flavor of a stick burner

[Bludawg]

Originally Posted by Ryan Chester

I couldn't agree more. I compete on WSM's, also have a vertical cabinet style smoker at home, and have a Ole Hickory SSJ at my restaurant (Smoqued BBQ). I cooked on a stick burner for the first time on Saturday night and was blown away. It was a cheaper Char Griller at that! The chicken that came off that pit was of the best I have ever had. And I have had A LOT!!! I smoked it with Cherry only (no charcoal) and was surprised how it had only had a slightly smokey flavor and the color was a beautiful golden brown. I thought for sure that it was going to turn black and taste like chit! So weird how that amount of wood in a WSM or other charcoal cooker would have absolutely ruined the food. Here is a pic of the chicken that the offset produced.

It aint the price of the pit it is the skill of the pit master.
CGs Rock for the money.

[teej]

Originally Posted by JS-TX

This thread is interesting, cause I always figured a stick burner imparts more smoke flavor than a kamado/WSM style of cooker. Obviously fire managment on both styles of cookers is key but still..

I'm with you. I like the stick burner because I get a more intense smoke flavor from it.

[Ryan Chester]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

It aint the price of the pit it is the skill of the pit master.
CGs Rock for the money.

You are correct but using a smoker that isn't thin as a tin can that leaks like a sieve sure makes the job easier! That may be a bit extreme but u get the point. I had a blast cooking on it though.

[AZScott]

I have BGE's, an FEC 100 and a backyard Jambo offset (on loan) at home. I was totally under the impression that the offset would produce more smoke flavor than the FEC but it is comparable in my opinion. I also like the flavor a touch better since it has a more "rounded" flavor to me. My old favorite smell was around 9 to 10 pm at a comp when people were starting to get their smokers started. Now it's the sweet smell coming out of an offset with a clean burning fire.

[LT72884]

If i were to buy a char grill, like the cheapest offset they have, i would add some gasget material around each opening and add some lock down style clamps to hold it closed. That way its more airttight. Hmmm. Need my sketch book now.

[landarc]

Originally Posted by JS-TX

This thread is interesting, cause I always figured a stick burner imparts more smoke flavor than a kamado/WSM style of cooker. Obviously fire managment on both styles of cookers is key but still..

It is all about how a offset works. With the use of all wood fuel, you get a different burn. With a properly drafting offset, the smoke stays fresh and the unit cooks largely with convection. The heat and smoke do not sit on the meat. Every cooker should cook this way, but, the way the smoke hits meat in a vertical or cabinet is going to be different.

I prefer ribs off of a offset, I can say that for butts as well. But, I prefer brisket and chicken over a direct fire.

[---k---]

Wow. After 20+ responses, this thread hasn't gone the way 8 expected.

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

[Mammoth Mountain]

I use lump for the heat and wood for the flavor on my have a Lang 84.

[LT72884]

Originally Posted by landarc

It is all about how a offset works. With the use of all wood fuel, you get a different burn. With a properly drafting offset, the smoke stays fresh and the unit cooks largely with convection. The heat and smoke do not sit on the meat. Every cooker should cook this way, but, the way the smoke hits meat in a vertical or cabinet is going to be different.

I prefer ribs off of a offset, I can say that for butts as well. But, I prefer brisket and chicken over a direct fire.

I noticed thT on saturdat with this guys cookers. He left the firebox door open a we bit for the draft and it was all embers in there. He would throw more splits, funiter scraps etc on the fire. There would be smoke commin out of the chimney and other places but when he opened the chamber to show me, i was surprised to see that the smoke stayed mostly at the top, by passing the meat. It was interesting. there was lots of smoke comming off of the cooker but hardly any touching the meat. Ill see if i have a pic. Thanks

[Smokeass]

I have a Pitmaker BBQ safe, and an homemade offset comp trailer. I like the flavor of the offset better too. However, I sometimes put a few pieces of post oak, bark and all, in the charcoal box of the safe. I think it makes a big difference. The limbs of oak I use are about 2" in diameter, and about a foot long.

[Bludawg]

Originally Posted by LT72884

I noticed thT on saturdat with this guys cookers. He left the firebox door open a we bit for the draft and it was all embers in there. He would throw more splits, funiter scraps etc on the fire. There would be smoke commin out of the chimney and other places but when he opened the chamber to show me, i was surprised to see that the smoke stayed mostly at the top, by passing the meat. It was interesting. there was lots of smoke comming off of the cooker but hardly any touching the meat. Ill see if i have a pic. Thanks

CG's will do that if you don't know the secret handshake
1) lower the stack to 3" above the grate by stuffing a Tall boy can in the bottom
2) remove the CI grates from the FB and place 1 at Each end of the Main chamber then put the Charcoal pan up side down on top of them and slide it all the way to the FB opening.
The smoke will travel under and escape low all down the length.
3) to equalize the temps across the surface drill 18 holes total in 3 lines 1/4 - 1/2" down the length of the pan. All that stuff is Free
4)Build a Log rack for the FB

[Texas Turtle]

I have a big, heavy (600 pounds) offset that I use whenever I have time for a long low 'n slow cook with brisket or butts or chickens. I usually start the fire with RO lump using the minion method in the maze firebox I built for it. Oak, pecan or mesquite logs go on top of the lump and that is all that goes in after the lump gets the pit heated up. I have a WSM that I use for convenience with RO or KBB and wood chunks when I don't have time to baby-sit the offset. I have two charcoal grills I use for steak, burgers, sausage, etc with mixed lump and wood. I love the process of cooking on the offset but it's a lot more work than the WSM.

[LT72884]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

CG's will do that if you don't know the secret handshake
1) lower the stack to 3" above the grate by stuffing a Tall boy can in the bottom
2) remove the CI grates from the FB and place 1 at Each end of the Main chamber then put the Charcoal pan up side down on top of them and slide it all the way to the FB opening.
The smoke will travel under and escape low all down the length.
3) to equalize the temps across the surface drill 18 holes total in 3 lines 1/4 - 1/2" down the length of the pan. All that stuff is Free
4)Build a Log rack for the FB

so if i were to buy the CG samokin pro model 1224 i could do these following mods?

thanks

[Hdhillin]

A stick burner requires you to hone the skill of heat and smoke at the same time. This to me in my opinion requires more skill that the other verticals type smokers where you fill a fluke with charcoal and set a temperature gauge. This is true BBQing. Please this is just my opinion, I am not trying to ruffle up any feathers. We all have opinions. Just adding to the thread. I use a custom stick burner!

[woodpelletsmoker]

I GUESS,
offset leaks every where, you have to keep wood burn in flame, a little more COMPLETE burning in higher temperature, flavor is burnt to CO2.
In a vertical smoker, heat efficiency is so good, charcoal never burn in flame, temperature is much lower, much "in-complete" burning, releases too much flavor. If you discard gasket on door, or even open a little bit of door, you will have a big fire, more flavor components are burnt to CO2.
Maybe heat insulated vertical smoker is a stupid idea. single wall vertical may be worth of a try