So very confused (tire kicking/window shopping)

[Kanco Connection]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the GSIE. Would have thought Smitty woulda been all over it.

https://gothamsmokeless.com

 

[Baychilla]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the GSIE. Would have thought Smitty woulda been all over it.

https://gothamsmokeless.com

Err... There's no fire there. Besides while most people will pick between A/B (or offer C-Z) I get the impression that Smitty is a PIIHB (while actually trying to help!) type of guy on the answer sheet.:wink:

I'm not looking to recreate what I can already do with the Genisis or WSM or Egg.

/the gerbils that pimp that stuff on youtube well...

 

[ulc]

It sounds like you haven't mastered the cookers you own now. If you want something different for the sake of having something new to play with, that's fine. But your existing cookers can do so much more than you realize.

 

[Baychilla]

It sounds like you haven't mastered the cookers you own now. If you want something different for the sake of having something new to play with, that's fine. But your existing cookers can do so much more than you realize.

Ow. That burns. I've got years on the WSM and Egg. And well neither is a stick burner. If you're claiming I'll get stick burner flavor out of either one, please I'm all ears.

/yes Ive decided I want to go the stick burning route

 

[Rib Rub]

No pellet smoker is going to be like a stick burner. It's just not.

If you want stick burner flavor without the stick burner footprint, look at the KBQ

Its basically a compact stick burner with no fire management.

https://kbq.us/product/kbq-c-60-pit/

I would not say that! MAK grills lay down some serious smoke and some say it is equivalent to a stick burner!

 

[Baychilla]

I would not say that! MAK grills lay down some serious smoke and some say it is equivalent to a stick burner!

Thats what the guy who was given ~$3k in free grill from Mak has said (over 2 whole videos and several whole months (year+ at this point?) using arguably garbage pellets.


If there were more unbiased sources I might go that route. However their own forums (run by the one guy on the planet allowed to "independently") sell their product combined with the above mentioned guy) don't really sway me. I have a large Big Green Egg that has MFG flaws. (from that year) Yet on the (new/official) Egg forum you rarely see threads about that and it's always a case of "even of you contact the MFG you need to talk to this one guy" scenario.

I'd rather go the route of if theres a one guy connection - I'd rather they be the owner (ergo LSG)

Don't get me wrong - the idea of a pellet grill that = a stick burner awes me. The problem is after looking at their (Maks) "marketing department" I'm :wacko:

 

[Baychilla]

I'm not trying to be an arse but integrity is key to me. If your only source of information is people you've paid off (or who are making money off you) or who are rabidly loyal then my spider senses start tingling.:drama:

 

[Rik Rok]

i just finished a smoke of Beef Ribs on the new 20" style smokers from LSG.......OMG ...what was i thinking that i get that kind of flavor on something other than a stick burner????
The wife says "you're back" after she tasted the beef ribs.
I will never stray again
if a stick burner is in your future.... you will not be unhappy with your results.
I do not wish to take anything away from anyone who is happy with their current smoker.
This is only my opinion of course. Just happy to be back with something that tastes like i am proud to have been involved with bringing it to the table.
Good luck with your choice, there are so many out there.
For me.. from now on ....Stick Only!

Rik Rok

 

[Bob C Cue]

I'm not trying to be an arse

But you're getting pretty close by insinuating that our beloved Baby Back Maniac is not telling the truth about the Mak Grill.

 

[OklaDustDevil]

I’ve owned stickburners for 30+ years and a Mak 1-Star for 8 months.

IMHO stickburners deliver the absolute best ‘que (mind you, I’ve never tried a charcoal smoker). Operating a stickburner isn’t rocket science or magic. It’s easy to master with some practice and I’m sure you can master it too. I do disagree with one comment above: that you should start with a really cheap stickburner. Like many things in life, going in cheap to “see if you like it” will IMHO affect your experience, because I always found it far easier to operate and achieve great results with a quality stickburner than a cheap one. I’m not saying super-expensive, but quality. I am confident your learning curve will be quicker, easier, and more fun with a quality pit.

There are many threads on this site listing good pitmakers and reviewing/recommending them. You also can read about the differences between regular flow vs reverse-flow and decide which you want. But I suggest you need at least 3/16 or 1/4 inch steel.

I bought the Mak because after 30+ years I grew tired of the all-nighters and wanted something that will smoke a brisket or butt all night while I sleep. I absolutely love it. I figure it delivers 85-90% of the flavour of my stickburners and my family actually prefers it because it delivers sort of a cleaner, lighter flavour. I also like bringing modern technology to bear on smoking meat. And I don’t have to pull all-nighters unless I want to fire up the stickburners.

So, to me, the reason to go pellet smoker is time, effort, and convenience. But I really value all those all-nighters I spent smoking on a stickburner while everyone else was asleep, managing the pit and feeding the fire (and usually drinking beer, wine, and/or whiskey along the way). It was contemplative, solitary, high quality time.

So at the end of the day I think it depends on what you value at your current stage of life. Good luck with your decision!

 

[shares]

"It's the cook not the cooker" - tired but so true. WSM's are very lethal weapons in competition. If you're not pleased with the results then focus on producing excellent results on that WSM.

 

[Baychilla]

But you're getting pretty close by insinuating that our beloved Baby Back Maniac is not telling the truth about the Mak Grill.

There's no graceful exit from this for me is there? :doh:

At the end of the day I'll trust actual purchasers of a product.

 

[Baychilla]

"It's the cook not the cooker" - tired but so true. WSM's are very lethal weapons in competition. If you're not pleased with the results then focus on producing excellent results on that WSM.

It's the artist not the equipment. However in this case I'm not Degas looking to use watercolors.:wink:

I'm absolutely not disagreeing with how well a WSM can do in competition (however to me competition is :tape. At the end of the day I don't care for the taste that briquettes impart on food.

 

[foam2]

I think you have to figure out what you like. I've been cooking on drum style smokers for about 10 years now. First thing I smoked was a turkey for thanksgiving on a 22.5 WSM which I later upgraded to a SS UDS and couldn't be happier. It was great, juicy and tender but a little to heavy on the smoke. I learned what I like in terms of amount of smoke and have dialed that in really well. I have used KBB and lump and like both, I don't find any off flavor with KBB at all. I've tried smoking on a kamado and I just don't get the right balance as I do with a drum which I now have a PBC and 18" WSM as well as the UDS. I've gone away from trying to over control everything and I've learned fire management on these very well, very rarely breaking out the guru with the exception of an overnight cook. I think my main point is find out what you like and then go balls out figuring out how to make it work. Nothing wrong with trying out something new - it can make it exciting. I have two pieces of 21" heavy diameter stainless tube I've been thinking out making a stick burner out of lol but I don't know how invested I am to make it in the first place and then tend a fire every 45 min. Try the food off a stick burner and if its your thing give it a shot.

 

[Rockinar]

"It's the cook not the cooker" - tired but so true. WSM's are very lethal weapons in competition. If you're not pleased with the results then focus on producing excellent results on that WSM.

Competition BBQ is an injection and rub flavor contest.

Enter a comp with a WSM, dont inject anything, dont scrape chicken skin, and just use salt and pepper. Let me know how that works out. I'll give you $100 if you don't come in bottom 10%.

 

[Baychilla]

I’ve owned stickburners for 30+ years and a Mak 1-Star for 8 months.

IMHO stickburners deliver the absolute best ‘que (mind you, I’ve never tried a charcoal smoker). Operating a stickburner isn’t rocket science or magic. It’s easy to master with some practice and I’m sure you can master it too. I do disagree with one comment above: that you should start with a really cheap stickburner. Like many things in life, going in cheap to “see if you like it” will IMHO affect your experience, because I always found it far easier to operate and achieve great results with a quality stickburner than a cheap one. I’m not saying super-expensive, but quality. I am confident your learning curve will be quicker, easier, and more fun with a quality pit.

There are many threads on this site listing good pitmakers and reviewing/recommending them. You also can read about the differences between regular flow vs reverse-flow and decide which you want. But I suggest you need at least 3/16 or 1/4 inch steel.

I bought the Mak because after 30+ years I grew tired of the all-nighters and wanted something that will smoke a brisket or butt all night while I sleep. I absolutely love it. I figure it delivers 85-90% of the flavour of my stickburners and my family actually prefers it because it delivers sort of a cleaner, lighter flavour. I also like bringing modern technology to bear on smoking meat. And I don’t have to pull all-nighters unless I want to fire up the stickburners.

So, to me, the reason to go pellet smoker is time, effort, and convenience. But I really value all those all-nighters I spent smoking on a stickburner while everyone else was asleep, managing the pit and feeding the fire (and usually drinking beer, wine, and/or whiskey along the way). It was contemplative, solitary, high quality time.

So at the end of the day I think it depends on what you value at your current stage of life. Good luck with your decision!

Thanks for this. The Mak is still tempting (especially in the perceived long term maintenance department).

My current crazy thinking for an overnight goes like this: Smoke over sticks till 140 then charcoal till I get out of bed in the AM then back to wood.

But the reality is that for me 9/10 cooks will be spares or shorter in which case playing nanny to a smoker is a godsend to get away from the hellspawn.

 

[Baychilla]

I think you have to figure out what you like. I've been cooking on drum style smokers for about 10 years now. First thing I smoked was a turkey for thanksgiving on a 22.5 WSM which I later upgraded to a SS UDS and couldn't be happier. It was great, juicy and tender but a little to heavy on the smoke. I learned what I like in terms of amount of smoke and have dialed that in really well. I have used KBB and lump and like both, I don't find any off flavor with KBB at all. I've tried smoking on a kamado and I just don't get the right balance as I do with a drum which I now have a PBC and 18" WSM as well as the UDS. I've gone away from trying to over control everything and I've learned fire management on these very well, very rarely breaking out the guru with the exception of an overnight cook. I think my main point is find out what you like and then go balls out figuring out how to make it work. Nothing wrong with trying out something new - it can make it exciting. I have two pieces of 21" heavy diameter stainless tube I've been thinking out making a stick burner out of lol but I don't know how invested I am to make it in the first place and then tend a fire every 45 min. Try the food off a stick burner and if its your thing give it a shot.

I grew up where the local BBQ restaurant was named the Hickory Pit. Guess what their fuel was:wink: It was tender, juicy and had a nice clean smoke profile. That's what I'm aiming for. I can taste the briquettes on the WSM and (I think) the Egg relies on a slow air flow so the smoke in their is rather stagnant - like the smoking lounge in PVG.

Thats been one of the bugaboos with my BGE. Maintaining temps is a breeze (unless it burns itself out:hand however the flavor of it to me is off for low/slow. Anything above low/slow has been:thumb:

 

[Zin]

Baychilla do 5 cooks on you wsm all at different temps, and see if it makes a difference. Also chunk the water pan as far as you can.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

I did a cook with a Guru on the WSM of spares. The water in the bowl seemed to absorb a lot of the energy as the fuel burn was what I thought excessive. The Guru maintained temp perfectly but did kick ash up the sides and onto the meat. The KBB gave the meat (to me) an odd taste. And yes, part of the reason is something new:wink:

There is your problem. Lose the water and wrap the water pan in foil for EZ clean up. The water is a heat sink. You have to use too much fuel with it. A Guru without water will hold temp on a nat's azz and reduce fuel usage by at least 60%. Also you may have to close the top vent about 50% but that's just what I found works for me.

 

[shares]

Competition BBQ is an injection and rub flavor contest.

Enter a comp with a WSM, dont inject anything, dont scrape chicken skin, and just use salt and pepper. Let me know how that works out. I'll give you $100 if you don't come in bottom 10%.

You and Baychilla miss the point entirely. Just do what you've already decided to do, why seek validation?