Lang 36 or WSM

[baldbill]

How easy and the cost is getting wood for the stick burner vs. charcoal and wood chucks for the WSM?

I don't see places selling hickory logs. But a lot of stores will sell wood chunks and charcoal.

no problem maintaining wood:-D befriend tree cutters, also Craigslist almost always has someone advertising free wood come get it ( check after storms when trees blow over, large limbs break etc)

 

[C-Town Smoker]

If you are considering the 36"...why not give extra consideration to the 48" patio model? I was just looking at both...if I was in the market for a stick burner, I would buy up one size...but that's just me! :-D

 

[Big A]

Gotta chime in as I just had my Lang 36 Patio (1/4" steel) delivered 3 weeks ago and love it (pic's included). One thing, it comes in a lighter stainless steel version that heats up quicker but I bought the heavier 1/4" steel version for smoking. I weighs 600 lbs. plus but is still pretty easy to roll around. It's expensive to ship, cost me over $600 to Utah, but now that it's here, couldn't be happier. My motto applies...you're never dissapointed with the best.
Randy

Thats a great view of the mountains you have.Nice place to set up the smoker and relax while cooking.:thumb:

 

[snakyjake]

I should be more clear on wood access. I can get free wood (alder), but I haven't found a source of hickory or mesquite logs in my area (nor a well established storefront I can purchase from). This is the major reason why I don't pursue a wood burner.

The WSM, I can get a variety of wood chunks anywhere, and never have to worry about supply.

I've tasted other people's alder log burner BBQ, and the aroma and smoke flavor is better than propane, but still too light for me. I cook 18-20 hours on my WSM using charcoal and hickory chunks...I can't imagine anything better, except more sleep.

I don't have an expert opinion since I only have the WSM, but it seems like the WSM (with wood chunks) and the stick burner would offer the exact same flavor. The difference is probably just the cooking experience.

The main advantage with the WSM: easier access to wood flavors, and easier to use.

Wood burner advantages: the experience, and less expensive if you have cheap access to wood.

Again, I don't have equal experience with both, so I'm just trying to apply reasoning to an answer.

Jake

 

[Dave Russell]

I do not have a WSM, but have had food cooked on them and it was very good, I have had a stick burner and this is just my opinion, and opinions vary, but a good stick burner in the proper hands just can't be beat for overall flavor. I have a UDS that I use now all the time for ease of use and it produces some amazing stuff, as does the WSM stuff I ahve had before, however, a good clean blue smoke belching stick burner is hard to beat....just got to tend to it more and that should be taken into consideration , you need to maintain a constant temp in a stick burner by feeding the beast, wheras the UDS and WSM are pretty much set and forget.

Very well said, and I think that assessment goes beyond just an opinion. Stick burners in the right hands DO produce the best smoke flavor, and if I knew how to get the same flavor on my wsm, I'd be all over it.

In other words, comparing a Lang to a WSM is really sort of apples to oranges. One's "easy", and one's a lot of work....but most folks know that the best way isn't usually the easiest way.

 

[stewartr002]

If you are considering the 36"...why not give extra consideration to the 48" patio model? I was just looking at both...if I was in the market for a stick burner, I would buy up one size...but that's just me! :-D

C-Town,
I hear ya. Did consider going up to the 48 but couldn't justify the extra grand plus. Shipping is about a dollar a pound out to Utah. The extra weight cost plus the extra $500 in purchase cost made me stay with the 36...and I"m so glad I did. It is plenty big for what I do in the backyard (family and friends mostly). I judge comps (KCBS certified) but don't compete (that's way too much work). This is plenty enough smoker for me.
Randy

 

[snakyjake]

How can the WSM vs. stick burner produce a different smoke flavor if both are burning the same wood? The WSM is burning wood chunks, the stick burner is burning logs.

I get a lot of smoke out of my WSM. If there's not enough smoke, I simply replenish with more wood chunks.

 

[CarolinaQue]

How can the WSM vs. stick burner produce a different smoke flavor if both are burning the same wood? The WSM is burning wood chunks, the stick burner is burning logs.

I get a lot of smoke out of my WSM. If there's not enough smoke, I simply replenish with more wood chunks.

Wood chunks don't "burn" in a WSM, they smolder. Just like the charcoal doesn't "burn" using the minion method in a WSM, it smolders. A stick burner does just that, it burns the wood, hence, giving you a cleaner fire. And to much smoke can be a bad thing. And in experienced hands, a stick burner will not produce to much smoke, contrary to some beliefs out there.


To the OP, I have had both, and I wouldn't trade my stick burner for any thing. But I did sell my WSM for some cash and trade of a Brinkman bullet cooker so I have something to cold smoke in during the winter here in Maine.

 

[snakyjake]

Too much smoke? I smoke 18-20 hours in my WSM using hickory. Maybe that's why I like the WSM better...more smoke. I like my meat to taste like it was cured with smoke with a dark and deep smoke ring. That's my BBQ nirvana.

You are right that the meat isn't as clean as a stick burner. That's what I now remember my first time eating wood BBQ meat...it was clean, and I remember thinking how odd it was.

 

[ClayHill]

I'm with the "WSM smoke is different" camp. Its all in what your used too. When I use my drum(same fire as a WSM) the taste is different than my stickburner.

 

[chambersuac]

I have a large stick burner, some Eggs, WSMs, a BSK, and a few other cookers. The smoke profile on the stick burner is noticeably different on the it than the others. Some people around here prefer food off the non-stick burner, as they produce a lighter smoke flavor. Still VERY GOOD, but lighter. A hot burning stick fire just produced different results than a slow-smoldering chunk. Neither are bad - just different. Both are good - the best is what YOU like best. Me? I like 'em all

 

[CarolinaQue]

Not sure I ever heard meat referenced as "clean" off of any smoker, but ok???

I wasn't saying yours was to smoky, just that some people think that a stick burner is going to produce to much smoke and that's why they don't like them. I personally think that bullet smokers have just as much, if not more potential to produce more smoke than a stick burner.

As far as the smoke ring, I have no problem getting a 1/2" deep on my pork. And that's with out cheating with Tenderquick in my rub! Not saying you do, but some comp teams use it to create a fake smoke ring.

 

[biglag]

Gosh I wish I wouldnt have read this thread. All it's gonna do is cost me more money by buying a stick burner. Oh well, I guess I'll be shopping soon.


-Lag

 

[snakyjake]

Some people around here prefer food off the non-stick burner, as they produce a lighter smoke flavor.

A non-stick burner, like a WSM burning charcoal + wood chunks, is a lighter smoke flavor than a stick burner? Or do you mean a WSM burning only charcoal is lighter than a stick burner?

Also curious about the egg and UDS experience. I demand the most smoke without the meat drying out!

I've assumed as long as I'm smothering the meat in smoke, all the smokers will be equal. CarolinaQue brought up an interesting explanation that has me thinking. But I'm thinking smoke is smoke. I'm also a tobacco pipe smoker too, and no the difference between "puffing" and "sipping". Pipe smoking is tending to a real fire too...kinda fun and requires lots of patience and skill...which makes it even more fun. Maybe the way the wood burns produces a different kind of smoke from the same wood, just like pipe tobacco smoking.

 

[CarolinaQue]

I think that a WSM using nothing but charcoal burns a cleaner fire than an offset. Mainly because all charcoal really is, is carbonized wood, so it's already been burned. But I believe that a stick burner burns cleaner than some thing like a WSM with wood chunks mixed in with the charcoal. I think that it has some thing to do with the wood chunks not getting the air flow to burn really clean. I could be way off base, but that's my opinion any way.

 

[snakyjake]

Yeah, maybe the lack of airflow reduces the combustion, and produces more smoke (or is it just a different smoke aroma?).

 

[CarolinaQue]

yep, pretty much it.

 

[Chris_R]

I cook with WSM's and crank out fantastic food that people go completely apechit over.

Quoted because if I ever enter a comp, I'm going to have a banner that says this on it..........love it! :thumb:

 

[snakyjake]

Does the clean burning smoke have a different (i.e. lighter) flavor, or just subtracts color and char from the meat?

I do notice my WSM adds more color than what I've seen on a stick burner, but I also cook 3 times longer. The stick burner is definitely cleaner, just not sure if that means there's a flavor difference.

 

[DLR]

That Lang 36 is a pretty neat looking little smoker, I like it.