|
Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
|
Thread Tools |
01-16-2008, 09:36 PM | #1 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 01-15-08
Location: Overland Park, KS
|
Newbie has questions about Smokers
I have been smoking Briskets, Turkeys, and Jerky for years on my 2 cheapo Brinkmann electric smokers. They work great, but I have never cooked in a smoke ring, and I am ready to get in tune with the Piromaniac inside of me.
So I have been lurking here for a while and I have a few questions. My 1st question is does every smoker need to be modified out of the box? Does the U in UDS reallys stand for Ugly? Should I look at Banderas, Offsets, or just default to a WSM? Is there a difference between a Bandera and a SKD? Should I buy new, or try to get a deal on a higher end used one? PS, my budget is $300. Are there ever any deals on smokers in KC? I am sure these questions have been answered before, but I figure this is why the forum is here to help out newbies like me.
__________________
Kamado Joe (4) 18.5" WSMs Weber OTG 26.75" Traeger 070 Stoker Worlds Fastest "Green" Thermapen "Not a competition cook, just a guy who loves eating and cooking Q." Last edited by CrackerJack from KC; 01-16-2008 at 10:15 PM.. Reason: Had biscuits on my brain when I spelled Briskets |
|
01-16-2008, 09:45 PM | #2 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 09-05-07
Location: Cardiff by the Sea CA
|
Build yourself a UDS. For less than 50 bucks you can have yourself a serious kick ass smoker. Plus the build it yourself factor is really awsome.
__________________
[CENTER][B][URL="http://www.notleyque.com"]www.notleyque.com[/URL][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][URL="http://mimttm.wordpress.com/"][B]http://mimttm.wordpress.com/[/B][/URL][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Notley Que BBQ: Southern California's Finest BBQ Catering[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][FONT=Arial Black]Meat is Murder......Tasty Tasty Murder[/FONT][/B][/CENTER] |
|
01-16-2008, 09:48 PM | #3 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 03-04-07
Location: KC Mo.
|
The smoker you decide on is kinda based on what do you want to do with it. You mentioned a WSM, 250 bucks would build you enough UDS's to cook for a neighborhood. They are pretty much set it and forget it and the Q is fantastic. I gotta warn ya, once you go drum you may not go back. LOL My offset is in the backyard looking like the old dog ya couldn't house break.
__________________
"Foil is a BBQ mans duct tape" my wife. |
|
01-16-2008, 09:52 PM | #4 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 12-11-07
Location: Jefferson City, MO
|
w.s.m great cooker you could also build a couple of drums . for a lot less. not sure what a briscuits is. if you need any help with the u.d.s just keep posting. alot of help out there for that cooker
|
|
01-16-2008, 09:58 PM | #5 | |
On the road to being a farker
Join Date: 10-23-06
Location: Amarillo Texas
|
Quote:
If you want a set it and forget type a WSM is wonderful for your price range. I cooked a ham on mine tonight. Dump briquets and some wood chunks in it and forget about it. If you have access to a drum the Ugly Drum Smoker seems to be a hot item here lately. I am in the process of trying to find a drum now just because "I just got to have one now".
__________________
It ain't real Q until that precise moment, while watching the sunrise through a wisp of sweet smelling blue smoke, that a tough brisket finally surrenders itself to the gentle heat of an all wood fire and becomes a tender, juicy, smokey masterpiece.
Wiley "SmokinCoyote" Mixon Klose 20 X 60 mobile UDS WSM Red Thermapen |
|
|
01-16-2008, 10:24 PM | #6 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 01-15-08
Location: Overland Park, KS
|
I'm too Lazy to build my own.
My issues with building a UDS is that I once built a Cyclone Dust Collector (for my other hobby woodworking), and althought it works great, I would not wish that level of effort on anyone.
I noticed that a lot of WSM owners built a UDS, so my next question is other than the price and the fact you made it yourself, what are the advantages of the performance of a UDS? and is there anyone that ever built a UDS that said they wouldn't do it again?
__________________
Kamado Joe (4) 18.5" WSMs Weber OTG 26.75" Traeger 070 Stoker Worlds Fastest "Green" Thermapen "Not a competition cook, just a guy who loves eating and cooking Q." Last edited by CrackerJack from KC; 02-18-2010 at 02:02 PM.. |
|
01-16-2008, 10:30 PM | #7 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 03-04-07
Location: KC Mo.
|
If you followed the thread about the XXL UDS, I built that in less than a full day. A regular UDS just takes a few hours and minimal tools. Besides, If you decide to do one, I know an avid woodworker that would be willing to help out. :D
__________________
"Foil is a BBQ mans duct tape" my wife. |
|
01-16-2008, 10:57 PM | #8 |
Take a breath!
Join Date: 02-16-07
Location: Atlanta, GA
|
WSMs are awesome. You won't regret the $200 spent.
__________________
Jared "Yeah, but bacon tastes gooood. Pork chops taste gooood" -Pulp Fiction Weber Smokey Mountain Weber 22.5" One Touch Silver Charbroil Silver Smoker w/ mods (never used anymore) |
|
01-17-2008, 12:24 AM | #9 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 09-05-07
Location: Cardiff by the Sea CA
|
UDS do not take more than an afternoon and a half to build, a full day at the most. Not much effort at all. I actually spent more actual time locating a drum. Once I had the drum, it was done in a matter of hours (an hour every couple days, and a Saturday morning).
The reason I like it better than the WSM already is cooking space. You run out of room real quick on a WSM. I LOVE my 2 WSMs, dont get me wrong. I will cook on my WSMs at comps probably more than I will on my UDS, but I can get way more meat into my UDS than I can on WSMs 18.5 inch grills Quote:
__________________
[CENTER][B][URL="http://www.notleyque.com"]www.notleyque.com[/URL][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][URL="http://mimttm.wordpress.com/"][B]http://mimttm.wordpress.com/[/B][/URL][/CENTER] [CENTER][B]Notley Que BBQ: Southern California's Finest BBQ Catering[/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][FONT=Arial Black]Meat is Murder......Tasty Tasty Murder[/FONT][/B][/CENTER] |
|
|
01-17-2008, 05:16 AM | #10 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 01-28-07
Location: Melbourne, FL
|
I agree that a lot depend on how much you intend to cook at a time. I love my WSM but only cook for family and small parties. If you want to cook more at a time, then the UDS has more capacity. Both are pretty consistent with being able to walk away and not closely monitor
__________________
DaChief BGE Large WSM Weber One-Touch Gold Weber Go-Anywhere Turkey Fryer "Go on! Shoot me again! I enjoy it! I love the smell of burnt feathers and gunpowder and cordite!" -- Daffy Duck |
|
01-17-2008, 05:41 AM | #11 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 08-29-07
Location: Wildwood, MO
|
[quote=NotleyQue;538648]UDS do not take more than an afternoon and a half to build, a full day at the most. Not much effort at all. I actually spent more actual time locating a drum. Once I had the drum, it was done in a matter of hours (an hour every couple days, and a Saturday morning).
I agree. It took me a friday night to put mine together. I have five different smokers to cook on and I use the UDS by far the most. Don't know if I'll use it for comps or not, but for home use it can't get any simpler.
__________________
Joel Sweet Britches BBQ Team "Bessie" and "Arnold" the UDS's 22.5 Weber Cookshack FE150 Char-Broil performance series-gas "When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading" |
|
01-17-2008, 05:48 AM | #12 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 07-17-06
Location: Flushing Michigan
|
If you just want to buy a smoker and use it, the WSM is the way to go. If you want to make something yourself, I would say the UDS is the way to go. Again it depends on what you are trying to do as well, backyard or comp or both. You will not regret buying a WSM no matter which way you decide.
__________________
Mike Rubbed,Smoked, and Sauced BBQ Team Powered by Bar's Leak and Rislone RSSBBQ.COM Backwoods Competitor Backwoods Party Weber Performer Certified Moink Baller Past President of the Great Lakes BBQ Association For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know |
|
01-17-2008, 08:06 AM | #13 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 09-27-06
Location: Worcester mass
|
WSM is BAAAHHHBEQUE !!!
I wish my first smoker was a WSM
you will have a ball. be carefull. BBQ is very habit forming. have fun.
__________________
Sully lunchmeat BBQ team KCBS Certified BBQ Judge New England Barbecue Society Board of Directors BAAAHHHBEQUE !!! 2 WSM more of a good thing Brinkman offset Backwoods competitor Weber Performer 22' weber kettle w/rottiserie 17" table top weber kettle & weber smokey joe. |
|
01-17-2008, 08:11 AM | #14 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 02-26-07
Location: ADA, MI
|
I would also say WSM is the way to go. ready to rock and roll right out of the box.
__________________
Theresa. Smokin' Scotsmen BBQ www.smokinscotsmen.com Geer Pit by Jambo FEC-100 WSM WEBER GENISES GAS GRILL CBJ Bacon & eggs - Hens are involved but pigs are commited. |
|
01-17-2008, 08:22 AM | #15 |
is Blowin Smoke!
Join Date: 10-17-06
Location: Oklahoma
|
Cooker
Get the WSM first and then if you feel like building a UDS go for it but you can start cooking as soon as you get the WSM home...
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Questions about Offset Smokers... HELP! | DirtyDirty00 | Q-talk | 8 | 08-28-2011 02:46 PM |
Newbie here and have questions, help please. | tallon713 | Q-talk | 6 | 05-31-2011 11:05 PM |
More Country Smokers Questions | 71-South | Q-talk | 52 | 04-30-2009 11:34 AM |
Newbie questions - ribs | TheRancheroGuy | Q-talk | 12 | 04-13-2009 12:44 PM |
Questions from a newbie... | smokinvic | Q-talk | 14 | 03-08-2008 05:41 AM |
|
|