Check out this "Bandera" on Steroids

[chad]

Interesting cooker -- looks pretty well built and has a lot of things we tend to add to the Bandera -- I'm sure a lot of you have seen this but heck -- the pics are good and the prices are pretty good, too.

http://www.tejassmokers.com/products/2040cc.htm

[BBQchef33]

Bandera on steroids, or undernourished backyard chef?

[Wayne]

For $1,275 it should come with a topless serving wench to keep my beer mug full os stout (Guinness).

[nthole]

Actually, I like the little 1628cc even better. That's for those of us that aren't trying to feed all of Long Island.

But I imagine Dave's are better quality. But the price sure was appealing.

[BBQchef33]

Dave took issue withy Tejas, they are still "talking" about them swiping his design. But the 2 xant be compared, tejas is 1/8 and 1/4 inch steel. Wheels are smaller, shelves dont wrap around, expanded steel is thinner... nad its half the price. I almost bought the 2040C last year before i saw the BYC.

[Wayne]

If I was building my own I would put the firebox in the middle and the roasters on either side with moving baffles to control whether or not a roaster got any heat. I would also make the firebox really deep for better control when grillin', and have drains on all three sections for easy cleaning. I might even build a gas heating element for the firebox for thols long tenderizing cook offs after the meat has been smoked enough.

[chathorne]

I might even build a gas heating element for the firebox for thols long tenderizing cook offs after the meat has been smoked enough



will the cook offs let you use gas ??

[rbinms33]

I know KCBS and MIM don't allow gas for cooking purposes (unless rules have changed). They will, however, let you use it for lighting charcoal or wood or whatever fuel you're using. I don't think anyone would say anything to you if you had the gas burners in the fire box as long as there wasn't a propane tank hooked to it.

[Wayne]

"Cook Off" is a term sometimes use by professional cooks. It means to cook. After you prep the meat you put it in the pit and cook it off.

[rbinms33]

Ohhhhhhhh....see there, learn something new every day.....thanks Wayne.

[egkor]

In my NBBD, I have taken to using charcoal and wood chunks for the first 2 or so hours of a cook. Then once cooking grate temp comes down to 200 deg, then I sweep the embers/ash out into a metal container.

Then, I set a gas burner (from a turkey/fish fryer) in the fire box.

I then let the gas heat go for the rest of the cook, monitoring both the cooking grate temp, and the meat internal temp. I adjust flame intensity (thus grate temp) as needed.

This allows consistent, long-term temps. And sleep, for long overnight brisket cooks.

I know you can't use gas for competition cooking, but this is for my backyard cooks only. It lets me do other things (usually honey-do's) while the meat cooks. It has worked really well.

I have been considering a catering rig. I would want gas capability, for the same reasons as above. I just can't spend all my time babysitting a smoker for fire and temp control.

-egkor