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View Full Version : Egg's Gone_ PelletQ no smoke_ now what?


Q_Egg
07-01-2011, 02:11 PM
Gone for awhile after selling Lg BGE and trying GMG Daniel Boone pelletizer. Tried different pellets too, but never much smoke. Am I back to Bandera after all these years ?? :crazy:

Seriously _ BGE did great, on a large list of Q, but full cleanup (after long smoke) finally got me looking around. Had a Traeger Texas (075) and like idea of new digital controller in GMG. Actually, it works very well, but never any smokey taste after lots of tries.

Offset seems like the only real choice but here in southwestern Utah (high desert) no good wood around and shipping is crazy! .... finally to my question .... what about a lower-to middle cost, smaller offset and a combo of wood chunks and competition briquets? Could I get back close to real Q taste, make the cleanup a bit easier, and even post here again ? :shocked:

What proven choices are there and available to me here in UT ?? Does the wood chunk and lump or comp (Costco) briquet combo get close enough to you big guys' taste? I love good homemade Q and those cooks way back on the Bandera have me droolin' ... plz help

HeSmellsLikeSmoke
07-01-2011, 02:17 PM
Offset stick burners have the potential to produce a great smoke taste and are fun to mess with. No argument about that.

But, you might consider the 22 1/2" WSM. Good capacity, easy to maintain temps and reasonably priced. The smoke taste is excellent with a properly built fire.

Q_Egg
07-01-2011, 02:29 PM
Thank-you Jim ! I'll take a hard look since it can do the lo-n-slo stuff .... which is darned important. Don't know why that particular cooker style failed to get my attention. Really looked hard at Jay's (Spicewine Ironworks) smokers years ago before tryin' the BGE.

Regards,
Tom B

Sterling
07-01-2011, 02:31 PM
Have you thought about building a drum smoker? Cheap and easy to build and produces just the kind of bbq you're talking about.

Sterling

Q_Egg
07-01-2011, 03:13 PM
Yes, and not ruled out, but recent changes also involved large new composite raised decks and keeping everything hot safely raised, etc. is critical. ... all the things I didn't think about when going composite :mad2: ... grease spots are a pain, anything hot melts the 'plastic' component, ..
oh well ______

Tom B

K-Barbecue
07-01-2011, 03:20 PM
I used to burn charcoal as the main heat source with wood chunks or small logs in my Klose Backyard Chef offset. Worked great. I'm pelletized now though. Too lazy. :icon_blush:

bigabyte
07-01-2011, 03:30 PM
Get something like this if you go the UDS route, which to me seems your best option.

http://www.micharc.com/images/IWE/drum%20cart.jpg

Q_Egg
07-01-2011, 03:32 PM
You guys are great ... as usual !!! Got some better ideas now and starting the search.

Regards,
Tom B

kyle corn
07-01-2011, 03:47 PM
Have you considered a Stumps, Backwoods, Spicewine, etc?

chrischandler71
07-01-2011, 05:07 PM
Backwoods!

Q_Egg
07-01-2011, 05:13 PM
...... so far, always beyond comfort zone ( sometimes klose ) ... sorry :tape:

Tom B

SmokinAussie
07-01-2011, 05:18 PM
WSM. No doubt about it...

Qing
07-01-2011, 05:41 PM
Why not another GBE if you enjoyed the Q? Clean up not a lot different from the other options listed :confused: IMHO - a large BGE is the most cost effective method if you want to change cookers in the future. Put it on Craig's list and sell it in a couple of days for around 300 less than you paid for it. If you're in for the long hall, look at some of the other options including the Big Steel Keg (if you can find one). A lot of members use them and are as passionate as BGE owners about them.

BBQ_MAFIA
07-01-2011, 07:11 PM
You said you thought about a Spicewine in the past.
I can tell you that they are great cookers.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

bmBBQ
07-01-2011, 07:47 PM
Put a foil pouch of woodchips or pellets in. I have the same grill and experience the same thing, very low smoke flavor because they burn so clean. Love the temp control and the ease of cooking so add some smoke this way. It works for me. Produce the best chicken and pork butt on this grill, its great.

SmokerKing
07-01-2011, 07:53 PM
I experimented with a smoke generator I built and used it on the UDS. Works great using pellets.

I recently bought a Large BGE and have a few cooks on it. Many ownere have compl,aind about lack of smoke flavor, inability to ad chnks throughout the smoke, etc.

So, I recently adapted my smoke generator to the intake vent. Haven't tried it yet, but I know it will work and provide a good smoke flavor to whatever I'm smoking.

Q_Egg
07-01-2011, 08:38 PM
Most of the quality smokers mentioned would be terrific, but really need to stay fairly close to US$1000. $2K+ and up for many of these (incl shipping) is beyond budget.

Never had issues with smoke flavor on long cooks with BGE .... with lump and lots of scattered almond or cherry chunks. Agreed, Lg Egg needs to be loaded fairly full for whole brisket or shoulder.

Enjoying some very easy and tasty cooks of all types with GMG_DB, so no complaints there. Tried various containers with pellets and cold-smoking-dust but always goes out quickly. Another whole brisket soon and will experiment some more.

Las Vegas is only 2 hours away and maybe a good offset will come on the market there. Otherwise, WSM 22.5 may be an answer. None in stock locally though.

Tom B

HeSmellsLikeSmoke
07-01-2011, 09:05 PM
Amazon sells the 22.5" WSM FOR $342 and change with free 2-day shipping for prime members.

kyle corn
07-01-2011, 09:22 PM
Most of the quality smokers mentioned would be terrific, but really need to stay fairly close to US$1000. $2K+ and up for many of these (incl shipping) is beyond budget.

Never had issues with smoke flavor on long cooks with BGE .... with lump and lots of scattered almond or cherry chunks. Agreed, Lg Egg needs to be loaded fairly full for whole brisket or shoulder.

Enjoying some very easy and tasty cooks of all types with GMG_DB, so no complaints there. Tried various containers with pellets and cold-smoking-dust but always goes out quickly. Another whole brisket soon and will experiment some more.

Las Vegas is only 2 hours away and maybe a good offset will come on the market there. Otherwise, WSM 22.5 may be an answer. None in stock locally though.

Tom B

What about a Backwoods Chubby? They come in at under $1000. :thumb:

Q_Egg
07-01-2011, 09:51 PM
Obviously need to take a look ! Will do so tonight.

Thanks,
Tom B