New smoker advice - 2 briskets a must

[PeterD]

Hi all,

Up here in the People's Republik of New Jersey, if I want good Q, the only way I'm going to get it is in my own back yard, and I've been doing precisely that on my 2008 WSM 18" cooker. But I'm quickly outgrowing it. My brisket is so popular that I will often need to cook two of them for a party, and even one 15 or 16 pounder just won't fit (easily) onto the 18 inch grate. I'm tired of messing around with foil-wrapped bricks to support big briskets, and there's just not enough room on the smaller, lower grate to do a second one.

The purist in me would like to consider an offset, but frankly as a guy with 2 jobs and a family I'm not prepared to spend all night suffering for my BBQ art tending the fire, and getting post oak logs (or cherry or apple) will be a right PITA. On the other hand, pellet-poopers feel like cheating, but they sure do have their fans. There's also the 22" WSM or a UDS.

Too many choices! The most I'll ever cook at one time will be two average-sized briskets and two pork butts, or five racks of baby back ribs. I'm partial to charcoal instead of logs, but might consider pellets if the price is right. What do you suggest? What size grill (square inches, I mean) should I be looking at? Thanks in advance.

 

[SmittyJonz]

UDS with 2 cooking grates. Build it or order a Hunsaker or Gateway. or go insulated cabinet smoker.

 

[Baychilla]

I'm not sure what your budget range is but when I was looking at IVCs this was the one I settled on before I decided to alter course.
http://www.lonestargrillz.com/PeeWee-insulated-smoker.html

 

[Rockinar]

Get a quality insulated cabinet. Theres a bbq joint near me that uses Pitmaker vaults and uses oak wood from wine barrels as fuel. Id have to say the BBQ is probably as good as an offset. Im was shocked.

 

[ebijack]

You can easily hang 2 full briskets in your WSM. Or 8 racks of ribs.
Just a thought.

 

[Shagbark]

You can easily hang 2 full briskets in your WSM. Or 8 racks of ribs.
Just a thought.

But, but, but he came up with a good excuse to buy a new smoker. :mrgreen:

 

[pharp]

Humphreys long weekender or pint depending on your budget would be a good choice.

 

[DanB]

Brisket

Hi all,

Up here in the People's Republik of New Jersey, if I want good Q, the only way I'm going to get it is in my own back yard, and I've been doing precisely that on my 2008 WSM 18" cooker. But I'm quickly outgrowing it. My brisket is so popular that I will often need to cook two of them for a party, and even one 15 or 16 pounder just won't fit (easily) onto the 18 inch grate. I'm tired of messing around with foil-wrapped bricks to support big briskets, and there's just not enough room on the smaller, lower grate to do a second one.

The purist in me would like to consider an offset, but frankly as a guy with 2 jobs and a family I'm not prepared to spend all night suffering for my BBQ art tending the fire, and getting post oak logs (or cherry or apple) will be a right PITA. On the other hand, pellet-poopers feel like cheating, but they sure do have their fans. There's also the 22" WSM or a UDS.

Too many choices! The most I'll ever cook at one time will be two average-sized briskets and two pork butts, or five racks of baby back ribs. I'm partial to charcoal instead of logs, but might consider pellets if the price is right. What do you suggest? What size grill (square inches, I mean) should I be looking at? Thanks in advance.

Hi What is your secret for the Briskets?
Thanks DanB

 

[LloydQ]

Yes, a budget figure would be helpful. For $450 you could get a 22" WSM and a 50 gallon size Gateway hanging kit. I think that would give you all the capacity you are looking for, and then some. If your budget is a lot more, the IVC's are first rate cookers.

 

[Czarbecue]

Get a quality insulated cabinet. Theres a bbq joint near me that uses Pitmaker vaults and uses oak wood from wine barrels as fuel. Id have to say the BBQ is probably as good as an offset. Im was shocked.

Which place was this?

 

[Sid Post]

A Humphrey's IVC or a pair of 22.5" WSM's would do nicely. A double 22.5" WSM (two bodies) would let you hang your briskets nicely and leave you with a traditional WSM for other smokes.

On the cheap, a gently use WSM or two is hard to beat IMHO (check my signature!). The 'singles' were all just a bit over $100 gently used and with a little clean up were basically as 'new'.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I was in the same delima as you a bunch of years ago and wound up buying the bigger 22” WSM as a second smoker. The 18” along with a 22” should do whatever you want.

Yesterday I was preparing for my 4th of July all night brisket cook on my 22WSM, but really wasn’t looking foward to being up half of the night.

Mid day I saw that Lowe’s had the pit boss 820D pellet smoker on sale for $449 and decided to give it a whirl. In the last 24 hours I made chicken and Brisket on it and both came out really well. If you load it right I am aging you could fit two or more briskets in there. The sale ends on the 9th. Chris

 

[W.I.T.W.A.G?]

It sounds like a drum smoker will do everything you're looking for capacity wise and will allow you the set it and forget you need. You can build them pretty easily for $100 or less. Also, no one ever thinks they'll out grow their smoker:grin:

 

[sudsandswine]

Just to play devils advocate here....you dont HAVE to tend a stick burner all night, you just have to put aside the "thou shall cook low and slow" mindset. Yes, you will have some early mornings if you plan to eat early, but I've just started cooking in advance a lot of the time and reheating day of.

I get it though...I use my Primo for smaller cooks when life just doesnt permit the use of a stick burner.

 

[Steve S]

The simplest solution would be to pick up another WSM, since you already know how to cook on it. I did just that a couple of years ago when I had to cook for 100 people. The 22 is plenty big enough to hold a brisket on each rack. If you wanted to do 2 packers plus have room for other things, without having two smokers going, the insulated cabinet is probably your best bet.

 

[PeterD]

You can easily hang 2 full briskets in your WSM. Or 8 racks of ribs.
Just a thought.

But, but, but he came up with a good excuse to buy a new smoker. :mrgreen:

Heh. I like your way of thinking. But honestly I'd be fine with hanging two briskets. Never thought of that option quite frankly. How's it done?

 

[PeterD]

Hi What is your secret for the Briskets?
Thanks DanB

Cook to probe tender, usually about 203-206°F, wrapping in pink butcher paper during the stall. Big briskets (over about 14#), I use 3 fire bricks wrapped in aluminum foil and I drape the brisket over the bricks so it'll fit on the grate. By the time it's ready to foil I no longer need the bricks due to shrinkage.

Rub is a simple dalmation rub with a dash or two of cayenne, ancho, onion and garlic powders, and espresso grind coffee. And I don't rush the cook; it's done when it's done. The ends of the flats are always a bit tight but the points are to die for.

 

[Ag76]

Heh. I like your way of thinking. But honestly I'd be fine with hanging two briskets. Never thought of that option quite frankly. How's it done?

Check out this video on the Pit Barrel Cooker website. It will show you how to hang a brisket:

https://www.pitbarrelcooker.com/resources/beef-brisket/

They also sell high quality hooks, skewers, and other useful accessores for hanging:

https://www.pitbarrelcooker.com/accessories-and-gear/

In addition to the above, you will need a hanger kit. Last I knew, Weber has discontinued making them for the WSMs. Other posters on here have said that Gateway makes one for a 30 gallon smoker that should fit your 18-1/2" WSM:

https://www.bbqguys.com/gateway-drum-smokers/rib-hanger-kit-for-30-gallon-bbq-smokers-10630

 

[Pedro7]

Hello from Denville! I picked up a Humphrey's Battle Box used on here maybe 4 months ago and i love the thing. It will cook a ton of food and holds a full hotel pan on each of its three racks. It has helped us a ton in competitions as well. With that said, I still cook on my Pit Barrels and GMG pellet quite a bit as well for "smaller" cooks. However, any cook for more than the average amount of people the Humphreys is the go to. Only downside to the Humphreys is the weight at 300+lbs.

What is your budget?

 

[PeterD]

Hello from Denville! I picked up a Humphrey's Battle Box used on here maybe 4 months ago and i love the thing. It will cook a ton of food and holds a full hotel pan on each of its three racks. It has helped us a ton in competitions as well. With that said, I still cook on my Pit Barrels and GMG pellet quite a bit as well for "smaller" cooks. However, any cook for more than the average amount of people the Humphreys is the go to. Only downside to the Humphreys is the weight at 300+lbs.

What is your budget?

Gotta keep it under $1000, preferably well under. What I love about the WSM is the fact I can use chunks of whatever wood I need along with Comp K fuel. It's difficult to get (and store) logs, especially post oak that I insist on doing my briskets with, but I can get a Priority Mail large box of post oak chunks for a very reasonable sum, and that usually lasts me 2 seasons. Ideally I'd like to keep using that method. I also have both an original Stoker (don't like it much) and a new Flame Boss 300 blower system.

I'm not sure if my '08 WSM is 18" even or 18.5". I know the year after I bought mine they redesigned the WSM and added the 22" cooker. I'm after whatever I can use to do a 16-18 pound packer on with grate space to spare, or a half dozen or more full racks of ribs with rib racks (again, space problems on the small WSM).

A nice big UDS seems the best price-wise but a cabinet jobbie wouldn't suck either. Trust me, I'd love a stickburner, but it would cause more frustration (and marital strife) than the alternatives! If I can figure out the secret to a perfect Franklin-esque brisket, end-to-end, I'll be happier than a clam. Never had one with a perfect flat. Good, excellent when chopped, but slices always dry. I'm figuring not enough moisture in the cooking chamber.