It was supposed to be just a regular grocery shopping trip.........

[smokeasaurus]

OK, first off, The Smoke has been drinking...…...as a global moderator I should just wait for tomorrow to post...…………………

………………..but I got this...………………………

OK, I have been researching Texas made offset smokers. I had a Smokemaster out of Austin that I re-did last year. It was over 20 years old and unfortunately due to poor care by the previous owner, part of the smoking chamber and firebox had rusted through in some spots. It was also 3/16 thick and could not handle the decades of not being cleaned.

Sold it.

We picked up a POS offset that someone had on the side of the road here in town.

Got through the cook. Pit was quite a challenge. A co-worker of Wendys needed a pit.

Sold.

Now the search was on. Was pretty set on a Gator Pit. Darn thing was close to 2500 bucks without the shipping.

Wasn't quite sure how I was going to pull that one off.

Now we live in a small town about 30 minutes southeast of Waco.

We have a small HEB market. The market just does not offer the selection and family packs the larger HEB markets offer.

I have found out in a short time that HEB is THE market in the state of Texas.

Texas is HEB country.

Wendy is off every weekend because she works in a doctors office in the rural clinic.

I cook in the hospital kitchen and get every other weekend off.

On the weekends I work, we shop here in Marlin at the little HEB.

The weekends we are both off, we go to Waco to shop at HEB or we go to Bryan/College Station to shop at Krogers when they have their sales.

This weekend we went into Waco to shop at the Wooded Acres HEB.

We parked and went into the "Texas Backyard" dept to get into the store

.............and then I see this:



I am immediately drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

20 X 40 double door Lyfe Tyme offset. 1/4 inch thick. 470 lbs of Texas Steel. Made in Uvalde.

.............and then I see this:


Ok, The Smoke is all fired up over this...................

I know I know, I have the MAK 2 Star. Sorry, nothing says BBQ more to me than an offset. Anyone can fill a hopper and flip a switch. I think men should be able to start and keep a fire going before they buy anything that can smoke and be plugged in. While the MAK is invaluable for our day to day cooking, I like to start a fire and cook Texas style. The Smokes Man Card is still valid my friends. I just have a few days a month where I can set and manage a fire and I still love to do that.

OK, so back to my story:

The guy in the dept says "We can put it in your truck for you"

Really??  A 500 lb pit you expect me to just drive home and unload all by myself??

"I want to see a store manager right this minute" I say.

Here she comes.

I unload:  " How do you expect a customer to buy a 500 lb beast of a smoker and just get it home like it's a sack of groceries??" 

She makes a call.

"Where do you live?"

" 30 minutes south east from here" I reply

"We will deliver it and put it on your patio for you for 40 dollars"

Get the frick out of Dodge, I say. I had my credit card out and it was a done dead deal.

Just a skosh over a grand for a 500 lb well made offset delivered and set up on my patio for 40 bucks?

"God Bless Texas"

I bought the pit at 10 am and it was setting on my patio at 5 pm..........................

I was informed by my CFO and much better half that this is it when it comes to pits so this story isn't exactly perfect but I am cool with that


Sagebrush Smoochy was on hand for the festivites


Got some post oak in the firebox and getting her seasoned up for a Lyfe Tyme of cooking


Did I mention I have been drinking???   Old no 7 seems to be the best thirst quencher on these hot Texas days  (we have been close to 100 the last three weeks)

Y'all take care and I will break the pit in tomorrow with some thick juicy rib-eyes........................

[rwalters]

Congrats Smoke! I saw a Lyfe Tyme in person at Bass Pro Shops last year for the first time. Pretty darn impressive for the money. I hope you enjoy the heck out of it

[akjeff]

I think you did pretty damn good on both counts. Buying the pit, and the PUI(Posting Under the Influence)!

I want a stick burner something awful, but getting a good USA made one shipped to Alaska is crazy expensive. Just been watching craigslist until I find a cheap air compressor or propane tank of the proper size, and roll my own.

Good luck with the offset, and look forward to your cook reports!!

Jeff

[sliding_billy]

Living in TX is already paying off.

[smokeasaurus]

Hey All...….

well, I am slamming back some strong black coffee.

Wendy aint mad at me.

I aint black and blue anywhere.

I still got 6 shots in the revolver

Doors and windows were all locked.

Read my post and it looks OK.

It was a good night

Now it gets better:  Kroger in Bryan/College Station has rib eyes on sale for 4.77 a lb.

Better make another cup of coffee...……….we outta here...………

God Bless Texas.

[smokeasaurus]

Oh, forgot to mention. This pit is a little rough around the edges.

You are not getting the fit and finish of a Klose or Gator.

You are also not spending 3 grand either.

Being a tad bit drunk, I was able to keep the pit at 250-275.  She is easy to run.

What I forgot to mention was what made this deal even more redunkulous:

They added the 40.00 for shipping to the original price of the pit

Then they scanned the coupon.

So I also got 20% off of the delivery as well. 

Outrageous  

[smokeasaurus]

I re-read my post and my take on Men building fires I think came from our 2 winters in the California Mountains. We only had a wood stove for heat and I had a fire constantly going from November to April. If you couldn't build and keep a fire going and your electricity went out, you better bundle up and bundle up quick.

I got no problems filling a hopper and flipping a switch either

I just get a ton of satisfaction from using an offset. They are actually easy to use. Ridiculously simple in their design.


Just gotta have thick metal and seasoned wood, plenty of time and plenty of beer and you are in for a good time

[smokeasaurus]

I think you did pretty damn good on both counts. Buying the pit, and the PUI(Posting Under the Influence)!

I want a stick burner something awful, but getting a good USA made one shipped to Alaska is crazy expensive. Just been watching craigslist until I find a cheap air compressor or propane tank of the proper size, and roll my own.

Good luck with the offset, and look forward to your cook reports!!

Jeff

Hey Jeff, stay diligent and watch CL constantly......something will pop up. Just insist on 1/4 inch. I know you can get by with 3/16 but 1/4 makes all the difference.

Once my pit got to 250 and I needed to add wood, I had to add smaller splits because that thick metal was holding the heat in and I did not need a large fire.

You will actually use more wood with thinner metal pits.

[4cornersmoker]

Wow Smoke, nice solid heavy built unit. A new stick burner & peller burner you are all all set.
I got my M1 stick burner last week, love building stick fires myself. Its all about getting the right size piece of wood.
So you don't get too much heat at once. I learned that right off. I'm doing wagu beef ribs today. The M1 is made in Mesquite TX.

[Salmonsmoker]

Enjoyed your story smoke, it was a fun read.

[HighOnSmoke]

Congrats on the new smoker Smoke! Awesome story, sober or not! 

[Roget]

Well, what to say...
I commend you on two things I would never have the cojones to do.
1. Try to keep a stick fire burning at the right temp to cook my dinner.
2. Ever, at any time, try to post on line while under the influence. I have enough trouble stone cold sober. 

[Tailgating is my game]

Great job Smoke! You should get many fun cooks out of that baby.


Man some of you folks sure spend big money on your cooking equipment. I thought spending $25.00 on my new Weber 22 charcoal was enough this past winter. . Maybe someday

[Lantern]

I'm glad there's other folks that feel the same way I do. I love my MAK, but I HAVE to have(well at least it feels that way) a charcoal grill, a stick burner, an outside griddle and.....now... a pellet cooker at all times. Each and every one brings me joy and each and every one serves a distinct purpose.

[TwoPockets]

Hey All...….

well, I am slamming back some strong black coffee.

Wendy aint mad at me.

I aint black and blue anywhere.

I still got 6 shots in the revolver

Doors and windows were all locked.

Read my post and it looks OK.

It was a good night

Now it gets better:  Kroger in Bryan/College Station has rib eyes on sale for 4.77 a lb.

Better make another cup of coffee...……….we outta here...………

God Bless Texas.

You are a lucky man Smoke. Great deal on the grill and a wife that is just way too good for you.