I am a smoker, the BBQ type.

[SpatiallyAware]

Nice! Pics would be great!

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I made some grilled buffalo drummers yesterday that turned out excellent.

Wet rub:
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp granulated garlic
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp pepper

Mix with 3 or 4 Tbsp oil, looking a paste that is thin enough to not clump at all. Put in sealed back with 14 or so drumsticks, let sit in fridge for a couple hours at least.

Grill at high heat, 400-425f, for 20-30 minutes until they probe 180f (I know they're safe at a lower temp but this gives a better texture in my opinion). Once they hit about 180, baste with buffalo sauce for another 2 minutes per side while ramping heat up to 450f to help crisp up the skin.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

The maverick wireless units are great. Not terribly expensive either. Highly recommend.

Love my maverick but you have to be VERY gentle with the probes and wires. Treat them like little hand grenades that could go off at any moment. No heat above 350f, no water at all, cover the wires with HD Al foil and keep them away from any direct heat.

I've gone through two sets of probes and now keep a spare in the drawer.

Last time they acted up it cost me a 14lb beautiful CAB brisket when my egg cooled off and I didn't get an alarm.

 

[OutHouse]

Im doing a pork shoulder this weekend for a party i am having. i want to offer a few different sauces and I am going to make a vinegar and sweet Carolina, i would like to offer 2 more so any of you willing to share your favorite sauce??

 

[OutHouse]

Last time they acted up it cost me a 14lb beautiful CAB brisket when my egg cooled off and I didn't get an alarm.

 

[Spydermag68]

Outhouse, the BBQ sauce I usually start off with is this one. At the end I will take my immersion blender and smooth out the chunks. It tends to be vinegary right off the stove but it mellows out over night. I also make a hot version adding smoked jalapeño peppers after I have poured off one bottle.
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/BBQ_sauces/kansas_city_classic_BBQ_sauce.html

 

[OutHouse]

Thanks Spydermag68, that sounds promising.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

So i've been debating between the 14" and 18" Weber Smokers.

I guess 100 dollars isn't a huge sum of money but anyone have an idea of exactly how much I can fit in these things?

I don't BBQ THAT much, and when I do its for like 4-6 people usually. I may have an event or two that involves 20-30 people.

I usually do pork shoulders, but would like to do briskets. So exactly how much food could I reasonably expect to fit in a 14" weber?

 

[MongGrel]

Some threads like this need to live on

 

[JulesMaximus]

Hadn't really looked at many in a bit but ya made me look..

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors...yc1vZbx92Z1z0vo0xZ1z0wsca?browsestoreoption=0

The Brinkmann is utter crap. Don't waste your money.

I'm seriously thinking of buying this charcoal smoker. Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[OutHouse]

no i hve one similar to this and works fine for me.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_404330-8221...okers&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=smokers&facetInfo=

 

[JulesMaximus]

This is a pork shoulder I cooked in a charcoal smoker I have a while back. It was fantastic. I used a homemade rub and it sat in that for 24 hours and then smoked it overnight. Toughest part was getting up at 4AM to add more charcoal.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

So i've been debating between the 14" and 18" Weber Smokers.

I guess 100 dollars isn't a huge sum of money but anyone have an idea of exactly how much I can fit in these things?

I don't BBQ THAT much, and when I do its for like 4-6 people usually. I may have an event or two that involves 20-30 people.

I usually do pork shoulders, but would like to do briskets. So exactly how much food could I reasonably expect to fit in a 14" weber?

18" without any question in my mind. I have a large egg, 18", and a regular 12lb brisket barely fits. Also, temp control is better as you go up in size. 18" is bare minimum to comfortably feed 4 people let alone 6.

Are you looking at weber kettles or the WSM smokers?

 

[NikolaeVarius]

18" without any question in my mind. I have a large egg, 18", and a regular 12lb brisket barely fits. Also, temp control is better as you go up in size. 18" is bare minimum to comfortably feed 4 people let alone 6.

Are you looking at weber kettles or the WSM smokers?

The WSM Smokers.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Well, a small brisket is 16-17". You might consider a 22" kettle, they can turn out excellent brisket but you have to watch them more than a wsm.

 

[Spydermag68]

I have cooked two 6 pound briskets on my large egg. That is enough to feed 12 people with other sides. I have also cooked 8 racks of ribs at one time.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I have cooked two 6 pound briskets on my large egg. That is enough to feed 12 people with other sides. I have also cooked 8 racks of ribs at one time.

A 6 lb brisket must've only been the flat?

The smallest packer brisket I've ever seen was maybe 9lb. They're almost always around 12lb, sometimes you see 10ish range. A 10lb will barely fit on a large without trimming.

You could cut it into a bunch of pieces, but not really my preferred method.


Nikolae: Are you literally only using it as a smoker? No steaks, no pork chops, etc? If so, go with the 18" WSM. You can comfortably fit 4 decent sized butts on it.

The 14" is, imo, more of a nifty sort of toy idea than anything else. More of a backup bbq. Or, portable if you want to take it on vacation. It's not something for feeding a group of people.

If I were in your shoes I'd still go for a kettle. They can hold low temps, you just have to watch them with a remote thermometer. The 'snake method' works well for 225f.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Spydermag - 8 full racks of ribs on a large 18" egg?? You must have used two grate levels or been stacking them one on top of the other.

I've found 4 full racks cut in half, using a rib rack, is still a pain. But I don't like them touching each other because you lose some bark and color.

Shoot, most racks of spares are longer than 18" and need trimmed.

Don't get me wrong, I love my egg, I don't regret getting a large, but it definitely is not a roomy cooker.

I would've gone for the XL except it's too far from the classic kamado shape. It's a better grill than smoker.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

A 6 lb brisket must've only been the flat?

The smallest packer brisket I've ever seen was maybe 9lb. They're almost always around 12lb, sometimes you see 10ish range. A 10lb will barely fit on a large without trimming.

You could cut it into a bunch of pieces, but not really my preferred method.


Nikolae: Are you literally only using it as a smoker? No steaks, no pork chops, etc? If so, go with the 18" WSM. You can comfortably fit 4 decent sized butts on it.

The 14" is, imo, more of a nifty sort of toy idea than anything else. More of a backup bbq. Or, portable if you want to take it on vacation. It's not something for feeding a group of people.

If I were in your shoes I'd still go for a kettle. They can hold low temps, you just have to watch them with a remote thermometer. The 'snake method' works well for 225f.

I can do other things, but from what i read, the WSM can be easily adapted to be a grill.

Grills are easy to come by, everyone has one. Smokers are a bit rarer.

Also I tend to do overnight cooks which is why I wanted a smoker that can hold 225 overnight.

 

[Spydermag68]

SpatiallyAware, To do 8 racks of ribs I had the plate setter in, the grill grate and then rib holder that held 6 and the I leaned the other two on each side. Yes it was absolutely packed.

The stuff at Costco is only the flat of the brisket but it is still good eats.

NikolaeVarius, the large Big Green Egg can cook at 225 overnight. I have had it cook for 24 hours on one load of charcoal. In the end it was big ash pile totally burnt out. If I had to get another BGE it would be the XL version.

 

[ponyo]

I can do other things, but from what i read, the WSM can be easily adapted to be a grill.

Grills are easy to come by, everyone has one. Smokers are a bit rarer.

Also I tend to do overnight cooks which is why I wanted a smoker that can hold 225 overnight.

WSM can be used as a grill but I wouldn't use it as one. Just as I wouldn't use a grill as a smoker. If you want a smoker, get a dedicated smoker. You'll get better results and it'll be easier. I would look at WSM or maybe electric smoker for overnight smokes.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

SpatiallyAware, To do 8 racks of ribs I had the plate setter in, the grill grate and then rib holder that held 6 and the I leaned the other two on each side. Yes it was absolutely packed.

The stuff at Costco is only the flat of the brisket but it is still good eats.

NikolaeVarius, the large Big Green Egg can cook at 225 overnight. I have had it cook for 24 hours on one load of charcoal. In the end it was big ash pile totally burnt out. If I had to get another BGE it would be the XL version.

Welp, I've got family coming over and 6 racks of babybacks in the fridge for tomorrow. I bought them on your word that they will all fit...

I'm not super confident that it can be done without touching each other. The most I've done in the past is 4 racks and that's cut in half, rib racked, and really being careful.

I usually do babybacks turbo style, around 350 or so, but with this many I'm going to play it safe and go 250-275. I feel like ribs are so thin that you have to cook them hotter than 225 or they dry out by the time they're done.

Planning on 50/50 dizzy dust/byrons butt rub. Maybe a tiny bit of sauce after 4-5 hours. No foil. Water pan for the first few hours only IE georgia style bbq

 

[SpatiallyAware]

LOL caps

 

[Spydermag68]

I used an upright rib rack that would hold 4 racks. I then rested 2 racks on each end. Kind of like this: (=). And then rested 2 more to complete the circle. The lid barely closed without touching.

 

[OutHouse]

my coworker got the Lil' Tex, Elite traeger 2 weekends ago and did his first rib smoke last weekend. wasnt bad, could tell that it was his first time but the traeger has me intrigued.