Big Steel Keg

[carpetbagger1]

How do people like them? Any better at low temp then the Bubba Keg? Thinking about one of these instead of a BGE because in the end, when factoring in all the included accessories, it's a lot cheaper then the egg.

 

[Dr_KY]

Don't know anything about it, ya got some info?

 

[Boat-n-BBQ]

Hey Carpetbagger1,

I don’t have a BSK yet, but I do have 2 Bubba Kegs. I was able to out fit them with BBQ Guru’s cheaper than I could buy a comparably equipped egg. I have no regrets at all. They are awesome cookers!!! I hope to add 2 BSKs in the next month or so for a full competition setup. Not to mention with big wheels, locking dome and a tow hitch attachment they travel great too.

I know a few folks with the new BSKs that are really happy with them.

 

[Boat-n-BBQ]

BTW, I think the low temp control on the Bubba Kegs was blown way out of proportion. There is a bit of a learning curve to it and most folks (me included) blow it on the 1st try or 2. Once you get comfortable with the grill it’s a piece of cake. I’ve done dozens of 12-20 hour low and slows w/ no issues.

I do love my BBQ Guru’s though :thumb:

I know only one person that has both BSK and BKCG. He did say the BSK is even more stable at low temps. Ajustments on the vents a bit more forgiving.

 

[Nick@ParkAQ]

I know folks with both and as with all cookers you have to learn its idiosyncracies. The kegs look cool as do the eggs. The internal futzings withs relative to heat source coal etc is something to mess with. Eveyrone likes what they have untill they get both then they like both. Good news is that they can all be parked. Like boat says once you know it you'll like it. Grills are like guitars you have to play them a lot before "they" start sounding good.

 

[devious]

id have to agree with the learning curve thing. my neighbor got a BSK a few weeks ago and it took him a few cooks to get it down. now hes able to get it down low and keep it that way. and its hard to beat with all the stuff it comes with.

 

[carpetbagger1]

Someone has to have one of these. Come on folks, talk to me. I'm thinking about blowing a major chunk of change on one of these. Who has one?

 

[Forrest]

Tagging this thread as well. I'm about to pull the trigger on a BGE, but love the tow hitch option on the BSK. Sounds like I would be happy with either one though.

 

[PatioDaddio]

The BSK is the Bubba Keg's new name. It's the same basic thing from the same folks, re-branded.

John

 

[LJ5.0]

Just got one on Friday. I LOVE it thus far. I had thought for several months (see my join date -- that's around the time I started researching these things) that I'd get an Egg eventually. But in my research I came across the Bubba Keg and considered it. With the improved and re-branded Big Steel Keg on sale for $548, I was no longer a shopper but a buyer.

So far it's been phenomenal. I can't compare directly to the BGE or any other Kamado-style cooker, but it has been amazing to me. Def a bit of a learning curve coming from a Weber kettle, but thanks to forums like this one I had an idea of what to expect. It heats up FAST and wants to stay hot (I overshot the temp and it took a long while to get it back down even with both vents nearly shut).

I heartily recommend it. It seems very well made. And it was $548 at Menard's (midwest hardware chain), so when you consider that it comes with several hunderd dollars worth of items that are extra for the BGE (side tables, cover, stand, heavy cast-iron grate, extra "swingout grate", ash tool / grate removal tool), it really saves a lot of money. Also, most BGE accessories fit the BSK. I plan to buy a BGE plate setter this week :biggrin:

I still can't get over how little lump it uses. I've used about four pounds total so far -- cooked at 500 for 4.5 hrs the night I got it, then an hour at about 350 the next day, ten hours at 250 yesterday plus 1.5 hrs at 500 and the thing still has half an unburned load in it.

 

[LJ5.0]

With regard to temp control (and again, I have zero experience with any other Kamado cooker) I have been happy. Once I got it dialed to 250, it was very easy to keep there. I fiddled with it a bit at one point since it's a new toy and I'm a guy, and shot the temp up. I can't say it enough -- it will rocket up in temp with big changes to the vents. When I was careful to make minor adjustments during the cook, it responded well. At one point it held 242* for something like 20 minutes (I was next to it, reading a book for almost the entire cook and had my eyes on the Maverick 73 frequently). I would have thought the thermometer was wrong but the meat temp kept rising :biggrin:

Anywho, I'm babbling on b/c I'm thrilled with the cooker at this point. I knew I'd really like it, but didn't know it would surpass even my own expectations.

 

[Nick@ParkAQ]

Someone has to have one of these. Come on folks, talk to me. I'm thinking about blowing a major chunk of change on one of these. Who has one?

Heres what one looks like parked just in case

:clap2:

 

[Ron_L]

LJ... Where in Illinois are you? Maybe we can arrange a side-by-side BSK vs. Large Egg. Could be fun!

Nick, what is all over the top of the BSK in your picture?

 

[LJ5.0]

Ron, I'm on the southeast side of Aurora -- I bet I'm 30 mins from you; maybe less. I'd be down for a side-by-side.

 

[weconway]

The BSK is the Bubba Keg's new name. It's the same basic thing from the same folks, re-branded.

John

I work for In-Zone, so I'll let others share their experiences.

The Big Steel Keg isn't exactly the same grill. There were a handful of changes made in response to consumer feedback with the Bubba Keg grill. You can get a run-down of what changed here:

http://bubbakeg.com/bboard/index.php?topic=536.0

William

 

[Ron_L]

Ron, I'm on the southeast side of Aurora -- I bet I'm 30 mins from you; maybe less. I'd be down for a side-by-side.

Let's see if we can figure something out. Maybe sometime in early may when the weather is a little more reliable.

 

[LJ5.0]

Sounds good to me

 

[Q-Dude]

I'm starting to seriously research the BSK. Can anyone tell me how difficult they are to clean after a cook? How do you empty out the ashes?

 

[Boshizzle]

They are very easy to clean. I push the ash out of my Bubba keg through the bottom vent first with the multi-tool and then with my hands wearing work gloves. I prop an 18 gallon metal trash can up under the front vent and just push the ash out of the vent and into the can. I then wipe the entire inside surface down with vegetable oil and paper towels. It does a pretty good job of removing the left over ash.

I use 409 disinfectant/degrease cleaner on the outside. I then rub the iron pieces down good with vegetable oil to prevent them from rusting.

I clean the grates with a grate brush when they are still hot. When they cool off, I wash them down with dish liquid, rinse them, dry them with paper towels and then give them a good coating of vegetable oil.

 

[Q-Dude]

Thanks Boshizzle. That sounds so easy that even I can do it! This is very tempting.