Is there such thing as a vertical stick burner?

[trax]

Im an aussie and bbq has just exploded over here and its awesome their is heaps of comps coming up 18 ABA sanctioned comps planned for next year doesnt sound like much but thats huge for australia. Anyway ive been looking at all the different types of smokers lately and im very interested in the vertical type smokers but im just wondering why i havnt seen anything like a vertical stick burner do they exist? All the vertical smokers ive seen so far all use charcoal as a heat source and add wood for the smoke/flavor noone seems to use just wood like an offset... why is this? I tbough someone would have made something like this already or am i looking in the wrong places?

 

[CambuiAl]

There´s quite a few, but mostly US manufacturers. Have a look at BattleBox smokers, for example: http://battleboxbbq.com/gallery/

 

[dwfisk]

Like these?
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184141
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180290
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162551
All are stickburners or can burn lump or brickettes.

 

[bbqwizard]

Dave Klose, owner of Klose BBQ Pits makes and sells them. Pricey and heavy, but always great quality.

 

[ButtBurner]

As far as I know Battleboxes are not stickburners

here is one of the most popular ones on this forum

http://www.lonestargrillz.com/Vertical-Smokers.html

 

[trax]

The lonestar and klose are the closest to what i was thinking with them actually being a stick burner im not after anything that burns lump charcoal but why do they have the firebox offset do you think? why not have it straight under the racks like the lump burners stumps bq or lonestar verticals.

 

[ButtBurner]

The lonestar and klose are the closest to what i was thinking with them actually being a stick burner im not after anything that burns lump charcoal but why do they have the firebox offset do you think? why not have it straight under the racks like the lump burners stumps bq or lonestar verticals.

Probably becasue it would get too hot

I bet you have never seen one of these. Its a old New Braunfels El Dorado I have at my cabin. It has the firebox underneath as you can see, it can but straight wood, charcoal, or how I have it set up in this pics to sear some steaks!! Its a great versatile pit!

In this pic I just took the cover off it after storage, but you can see it better.

 

[trax]

No never seen one does it cook well? And if you had the vertical set up with the firebox below the racks then had a couple of carefully placed baffles i dont see how it would be to much different to the klose and lonestar offset verticals

 

[dwfisk]

The lonestar and klose are the closest to what i was thinking with them actually being a stick burner im not after anything that burns lump charcoal but why do they have the firebox offset do you think? why not have it straight under the racks like the lump burners stumps bq or lonestar verticals.

I think there is a lot of well deserved tradition driving the offset vertical design (they work really well). Many like them because they can offer the option of direct grilling/searing or smoking all in one package.

In our experience there are a few keys to making a true vertical work as a stickburner. IMO, a heavy baffel separating the firebox from the cook chamber is critical, I generally use 1/4-3/8 inch plate and if, for example, I'm building a 24x24 inch square vertical, the baffel will be something like 22x22 inches just leaving a 1 inch gap around the baffel for heat/smoke to get up into the cook chamber. Also, a little more height to the firebox before the baffle and a little more separation between the baffle and first cooking grate (+/-6 inches) seem to really help with maintaining even temps in the cook chamber. Finally, I find you don't need a large fire when running a vertical stickburner; I cut my splts down to no more than 2x2x16 and rarely need more than 2-3 per hour once a good coal bed is established.

I really don't see any difference in the quality of the BBQ between my verticals and my big offsets (traditional or RF) and a lot of folks really like the relatively large cooking area compared to a small footprint that a vertical can offer.

Just my $0.02

 

[trax]

I think there is a lot of well deserved tradition driving the offset vertical design (they work really well). Many like them because they can offer the option of direct grilling/searing or smoking all in one package.

In our experience there are a few keys to making a true vertical work as a stickburner. IMO, a heavy baffel separating the firebox from the cook chamber is critical, I generally use 1/4-3/8 inch plate and if, for example, I'm building a 24x24 inch square vertical, the baffel will be something like 22x22 inches just leaving a 1 inch gap around the baffel for heat/smoke to get up into the cook chamber. Also, a little more height to the firebox before the baffle and a little more separation between the baffle and first cooking grate (+/-6 inches) seem to really help with maintaining even temps in the cook chamber. Finally, I find you don't need a large fire when running a vertical stickburner; I cut my splts down to no more than 2x2x16 and rarely need more than 2-3 per hour once a good coal bed is established.

I really don't see any difference in the quality of the BBQ between my verticals and my big offsets (traditional or RF) and a lot of folks really like the relatively large cooking area compared to a small footprint that a vertical can offer.

Just my $0.02

No i like it do you have any pics of your vertical sounds nore like what im after or a web page or facbook page? Also instead of a baffel plate what if you used a waterpan same size techniqually that would have a similar effect do you think?

 

[dwfisk]

No i like it do you have any pics of your vertical sounds nore like what im after or a web page or facbook page? Also instead of a baffel plate what if you used a waterpan same size techniqually that would have a similar effect do you think?

Lots of pics and design/build detail in the links provided above. I'm personally not a big fan of water cookers but I have cooked on my verticals with a water pan on either the lowest cooking grate or directly on top of the baffle; works very well to balance out temps but like I said I'm more of a dry heat fan.

 

[ButtBurner]

No never seen one does it cook well? And if you had the vertical set up with the firebox below the racks then had a couple of carefully placed baffles i dont see how it would be to much different to the klose and lonestar offset verticals

yes it cooks great. There is one long tilted baffle/drip tray that runs the length and sits near the bottom (mine was missing so I have to make one) that has a slight V bend in it to channel the drippings into a bucket that is placed on the far right of the lower shelf.

There are brackets for 4 layers of racks, but I usually only use the top one since I dont do large amounts of meat on this pit, but the lower racks would probably be much hotter since they are a lot closer to the fire

It does make a great chicken cooker too

 

[Fwismoker]

Figured it'd be fitting to have the original vertical stick burner in here. lol

No baffle and no drip pan...got a feeling they were onto something with this concept!

 

[GreenDrake]

I guess you could consider the Good One's to be this. I have cooked on them before, their simplicity in heat management is solid, they put out a good product. http://thegood-one.com/smokers-grills/the-good-one-smokers-2/

 

[Swine Spectator]

Probably becasue it would get too hot

I bet you have never seen one of these. Its a old New Braunfels El Dorado I have at my cabin. It has the firebox underneath as you can see, it can but straight wood, charcoal, or how I have it set up in this pics to sear some steaks!! Its a great versatile pit!

My first "real" pit was a very used El Dorado that I got for free and restored:

I really liked that pit. It was an interesting design and a great cooker. Unfortunately, it went away after spending a week in saltwater in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. (10 years ago today, actually)

It is memorialized in my signature.

I saved up and bought my Klose, but if I ever find one on CL, I'll jump on it and face the wrath of Mrs. Spectator.

 

[Red Valley BBQ]

To answer your question, yes.

https://youngstown.craigslist.org/for/5177795846.html

 

[cholloway]

I consider my NB Bandera to be a vertical stick burner.

 

[bri134]

Yes... it's called a campfire. The Original Vertical Stickburner

 

[SmittyJonz]

 

[ssv3]

Yes