Frustrated

[geoff7877]

So today I cooked a lot of food. It all came out decent but the process that I love was a total pain in the ass today.

I cooked 2, 4 bone plates of short ribs, 1 rack of baby backs and some sausage. I used the medium green egg for the short ribs with my raised grate so I could fit both racks on there. My Weber kettle had the baby backs in a rib rack and sausage.

Both cookers are too small for everything that I cooked and will be cooking moving forward. I seem to be cooking more every weekend and I need more room! Right now I'm not too thrilled with my set up. A medium green egg and an 18" Weber kettle. Seems like I've been complaining a lot here about my set up, so my thoughts of buying or building a different cooker keep brewing. I'm venting but I need to make some serious decisions here. My temps are a pain in the ass to maintain with this much food and adding coals is even a bigger pain in the ass.

I've said this in another thread but I'm seriously considering selling my egg and table and buying an offset. I prefer an offset cooker to a vertical and building a brick pit (my other hair brain idea rattling around) will cost the same if not more and may not work the way I want.

The more I look at the old country pecos the more I like it. It's not the box store ultra cheapo thin junk but not a Yoder either. Right in the middle and big enough for what I need.

Again, I'm venting. I'm frustrated. My budget could not exceed $500 so another offset might be the right way to go.... I've kinda been over the egg. I do most of my grilling these days on the Weber and the low and slow stuff has a hard time fitting anywhere.

:blah::blah::blah:

 

[Rockinar]

Selling my classic Kamado Joe was the best decision I ever made. My 22" Kettle won't hold a rock steady temp like a Kamado, but the food it can put out kicks it ass. I was never impressed with the Joe. I don't regret selling it at all.

That Kettle is fine. Just get a bigger one.

 

[KevinJ]

Bludawg has the larger version of this over and under, he says he's getting very even temps across the grates. If I was looking for a somewhat inexpensive stick burner I think this is the route I would go.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227544

 

[pjtexas1]

Not trying to be an a$$ but it's time to get the pecos and ditch the brick pit idea. The pecos is an immediate and proven fix to your issue. Would hate for you to build the brick thing and it not work the way you want. Just my .02.

Edit: KevinJ has a point on the over and under but it's a little over budget. It's a nice cooker. Blu has his dialed in from what I saw.

 

[Hoss]

All cookers have their place.The EggHeads will tell you it is tha bomb.Solid cooker but I need more space or a dozen eggs,I have done 6 whole chickens and 6 bone in butts on a large BGE.NOT at the same time but in two different cooks.Good cookers but too small for my needs.

 

[martyleach]

I had a large egg for years and loved it. I then found an XL Egg for 300 bucks used. Boom! I also have a 26" Weber kettle so my needs are met. The Egg is a way more versatile tool than an offset.

 

[geoff7877]

Not trying to be an a$$ but it's time to get the pecos and ditch the brick pit idea. The pecos is an immediate and proven fix to your issue. Would hate for you to build the brick thing and it not work the way you want. Just my .02.

Edit: KevinJ has a point on the over and under but it's a little over budget. It's a nice cooker. Blu has his dialed in from what I saw.

Not being an ass at all! Brick pit seems kinda cool in theory but I think I'd be chasing my tail and end up wanting an offset anyway.

Every time my space issue comes to the surface, which has been every weekend for several months, I seem to always land on wanting an offset. I had my char griller longer than any other cooker and was going to buy another one when I got the egg. I really loved cooking on the char griller. The Old Country would be a big jump up from the char griller.

Thanks for the constructive input everyone. And Rockinar, you're the only guy who has agreed with selling the kamado.

 

[Bbq_lover]

I agree for the amount of food you are doing, you need more space. My question though is, Are you ready for an offset? It burns different, takes a while to get used to and it's not as a set it and forget it as an egg, WSM, UDS, etc. if you decide to go to mainly sticks, it will take even more patient for fire management. Don't get me wrong, I have a bandera that I love, but I also have a UDS that I use a lot more. It's a dual rack system so I have a lot of space. Either way, it's gonna be a fun spring/summer with your new toys!!

 

[krex1010]

If you're barely using the kamodo and need the funds for a new offset then I'd definitely sell it...it's not like you're going to stop wanting the offset, so buy the thing and cook lots of meat lol....and if you decide you want another kamodo it's not like you can't buy another.

 

[geoff7877]

I had a large egg for years and loved it. I then found an XL Egg for 300 bucks used. Boom! I also have a 26" Weber kettle so my needs are met. The Egg is a way more versatile tool than an offset.

If I had an XL and a 26" Weber I'd be just fine. Cooking on a 15" and 18" surface barely fits a rack of ribs without it touching both sides of the cooker. I end up cutting racks in half. I appreciate what you're saying and eggs are versitile but mine can be very limiting.

 

[geoff7877]

I agree for the amount of food you are doing, you need more space. My question though is, Are you ready for an offset? It burns different, takes a while to get used to and it's not as a set it and forget it as an egg, WSM, UDS, etc. if you decide to go to mainly sticks, it will take even more patient for fire management. Don't get me wrong, I have a bandera that I love, but I also have a UDS that I use a lot more. It's a dual rack system so I have a lot of space. Either way, it's gonna be a fun spring/summer with your new toys!!

I had the char griller offset for 7 years and it leaked everywhere so fire management was all part of it. The big difference is I could the fire box to add fuel without taking the whole cooker apart.

If you're barely using the kamodo and need the funds for a new offset then I'd definitely sell it...it's not like you're going to stop wanting the offset, so buy the thing and cook lots of meat lol....and if you decide you want another kamodo it's not like you can't buy another.

I use the egg for sure. I can't really cook BBQ on the 18" Weber. No room for true indirect.

 

[mahenryak]

If I had a $500 budget limit I think I might begin by scouring the want ads. For example, you can do multiple craigslist and ebay searches using a tool called search tempest, if you're not familiar with it. I promise you I am not a spammer--lol. Here's the link if you're interested.

http://www.searchtempest.com/

 

[ironmanerik]

You like the Weber, get a 26 it will solve your space problem (or part of it)and you already know how to run it.

 

[Smoke Dawg]

If budget is an issue, check craigs list every day and often. eventually you will find a cost effective solution

 

[geoff7877]

You like the Weber, get a 26 it will solve your space problem (or part of it)and you already know how to run it.

I like my 18" and it's a great accessory grill. I want a dedicated smoker and really loved cooking on my first offset that I had for 7 years.

I also see that you're in Melbourne. I grew up in Indian Harbour Beach.

If budget is an issue, check craigs list every day and often. eventually you will find a cost effective solution

I'd like to stick to a $500 range. I check Craigslist multiple times a day for the last 2 months and there's just not much in my area. Lots of Webers for close to the same price as brand new and gas grills. The only smokers that show up are beat up Home Depot specials or $5000+ trailer setups. I keep looking but there aren't too many out there.

 

[16Adams]

I'd get this http://www.pitbarrelcooker.com/shop/ then put that extra 200$ toward a CL Score or to the Over/Under. Patience- one will show up.
8 racks of ribs at once on the PBC.
My biggest cook was 3 racks, 1@12# brisket and two chickens- at same time.
It's cool the quality and quantity of meat you can cook at one time.

Offset stick burners scream BBQ and look great in the backyard. I agree with you on that. I sold mine because I don't have the patience (willingness) to babysit and feed the beast every 45".

I doubt you'll ever find a Primo Oval XL for your budget target but the oval shape opens up quite a bit of real estate.

Also, I realize what you buy is a personal decision. I've had up to 15 cookers at one time- in use. I thinned the herd and the ones in my Sig made the cut. Others were sold, gifted or in storage.


Good luck and let us know what you decide. We love spending other people's money.

 

[Fremontsmoker]

Well somebody needs to say it -- Build a UDS!

 

[SmittyJonz]

Would've of been EASY with :

 

[Norm]

To be honest I'm like you and would love to have a stick burner. Every time I see someone showing their Shirley I'm green with envy. Yes it is out of my price range but I'm sure there's plenty of others that while maybe not the same quality will work fine for you. As for craigslist all I ever find on there is over priced junk. I live in a mostly rural area and there just isn't much out there to choose from. Good luck!

 

[Bbq_lover]

I had the char griller offset for 7 years and it leaked everywhere so fire management was all part of it. The big difference is I could the fire box to add fuel without taking the whole cooker apart.

Just an FYI, I have never had to add fuel using the minion method in either the UDS or WSM. I have cooked 20 hours on a UDS and about 14 hours straight on a WSM.