Author Topic: Smoker/Grill  (Read 1344 times)

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Offline Carnitas

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Smoker/Grill
« Reply #-1 on: September 08, 2017, 07:02:31 PM »
Hi again, I forgot to mention my first name yesterday, it's Robert. I have been smokin' ribs, brisket, chicken and I love to grill steaks.  I have been using a weber performer and about 2 years ago I bought a brinkman vertical smoker.  I can pack lots of meat into it and it smokes great.  The only thing is it can use alot of fuel.  I use charcoal and wood on it and you have to be on top of it because it fluctuates so much. It's their heavy duty version, but isn't very thick.
Well anyway, I decided to graduate to a well made smoker/grill. I am 67 and it's just my wife and I, my daughter and son in law come over when I do cook out.  I don't need a really large unit.  I have been looking at the meadow creek pr36, the good one open range and was about to decide between them, then I came upon the Yoder and Horizon smokers. I really liked the lang but you can't grill on them unless you get the hybrid.  So this is where i'm at, I have been looking at the reviews on this site and they have been helpful. Does anyone have any suggestions or more info on any of these or others?

Thanks, Robert

Offline Pappymn

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Smoker/Grill
« on: September 08, 2017, 07:47:43 PM »
Welcome from Minnesota


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Offline Smokerjunky

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Re: Smoker/Grill
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2017, 08:02:52 PM »
Welcome from Washington.  Good luck on your search - lets us know what you decide on.  looking forward to your future cooks.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Smoker/Grill
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2017, 08:09:51 PM »
I did a big review on the Meadow Creek SQ36 here and I used to sell Good Ones.

The Meadow Creek is a true off-set and be ready to tend a fire for hours and hope you have a good source of wood splits handy. Smoker chamber is 3/16 with a 1/4 inch fire box

The Yoder and Horizon smokers are also excellent offsets just refer to the Meadow Creek for un-ease of use. Both are 1/4 inch think from pipe.

The Good One is a off-set but once it settles into temp you can walk away for hours.

It was designed for lump as its main heat source using wood chunks for smoke. You can use briquettes but the ash build up can choke out the fire for very long cooks.

If you have the time and energy and patience and a good source of wood and have memorized Aaron Franklins chapters on fire management in his book you will enjoy using an off-set.

The Good One will give you excellent results with minimal effort. The Open Range is a great patio model.......look at the Heritage...same as the Open Range but with a larger smoking chamber.

Have you considered a Pit Barrel Cooker?? 

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Offline teesquare

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Re: Smoker/Grill
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2017, 09:00:51 PM »
Robert, from the brands you mentioned, I can tell you are a man that recognizes excellent quality construction, durability and design features that are useful.

Personally, I think the the Yoder offsets are the best bang for the buck. I do NOT like their pellet grills...But that is a long story - and a very different set of  design parameters that make for a good offset smoker vs a good pellet grill/smoker.

SO - about your desire to cook with wood/charcoal, and that you - like many of us - may be at a point in your life which you no longer want to "baby sit" a cooker. Even well designed offsets cn require us to feed a split of wood every 40-45 minutes to keep temps consistent. It is just physics of fuel consumption and conversion of that fuel to BTUs of heat.

Pellet cookers on the other hand - use wood. Real wood that is merely pelletized from hardwood sawdust. And the feed rate is controlled by a thermostat which signals an auger. You can even have one that will use you home's WiFi network - allowing you to monitor it and change the cook temp, know the meat temps - and even turn it off...from your phone or computer/tablet. Sounds frivolous...but we are all busier than we used to be, and it gives you control - without baby sitting and feeding wood.

Just a thought for your consideration.....
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Offline Carnitas

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Re: Smoker/Grill
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2017, 09:23:47 PM »
Thanks for the info, I was also looking at the kamado primo all in 1 I think it is, does anyone have any info on this?