BBQ Smoker Grill, Build or Buy ??

[pirate ammo]

That's probably true, if you have the material, shear, brake, welding machine, ability to piece it together with a complete seal and the equipment to paint it.

get you a 250 gal. propane tank and your on your way,,

 

[JRS]

get you a 250 gal. propane tank and your on your way,,

I have a 1500 gallon underground tank that feeds our house

 

[pirate ammo]

I have a 1500 gallon underground tank that feeds our house

I think that might just be a little extreme, don't dig it up, builders around here start with new ones, no gas residue,,they do use the larger ones also,,

 

[Ringostar]

How much would you be cooking at one time? I started with a simple homemade charcoal set up. It was an older commercial kitchen warming box. It was an insulated stainless box with wire racks inside. A hole cut in top with a damper plate. Just set an old frying pan in the bottom with charcoal and set wood chunks on the charcoal. I let someone borrow it and he put a small gas burner in the bottom instead of the fry pan. I never got it back! Then I used a cheaper electric for a couple years. It wasn’t insulated and lost heat very quickly. Hard to use in the northern winters. I then got the 40” stainless electric Masterbuilt. It works very well. Set temp and run time. It has an internal temp probe also. You don’t have to open it while cooking. You add wood chips from the side. Then I got an Old Country wood burning pit. I Love It! It’s easy to use, and you get much smokier meats burning wood splits vs little chips.

 

[284winner]

There is no reason to babysit. We live in modern times. Put the probe in the meat, set the alarm to sound at your desired temperature and walk away. You can also use your cellphone to keep track of it.

With wind being unpredictable causing temperature spikes and drops it's pretty tough to leave the house when weather controls you're cooking. That's what I mean when I say babysitting.

 

[Ringostar]

Check out smokingmeat.com. The guy has a lot of great food ideas that he shows pics and recipes. There is also a great forum on his site.

 

[JRS]

I think that might just be a little extreme, don't dig it up, builders around here start with new ones, no gas residue,,they do use the larger ones also,,

No worries. We actually lease the tank from our gas supplier. If there is ever a problem, they replace it. Our house is only 8 years old.

 

[284winner]

I got an offset charcoal smoker that I will use if I don't mind watching it for 6 or 8 hours when I have nothing better to do. But if I have something going on and can't sit for 6 or 8 hours and watch the charcoal and temperature gauge, I use the electric smoker and it's a dream when you can set it and forget it.

 

[JRS]

With wind being unpredictable causing temperature spikes and drops it's pretty tough to leave the house when weather controls you're cooking. That's what I mean when I say babysitting.

The probe goes in the meat. It doesn't care about ambient temperature. I use a ThermoQ Blue. We had strong winds here all day yesterday. The pic I posted of the roast was smoked while the wind was blowing.

 

[wkdickinson]

I bit the bullet about 8 years ago and bought a Big Green Egg (large) and I have never looked back. Spending the money only hurts once. You pay for quality and in the case of the BGE it was worth every dime. It will cook every way you could want, from a 20# brisket @ 250 deg. for 20 hrs. with smoke to pizza @ 800 deg. for 3 minutes - great steaks too!

If you want to build your own, buy a copy of Aaern Franklin's book "Franklin Barbecue". He really explains it well, with drawing and pictures.

 

[Jdne5b]

I built an Ugly Drum Smoker. Makes really good food and keeps very consistent temp. I can do 3 racks of baby backs on one shelf.

 

[Comrade Terry]

I have a Weber smoker, which I like. Check out this website: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/index.html
They have a forum section which is quite helpful.

 

[jpx2rk]

Masterbuilt brand electric/propane smokers are well regarded on one of the fishing forums I frequent, but no first hand experience. I was at my local range a few weeks ago, and a gentlemen was there and the subject of BBQ & grills came up. He stated he was a frequent judge for BBQ contests so I asked him what a good but inexpensive smoker was, and he stated the cheap one from wally world works just as good as the really high dollar ones. I have no way to know if he really was an experienced BBQ judge, but his comments do go along with those on the fishing forum I mentioned above.

I just never seem to be in the mood to start cooking dinner at or before noon, so I just have not gotten one yet. Maybe one day.

 

[hikfromstik]

Beer , check
Grill cleaned, check
Charcoal/hickory , check
Meat, check
College football, check
Wife cooking sides, check
Crisp fall weather, check
Happy fall yall

 

[284winner]

The probe goes in the meat. It doesn't care about ambient temperature. I use a ThermoQ Blue. We had strong winds here all day yesterday. The pic I posted of the roast was smoked while the wind was blowing.

So you're saying the probe does the cooking ?

 

[284winner]

I have a Masterbuilt smoker with a probe but the probe only gives temperature reading it does not cook

 

[mikeinct]

I guess my old Brinkman bullet style is The Wally World special entry model of today...I smoked plenty of odds & ends over the years with it..Trout, Goose Filets, some Jerky..some Turkey Breasts..A few dryed out Ribs..My Fault...Anyway my only real complaint w the old cheap steel two pan, two grill Brinkman..WAS one really cold windy day.. I got the bright idea of doing a whole 12lb turkey...I could not keep the heat up in that unit..Surrounded it with plywood to shield it from the wind/cold up here on that nasty winter New England day...Keep em coming boys. The wheels are turning in this old head of mine...Thanks, mike in Ct

 

[Randall Hardy]

+1 on the Akorn Komado, had mine for several years, works great. Smoke, grill whatever you need it to do.
By the way if your not babysitting it who’s drinking your beer

 

[mmcu]

Build your own drum smoker, or if you want to buy one "ready to run", look at the Pit Barrels. https://www.pitbarrelcooker.com

 

[284winner]

My son is a Chef and is having a hard time admitting that an electric smoker really is a decent alternative to charcoal. I think all in all for best smoke flavor and a deep smoke bark on the cut off meat, charcoal is a bit better BUT as I said, the convenience of the electric and reduction of flare ups or loss of heat if unattended Is kinda welcome when you cannot be around watching the charcoal smoker. I'll always have a charcoal smoker to sit around and have a cold beer or 3 watching it while it cooks and smokes my meal but most often I'll plug in the masterbuilt and leave it do it's thing.