Quote:
Originally Posted by JokerBroker
After reading through 7 pages of this thread, I don't think anyone's mind is going to be changing about what type of smoker they like to use. I would just like to say to all of you who might be thinking of buying an offset at some point, either buy a good one made of at least 1/4" thick steel or don't waste your money. I didn't see where the OP actually mentioned what model smoker he had but I saw the name Pecos mentioned by Czar. Regardless, the OP did say that when he added a split, the temp would spike from 250º to 400º if he didn't adjust the vents. I don't need to know the brand to determine he's using a COS. One split won't spike the temps in a quality smoker much more than about 5%. In my opinion, this thread should have been titled "Done with poorly designed stick burners". I think someone who is highly skilled in fire management can get decent results from a COS but in the case of offset smoking with wood, people learning the craft are better off with really good equipment because they are much easier to use.
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That's right. I was cooking on the Pecos, which IMO is the BEST side offset smoker under $500. It is not 1/4" thick but it is well made.
I understand your position but I am loathe to blame the cooker as there are many other variables - moisture content of the wood, skill of the cook, etc. and my position is probably supported since Im sure there are thousands of happy pecos users who have no problems at all with their cooker.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bonz50
not to be a nitpick, honest question, how is this different than adding a split every hour in a stick burner?
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very valid question - it is and it isn't.
with roaring lump I still had to go out there and add a chimney every hour or so. the heat output is linear- I mapped it and can post it if requested. so I didn't have to sit there and baby sit the cooker for several minutes. which means one hour was one hour.
with the offset, it was really every 30 minutes to 45 minutes and several times inbetween trying to keep it from getting too cold or too hot. it also took up to 10 minutes everytime I added a log to bring the temp into compliance
so from an effort perspective - if an oven is a 1/10 in effort and a stick burner is 10/10 in effort, burning embers would be a 4/10.
hope this helps
