Pitts & Spitts Adjustable Charcoal Grill as smoker?

[Fishwater2002]

I've been looking for an adjustable grate charcoal grill for a while now & found a Pitts & Spitts that looks like it will handle all my grilling needs but would love to use it as a smoker as well. It's a roll top unit with no dampers in the hood, instead there's an air gap in between the back of the hood & cook top that runs the length of the grate for exhaust. I emailed the company & they said it could be used with an indirect fire as a smoker, just use the bottom vents to control the temp. I've always used a smoker with an intake & exhaust of some sort so I can't see how well this would work for a smoker? Any insight on the pit itself or using it as a smoker with no chimney stack or the ability to shut down the top vent?

 

[Learning to BBQ]

I would think it would work. The gap at the back of any grill I've ever seen provides for plenty of air flow/exhaust. No, it is not a stack, but my drum doesn't have a stack either and it drafts fine. The only issue I see would be wasting fuel during shut down because you can't seal it up.

 

[Fishwater2002]

I would think it would work. The gap at the back of any grill I've ever seen provides for plenty of air flow/exhaust. No, it is not a stack, but my drum doesn't have a stack either and it drafts fine. The only issue I see would be wasting fuel during shut down because you can't seal it up.

Yes, that’s my worry, it’s obviously not air tight so shutting it down will be hard as well controlling the temp. Pitts & Spitts responded almost instantly to my email earlier today & said it can be shut down by closing the lid & closing the spin disc vents on the body.

 

[jkief]

I looked at them and the Yoder and Lone Star charcoal grills as well for a grill/smoker combo. Ultimately I settled on the Assassin because I think it was set up better for both. It doesn’t have the adjustable charcoal grate, but gets plenty hot enough that I don’t need to adjust it. I’ve even run it as a stick burner. Albeit, not easy nor recommended. Let us know if you end up getting it and how you like it.

 

[gtsum]

I had a pitts and spitts offset years ago. I’m not a fan of the roll top lid. I looked at m1, yoder flat top grill and lsg charcoal grill and I chose the m1 for a combination of burning logs for bbq and for grilling. For that, it works quite well. That being said there are compromises…the firebox is small so you are limited on the kind of fire you can burn. It’s a pita to clean out when used for grilling (compared to a weber kettle). I think the lsg adjustable grate charcoal grill would be a better straight up grill….I have my doubts how it would hold up to repeated usage burning splits however. When trying to find something to do it all, there are usually pluses and minuses to all of them


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[Nuco59]

If you can smoke on a Weber Kettle, I can't think of a reason it would not work.

might not be optimal but...

Give it hell and let us know how you like it.

 

[Robert]

I'd give Hasty Bake a glance before you make your final decision. In business since 1948 and made in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A lot of different grills to choose from.



https://www.hastybake.com/collections/charcoal-grills


I have never owned one, but know people who have owned them for years and swear by them.


Thanks,


Robert

 

[Fishwater2002]

I'd give Hasty Bake a glance before you make your final decision. In business since 1948 and made in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A lot of different grills to choose from.



https://www.hastybake.com/collections/charcoal-grills


I have never owned one, but know people who have owned them for years and swear by them.


Thanks,


Robert

I’ve been looking at those as well & have one in my cart BUT the Pitts & Spitts is available locally for a ridiculously low price. I’ve also read a few different comments on the HB leaking like a sieve, thin sheet metal & fiddly air vents while other owner’s rave about theirs.

 

[70monte]

I’ve been looking at those as well & have one in my cart BUT the Pitts & Spitts is available locally for a ridiculously low price. I’ve also read a few different comments on the HB leaking like a sieve, thin sheet metal & fiddly air vents while other owner’s rave about theirs.

I own a HB Legacy 131 and it's a great grill but takes a lot of work as a smoker because they are not air tight and you have a lot of air coming in, especially from the side door. The vents are the flap style which means they are basically open or closed. The air flow may slow down some with the different angle of the flaps but I found that it didn't make much difference on my grill.

I eventually used Lavalock gaskets around three sides of the side door and that made a huge difference in temp control.

I love the history of HB but I wish they would change a few things such as the vents and at least put a flange at the bottom of the door so that it would stop some of the air from coming in. Basically without any mods, you have to use very small amounts of lit coals to keep the temps at 300 degrees or less. Some people seem to have no issues with temp control and others struggle a lot.