My next smoker

Good afternoon, all-

I've been considering an upgrade to my backyard smoker but for now, it seems too great a hurdle and I think I might be missing something. I've been using a Brinkmann Trailmaster offset smoker for about 3 years now. Nothing fancy...got it from Home Depot for about $300. If I do say, my skills have progressed to the point where I need my equipment to start keeping up. I'd like to stick with the offset fire box but the unit I have my eye on is about $5000 and would need to be shipped from Georgia. Am I skipping a step? (And no, I have no welding chops to make my own)

To your knowledge, where else should I be looking?

What say you?

Many thanks for any and all suggestions.

Just for conversation purposes, would you mind telling us why you prefer the offset fire box?

jzuzphreek said:

Just for conversation purposes, would you mind telling us why you prefer the offset fire box?

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I believe it presents the best option for cooking with an actual wood fire. Open flame produces the best smoke flavor IMHO but obviously the heat has to be contained. Taking it out from under the meat helps to keep that under control.

Here's an interesting article.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/offset_smokers.html

That should be an excellent smoker for 5k. Is it a reverse flow? I've heard a LOT of good things about them. Can you post a link to the model you are thinking about getting?

You might consider doing a google for smokerbuilder before you lay out your cash; you get one that good it will be a family heirloom. The site is mostly for welders who build their own (and there are some people on there that build professional smokers), but they are very helpful and give some great advise on design.

I have a smoker that was here when I bought the house that I have been thinking about redoing. After talking to people on that site I think I have decided to use the entire butane tank as the cooking chamber, put in another cooking chamber door on the right side of the tank, weld up the existing fire box door, put on an external fire box of the appropriate size and a proper sized chimney, and do the reverse flow thing with the baffle in it.

I don't weld but I have a good friend that has a trailer mounted welder.

DoctorShavegood said:

Here's an interesting article.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/offset_smokers.html

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That's a good article Aaron. I've done some of the mods. on my Char-Griller . I plugged all of the accessory holes with stainless steel bolts, extended the chimney down to grate level with aluminum flashing, put in a baffle on the cooking chamber inlet with aluminum flashing, and since I put up that post I have sealed the cooking chamber lid with oven rope gasket and raised the fire box grate with stainless steel bolts. That made an amazing difference in controlling the temp.

For less than $300 shipped you can get a Pit Barrel Cooker. Not an offset but one heck of a smoker.

Or a Smokey Mountain!

This is the smoker I was thinking of. I guess I had an overinflated impression of the price. This may be more attainable than I thought! But yes, it is a reverse-flow design and I have heard a lot of good things about this brand, but I need to get the shipping quote from Georgia, that could be a lot.

http://langbbqsmokers.com/lang48/lang48_original.html

Great article, DoctorShaveGood. Thanks for the info.

Wingnut722 said:

This is the smoker I was thinking of. I guess I had an overinflated impression of the price. This may be more attainable than I thought! But yes, it is a reverse-flow design and I have heard a lot of good things about this brand, but I need to get the shipping quote from Georgia, that could be a lot.

http://langbbqsmokers.com/lang48/lang48_original.html

Great article, DoctorShaveGood. Thanks for the info.

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Well, I see that its on wheels. Plan a vacation to Georgia and pull it back.

if you have the money look at southern pride very nice both home and commercial

DoctorShavegood said:

Well, I see that its on wheels. Plan a vacation to Georgia and pull it back.

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That's a nice thought, but that's quite a long trip with a two-year-old.

SmoovD said:

For less than $300 shipped you can get a Pit Barrel Cooker. Not an offset but one heck of a smoker.

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And you can build your own for much cheaper. I hope to build an ugly drum smoker soon.

Lang makes wonderful smokers. I currently have a Horizon stick burner and love it. Never ran a Lang but have seen them in use, makes some great BBQ.

oc_in_fw said:

And you can build your own for much cheaper. I hope to build an ugly drum smoker soon.

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Sure you can....but the PBC can be cooked on 15 minutes after delivery. Convenience isn't free.

SmoovD said:

Sure you can....but the PBC can be cooked on 15 minutes after delivery. Convenience isn't free.

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True- it is good to have options.

you could always build an UDA i built mine for 35 bucks and it works like a champ

SmoovD said:

For less than $300 shipped you can get a Pit Barrel Cooker. Not an offset but one heck of a smoker.

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(That's two thumbs up for the PBC)

I've been using a Brinkman I bought from Home depot for $40. I than made a few modifications that I found on a the net. Just search for "El Cheapo Brinkman". The mods cost approx $30. Cooks awesome no issues and for less than $100 I have a very nice smoker

If you never want to buy another unit spend the money. If you want to save money and still get a new unit in the >$1000 price range design and have one built for you. I recently purchased and modified an OK Joe's off-set for >$500 This thing will hold 225 for 6hrs on one bucket of coal and turns out some great BBQ.

Nothing wrong with buying the best, it usually just costs the most.

fastback said:

If you never want to buy another unit spend the money. If you want to save money and still get a new unit in the >$1000 price range design and have one built for you. I recently purchased and modified an OK Joe's off-set for >$500 This thing will hold 225 for 6hrs on one bucket of coal and turns out some great BBQ.

Nothing wrong with buying the best, it usually just costs the most.

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+1000