Klose Backyard Chef

[billybatts]

I've been looking to move on from my 20+ year old rusted out, thin, approximately 16" pipe x 35" offset that I've had quite a few good cooks on. It's literally falling apart. Looking both in terms of upgrading quality and capacity. I think I'd like a similar style....that is, a traditional offset as opposed to a reverse flow.

The more I've looked, read, and heard, I'm strongly leaning towards a Klose and very interested in the Backyard Chef model that includes a vertical cabinet at the end of the horizontal smoker. I'd appreciate any feedback that those who have cooked on this smoker have. Any mods that you feel improved function? Most of what I've seen on his builds is very positive (at least from posts on here dating back several years), but there's really not that much in terms of current in depth reviews I've found of his smokers, including the BYC. A lot of the videos about his pits focus on unique builds he's done and I haven't found much analysis of the functionality of his smokers....though I have seen plenty of general praise of them. Is airflow through a smoker with a cabinet much different than just a horizontal smoker? I know some other brands seem to have issues with airflow in this type of configuration. Any feedback would be appreciated. They are pricey but if they last forever and function so well, I'd rather save up a little longer and be happy with my choice. And I have already experienced the joy of a 30 minute phone call with David discussing his smokers.

 

[BBQ_MAFIA]

My wife, (MRS MAFIA), came home with a Klose Grill Chef a few days ago.
I haven't cooked on it yet as its getting a good clean up and face lift. I can tell
you that a Klose pit is built like a tank and with proper care and will certainly last a life time or three. Phil our grand Poobah and another member, "gtr"both cook on a
Klose BYC. I'm sure they will answer your questions.

I put a post up asking for feedback on the Grill Chef but didn't really get any feedback.
Good luck

 

[gtr]

I have a 50" BYC and absolutely love it. The quality is fantastic and I'm sure it'll outlast me.

What I really like is I can do different things at the same time on it. I can low smoke sausage/bacon/jerky in the vertical, and cook ribs or whatever in the main chamber at the same time. It's a direct flow so there are temp variations across the the cooker, i.e. the further you get from the firebox the cooler it gets, and I make that work for me. I also have a grate for the firebox so I can direct grill as well.

If you get the BYC, I'd recommend getting the sausage rods and the pop baffle. The pop baffle goes between the main & vertical chambers - when it's in, the vertical is notably cooler than the main chamber - could be 50 degrees or more, and when it's out it's more like 25 degrees. The vertical is good for keeping cooked stuff warm as well, so it's great for parties.

I have the 20x50 - once in a great while when I'm doing huge (to me) cooks, like 100+ pounds of butts, I could use the extra room of the 24x50, but for about 95% of my cooking the 20x50 is just fine. You can go 2 butts deep on the lower rack, but generally only one on the upper rack. I can fit 10 - 12 butts in there and I think the biggest pig I've fit in there was about 70#.

I got the charcoal basket when I bought the cooker and I never, ever use it. Not sure if the ball valve drain is an add-on, but whatever the case, it's a must. It's warm here so I didn't need the insulated FB. I have the pullout shelves, which I see as a must.

We've done a fair amount of charity cooks on it and have had lots of great parties around it, so I'd say it's definitely been one of the best purchases of any kind I've ever made.

 

[billybatts]

Thanks, gtr. Looking at the 50 and considering the 20 vs 24. Not sure how often I'll truly need the 24, but there'll probably be a few times where I really want that. Appreciate the feed-back on the add-ons. Thankfully, pull-out shelves now come standard. and I won't waste money on a charcoal basket

How much temperature variation do you see across the horizontal? Like, it you're running 250 dead center on the main shelf, what are temps like 1/4 and 3/4 of the way away from the firebox? I'm currently using such a small smoker that there's only one ideal place on it for a smaller brisket or a shoulder and temperature variation is terrible. Klose tunes them for a fee, using various techniques that I don't believe employ tuning plates like on the Yoder. Don't want tuning plates but not really sure what his tuning consists of, whether it's really worth it, and whether it's more for larger trailer units.

 

[gtr]

Temp variations kinda depend on how long the cooker has been running. They are more dramatic early on, and as the metal heats up they become a little closer. To be perfectly honest, I don't pay a huge amount of attention to that. I just generally run at least 250-275 or so - this is according to the therm situated toward the left of the main chamber - and just know that it's hotter toward the FB. It's been a very long time since I've stuck an oven therm in there and moved it around to see what's going on.

Early in the cook, it can be 75 degrees hotter by the FB & could be more than that. Later it's more like 50, probably less. I really like having the temp differences due to cooking different cuts, different sizes of the same cuts, etc. And I can start casually over the the left, and as I get more like "oh chit they're gonna be here soon!" I'll slide it on over toward the right by the FB. The part of the grate that's right where the main chamber and FB are can be used for what's pretty dang close to indirect grilling if you're running over 275. It gets really hot there, and if you're loaded with butts and have some near the FB you wanna keep an eye on on that, rotate, etc.

I tend to pay more close attention to temps when I'm doing bacon or sausage. I check the therm on the vertical to stay where I wanna be - lower at the beginning - around 100 - to catch smoke, and hotter at the end - 150-200 - to finish it off. Counterintuitively, I've found that it's cooler to the top of the warmer and hotter at the bottom, which I was surprised to discover. For that reason I only do sausage in 4 link chains so there isn't too much of a difference in when they're getting done as there would be if you had some up high and others down low.

The grate in the FB comes in handy sometimes, like early on at a party, stuff isn't really cooked, and folks want hotdogs for their kids or whatever. Or for searing stuff you've had in the smoker.

I'm not so sure a smoker of this size needs to be tuned. As I've said, I like the temp differences. It's probably good to have huge smokers tuned, but in my backyard there's no need for it.

And I'll say it again - I love this cooker. It has worked very well for my needs. There are a lot of great cookers out there, and I'm sure folks are just has happy with theirs as I am with mine, but if I were to ever need another offset, I'd be looking really hard at another Klose.

 

[BBQ_MAFIA]

Great feedback from “grr” !