comments here are a little mixed up; steaks and burgers do not involve BBQ, cooking them is "grilling."
Many products that are basically grills can also be used for bbq, but like a Leatherman multi-tool, they are not optimum for all the jobs they can be made to do. For example, I could bbq in MY 22" Weber kettle but it is IMO a crude tool with little capacity. My pellet smokers are the right tool for bbq.
Ceramic grills like the heavily and successfully promoted BGE can also be used for bbq in the same way the Weber kettles can. BGE is the most expensive AFIK but there are others that look to me to be just as good. I see few or no ceramic cookers at bbq competitions. Ditto few or no Weber grills.
There is a class of smokers that are basically round and tall. The Weber Smoky Mountain is one. Others are based on 30 or 55 gallon steel drums, sometimes called UDS ("ugly drum smoker") These are very popular on the bbq comp circuit IMO primarily because they are fairly cheap. The can turn out excellent 'cue but I will never own one because I don't want to hassle with moving and removing grates to get to the fire and the hassle of sometimes having to hang meat because the grates are too small diameter to take it otherwise. Others, obviously, don't see this as an unacceptable hassle. Zealots abound.
In NC you should not need an insulating blanket, but the cheap ticket is a $15 moving blanket from Home Depot. At 225deg smoking temps it works fine. I learned the hard way, though, that if you get the cooker up to searing temperature the cheap HD blanket will burn!
You will probably read a lot about temperature control. Manufacturers and aftermarket controls sellers like to make a big deal of this but it is really not. Other than the surface, the mass of the meat never sees temperature swings; it is heating and cooking based on the long term average. So as long as the temp doesn't get so high that it physically affects the surface it is no big deal. There are many passionate debates about this on the BBQ Brethren forum but I have never seen a single claim that temperature excursions have affected the actual cooked product. Some cooks, however, seem to go crazy if they see +/- 20deg. YMMV.
Thanks for summarizing all the reasons I'm leaning towards a pellet unit.
That's probably a geographical thing. I see plenty of BGEs at the KCBS competitions where I judge. Most often they're the XXL size, but even the Large size is used quite a bit. Actually, the variety of cookers at competitions is staggering. From the smallest and simplest rigs all the way up to gigantic mobile installations costing probably north of $200K.
OldShooter
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Yes. I like that because it means that it's the cook, not the cooker that matters. And that there is no need to chase the perfect cooker; almost any of them can turn out excellent food.
Cassius King
Recycles dryer sheets
I have a couple of BGE's and couldn't imagine using anything else. An XL and a Mini Max. Versatile and fits my needs perfectly.
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OP here. Thanks all!!!
I am leaning towards a pellet smoker. I have a Weber kettle that can step up when needed for straight grilling. Traeger has some pretty good competition since the patent(s) expired, so will give the higher rated ones (including Traeger) some tire kicking.
The thing I’ve always wondered about a pellet smoker is, how to you regulate the smoke? Since you’re burning pellets, I don’t see how you limit the smoke. Personally, I just like a touch of smoke. I cook on a Weber smoker and use hardwood charcoal and a chunk or two of wood. Very little.
As for the ability to cook in the cold, scroll down to the bottom of the page on the link below:
Cooking In The Wind, Rain & Cold - The Virtual Weber Bullet
No blanket on that smoker.
Personally, I’d get something to modify the Weber grill, assuming you have a 22” or larger model, and use that to smoke. Of course, if you just want a new toy, go for it.
flintnational
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Okay, I have a confession to make. I own a BGE. I use it for everything. I also have a built in Kitchen Aid grill that I never use (It came with the house). Earlier this week I wanted to cold smoke homemade sausage. So, I built a smoker. Yes, its a cardboard box. Worked well. The temperature never exceeded 100 degrees. My DW was ashamed and made me hide it. Total grill cost, about $12. The look on my DW's face, priceless.
Attachments
Great job on that. Here's another idea. A few years ago, for a few bucks and a few common hardware store items, I built a cold smoker attachment for my BGE:
Cold Smoking With a Paint Can
I've used it quite a bit and it's really easy. Great for smoking cheese.
I don't use it quite so much anymore, since I found this other nifty gadget:
A-MAZE-N-PELLET-SMOKER
Just put it in the bottom of the BGE and light it. You can get up to 12 hours of smoke with virtually no temperature rise. I've started using this for my bacon.
flintnational
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
^^Thanks for both links. While I visit the nakedwhiz site, I had not seen his BGE cold smoker idea.
ETA: I am ordering the pellet smoker insert. Perfect. You may have saved our marriage.
ETA: I am ordering the pellet smoker insert. Perfect. You may have saved our marriage.
Last edited:
JoeWras
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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- 11,702
DYI boxes are always interesting. On TV, I've seen some interesting conversions of old commercial appliances (metal inside and out, not plastic) repurposed for smokers. Really nice work because the guy was handy with a welder.
HFWR
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
My propane smoker will smoke for an hour or so per full pan of wood chips. More smoke? Refill... Less smoke? Fewer chips...
I find that one load, or two at most, is adequate, but YMMV.
I find that one load, or two at most, is adequate, but YMMV.
OldShooter
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Yup. Great product. I'll be doing bacon on Sunday, hanging it in my old tin-box LP smoker (no LP heat). The maze gives me about 11 hours if I load it carefully with pellets. I'll also be putting a bunch of cheese and some almonds into the smoke for a couple of hours.
Incidentally, I have a few of the A-Maze-N tubes that I use in my pellet smoker when I want extra smoke. The best is the adjustable length one because I can set it to the depth of the smoker and put it along the right side where it doesn't take up much space. As good as the maze is, it takes up too much space on the pellet cooker racks.
