Looking at possibly getting a Pellet Smokers

[Tricky]

Originally Posted by Old Dave

I love rotisserie setups and put them on most of my backyard cookers. The large headspace in the Green Mountain makes adapting this feature to this cooker a fairly easy modification.

Dave, so do you just drill holes in each side of your cooker to add the rotisserie? How do you pre-load your rotisserie spit and put it on the cooker, and how do you take it off after the cook is finished? (I've only done one rotisserie cook, and my cooker had slots that you could drop the spit down into.)

Sorry about the hijack...

[Bigdog]

Good thread going here. I vote for the Yoder 480. You said that you wanted something that was not made of flimsy steel. That is certainly not the case here. We use 2 of them each month in our ATBBQ cooking classes(along with 2 640's) and those 2 workhorses do everything we ask them to do and more. So while the 640 is the larger more versatile one, the 480 is a real champ too.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by Bob C Cue

You mention you were disappointed with your ribs in the PBC when you wrapped with brown sugar. Have you tried cooking them naked? I have cooked both baby backs and St. Louis style and they have been the best ribs I have every made. And the chicken is beyond words. Have you had some good results with the PBC? Just wondering as a call to Noah could help you through any issues you may be having. Good luck in your pellet grill search.

Yea my first batch of ribs that I did the very day I got the PBC I did naked. I did not wrap them or anything and they came out pretty good, a little dark but good flavor. I have been watching the shows and they always wrap and put brown sugar, squeeze butter and honey on them so I thought I would try it. Bad move because I tried it with both my offset and the PBC and both had the same result...Burnt Black and stuck to the foil. the last batch I did a couple weeks ago must have had a lot of fat because the PBC kept flaring and I was shooting flames to the top of the barrel so they were a little crispy before I even wrapped.

As far as other results I have had a couple awesome brisket cooks and a couple awesome pork butt cooks on the PBC. The first brisket I did was a 15# full packer and I cut all the fat out in between the point and flat like Noah showed in the videos and then used Butchers BBQ premium beef injection plus the premium rub and the taste was fantastic. When I started I had the meat hooke and hanging like it was supposed to be and the end of the flat was resting on the charcoal tray and never burned one bit. After 90 minutes the end of the flat was at 145 on the thermopen and the point was around 150 so I pulled it and wrapped it and racked it for another 90 minutes and next temp check was 210 so I pulled it and rested it for an hour. After an hour the temp was 175 so I started slicing it up and OMG the taste about made my tongue come out of my mouth and slap me silly. My wife was chowing on it as fast as I could slice it. That brisket had a nice little smoke ring and pull test had just the right amount of tug as they show on the shows.

Pork butts can have them done in about 3 hours as well wrapping after 90 minutes then cook another 90 wrapped and pull it at about 195-200 and the bone pulling out clean. Also did a couple half flats as well that had good results. I just think ribs are not my strong point and that was something I was hoping a pellet pooper could possibly help me on.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by Tricky

Dave, so do you just drill holes in each side of your cooker to add the rotisserie? How do you pre-load your rotisserie spit and put it on the cooker, and how do you take it off after the cook is finished? (I've only done one rotisserie cook, and my cooker had slots that you could drop the spit down into.)

Sorry about the hijack...

Tricky,
Don't worry about hijacking the thread because that was something I was going to ask about also.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by Bigdog

Good thread going here. I vote for the Yoder 480. You said that you wanted something that was not made of flimsy steel. That is certainly not the case here. We use 2 of them each month in our ATBBQ cooking classes(along with 2 640's) and those 2 workhorses do everything we ask them to do and more. So while the 640 is the larger more versatile one, the 480 is a real champ too.

I am for sure going to be looking at the yoders and all the others before I make my final decision. I am still several months away from making any moves so I am sure I will decide then research more and change my mind again several times before I make the final choice.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by Dabaras

I've got a green mountain Jim Bowie which is right at your limit. It isn't a Yoder, but it doesn't cost what a Yoder does. I looked at a Rec Tec, and it may be a hair better, but I don't think it is much. I like having enough room for a full size second shelf.

I took a look online at the Jim Bowies today and also looked at the Daniel Boone and like both of them and would love to see one in action first hand. The JB would probably be a good size for me and I like the fact that they have custom thermal blankets because that will probably be something I would end up buying because of the bad winters we have here in Indiana. I want to be able to cook year around instead of just during the spring thru fall.

I will for sure be looking at the Rec Tec grills closer also.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by pvcollie

I see a lot of Green Mountain pellet poopers on the Florida BBQ contest circuit.

Right now the Green Mountain Jim Bowie and Daniel Boone are moving up my list as possibilities.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by Tut-T-Que

rec tec my man. it took me a year to figured the one I wanted. im a research freak. but I went with a rec tec due to the 6 year warranty and superb customer service. (no im not contracted by rec tec to make these bold statements, haha).

I am also a research freak, I will research almost a year before I finally end up pulling the trigger. Like I said in my original post we believe in getting the biggest and best I can get for the cheapest price. If the GMG ends up being the best deal over the traeger which may end up happening then I will go with the Jom Bowie or Daniel Boone.

The 6 year warranty on the Rec Tec does sound pretty good that they stand behind their product and good customer service is also a big selling point to me.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by Duckboats

Since everyone hit the Rec-Tec and Green Mountain, I'll throw out the Blazn Grillworks version.
They have some nice mods to a pellet grill. You can remove the burn pot for easy cleaning and the temperature probe is protected. The grill is made in Beatrice, NE and is very well built. Check them out.
I'm leaning toward the Blazn right now, but Yoder is surely creeping up on me. I can't get past the extra price right now........as I keep saving my money....

Seems like I have looked at the Memphis once already but will check them out again here shortly

[Burnt at Both Endz]

I have a Cookshack PG500, it's a few hundred dollars over your $1000 price range, but it's a very versatile grill/smoker capable of searing at high heat temps on the grill area and even cold smoking.

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by DaveAlvarado

For size reference, a 24"x24" square is plenty of room for:
4 butts, or
2 briskets, or
4 racks of baby backs, or
3 racks of St. Louis spares, or
2 racks of untrimmed spares

If you go with something 20" or less deep, you'll need to turn some meats like briskets and racks of ribs sideways to fit, so keep that in mind. I have a 22" WSM, and anything will fit at least in the center of the rack, but the biggest briskets have to be squished between the handles on both sides. My next smoker will be at least a 24" depth rack so anything I want will fit.

I'm probably going with 24"x60", but that's because I tend to smoke a *bunch* of meat at once for parties, like a brisket, a couple butts, racks of ribs, whole chickens, sausage, appetizers, etc. all on at the same time.

Dave,
Thanks for the size reference information, it is for sure helpful in knowing the size information when I go looking. Like I said if I can ever get good with a pooper I may actually consider trying a backyard contest so I would for sure need to do more than 1 item at a time.

[Old Dave]

Mr Tricky,

I did just drill holes in each side of the cooker for the rotisserie rod.

To load the rod, just place the rod thru the open hole in the left side of the cooker far enough so you can then push the right side of the rod thru the open hole in the right side and into the rotisserie motor. Then you slide the little spit rod bushing onto the rod on the left side of the cooker and push it into the hole and then lock it down with the set screw. Takes about 30 seconds to load up a full rotisserie setup. My design here allows me to use about any length of rotisserie rod setups I want and I do have several off of several cookers.

More pictures and info here: http://olddavespo-farm.blogspot.com/...-grill_16.html

Dave

[JHumpertIN]

Originally Posted by Old Dave

Hello Hoosier,

As an owner of a couple of different pellet grills and a long time user of this method of cooking and baking, I feel qualified to answer why I selected my new Green Mountain Daniel Boone pellet grill over the competition. As a user, I wanted features to suit my style of cooking. I am sure some of my wants and needs may be different than others and I would suggest that they would select a cooker to their style of cooking and needs.

Headspace or height of the cooking chamber...

Along with the standard features of the taller headspace in the cooker that gives you room for beer butt chickens and turkeys, you also have room for raised grid baking which works well in most cookers, additional space for rib racks, and room for a rotisserie setup.

The cooker has a full 13-1/2 of headspace which did allow me to fabricate an inexpensive 2 piece second raised cooking grid which doubled the cooking space inside the cooker. I have a total of 864 sq. in. of cooking space with this additional grid.





I can use the full raised 2nd grid or just one side as you see in the pictures. Really adds flexibility to my grill.

Rotisserie Setup

I love rotisserie setups and put them on most of my backyard cookers. The large headspace in the Green Mountain makes adapting this feature to this cooker a fairly easy modification.





These are two whole chickens and two turkey breasts but I do have enough room to do two whole turkeys at a time.




These are slab potatoes and hot chicken wings in another rotisserie setup that does require quite a bit of head space.

High Heat Grilling Insert

I was able to add a high heat grilling insert to this fine grill which was important to me as I like steaks cooked at the tip of a wood or charcoal flame at high temps.





Then, with the addition of Grill Grates, I have one fine high temp grilling setup.





Steaks and burgers sure look good coming off the cooker with this modification.

Raised Grid Baking

The increased headroom in this cooker allows me at add my ceramic plate setter and my hearth stone for my baking. This raised hearth works great with equal temperatures and great air-flow all around the hearth which makes for great baking.





Standard pizzas along with most breads come out great with this simple setup.



With this very high temp baking setup, I can obtain baking temps of above 700 degrees which works great for Pizza Margherita and other high temp bakes.





Our breads and pizza are wonderful coming off of this cooker.

Temperature Range of this Grill

We do quite a bit of cold smoking and the lower range of 150 degrees works well with items like jerky, sausage, fish, and other products. Most pellet cookers will not go this low so that is a feature we like.



Jerky comes out great on the cooker.

Controller

What is not to like about a controller with an integrated meat probe, a remote option if you want it, has a turbo mode for colder Winter climates, and in most temperature ranges will operate with less than 10 degree temperature swings with your cooking.

Other great Features

Will operate on my less expensive modified sine wave inverter in no power situations.

Fairly inexpensive thermal jacket for cold weather cooking.

Local dealers and a company with a wonderful track record of solving any problems that might occur with the use of the cooker.

A few times during the cooking season, the company will offer up deals that can save you as much $100 dollars off the purchase price. Many dealers will also sweeten a deal on the cooker as well.

“Bang for the Buck”

For my needs, and after comparing several cookers in this price range, I felt that the price paid along with all the great features and the easy adaptability to some of the modifications I wanted just gave me more bang for the buck.

Dave,
WOW what a review. I really like the modifications that you have done to the grill with the raised grids and all. Like Tricky I am also curious about the rotisserie and how you have set that up. I love the grill marks on the burger and steak, I would love to be able to get a good mark like that. Your ribs also look fabulous as well as everything else.

As far as the smoke flavor does the Daniel Boone put out a very smoky flavor? I have read other comments in reviews where they say the poopers don't have a very good smoke flavoring and personally I like the smoky taste and the nice bark.

[Simply Smoked]

Great idea with the pizza oven. I have got to set one of these up. What did you use as the top stone? Great review I am very happy with my GMG hard to beat for the money.

[Frmboybuck]

I did a boatload of research on this very subject... My results are in this order
Yoder
Green Mountain
RecTec
Traeger
The Yoder is built like a tank and I like the physical size of the unit. The Green Mountain got the vote over the Rectec only because I have a dealer 10 miles from my front door and there is more room with the raised lid than the Rectec or Traeger. I really liked the Rectec but the fact that they are made in China with the same body as the Traeger, really turned me off.