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tractoman
05-12-2016, 10:32 AM
Is it feasible to cook for 4-6 people in a smoker that could handle up to 50-60 people. As long as the fire is right and the temp is good is there any reason not to have too big of a smoker? I have some buddies with a deli and they have a nice size smoker (not sure what type) but I want to be sure I am first in line if they plan to replace or get rid of it. Not sure they use it a lot and want to be sure it would not be too big for our family of 4 or if it is just too large for our use. If I had to guess the smoke box is probably 5 feet long and 24" diameter. Has maybe a 24" square firebox.

SmittyJonz
05-12-2016, 10:36 AM
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u645/bobjones79/1C5A6EB1-71A4-4D80-BEC1-3E8713B8D21C_zpsk4lbxfcj.jpg (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/bobjones79/media/1C5A6EB1-71A4-4D80-BEC1-3E8713B8D21C_zpsk4lbxfcj.jpg.html)

SmittyJonz
05-12-2016, 10:39 AM
Plenty of guys buying Giant Shirley trailer pits and cooking 2 racks of ribs. :shock:
Looks HILLARIOUS to me but it works.

dadymat
05-12-2016, 10:52 AM
Ive been told it doesnt matter. Its how you use it :shock:

jermoQ
05-12-2016, 10:53 AM
when you will want to cook for 30 or 40. I only have 4 and 3-half people (2 and under) at my house to cook for. Last weekend I cooked for 50 to take to a party. Several times a year, I cook for 20-30. If the fuel is too much different in use, then go for the big one as long as you have room and $$ and it is in good enough shape to last a while.

mattmountz94
05-12-2016, 11:06 AM
Ive been told it doesnt matter. Its how you use it :shock:

:thumb:

Untraceable
05-12-2016, 11:15 AM
I think it only really matters on a stick burner that requires significantly more fuel. Insulated verticals IMO seem to be pretty much the same in fuel/effort no matter in size.

Go big

krex1010
05-12-2016, 11:24 AM
Sure you can cook 2 racks of ribs in a cooker that can hold 20...but I just don't see the point of having a cooker that large unless you're going to need that capacity on a regular basis. I had 30 people over for my daughters party this past weekend. I made about 30 pounds of port butt (raw weight) and 6 chickens. Was more than enough food, had a little of each leftover.....I have an 18" wsm and a weber kettle.....I didn't even use the kettle. Yes I put the butts on Friday night and let them cook overnight, pulled them around noon, and while they rested I hung the chickens and cooked them. Really wasn't stressed for capacity or time. I fall into the mentality of wanting a bigger cooker sometimes but then I realize how much food I can make on what I already have and I can't justify it. I may get a 26" kettle eventually, just because I want one and someday I may decide I really need more capacity at which point I may flirt with different cookers but I'd probably be best served by getting a second wsm. When I start thinking about the price, footprint and fuel useage of a large cooker it just doesn't make sense to me unless I were cooking big competitions or catering regularly....anyways that's my .02

JWACKS
05-12-2016, 11:28 AM
A big pit will cook a small meal just fine. A lot better than the other way around.
The 3 challenges that come to mind are price, fuel, and transportation/storage. The first two are obvious: a bigger cooker usually costs more and uses more fuel. But how and where you plan to use it factors into the size too. If you want to park it on your porch or deck to make it convenient for quick evening meals or tending during the game, something with 15 inch wheels and a trailer hitch may not be ideal.

FattyMcFatty
05-12-2016, 11:53 AM
In Texas it does bby
https://media.giphy.com/media/68Ms7xo0ktbZS/giphy.gif

smoke ninja
05-12-2016, 12:10 PM
Ive heard it said that full cookers cook better, that there is more humidity in the cook chamber.

That's what ive heard but cant verify it.

Hog1990
05-12-2016, 12:14 PM
Is this thread about "smoker" size or "smoker" envy? :-P

Phubar
05-12-2016, 12:28 PM
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u645/bobjones79/1C5A6EB1-71A4-4D80-BEC1-3E8713B8D21C_zpsk4lbxfcj.jpg (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/bobjones79/media/1C5A6EB1-71A4-4D80-BEC1-3E8713B8D21C_zpsk4lbxfcj.jpg.html)



https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13094309_10154155974374695_8479196457480579904_n.j pg?oh=25fc3ceb0d67f94a0b5cf6c59176ab41&oe=57D9682B

lwdbo1
05-12-2016, 01:09 PM
Ive been told it doesnt matter. Its how you use it :shock:

:clap2::clap2::clap:

m-fine
05-12-2016, 01:49 PM
The main problem I see is like with most things in life, the food to be cooked will inevitably expand to fill the space available.

It takes very little extra work to run a pit with eight briskets compared to one, so you put eight in there and fill a chest freezer full of vacuum sealed meat for winter. This is not the worst thing to deal with, but there are costs and benefits compared to cooking them one at a time.

The large pit takes extra fuel for hot smoking but not proportionally more.

For cold smoking, it doesn't take any more fuel and is easier to keep from over heating.

DownHomeQue
05-12-2016, 02:48 PM
I like big smokers.. to Me 250 gallon is small and efficient enough to where it doesn't consume as much charcoal as lets say a Wsm I might burn an 8th of a bag.. And cook all day long feeding it sticks that I got for FREE. so I think if you put it in that prospective you see that 250 gallon that runs on free fuel instead of a wsm or kettle running on fuel you have to Pay for it gets more feasible to fire up the 250 gallon 8 times per bag of charcoal than to fire up that wsm with less than a 1/4 of the capacity burning just as much if not a little more.. this is my thinking on it. I like Big pits and I cannot lie

krex1010
05-12-2016, 03:04 PM
I like big smokers.. to Me 250 gallon is small and efficient enough to where it doesn't consume as much charcoal as lets say a Wsm I might burn an 8th of a bag.. And cook all day long feeding it sticks that I got for FREE. so I think if you put it in that prospective you see that 250 gallon that runs on free fuel instead of a wsm or kettle running on fuel you have to Pay for it gets more feasible to fire up the 250 gallon 8 times per bag of charcoal than to fire up that wsm with less than a 1/4 of the capacity burning just as much if not a little more.. this is my thinking on it. I like Big pits and I cannot lie

I guess it all comes down to perspective...I've been heating my home for years with wood that I get for free...but I never considered it free heat when I factor in the time and energy I spend to split, stack and haul it and maintain my wood processing equipment Not to mention the yard space all that wood takes up lol

DownHomeQue
05-12-2016, 03:12 PM
I don't use wood to heat my home.. I don't own much wood processing equipment and have plenty of space in my yard.. I own an Axe, and A Chainsaw.. Get most of my free wood from my neighbor who has an abundance of Hickory trees he wants cut down.. so I haul it about .25 miles lol And I don't mind putting sweat equity into what I want.. Hence me building a smoker instead of buying one

Thatgrimguy
05-12-2016, 03:15 PM
I've cooked a single pork chop in my 24x65 shirley with 4 racks that could feed 300+ easily. Great chop.

SmokinJohn
05-12-2016, 03:23 PM
Size *always* matters......

cats49er
05-12-2016, 03:29 PM
I have a Lang 60 deluxe and have room to cook for a small army.I mostly cook for 6 to 12 people.I not only cook meat ,but most of the sides.Like baked beans,mac & cheese,potatoes,corn bread,etc.And around the holiday's,I'm always smoking ham's and turkey's.It takes 3 turkeys and 2 ham's along for my family.I think that when you find a good quality smoker for sale.It's because they getting a larger one most of the time.But be careful,this hobby of smoking can become an addition for you and your family.Have fun

kathicooks
05-12-2016, 03:38 PM
I am with you all in saying that you can always throw a few more things in and freeze the rest. We are a household of 3 and I will be smoking a big roasting chicken, a meatloaf or two, and a side of salmon on Sunday. And knowing myself, if I find a few more interesting things when I go shopping, well no telling what else might end up in there. The chicken will be for later in the week with one of the meat loaves and the other meatloaf will go in the freezer.
But on the subject of size, well let's just say that creativity can overcome a lot of things but sometimes bigger is better. Wait, did i lose track of the subject? :wink:

Woody_Q
05-12-2016, 04:13 PM
Is it feasible to cook for 4-6 people in a smoker that could handle up to 50-60 people.

I read that sentence 3 or 4 times and kept skipping the word "for"... :twitch:
I'm slippin'.

Doog
05-12-2016, 06:11 PM
Is this thread about "smoker" size or "smoker" envy? :-P
I resemble that statement :becky:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o144/doog519/Mobile%20Uploads/image_45.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/doog519/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_45.jpg.html)

Myself I like big, Room to spread out.
Not to worried about fuel consumption. Once i get up to temp a couple splits about every 35 minutes.

1MoreFord
05-12-2016, 06:30 PM
With stick burners size absolutely matters. It's easier to cook on larger pits. While fire control is still important it's easier to control the larger fire required on bigger pits than it is to control the fire on a COS and even small quality pits.

pjtexas1
05-12-2016, 06:33 PM
My opinion is this. If you have the money and can justify it get a bigger cooker but keep your smaller cooker. This way you can do small and big cooks without feeling like you are compromising or wasting fuel.

Like already stated insulated cabinets don't use much fuel regardless of size. I had my stick burner built to handle more food but have a smallish footprint. It can cook 1 brisket without wasting too much fuel but can fit 20 if necessary. That's never happened but it can be done.

Nuco59
05-12-2016, 06:40 PM
Fellas with small smokers will tell you size is not important... but they secretly all wish it was a little bit bigger even if they don't get to use it as much as they want to. (oddly - this is just like that other thing you all thought I was referring to)

effinUker
05-12-2016, 06:43 PM
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u645/bobjones79/1C5A6EB1-71A4-4D80-BEC1-3E8713B8D21C_zpsk4lbxfcj.jpg (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/bobjones79/media/1C5A6EB1-71A4-4D80-BEC1-3E8713B8D21C_zpsk4lbxfcj.jpg.html)

phark me runnin, that's the best response ever. you win.

G'Daddy
05-12-2016, 08:01 PM
I've cooked a single pork chop in my 24x65 shirley with 4 racks that could feed 300+ easily. Great chop.

Now that's what I am talking about! Use it as you want.

Thatgrimguy
05-12-2016, 08:26 PM
Now that's what I am talking about! Use it as you want.

Yes sir!!

Jason TQ
05-12-2016, 09:18 PM
It doesn't matter, unless you actually care what other people think. Do what makes you happy. Life is short.

I like that I can cook for 3 people..........
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j395/fnbish69/2016/20160402_085151_zpsicncdr3o.jpg (http://s1083.photobucket.com/user/fnbish69/media/2016/20160402_085151_zpsicncdr3o.jpg.html)

Or 300+ without batting an eye :-D
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j395/fnbish69/2016/20160305_082029_zps8rg9c9qy.jpg (http://s1083.photobucket.com/user/fnbish69/media/2016/20160305_082029_zps8rg9c9qy.jpg.html)

The term "feasible" is a relative one :becky:

Kack
05-13-2016, 11:27 AM
It's just an oven. Get it hot and cook with it.

spider22
05-13-2016, 12:33 PM
My wife says size does not matter. Oops wrong forum.

akoda
05-13-2016, 12:47 PM
If you're gonna get a cooker get a cooker, go big or go home ;) I have a big shirley for two folks. I can always use just the warmer too

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RMOzMVKqtl8/VtRi9k9j0wI/AAAAAAAADwQ/mTb46UCrQFMBSLS3Cs4ID1efRkzEBhdnACCo/s1024/upload_-1