Posted on 02/22/2012 8:14:09 PM PST by West Texas Chuck
I've done worn out a couple of Charbroils, a Weber grill, and two smokers (one no name and an Oklahoma Joe's) so far. Went shopping to BBQs Galore and Elliott's up in Plano and ran across the big brother to this piece of bbq machinery. So far, my favorite.
Man love baby.
This beast has everything I have been looking for. Good Texas company, and apparently a nice piece of hardware. I'll still need a propane grill for burning hotdogs and burgers, but for the stuff I really love to cook (ribs, briskets, steaks, pork butts) I think this is my density.
What say ye BBQ cooks? Thoughts, advice, insults welcome.
I can only speak for my one and only… the Big Green Egg. I built a website in 2000 for a retailer in exchange for a large egg, table and all the accessories. It’s still going strong and we love it. No one turns down my smoked turkey dinner invitations! You can’t go wrong with it!!!
Ooooooh, now we’re talking.
That is sweet.
I would get the smoker and grill as different units. A couple of times when we were with a larger group it would have been nice to have a little more working room.
Definitely no diss meant toward the egg, have never eated something bad out of one of them, but I need a little more room.
Nice piece for sho, tho.
Granted, I've cooked on everything from an open stone fireplace (made my own firedogs and gantry with an anvil and hammer) to the latest and greatest restaurant gear (I hate convection ovens and induction 'burners')... but I'm ok with $20 bucks worth of expanded metal over a pit fire and put a #2 tub over it if you want reflected heat.
Take a deep breath, and think about what $2KUSD will buy. And if you can afford it? Yay for you. Go for it.
Your mileage may vary. I have a live in chef. And I live alone.
/johnny
How on Earth did you ever wear out an Oklahoma Joe’s smoker? The one we have is built like a Sherman tank. We have replaced the cooking surface grate, but I can’t imagine how you’d wear out the iron body!!!!
Dass why I’m aksin’ bro. I have shopped around and what I am looking for ain’t some piece of grill over bricks ;)
‘Preciate the input Johnny. The jury is still out, and the bux hadn’t been spent yet. I’m building a new cooking station as soon as I build a new back porch. And after that, the sky is the limit. I’ll drop a few dollars on something I can be proud of.
My cousin builds some rather nice smokers. Lotsa room, and the method of building allows for maximum effectiveness. Even puts em on trailers. I think I got a couple pics somewhere.
The fire and the Texas rain have just about worn that thing halfway out. Nice cooker, no diss meant to my bro’s up north, but it is time to move up.
I have burned many nice pieces of meat in that OK Joe’s, and I have not ruled them out yet for a replacement. The old one is about rusted through so I gotta find something mo betta.
I’m always impressed with these but my $300 Weber Smokey Mountain smoker is about all I need. It holds temp for over 14 hours on one load of fuel and can hold four pork butts. Now if I was cooking for a big crowd...
Great meat forum. Must bookmark for Freeper Grillers.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/
2K does not look bad when you compare pitts-spitts smoker.
http://pittsandspitts.com/SmokerPits.htm
WTC if in Houston you might want to stop by PittsSpitts off HWY 59 North. They have made smokers like the Tejas.
Seriously? As a professional?
Number one, I want a good grill-top. Expanded metal is ok but it does burn out over time in one spot if you make your fire hot enough for grilling. Best I ever had was a 3/8 inch cast iron rod grill from the late 1800s. I recovered it from a house ruin on the side of a mountain.
If you are smoking, expanded metal is fine.
Second thing is easy to clean and add fuel.
I tend to rate equipment on how well it does what I want, and how difficult it us to use/maintain.
This is as personal a question as which is the best carry personal firearm. And as contentious. ;)
/johnny
Muahahahaha, I already have that bookmarked.
I’m just shopping around, don’t want to miss something worthy.
Thanx Orange, them are some nice cookers no doubt.
You gotta spend some money to get something that will last the rest of yer days. That is some good stuff right there.
I’m working on a building, a beef and pork smoking building ;)
/johnny
Yah, good points.
I got nuked in June 2009 but recently found a gig. After She Who Must Be Obeyed gets through prying the paneling off the walls and we get the new floors layed in I get to play around with my/our income, and a new cooker is in there.
She thinks I am a rib-cooking god. And I am. But money is always tight and proper forethought is important, especially when it comes to planning a new place to BURN MY DINNER!
I drive by there all the time and lust after their smokers. I don’t have any place to put something that big though. Kind of pricey too.
Dang /johnny any good news you have to share.
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