Assassin Smokers...

[Beentown]

Anyone have one? If so, what do you think of it? What's the top to bottom temp variances?

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[pjtexas1]

Anybody?

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[Smoking Piney]

Assassin 24 here.

Bottom rack to top rack - can get to 50 degrees or more.

Bottom line though - great cooker.

PM me for questions. I'll be happy to reply.

[RacrX]

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231165

Lots of info in the search tool.

[Fishiest1]

I was also wondering how they compare to Deep South.

[Smoking Piney]

I was also wondering how they compare to Deep South.

I can't offer the comparison, but I can talk to the Assassin.

PM me if you want.

[Beentown]

Assassin 24 here.

Bottom rack to top rack - can get to 50 degrees or more.

Bottom line though - great cooker.

PM me for questions. I'll be happy to reply.Hmm, 50 degrees is pretty steep but workable.

How many packers are you comfortable running in it? If it is full of side x side hotel pans does it perform well without as much room to breathe?

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[SmittyJonz]

are you wanting a Gravity Fed necessarily or just an Insulated cabinet?

[BBQ Freak]

i have owned a Stumps gravity fed which is similar to the Assassin and the bottom grate does run hotter but as long as you rotate the meat in the smoker when it is full they work great . I would buy a Assassin Smoker because the quality and love my Assassin grill .

[olewarthog]

I own an Assassin 17. The bottom rack does run hotter. Awesome smoker. With the Pitmaster IQ (included) holds whatever temp you dial in for hours & burns clean. Very easy on charcoal. Use less than a bag on most cooks. The 17 is the smallest GF they make. 3 racks & each rack can hold a full size pan. Deep South, Stumps, etc all make very fine GF smokers. IMHO, Assassin gives you the most bang for your buck. Lots of features that are extra on other cookers are standard on Assassin. You can also have certain features as free mods like side chute or rear chute, etc.

[Beentown]

I can't offer the comparison, but I can talk to the Assassin.

PM me if you want.

Sent you a PM, Thanks again.

[Beentown]

May as well open this up to more users...

I still haven't ordered. Almost a paralysis by analysis.

My worries are that many are saying that foil pans are needed or grease fires with big cooks is an issue. I don't cook with pans until it is time to wrap. Also, that the bottom rack is so hot that it makes a huge variation in times when food finishes. Usually not a big deal but could be with overnight cooks where I am sleeping.

A work around would be to smoke at a lower temp than my norm and then wrap and ramp it up in the AM to finish.

It would be used on the back of our BBQ Trailer. Assassin 28.

Any thoughts to the above? I am worrying too much? If the bottom rack is too hot it makes it difficult to get the capacity I'd like....at least 8 wrapped briskets. Or 4 racks packed with butts.

Thanks again.

[luv2smoke]

Have you considered a reverse flow IVC? My bottom to top temp differentials are negligible and with my solid diverter plate and built in removable grease pan my fears of a grease fire are negligible as well. The cook chamber is completely isolated from the firebox.

[Beentown]

Have you considered a reverse flow IVC? My bottom to top temp differentials are negligible and with my solid diverter plate and built in removable grease pan my fears of a grease fire are negligible as well. The cook chamber is completely isolated from the firebox.

I have. We currently have a Queb'd Pint. I'd rather have a GF for this purpose if possible. Could be multiple days of constant use and refilling those with fuel are much easier.

[olewarthog]

I generally cook butts 255-275. Once up to temp, I close the ball valve about 1/2 & reduce the fan speed on the Pitmaster IQ. Your fan will run more, but it will still maintain temp. Since I started doing this, I haven't had any issues with grease fires even cooking chicken at 300+.



May as well open this up to more users...

I still haven't ordered. Almost a paralysis by analysis.

My worries are that many are saying that foil pans are needed or grease fires with big cooks is an issue. I don't cook with pans until it is time to wrap. Also, that the bottom rack is so hot that it makes a huge variation in times when food finishes. Usually not a big deal but could be with overnight cooks where I am sleeping.

A work around would be to smoke at a lower temp than my norm and then wrap and ramp it up in the AM to finish.

It would be used on the back of our BBQ Trailer. Assassin 28.

Any thoughts to the above? I am worrying too much? If the bottom rack is too hot it makes it difficult to get the capacity I'd like....at least 8 wrapped briskets. Or 4 racks packed with butts.

Thanks again.

[thigpen1]

I just got an Assassin 17 and I've only done 2 cooks so I don't know how much I can add. As a personal preference I put a couple of pans on a rack to catch the drippings from my pork butt's. I always did this on my green egg and it helped keep my egg pretty clean, so I did it out of habit. I do believe the heat diverter/grease catcher would do a good job of funneling the grease to a pan underneath. Another reason I used the pans underneath my cook, being my first cook I knew I would have a lot of grease off of 3 10lb buts and didn't want to risk the pan underneath getting full and spilling over onto my wife stone patio. If that had happened it would have been my last cook LOL. Based on my little experience I don't think you would have any problems with grease fires by letting the grease drip directly onto the heat diverter/grease catcher. The bottom of my cooker where the heat enters the chamber is pretty grease free at this point.

[Smoking Piney]

IMPORTANT with the Assassin - you need to make sure the drain tube on the grease catcher is clear before you start a cook. It gets gunked up after a few cooks and can really restrict the flow of grease out of the cook chamber. This could lead to a grease fire if the grease has nowhere to go but the bottom of the cook chamber. I check it before every cook and use a round wire brush to ream the grease from it.

Another thing I do is cover the grease catcher with heavy duty foil, punching a hole in it for the drain tube. It makes cleanup a snap - just replace the foil.

My catch pan under my 24 is a full sized serving pan. It will hold a lot of drained grease, so I'm not worried about it overflowing on long overnight cooks.

[thunderalley3]

I just got the call the other day that my Assassin 36 charcoal grill is done, a week earlier than I expected at the soonest so I will be at their facility early next week and I am looking forward to taking a look at their smokers. I have been interested in them for some time, just hoping that I have the willpower to not order one while I am there!!

[PBrug]

I have had an Assassin 24 for just under 2 years. Picked it up used locally. It's my 1st "real" smoker after starting out on electric, and I love it. I have yet to do a very large cook. Usually only using 1 - 2 racks per cook, so I can't help with how it handles being loaded. But, you can get a lot of food in a 24. It's so good on fuel, I don't mind cooking a single brisket or butt on it.

Few things I have noticed about them...

- You get a good bit of difference in temps on the bottom rack, but I believe that it is only when the cooker is heating up, getting back up to temp after opening the door or at the back 1/2 of the bottom rack directly by the heat source. I've done a temp check at the front 1/2 of the bottom rack, compared to the front 1/2 of the 3rd rack, and the bottom was only 5 degrees hotter. I believe once up to temp there isn't that big of a difference. I'd be confident with 2 butts or a brisket on the front 1/2 of the bottom rack during an overnight cook...

- I usually use pans on the bottom rack, so I'm not sure of the fire risk. I will say the grease catcher in the pit gets HOT...

- I notice some ash build-up at the grate where the heat/smoke enters the chamber on very long cooks. I keep a long poker handy to be sure the grate is clear. I may also shake the bottom grate after a while to get the ash to drop. If not, your air flow gets out of whack...

- I use small splits that fit into the ash pan at bottom of the charcoal chamber, and not wood chunks. They burn slow and clean once they heat up and get some coals on them. That way I'm only putting wood on at the beginning, and maybe 1 more time during a cook. Been working good for me...

- Mine did not come with a water pan, but I believe there is a lot of moisture in the chamber, so I do not believe there is a need for one.

- The Assassin is pretty much set and forget. You have to let it come up to temp, and slow down as you approach the desired temp, or it will over shoot it, but once dialed in it can run for 20+ hours on a chute full. I use Kingsford Comp/Prof. for most cooks, and a few times I've used Royal Oak...

[Smoking Piney]

- I notice some ash build-up at the grate where the heat/smoke enters the chamber on very long cooks.

I forgot to mention this. There is some ash that will lightly coat the bottom of the cook chamber. I sweep this out when I pull the grease catcher to check the drain, making sure there is no ash buildup at the throat of the fire box.

I've never had an air flow issue with long cooks. I cooked for 2 parties and a family get-together last year over a long weekend and just left the cooker running for 3 days without shutting it down. I just added more coals, rattled the fire grate when I did, emptied the ash catcher, and pressed on.

As far as fire safety goes, I do trust my Assassin. If you keep the drain clean and make sure the the fire box clear of ash at the throat of the cook chamber, you're good to go.

[BKING!]

I’ve never owned a gravity feed but have researched them. Doesn’t the Deep South cookers have a heat dispersion plate on the bottom that supposedly eliminates top to bottom temp variance? I’m not sure if it works. Also as far as gravity feeds I believe they have the coolest design currently. They have a duel chamber cooker that will allow you to cook at 2 different temps or just fire 1 of the chambers up to save fuel on a small cook.

[Smoking Piney]

I’ve never owned a gravity feed but have researched them. Doesn’t the Deep South cookers have a heat dispersion plate on the bottom that supposedly eliminates top to bottom temp variance?

The Assassins have a baffle plate over the fire box throat to disperse the heat. That still doesn't change the fact the lower or bottom rack is exposed to more heat.

As long as you know what the average heat variance is between racks, you can still cook to it. I use the supplied IQ120 to regulate the cook temp. I clip the temp probe on the rack I'm cooking on, or the the lowest rack when I use more than one. I figure I'm cooking to IT or feel anyway, so no big deal if there is a difference between racks. Just a matter of time.

This said, I do not use the bottom rack. It's a direct blast of heat and I don't think it gets a good dispersion of smoke. I have no problems using all but the bottom rack, but I have to be mindful of temps and know that the lower racks are hotter - no big deal..I stay on top of the cook.

If I'm doing a small cook, I prefer the second rack - the sweet spot and I only need to worry about one cook temp.