Can you become Smoker Obsessed?

[veryolddog]

Hello Everyone,

I really enjoy smoking. I have been doing this for five years and I do realize that I do not have the experience that you folks bring to the table. But, for me, it is fun, enjoyable, and provides for me something to achieve within my bounds of reality at age 70.

I use my new Yoder every chance I can get rather than the oven in our home. I will roast potatoes, cook the meat, and and make appetizers to serve guests. It's great and I am glad that I can get up and be involved in this process. Even my wife thinks that the food results are even better than before and she is happy that I am involved in something productive.

So, I am now thinking about adding another smoker to my list. And, ever since reading Jaxon's thread and watched his video on his Country Time offset wood smoker, I have been intrigued by smoking on a wood/charcoal fire. So, as usual, I have been doing a lot of reading on "stick" burners and what they do and how they do it. So,......I have been searching the internet looking at a variety of equipment watching videos and learning as much as I can about using an offset wood fired smoker.

I know that I am spoiled by the Yoder Pellet Burner, but wood smoking seems like a little bit of a challenge. I would be going from "set it and forget it" to "tweaking".

I guess that I must be "nuts", but, I think for me that this would be a challenge. And, at this time in life, I do not have that many challenges any more except for this. And, I really do not care if the kids get $1500.00 less and I really have no reason to deny myself a few little pleasures at this time. What does it matter in the scheme of things anyway?

I have been looking at both Lang and Yoder wood smokers. Lang has a nice patio model which is what they call the "36" and Yoder has the Cheyenne and the Wichita models. From what I have learned, I am very impressed with the Lang. It comes with everything you need for its price and it is a 1/4 inch thick and a reverse flow and, holy cow, it weighs 600 lbs. The Yoder has a heat plate option which makes it competitive and the offset chamber can be used as a direct grill option and it weighs over 300 lbs. Prices are fairly competitive.

If I succomb to my emotions, one of these will be added to our smoker inventory. The biggest obstacle that I face is the process of getting my wife on board because she will be incensed but eventually she will give in. Especially, the next time that i have to go to the hospital. So selling her will be the toughest job of all.

Since many of you guys have multiple smokers, how do you justify that to wives and even yourselves that you need both? Am I off base for wanting another smoker?

Have at it.

With kind regards,

Ed

[muebe]

Ed you are not off base at all! You do not need to ever justify what you are passionate about to anyone. enjoy your life and if you can afford it then get it.

There are people who spend thousands of dollars collecting old comic books or baseball cards. And what do they get from it? Bragging rights? We get actual equipment that makes tasty food! And we get constant enjoyment and use out of these toys. What about the guy who buys a really expensive boat that is used maybe once a year? Or a sports car that he never drives because of being afraid it might get scratched or dirty! Nahhh our passion for cookers pays dividends back. The more cookers you have the better!

And I would get the Lang

[sliding_billy]

+1 to Muebe's comments.  Do what you love!  As for the smoker you might want to buy (and this is just my opinion)... you are in the heart of custom smoker country.  Given the price point you mentioned, I would consider looking at some of the hand fabricated 1/4" steel units that can picked up or delivered in your area.  B&R Custom Pits comes to mind.  They are out of San Antonio, and in my opinion offer a lot of bang for the buck.  There are a bunch in Houston, but Tejas has pretty reasonable prices IMO.

[drholly]

outdoor cooking - grilling, smoking - barbeque is my current hobby
compared to many things I've been involved in in my life - IT'S CHEAP

Probably could buy a few cookers for the price of a good lens! 

[Jaxon]

Deb has seen my passion for outdoor cooking grow ever since she bought me The Big Easy over 4 years ago.  She has also been the beneficiary of my education here on this forum and others like it as my cooking skills have grown, too.  We talk a lot before I buy another cooker.  Last Thanksgiving I bought a 40" Masterbuilt Elec Smoker after a lengthy discussion.  We watch videos together showing how these cookers are used by others so she understands the benefits of each one.  When we started talking about this offset smoker, she was against it at first simply because I had seven other instruments of cooking - where's the logic in that? 
I showed her the vids of AARON FRANKLIN as he would use the Old Country brand and assured her I would be able to cook like Aaron if I had a smoker like his.  She liked that idea.  I also told her that THIS smoker has much more room for cooking if our idea of catering to the neighborhood were to come to pass.  Once we were able to talk these things thru (over 2 months), she wanted to go with me to Academic Sports when I picked up the smoker.  After the first 2 cooks, she realizes I really CAN cook like Aaron with this smoker.  She is on-board.

Now for my humble recommendation as to which smoker to buy:  (drum roll, please) If I weren't so tight in the wallet, I would have ordered the LANG that you mentioned.  I like the heavy-duty build, the quality, and the reverse-flow technology is tops in my book.  I just couldn't pull the trigger.
Watch the videos on YouTube for the different smokers - they will help you decide.

Hope this helps...

[TMB]

outdoor cooking - grilling, smoking - barbeque is my current hobby
compared to many things I've been involved in in my life - IT'S CHEAP

Mine as well, heck just the price of a Harley is a lot more then I have in my cookers.  I now need a charcoal grill cause I gave my other one away     but new toys are new toys so get what you want, and if a Lang is in your pric range I'd get it they make very good smokers.

I'm up to 14 grills & outdoor cookers of some kind so one more won't hurt    (that's what I tell Kimmie)   

[deestafford]

Very few people get to follow their passion...go for it with gusto.  Now as to which to buy?  I ain't got no idea 'cause I'm a lazy set it and forget it type with the MES.  However, if I were going to buy one and their were a number of makers in driving range, I'd visit as many of them as I could just to educate myself on how they are made and what they do.  You and I are pretty close to the same age and a little more edgumacation won't hurt us at all.  And being in TX you'll be able to eat at a lot of BBQ joints as you get you some more edgumacation.  Dee

[GusRobin]

Since many of you guys have multiple smokers, how do you justify that to wives and even yourselves that you need both?

The last one I got I named "Lil Debbie" after my wife so she didn't complain. 

[TwoPockets]

So selling her will be the toughest job of all.

But once you get her sold off you can have as many smokers as you want.

[LostArrow]

"I guess that I must be "nuts", but, I think for me that this would be a challenge. And, at this time in life, I do not have that many challenges any more except for this. And, I really do not care if the kids get $1500.00 less and I really have no reason to deny myself a few little pleasures at this time. What does it matter in the scheme of things anyway? "
I have nothing against "set & forget smokers" I have some & use them.
Sometimes I'm smoking for entertainment & a "set & forget " defeats the purpose.
I understand , I sometimes cook with wood, listen to music , play fetch , & partake of adult beverages because you have to watch a wood fire

[TwoPockets]

"I guess that I must be "nuts", but, I think for me that this would be a challenge. And, at this time in life, I do not have that many challenges any more except for this. And, I really do not care if the kids get $1500.00 less and I really have no reason to deny myself a few little pleasures at this time. What does it matter in the scheme of things anyway? "
I have nothing against "set & forget smokers" I have some & use them.
Sometimes I'm smoking for entertainment & a "set & forget " defeats the purpose.
I understand , I sometimes cook with wood, listen to music , play fetch , & partake of adult beverages because you have to watch a wood fire

Ain't that the truth John. I have told my kids that my goal is to spend my last dollar on the day I die.

[smokeasaurus]

If you are going to spend 1500.00 on an off-set, you could find no better than a Yoder Wichita with 1600 sq inches and a price tag 0f 1539.00 is right in your wheel-house and it would be a nice compliment to your Yoder Pooper. The old and the new so to speak from the same manufacturer...kinda neat........

[Jaxon]

And that could be found here: http://www.yodersmokers.com/wichita.html

One detail they missed though..look at the exhaust.  It is near the top of the hood instead of at grate level.  I'll bet they will change that in upcoming models.

But, yes...this could be your next smoker and it looks like a good 'un.

[CDN Smoker]

I went a little crazy this year.
1 MAK, A box of BBQ sauce and species that people here have never seen but like. An Edge Pro sharpening system.

I never ask for permission, I only ask for forgiveness, 

[veryolddog]

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for all your input. I really appreciate that. I've decided that I am going to get a wood offset smoker. I now just have to decide which one it will be. As I said, I have been looking at the Yoder, Lang, and some local Texas companies from here to Houston. I would say this about the Texas companies: they make a decent smoker with some nice features but they are not lower in price than either Yoder or Lang. On the contrary, they are more expensive than these two companies. Shipping is the primary cost differential. However, from Houston to New Braunfels is more expensive than what Yoder charged me for shipping from Kansas to New Braunfels.

One major difference between the Texas companies and Yoder and Lang is that they have not embraced the reverse flow heat distribution or use a heat management plate. You can customize this on a built for you smoker but this really drives the price up where this is standard with the Lang and an affordable option on the Yoder. At this point, I lean towards a company with prominence and a name in the business as I am just one small customer. As a side note, there is a company near me called B & R Custom pits who builds to order. But, like I said they are more than Yoder and Lang. Their shipping cost to me is $50.00.

Just for your information the models that I have been looking at have been the Lang 36 ($1100) and the Yoder Cheyenne ($1100 with all options). Add shipping costs to that. 

In any event, would the experienced wood smokers present their opinions to me as to what wood smoker they have preferences for and why.


Now, on the issue of getting this by my wife, I think that I found a way. My son and his family live across town and he is a traditionalist when it comes to grilling food using only wood and charcoal. I am going to give him a present of a nice brand new offset wood smoker for a gift. Now buying something for the kids is never objectionable. (as a matter of fact,in this instance, money is no object except with me) Then, I can go over to his house and use this smoker and cook for the whole family. And, he always keeps a cord of oak wood and has plenty of lump charcoal available. What do you think of this for an idea?

With kind regards,

Ed