Old vs new school offset?

[Fishwater2002]

I’m looking for a stick burner & wondering how noticeable the results are when using an old school smoker with the stack towards the top of the smoker (OKJ, Yoder, Horizon) vs new school with a stack at grate level? Basically bottom up cooking vs top down. I’ve always had bottom up cookers, kettle, pellet, Kamado & typically have great results. I’m sure that I’m over thinking this but it never hurts to ask.

 

[SmittyJonz]

With proper sized exhaust - little difference.

 

[Back9Q]

Top down temps across grate will be more even


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[Lynn Dollar]

Much better air flow with top down.

A top down will have no restriction of the air flow, while a bottom up almost always has a convection plate. IMO, rather than drawing air through the cooker, a bottom up relies upon heat rising, entirely.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

What style are you cooking? If you are cooking a Texas style brisket with the fat side up as the presentation side then a top down cooker will give you better fat rendering on the fat cap. If that doesn't matter to you then bottom up gives you better temps on an upper rack.

 

[Fishwater2002]

What style are you cooking? If you are cooking a Texas style brisket with the fat side up as the presentation side then a top down cooker will give you better fat rendering on the fat cap. If that doesn't matter to you then bottom up gives you better temps on an upper rack.

Good point, I cook it all but enjoy my brisket cooked fat side up so it renders properly.

 

[robertm]

Tuning plates get dirty and are much more of a pain to clean up then the smooth bottom..

 

[Tal/IL]

My Peoria Custom has 2 stacks. One outlet is above the grate and the other is below the grate. The builder said one can tune the draft for even heat by adjusting one or the other to be more or less open. I've never been able to figure that out. Sometimes I open one or the other, and sometimes I open both.

 

[Back9Q]

My Peoria Custom has 2 stacks. One outlet is above the grate and the other is below the grate. The builder said one can tune the draft for even heat by adjusting one or the other to be more or less open. I've never been able to figure that out. Sometimes I open one or the other, and sometimes I open both.

That seems complicated. Hate to be drinking and trying to figure it out


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[Callahan-que]

Have you considered a reverse flow stick burner ?

 

[Fooball]

No experience with a grate level collector, but it seems science would indicate that any cooker built that way would have a much higher temp on a second shelf if there is one than one built with stack on top.

Not that that is a bad thing if you want chicken and pork butt in the same cooker at the same time. Then it's a good thing. Heat rises.