Old Country Brand Smoker - Academy Sports

[Arlin_MacRae]

Anyone have one? I fondled a heavy duty horizontal offset this weekend that was pretty nice, but today's Sunday ad shows a Bandera-like vertical pit by the same manufacturer. Wondered if anyone has one.

Arlin

 

[BobBrisket]

I saw those in the ad today too. I was out at Academy a couple weeks ago and did not see it in stock. Believe me, if they had it, I would have gone over to check it out. Must be a new stock item.
I'm curious about hearing some reviews about it as well.

Bob

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

It doesn't look bad in the ad, but if it's anything like the Charbroil one, they can keep it!

 

[Norcoredneck]

Looks like a charbroil. How much steel can you get for $299

 

[Q-Dat]

I look at these every time I go in there. I don't think Char-Broil makes anything as heavy as these. They have more welded seams than any other cooker that I have seen in Academy. Pretty solid actually.

 

[Johnny_Crunch]

If it is the one I saw in there last week it is pretty solid. Welded expanded metal shelves looked real nice.......

 

[1FUNVET]

I've had an Old Country 20" BBQ Pit for 3 years and i like it. Made of 3/16" steel and all welded. Not sure about the Bandera clone. Since i built a UDS, the Old Country is mainly used for grilling steaks.

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

Tanks, guys! Guess I need to go look at one.

 

[capnrob97]

Anyone have one? I fondled a heavy duty horizontal offset this weekend that was pretty nice, but today's Sunday ad shows a Bandera-like vertical pit by the same manufacturer. Wondered if anyone has one.

Arlin

I bought the vertical offset last Sunday. I haven't tried smoking anything with it yet, just seasoned it so far and made a charcoal basket for it. I am fairly new to smoking, have a Chargriller offset as well.

Here are some pics of the Old Country. they are a Texas company, but the pits are fabricated in Mexico.

The charcoal basket.

Fits nicely in the firebox.

 

[Phyphor]

Not a bad looking smoker.

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

That does look pretty good. Thanks for the pix!

 

[gtr]

Thanks for posting those pix - nice work! That cooker looks good esp. for the price - I like that they have sausage rods in there.

 

[1FUNVET]

I looked at one last nite at Academy and it looks like a nice unit for the price. Just have to convince my wife i need it. :becky:

 

[capnrob97]

That does look pretty good. Thanks for the pix!

No problem. This thing seems pretty solid to me, my guess it weighs 250 lbs or so.

I went into Academy today to get some pecan wood chunks and they had another Old Country pit out, for $1499. Horizontal offset with the vertical cooking chamber on the end. They don't list it on the Academy web site, but it probably is on the Old Country web site.

ETA: I found a pic, not sure how it compares to the other Pit brands, seemed nice to me.

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

Strangely enough that $1499 pit is on their Web site but the Bandera clone is not.
http://www.bbquepits.com/backyard_bbq_pits.htm

I'm having a hard time, though, figuring how they came up with $1400+ for what appears to be something less than a $799 (Old Country price) horizontal and a $299 (Academy price) vertical welded together with a single fire box.

Thanks for the update!

 

[Dave Russell]

The odd thing about the Old Country bandera clone is that the shelves are a little shorter. I don't remember by how much, but it's enough to make you wonder why they made it shallower than the bandera and the brinkman.

 

[capnrob97]

I am breaking in the smoker with a small picnic roast to make pulled pork.

It has been holding a steady 225 for over an hour. So far, so good.

The discoloration at the top is where I hit it with some grill spray paint to cover some scratches before they rusted.

Using Oak wood chunks for the smoke.

 

[FireChief]

I think it's because the pit in the picture is much bigger and possibly heavier. I've seen the upright at my local academy and it looks to me to be a 16" upright, pretty small. The one on their website is 20" all the way around. Might have to check it out and see if mine is carrying it. Been looking to get a big pit, might save me in freight if it's solid.

 

[BobBrisket]

I think it's because the pit in the picture is much bigger and possibly heavier. I've seen the upright at my local academy and it looks to me to be a 16" upright, pretty small. The one on their website is 20" all the way around. Might have to check it out and see if mine is carrying it. Been looking to get a big pit, might save me in freight if it's solid.

Let us know. Last time I was at Academy, they did not have it on display, but they did have an employee assembling a whole bunch of grills etc for the new season.

 

[FireChief]

Let us know. Last time I was at Academy, they did not have it on display, but they did have an employee assembling a whole bunch of grills etc for the new season.

Okay, just got back from Academy. The didn't have the $1,499 Old Country horizontal with the upright. They DID however have a new Old Country pit called the "Brazos Smoker" and let me tell you, I was blown away by it.

It's a horizontal pit but longer than the standard Old Country Academy carriers...maybe 36" but not really sure as I didn't have a measuring tape. That caught my eye right off the bat. What blew me away was I went to open the door and it fell right out of my hand with a thud! Let me tell you, that door was heavy!! I'm 6' 4", 300 lbs. and I had to give it a big heave to get that thing open. My 12 yr old daughter was with me and she couldn't even open the door! Really screams for a counterweight. Hell, even the firebox door is really heavy.

I've never seen a Gator or Klose pit in person but I've got to believe this is 1/4" thick pipe and every bit as solid. It has the same design with the flat feet in front and the two wheels in the back. I tried picking it up by one end to move it a bit and this thing is solid. I would probably want help moving it any real distance since it only has two wheels and is so freaking heavy.

Sticker price is $999. I would have bought it on the spot except I'm wanting (and willing to pay for) a 24" pipe pit whenever I make up my mind exactly what I want. This pit is miles beyond the other Old Country pits they carry. I took a couple crappy pictures with my cell phone but like I said, looks exactly like the small O.C. pits, just about 3 times as heavy. I'll see if I can figure out how to post them but like I said, looks exactly like the other O.C. pit, just bigger.