PDA

View Full Version : Wanting to add another smoker to our ensemble. Help with smokers!


aimcat
02-19-2019, 06:53 AM
So my husband and I currently own a large Pitboss pellet smoker and we love it. We love the ease of use and quality smoke it seems to put out on our bbq. We have bbq for 8 years now and prior to this we had the big WSM, we liked it but it was not consistent as much as the Pitboss. We also had a pitbarrel smoker and DID NOT like it at all. It constantly got way too hot and just no on it.
We want to add another smoker - keeping in mind of possibly doing competitions in the near future. Do we go with another pellet? Stick burner? Any recommendations would be great! Thanks!

rwalters
02-19-2019, 07:35 AM
You’ll probably get better help if you provide more info.

How much cooking capacity are you looking for?

What does your budget look like?

Sounds like you have taking a real liking to pellets. Are you really interested in switching fuel types and cooker styles? Or do you want to stay focused on pellet cookers?

Do you mind feeding and stick burner every 45-60 mins, or do you prefer to be note hands off with fire management?

These are just a few questions that I think will help others be able to better help you :)

aimcat
02-19-2019, 09:58 AM
Sorry forgot to include these details.

Cooking capacity: 1-2 butts and ribs or several racks of ribs at a time, etc.

Budget right now: $800 or less (prefer less)

We like pellets a lot, but I just want to know what others think. Kinda wondering about a stick burner, but we like more hands off to be honest, so I dont know. Our WSM of course did charcoal but charcoal seems like a hassle sometimes. :/ Or what else might benefit if we go compete or do we just stick with pellets?

jdtTX
02-19-2019, 10:09 AM
If you thought a UDS or WSM were too inconsistent, you'll probably hate an offset.

aimcat
02-19-2019, 10:13 AM
We wanted to love the drum. We had a pit barrel. It was suppose to run consistent around 250-275 for ribs. We messed with this thing at least 10 times, it would always go over 400 and then burn everything or just put too much char out if we left it alone more than 20 minutes. Maybe a nicer drum doesnt do this? The WSM we used for 3 years. We had the big one and it took a lot of fuel.

Smokey Lonesome
02-19-2019, 10:19 AM
Perhaps look at Hunsaker smokers

https://www.hunsakersmokers.com/

rwalters
02-19-2019, 10:25 AM
If you wanna mix things up and try something new... and have complete and easy control... I agree with the Hunsaker idea ^^^^

jermoQ
02-19-2019, 10:32 AM
It sounds like you want another pellet cooker. I like drums, and the way they cook. But I have two pellet cookers along with a UDS and a stick burner. If you go with a good drum, there is a learning curve to figure out temperature control, but once you figure it out, you're there. Some guys use briquettes to get consistent temps. If you have the lid off for very long, the temperature will spike and sometimes is hard to get down. There are other things too, and that is why I love being able to talk on here. If you get another pellet cooker, you should have room to cook all of your competition stuff, but bigger is better IMnotalwaysHO, when you talk about competitions. Then you will have plenty of room to finagle things in a pinch.

aimcat
02-19-2019, 10:37 AM
JermoQ - what pellet cookers do you have and what UDS?

Rusty Kettle
02-19-2019, 11:00 AM
800 is a slim budget. I have been there. My opinion is build an uds. Maybe add a bbq guru or other type of stoker. It would get you a good setup for minimal cost. A stoker should help keep it more consistent. Usually they run fine on their own but if you are not happy with the temp control I would add a stoker. I would build one with a flat lid or add a gasket to a weber kettle lid. I prefer the kettle lid so I can add 2 grate levels. If you use a stoker try and get it sealed up nice and tight around the lid.

aimcat
02-19-2019, 11:12 AM
Our pit boss pellet smoker is the largest and top of the line and we got it on sale for around 549.

SmittyJonz
02-19-2019, 11:28 AM
Drum smokers.

Pedro7
02-19-2019, 11:32 AM
We wanted to love the drum. We had a pit barrel. It was suppose to run consistent around 250-275 for ribs. We messed with this thing at least 10 times, it would always go over 400 and then burn everything or just put too much char out if we left it alone more than 20 minutes. Maybe a nicer drum doesnt do this? The WSM we used for 3 years. We had the big one and it took a lot of fuel.

I'd be curious to know your "settings" on your PBC. What charcoal, how open was the vent, etc. Sounds like you had an excessive airflow issue. I've learned that the more you tweak settings on the PBC, especially mid cook, the more annoying it is to control. A basket full of KBB charcoal, the vent open to PBCs specs in the instructions, and a few wood chunks have yielded consistent results for me and sits around 275 (I think, i don't check anymore).

Sounds like pellets should your jam. Lots of guys compete with them, but if I were serious about getting into competition I'd find a vertical cabinet or try a Hunsaker drum. Unfortunately, $800 is a pretty slim budget. i bought my Humphrey's Battle Box used for close to that, however.

aimcat
02-19-2019, 11:36 AM
Pedro7, it has been several months since we used it and have since sold it, but we were using Kingsford regular charcoal, we would put some in the bottom, light the rest in a chimney and place inside. We put the vent to the PB specs but that ran too hot so we would even just close it and tried closed, a tiny bit open,etc, we used wood chunks on top of the coals. It was almost always 350 or more no matter what we tried to finagle.

When you speak of a cabinet smoker - what types?

Pedro7
02-19-2019, 11:45 AM
When you speak of a cabinet smoker - what types?

Something from Humphreys, Backwoods, etc.

aimcat
02-19-2019, 12:02 PM
At competitions - I am talking smaller back yard types with KCBS etc - what is the general consensus on pellet smokers? Are they accepted? Frowned upon? What are more people using? Should we have more than just a pellet set up? If we tried stick burners - where do we get the fuel!? I worry about that part!

Pedro7
02-19-2019, 01:11 PM
At competitions - I am talking smaller back yard types with KCBS etc - what is the general consensus on pellet smokers? Are they accepted? Frowned upon? What are more people using? Should we have more than just a pellet set up? If we tried stick burners - where do we get the fuel!? I worry about that part!

Don't worry about that part. There may be some that think negatively on pellets, but they are perfectly legal and widely used. At a contest you want to cook on what you are most comfortable on, not what you feel coolest using.

We are no crazy KCBS team and probably will never be (due to time/$$ investment/very young kids), but we started a few years back cooking on a PBC and a Home Depot Special Char-Griller in our first KCBS event. We cook a few comps a year on a used Humphreys Battle Box and PBC's and sleep in camp chairs or in a rented Uhaul and have a blast. What we've spent is next to nothing compared to what some of the "pro" teams have spent and we are ok with that. Vertical cabinets rule around here in the Northeast from what we've seen. Lots of Backwoods, Meadow Creek BX-50s, Humphrey's smokers, 270 Smokers, etc. Occasionally you see some Yoder Pellet grills and a Traeger, Rec-tec or GMG thrown in. It honestly doesnt matter what you cook on. Just go with what's most comfortable and have a blast.

We found the wood for our stick burner on facebook marketplace. Craigslist has places too. Think we paid $150 for a pickup truck full of cherrywood that will last us quite a while. Worst case you can buy bags at home depot, it's just very expensive.

Rusty Kettle
02-19-2019, 01:18 PM
At competitions - I am talking smaller back yard types with KCBS etc - what is the general consensus on pellet smokers? Are they accepted? Frowned upon? What are more people using? Should we have more than just a pellet set up? If we tried stick burners - where do we get the fuel!? I worry about that part!check craigslist for wood.
Kind of a mix on smokers. I have seen everything from pellet grills, kamados, wsm, uds, stick burners, insulated cabinets. I use to compete with a 14.5" wsm just one.
Get what works for you.
To put it in perspective team of the year was using drums.
A bigger cabinet smoker is what I would pick. Problem is its just outside of your budget of 800. Humphreys makes ok smokers. You could try a Backwoods Chubby 3400 for $799 and free shipping.
I hate to see you jump in backyard comps and then in a year or 2 want to jump up to pro and have to upgrade your smoker. Only reason I suggest a drum is they are cheap and honestly you can use them on the pro circuit. The chubby 3400 will work but imo if you move up will be tight in the future. That is exactly what I did. Bought something that needed upgraded. A traeger and it became too small.

pasquale388
02-19-2019, 01:19 PM
I would look at a humphreys weekender you ccould do your big meats in there and your ribs and chicken on your pellet cooker. I have used Humphreys product for a while and love them

16Adams
02-19-2019, 01:55 PM
https://ssomd.com/products/red-box-smoker

These were discussed in another thread

aimcat
02-19-2019, 02:53 PM
Really appreciating the help so far guys!

jermoQ
02-19-2019, 03:13 PM
JermoQ - what pellet cookers do you have and what UDS?

I have a Pithoss 820, a new, and not assembled yet Cooperhead 5, and I made my own UDS. If you went the homemade UDS route, you could put together 4 or 5 nice ones with the money you have saved up.

Rusty Kettle
02-19-2019, 03:14 PM
https://ssomd.com/products/red-box-smoker

These were discussed in another thread

Thats a great deal. Now I got to convince my wife that I need one at that price. I have seen a fellow cook a backyard comp with one of these.

jermoQ
02-19-2019, 03:23 PM
https://ssomd.com/products/red-box-smoker

These were discussed in another thread

Wow! If I hadn't bought my new Pitboss and I knew about that deal, I would have jumped on it! I dont know know anything about those, as far as airflow, but insulated and all, that would be great!

16Adams
02-19-2019, 03:25 PM
I reckon I’m cooking with my dream line up. But if my mind started wandering, the emotions began to stir- that little red box would fit in my life- or on my patio anyway. It’s (my lineup) not perfect- but it’s right.
Never say never.

aimcat
02-19-2019, 03:38 PM
How does that red box one work? Charcoal?

Rusty Kettle
02-19-2019, 03:52 PM
How does that red box one work? Charcoal?

Yep charcoal. I could see how that one could fit nicely in a comp setup. I was saying to my wife we might need to get one for chicken and pork butts. Usually I have seen these sell for 400 new.

stljay
02-19-2019, 03:53 PM
We love our Hunsaker drum. We do no "long" cooks on the pellet any more. No need to. Hot and fast and easy. Temp control is a breeze. Decent capacity, versatile, and well made. No guru or other temp controllers required. And drums are doing quite well in the comps if that is your goal. We use it for the home only and it was well worth the investment.

aimcat
02-20-2019, 09:41 AM
Torn on going with a barrel - a budget one like the Oklahoma Joes Barrel cooker, or a nicer like a Gateway drum. Or doing a pellet cabinet smoker, or a cabinet like posted here. Or maybe an offset charcoal smoker....

W.I.T.W.A.G?
02-20-2019, 11:41 AM
A drum will run very consistent temps whether you pay big bucks for a commercially made one or build your own and save $. That being said if you think that your WSM ate too much charcoal you can assume that any drum is going to be very similar, it might be a little better but not much. I've never heard anyone say that WSM's are fuel hogs. I would encourage you to talk to other WSM owners (there are plenty around) and make sure that your expectations are in line with the capabilities of the unit. As far as stick burners: if you think charcoal is a hassle a stick burner is NOT your jam, but if you're curious craigslist is full of cheap stickburners that you could get a steal on and try out and if you dont like it you'll know and you can just re-sell it and call it a learning experience.
No matter what you go with look for info from other owners of that type or brand and make sure that it is capable of what you want out of it. it seems like you either need to be OK with a pellet cooker or be OK with the extra work and dirt that can come with other fuel types. Those decisions are the best part of BBQ!

Rusty Kettle
02-20-2019, 08:54 PM
Torn on going with a barrel - a budget one like the Oklahoma Joes Barrel cooker, or a nicer like a Gateway drum. Or doing a pellet cabinet smoker, or a cabinet like posted here. Or maybe an offset charcoal smoker....

https://smokedaddyinc.com/product/pellet-pro-ugly-drum-smoker-conversion-kit/

Hope this helps.

Coat
02-21-2019, 04:57 AM
For 800 you can get a pellet pro and a drum kit and have a different look, but still be hands off, and still keep the flavor profile you already like.

Coat
02-21-2019, 05:17 AM
(just noticed rusty made the exact same suggestion--my bad)