What was your first grill or smoker? - Page 3

Smokeat · 07-23-2013, 11:21 AM

My Dad had a nice Ducane gas grill outside and a built in gas grill in the kitchen, he designed the house. We were a gas grillin' family. When I moved out with my girlfriend(now wife), I went to the BBQ's Galore store and bought the Ducane gas demonstrator/floor model, $300 30 years ago, a lot of money for me back then. I still have it, and my Dad's, waiting for restoration.

bbqgeekess · 07-23-2013, 11:34 AM

First gas grill: PGS K40
First charcoal grill: Weber Smokey Joe
First smoker: Mini WSM

gtr · 07-23-2013, 11:41 AM

First grill - 22.5 Weber I got in '93 that I still have and cook on. First smoker was an ECB with the electric element. Piece o'crap but I didn't care - my wife and friends and I had what we thought were a lot of great meals off that thing. As soon as I moved from an apartment to a house with a yard I got a NBBD. By that point I was very happy to let the ECB go.

Oldhoss · 07-23-2013, 12:27 PM

First grill was a gasser. First smoker was a gas grill modified for indirect cooking....I did some very good cooks on that setup also a few mistakes. I now have the gasser, a Bradley digital Jim Beam model, a New Braunfels cheapo, a 22.5 OTG Kettle, a Akorn, a cinder block pit and a metal fire pit with a cooking rack.

If I were to pick only one to have.....the Kettle. No second thought there as it does it all.

Bdub · 07-23-2013, 01:40 PM

First smoker was a Masterbuilt gasser. Put out some decent pork butts and ribs on it but never could get the smoke flavor I wanted. It has been retired and in storage for 6 years and just last week gave it to my oldest son so he can start his bbq quest.

Hankdad1 · 07-23-2013, 01:58 PM

First grill was an 18.5 Weber kettle my dad gave me in the mid 70's when he upgraded to the larger kettle. I still have it and just used it at the cabin last weekend.

1st smoker was an ECB with an electric element. It didn't like Minnesota weather and I ruined some meat and fish with it. Rusted out, tossed it, bought a WSM and never looked back.

ironmanerik · 07-23-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J'ville Grill

My first grill was very similar to this one. I liked that you could raise and lower the charcoal grate three diferent levels from the cooking grate.

this except mine was green, "the green weenie" my wife bought me a gasser, didn't have storage for two, gave the green weenie to a friend before I figured out I hated gas. Got it back from its third owner a couple years later and used it till its legs fell off.

agoldswo · 07-23-2013, 02:47 PM

Grew up using an 18" weber Kettle, it finally rusted out after being nearly 35 years old, bought a Weber Performer about 6 years ago, love it. Just started getting into smoking and experimenting with different things. Currently building a UDS, and hope to build a brick oven in the future.

BeerBQ · 07-23-2013, 06:09 PM

I started with something like this a few years ago:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Backyard-G...ndingMethod=rr

I didn't quite know what I was doing and used matchlight charcoal. A friend gave me an old portable type grill that I used to light charcoal on then add to my bigger grill when the lighter fluid burnt off. Throw some mesquite chips on there and pack it on one half with a pork picnic on the other side and it wasn't too bad for a poor college student.

I replaced it after over 2 years when the charcoal pan (not a grate, just a metal sheet) burnt through in a few spots.
I've upgraded slightly to a Smokey Joe and one of these:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kingsford-...Grill/15907741

WiscoKid · 07-23-2013, 07:15 PM

I started out with some off brand 18" kettle grill, and the rest is history=)

jasonjax · 07-23-2013, 07:21 PM

First grill: Weber Silver Gasser
First smoker: Weber Smokey Mountain

SimcoBBQ · 07-23-2013, 07:22 PM

Brinkman that my brother picked up on a Sunday morning coming in from Saturday night , he also had a couple of whole chickens. Needless to say I had to cook em!

dwfisk · 07-23-2013, 07:30 PM

The first I remember (50+ years ago) was a hibachi, kind of what Lodge sells now-about an 8"X16" oval cast iron when was a kid in K-Bay MCAS, Hawaii. Either that or just a hole in the ground lined with lava rocks & banana leaves.

bluetang · 07-23-2013, 07:39 PM

Not mine but one like this. Circa 1970

CTSmokehouse · 07-23-2013, 07:49 PM

My first Smoker was a New Braunfelds Black Diamond. The second was a Bandera which would change my life. I found the Bandera Brethren ( to become the BBQ Brethren) and souped up both smokers. In our second competition we came in 5th amongst the best in New England at Lyme Rock, CT. Some of the teams we competed against were competing nationally with good results. I stayed up all night and put charcoal in each and every hour, and went through a microburst. After turn in a number of teams asked if we wanted to upgrade to one of their fancy cookers. When the awards came out we got 2nd in Chicken (second highest score for NEBS that year),
Third in Brisket and 4th in Beef Ribs. They said...keep doing what your doing!

That was 2007 and I went on to cook with Nancee and Greg of Purple Turtles at the American Royal Invitational and Open. IQue got 1st in Brisket at the Open...

I still think I cooked best on those back yard Smokers.

Yours in BBQ,

Cliff

07-23-2013, 11:34 AM	#32
bbqgeekess Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-06-13 Location: Oklahoma	First gas grill: PGS K40 First charcoal grill: Weber Smokey Joe First smoker: Mini WSM __________________ 18.5" WSM and 22.5" OTG.

07-23-2013, 11:41 AM	#33
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	First grill - 22.5 Weber I got in '93 that I still have and cook on. First smoker was an ECB with the electric element. Piece o'crap but I didn't care - my wife and friends and I had what we thought were a lot of great meals off that thing. As soon as I moved from an apartment to a house with a yard I got a NBBD. By that point I was very happy to let the ECB go. __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD?

07-23-2013, 01:40 PM	#35
Bdub Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 06-13-13 Location: Fort Gibson OK	First smoker was a Masterbuilt gasser. Put out some decent pork butts and ribs on it but never could get the smoke flavor I wanted. It has been retired and in storage for 6 years and just last week gave it to my oldest son so he can start his bbq quest. __________________ 22.5 WSM, UDS, Char Griller Akorn

07-23-2013, 01:58 PM	#36
Hankdad1 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-07-10 Location: Twin Cities, MN Name/Nickname : John	First grill was an 18.5 Weber kettle my dad gave me in the mid 70's when he upgraded to the larger kettle. I still have it and just used it at the cabin last weekend. 1st smoker was an ECB with an electric element. It didn't like Minnesota weather and I ruined some meat and fish with it. Rusted out, tossed it, bought a WSM and never looked back. __________________ CG Akorn, WSM, Green stainless Performer, Genesis 3000, 2 18.5" Weber kettles, Weber go anywhere charcoal. [COLOR=DarkOrange] [/COLOR]

07-23-2013, 07:22 PM	#42
SimcoBBQ Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-19-12 Location: Warner Robins , Ga	Brinkman that my brother picked up on a Sunday morning coming in from Saturday night , he also had a couple of whole chickens. Needless to say I had to cook em! __________________ KomodoKamado BB32/HB Legacy/PBC old style/ MAK 2* ( on order )

07-23-2013, 11:21 AM	#31
Smokeat is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 01-01-09 Location: IE California	My Dad had a nice Ducane gas grill outside and a built in gas grill in the kitchen, he designed the house. We were a gas grillin' family. When I moved out with my girlfriend(now wife), I went to the BBQ's Galore store and bought the Ducane gas demonstrator/floor model, $300 30 years ago, a lot of money for me back then. I still have it, and my Dad's, waiting for restoration.

07-23-2013, 12:27 PM	#34
Oldhoss Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-20-13 Location: London Ontario Canada	First grill was a gasser. First smoker was a gas grill modified for indirect cooking....I did some very good cooks on that setup also a few mistakes. I now have the gasser, a Bradley digital Jim Beam model, a New Braunfels cheapo, a 22.5 OTG Kettle, a Akorn, a cinder block pit and a metal fire pit with a cooking rack. If I were to pick only one to have.....the Kettle. No second thought there as it does it all.

07-23-2013, 02:47 PM	#38
agoldswo On the road to being a farker Join Date: 03-18-12 Location: Ishpeming Name/Nickname : Goldy	Grew up using an 18" weber Kettle, it finally rusted out after being nearly 35 years old, bought a Weber Performer about 6 years ago, love it. Just started getting into smoking and experimenting with different things. Currently building a UDS, and hope to build a brick oven in the future.

07-23-2013, 06:09 PM	#39
BeerBQ On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-20-13 Location: Indiana	I started with something like this a few years ago: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Backyard-G...ndingMethod=rr I didn't quite know what I was doing and used matchlight charcoal. A friend gave me an old portable type grill that I used to light charcoal on then add to my bigger grill when the lighter fluid burnt off. Throw some mesquite chips on there and pack it on one half with a pork picnic on the other side and it wasn't too bad for a poor college student. I replaced it after over 2 years when the charcoal pan (not a grate, just a metal sheet) burnt through in a few spots. I've upgraded slightly to a Smokey Joe and one of these: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kingsford-...Grill/15907741

07-23-2013, 07:15 PM	#40
WiscoKid Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 06-06-13 Location: Superior, WI	I started out with some off brand 18" kettle grill, and the rest is history=)

07-23-2013, 07:21 PM	#41
jasonjax Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-20-07 Location: Ponte Vedra, Florida Name/Nickname : Jason	First grill: Weber Silver Gasser First smoker: Weber Smokey Mountain

07-23-2013, 07:30 PM	#43
dwfisk Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-01-12 Location: Fairfield, Florida Name/Nickname : Dave	The first I remember (50+ years ago) was a hibachi, kind of what Lodge sells now-about an 8"X16" oval cast iron when was a kid in K-Bay MCAS, Hawaii. Either that or just a hole in the ground lined with lava rocks & banana leaves. __________________ I'm Dave Got a bunch of cooking toys and a custom metal fabrication shop where I spend my time building all sorts of smokers & outdoor cooking gear.

07-23-2013, 07:39 PM	#44
bluetang somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-06-10 Location: Stuart, Fl Name/Nickname : Mike	Not mine but one like this. Circa 1970 __________________ Homey, the Homegrown frier, 22" WSM, 18.5" Elderly(but not retired) WSM,Homegrown Electric, Weber gasserrrr,Weber Performer, Gravity feed smoker, Blackstone, Indisputably Fastest [COLOR=purple]Purple[/COLOR] Thermapen, SAI Satay Grill Avatar by landarc, thanky!

07-23-2013, 07:49 PM	#45
CTSmokehouse is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-31-05 Location: Ridgefield, CT	My first Smoker My first Smoker was a New Braunfelds Black Diamond. The second was a Bandera which would change my life. I found the Bandera Brethren ( to become the BBQ Brethren) and souped up both smokers. In our second competition we came in 5th amongst the best in New England at Lyme Rock, CT. Some of the teams we competed against were competing nationally with good results. I stayed up all night and put charcoal in each and every hour, and went through a microburst. After turn in a number of teams asked if we wanted to upgrade to one of their fancy cookers. When the awards came out we got 2nd in Chicken (second highest score for NEBS that year), Third in Brisket and 4th in Beef Ribs. They said...keep doing what your doing! That was 2007 and I went on to cook with Nancee and Greg of Purple Turtles at the American Royal Invitational and Open. IQue got 1st in Brisket at the Open... I still think I cooked best on those back yard Smokers. Yours in BBQ, Cliff __________________ Member KCBS,Member NEBS,KCBS Certified BBQ Judge "The Twins" 2 BWS Fatboys with experience! NB Black Diamond with Mods,CB Bandera with Mods CharGriller Outlaw with Mods,2X WSM in Comp. Mode Weber Kettle 22" Gold, Kirkland Signature SS Gas Grill La Caja Asadora - Caja China - Cajun Microwave 1 "Primal Meat Smokers" BBQ Team Purple Primal Smoker Turtle!