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View Full Version : Need more cooking capacity - Need Advice on This Big Gravity Feed Smoker


PaulstheRibList
06-13-2015, 04:34 PM
I'm having fun learning to BBQ, and the quality of the food and my willingness to spread the BBQ joy has me cooking bigger and bigger gigs. I'm at two 22.5 WSM's, a 22 inch Offset (like a Yoder Witicha), and a commercial dryer converted to a smoker.

I'm going to build a big offset to smoke brisket's and such on, but for the many times I'm not going to be up for staying up all night tending a fire, I'm looking for an insulated pellet cooker or gravity feed cooker. I'd like to have a pit that will fit sideways on the back of a BBQ Concession Trailer that can handle a lot of food. I want to be able to cook for big parties and such, and the insulated cookers seem easier to use if I don't want to tend a fire the entire time.

I found this one for $1650, and it has piqued my interest. I'd love some feedback from the Brethern who have had the joy of cooking a lot of food on a big gravity fed insulated cooker. Or can steer me off the cliff if I need to go another direction.

This one is local build, modeled after a Stumps XL Stretch, but a shade bigger. Owner/builder says it's got 2" insulation, water pans, 6' tall and 6 foot wide, 3' deep. He says that 20 pounds of charcoal will last 16 hours at 250. Charcoal chute can hold 60 pounds. He also says the firepan/ash box is large enough to burn as a stick burner as well. Comes with an automatic temp control device with a 50 cfm fan.

Here she is:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aGmczYYVFGI/VXyeaAiQg4I/AAAAAAAAX14/a6ko7UYTEUY/w600-h450-no/gravity1.jpg

Top door open:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KCne5Gy7CIY/VXyeaDw9yiI/AAAAAAAAX18/Y8P5vYuWTZo/w600-h450-no/gravity2.jpg

Both doors open:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-djhlIe8Pcto/VXyeaFAzg_I/AAAAAAAAX2I/dcnmO1MUDkc/w337-h450-no/gravity3.jpg

Exit pipe side:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ef1s550NAgo/VXyearUQ_ZI/AAAAAAAAX10/vXdr4rmxZPo/w337-h450-no/gravity4.jpg

Feed box and air intake side:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8hq2CQW7kNs/VXyeaxs4XUI/AAAAAAAAX2A/PfqfxsezXzY/w337-h450-no/gravity5.jpg

I'd love some feedback, and any questions I need to have answered before I take the next step.

Thanks!!
paul

Bludawg
06-13-2015, 04:57 PM
Nice pit. Hell I'd buy it just for the Texans Logo:-D At 1600 I don't think you'll find a better deal.

Piggysquealers
06-13-2015, 05:03 PM
The draft (top exhaust) looks too small for that size of cooker. Gravity feeds (I have a stretch) already have a hard time moving air as they are insulated and efficient. I would be worried about stale or creosote tasting flavor. If you've eaten something smoked on it and like it than I would give it a go. That price is certainly worth the materials and capacity. Overall it looks pretty cool. Will he let you test it?

Piggysquealers
06-13-2015, 05:04 PM
It could just be the picture making the chimney look small also...

Harrjack
06-13-2015, 06:30 PM
Check out Peoria meat monster.

Chitown_hillbilly
06-14-2015, 02:18 PM
I found this one for $1650, and it has piqued my interest.

Can't help ya much, but giving you props for not confusing "Piqued" with Peaked or Peeked as so many do. :thumb:

PaulstheRibList
06-14-2015, 04:55 PM
The test cook is a great idea. I'll have to carve out the time to drive 3 hours over and test it. I have not had any of the food on it. The seller says it was great, but there are hazards on relying on seller info. He built smaller ones that are easier to haul and bring to competitions, and that's his stated reason for selling.

I cook on a WSM and a stickburner, and do a heavy sugar coating on ribs and butts, and just wondering from any gravity feed peeps what differences I should expect on the bark in a, assuming, well-built gravity feed?

(Did I mention how much I love bark, and how fun a beautiful smoke ring is?)

PaulstheRibList
06-14-2015, 04:59 PM
How about a more general question:

What are the significant differences in cooking outcomes in using an insulated style cooker?

Do the gravity feed's produce a different outcome than the charcoal bed ones that seem to be more prolific?

I'm a Mrs. Brown (aka Bark) fanatic, and I'm guessing that the stick burner, with it's high airflow, will be the king of bark, and these insulated cookers will be behind them. I'm super happy with the bark my WSM's put on my Ribs with Memphis Dust - will I have a different outcome with an insulated cooker?

zanna5910
06-14-2015, 08:28 PM
Where does the heat come in? Usually it's under the grates, what are the two bottom ones for? Maybe to put your own water pans? I don't quite get the design, and usually the smoke stack comes more off the top of I'm not mistaken. Maybe a reason for the design like that, not saying it's wrong...

It seems to be priced really low, so if it all checks out and isn't rusted out or has cracks or anything it seems to be a steal of a price.

Good luck whichever way you go.

PaulstheRibList
06-15-2015, 10:51 PM
Here are some build pics from my possible future pit.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JpppLnSOkqM/VX-RyXkN7CI/AAAAAAAAX3U/DCPabkFGqfI/w576-h768-no/IMG_2509.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fu_ibQ0rRc0/VX-RykPHSnI/AAAAAAAAX3M/XYkoHPI5a2k/w576-h768-no/IMG_2511.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xbb1krtzwgI/VX-Ryb8ElGI/AAAAAAAAX3I/zfNId2PvZuM/w576-h768-no/IMG_2512.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_aSuSr-ARow/VX-RzHPGwYI/AAAAAAAAX3E/zdGgip9F0jM/w576-h768-no/IMG_2513.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hahPoiWm-2o/VX-RzcPJjLI/AAAAAAAAX3Q/zezsMOX-kC8/w576-h768-no/IMG_2514.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cwUNE9j6pm0/VX-R4WY95yI/AAAAAAAAX3c/qBVVADfSj7k/w631-h841-no/IMG_2515.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Yf6Tc1sEIVU/VX-R8plLkZI/AAAAAAAAX3o/Pl2IcCwjqDE/w1121-h841-no/IMG_2516.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NeOWQWo7-OU/VX-R89PpYpI/AAAAAAAAX3s/WrlNbCYfPNg/w631-h841-no/IMG_2518.JPG

This is going to be fun!

Ok, since one of your Brethern mentioned the possibly smallish looking exhaust stack, and since I've been obsessing more and more with making great Bark and how airflow contributes to bark, that's the issue that I'm wanting to learn more about in getting into the gravity feed game. Airflow and Bark.

It will be fun in any event.

Love your thoughts.

bbqwizard
06-16-2015, 12:31 AM
Well now, that looks like a lot of fun.

PaulstheRibList
07-10-2015, 09:21 PM
I'm going to get Big Blue in Houston Tomorrow!

So, of course, I agreed to cook 10 briskets for a pastor buddy in 2 weeks! He's got a bunch of kids from the neighborhood going to camp, and we are treating them and their parents to a meal together as they complete it. Way Fun.

I'll keep you guys informed

#BiggerThanAStumpsXL

PaulstheRibList
07-14-2015, 08:29 PM
Well, Houston trip was a success!

We got this (the HUGE cooker, six feet tall, three foot wide and 30 inch deep cooking chamber, and half a chord of 14 month seasoned Post Oak
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/K8dcybmELM44yKlYTGQh06waVJ7FWU4G9tWWnk-MJzQ=w1397-h931-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wMaSnT1aBbg4dMZlgRp1O-tE-8LQJXAvbCFp0fhFQt0=w1242-h931-no

Got it home, and the 50 cfm blower on the pit temp controller didn't work, so I'll have to wait a few days for the replacement fan, so, I got to looking at that blue paint, and, well...

I'm good with the Houston Texan's and all. I'm a Oilers fan from way back. But we crossed the Sabine River bringing this thing home, and, well, I'm a HUGE New Orleans Saints guy, and we cook #WhoDatRibs for every Saints game for 2 years now, so...OFF WITH THE BLUE!

The Texan's decal was the first to go.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xwfZ-U-Nc6C5nhjULfqWpXf_qlPyKdOPTA1GzjL6iQk=w1242-h931-no

Then I broke out the DA sander...did I mention yet that this thing is LARGE! And, that the guy who fabricated it used a GRINDER, not a sander, on the side panels and all over? And that the prior 2 coats of paint, well the last coat, blue, was not that good, and therefore Much sanding is needed. Good thing we bought the big, 2-stage Ingersoll Rand Air Compressor last year. If you sand a Blue BBQ Pit for a few hours, you turn blue:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5kkzzTaK8RJZ3Y7_2eQei6fbfa8iYK7nS87-iPWvG1k=w1242-h931-no

Then we cleaned it off, taped off a few things, and started putting down the High-Temp Black, that is Step 1 in the #WhoDat conversion process. This is my brother, Bill. He can do anything! My enthusiasm for smoking ribs has spilled over to him, and he did his first ribs on his new Weber kettle I got him last week!.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jq-fknLcPzXASC2t5hZnPB7LZBieNBkpuM2P5qyj5E8=w1242-h931-no

And the finished Black Coat:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uLQcI58C-ZIXPr_Ld5wS2lG_pfeswHff7SDp4Yjr5BU=w1242-h931-no

And me and Bill
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d82Or4YJcFulnucrYcQ8sPTqO16rej569pXgxLyKSks=w1242-h931-no

Bill is taping out a Fleur De Lis on the front door, and He's going to paint Gold around it for Step 2 of the #WhoDat conversion!

That's hopefully happening tomorrow.

Isn't this fun!

paul

Ron_L
07-14-2015, 08:37 PM
Congrats, Paul! I can't wait to see the finished product!

SmittyJonz
07-14-2015, 09:52 PM
:thumb:

pjtexas1
07-14-2015, 09:59 PM
Looks like you guys are having a great time! Congrats on the new cooker.