Should I be Tarred and Feathered?

[BayoustateBBQ]

Well I've been on the culinary scene for most of my life and in BBQ the past 10 years. Bayoubbq is known around these parts. It's not hard to get a crowds over here when I mention cranking up the pit. Being a machinist and owning my own machine shop, I've always learned work smarter not harder. I have litteraly worn out 2 weber horizontals and finally invested in a oklahoma joes. I sure could have built a nice one myself if only I had the time. Well after working that firebox on this last go I talked myself into taking the plunge. I took an old fish fryer burner and mounted it to the fire box closet to the cooking chamber side. If still can do logs if I feel like being a die hard but man is this so much easier and consistent. Should I be tarred and feathered

[Bludawg]

YES!!! ya can 't cook BBQ with Gas, some body get a Rope!

[BevoBurn96]

Well after being up several times last night to stir my traditional fire, it's not a bad idea for consistencies sake. I had made a similar modification to my now retired NB Bandera by installing an electric hot plate in the bottom of it. The metal was so thin that it lost heat like crazy. The hot plate kept it balanced with some standard coals in the firebox. I put a cast iron skillet on the hot plate and that's where I put the wood chips to smolder.

I bought high temp 1300F insulated wire and had rigged up the hot plate controller to it's thermostat, so it was even self-regulating. Embedded it in the bottom of the Bandera with 2" of concrete and a hollow created by one of those metal pans from a stove. It was important to run an electrical ground from the grill to the earth. It was functional, but certainly wouldn't have gotten an UL seal of approval for fail proof electrical work. The concrete provided a great heat sink, so it was much easier afterwards to keep the Bandera at temp. I've seen some other really good Bandera modifications on this forum, but it's too late for mine.

[Grain Belt]

What the "h" is a Weber horizonatal? Did you mean chargriller?

[BayoustateBBQ]

sorry I meant offset smoker. The fireboxes on the cheaper ones just dont
last

[Johnny_Crunch]

Sell it and build a UDS.

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Gas is a great way to heat up tar, however.

[BayoustateBBQ]

Well they say "even the best laid plan doesn't stand the first test" Well I'm very impressed. For those misunderstanding my first post, I added a burner in the fire box. Of my Oklahoma Joes offset smoker

I welded a rack above the burner then a stepdown rack next to it. I crank the burner, get the pit up to close to temp, add a couplesticks on the burner to get them started. Once they get going I push them off to the lower rack. Great smoke and steady temp. Call me lazy but with 7 joint surgeries over the years i ain't as steady as i used to be. I'm going through no charcoal, 1/10th the wood and about $17 in propane in 4 days. Pretty economical

[silverfinger]

Only time it pays to be Tarred and feathered is when they stick you in that stupid machine at chucky cheese and tell you to catch as many fake dollars you can when they turn the fan on.

[HankB]

Proof is in the pudding. if you make 'Q you are happy with, then it is a good idea.

If it makes lousy 'Q and you continue to use it that way, then we start heating the tar.

[TomB]

BBQ is BBQ. Do what you want. I have a gasser and use it sometimes in the winter when I don't want to set-up a WSM in the cold Iowa winter. I also use it other seasons for short high-temp cooks like baked potatoes and ABTs.

[Crazy Tex]

Would like to see pictures of your set up