Honest Review of Gateway

[fzxdoc]

Good build quality and bad paint job is the main structural message I got. A bad paint job is a bad thing, since rust will win the battle sooner than later, I'm guessing. I hope your Gateway stands the test of time in that regard. Otherwise, it sounds like a good smoker.

About your "all drums run at 300°" observation, I guess my PBC didn't get the memo, as it likes the 250 to 275° range, depending on how good the initial light is and what type of charcoal I run in it.

My PBC has been a versatile smoker for 7 years, churning out good grub weekly. I hope she doesn't get the 7 year itch and flake out on me.

Kathryn

[ILMsmoke]

Yea the 300 degree thing is relative to where you take the temp in a drum also. My PBC was more 275-300 and the Gateway is more 300-325, but on average I've experienced upper 200's - low 300's

[fzxdoc]

ILMsmoke , I hang two ambient probes in my PBC for every cook, about halfway down the length of the hanging meat, a couple of inches away from both the wall and the meat. One probe is on the vent side and the other probe is on the side opposite. I find routinely that the probe readings at any point in the cook time can vary by 20° to 60° from each other. I go by the average of the two probes. FWIW I can see similar temp differences using 2 probes in my WSCGC.

Kathryn

[johnec00]

You beat me to it Kathryn. My PBC also runs 250º to 275º. It will celebrate its 9th birthday in a few months (bought it about 2 weeks after I joined the pit). Anyway, its the original powder coat version and it seems that the lids may have fit better in those versions. I never had a problem with a leaking lid, but a small leak will easily raise the temperature. Its also true that I only use KBB.

[Michael_in_TX]

"Insane Can Posse"

I have been laughing at this for three days now....

[Panhead John]

Michael, several years ago I read some idiot’s review of the group, Insane Clown Posse. I’d never heard of them before, but this moron gave them a detailed and glowing review of their music and how great they were. I figured what the hell, I buy one of their CD’s off Amazon or somewhere. Got it later and threw it in my player…..the absolute worst garbage and horrible excuse for music I’d ever heard! I couldn’t believe what I was listening to. I wound up throwing it away.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'm 3 minutes in.....

[Michael_in_TX]

They did provide us with some levity about a decade ago. One of their songs has a lyric "<expletive> magnets, how do they work?" and for reasons still utterly obscure, many physics faculty took up rap to try to answer that on the nascent social media of the time. It was as hilarious and cringe-worthy as you can imagine.

[Mike-Sid]

I just sold my Gateway, only because I got a LSG. I found that if I started the coals in a small spot with a starter, and let it catch good for 20 minutes or so, then shut the lid and use my BBQ Guru to control the heat. I would set it at 250° and let it go for an hour or so and let the smoke clean up. Now I could control the temps like an oven. The only down side is when you open up the lid, the fire takes off. If you act fast and keep the lid closed but only for moments at a time, all is good. It definitely takes time to figure out using the Gateway.
. Great review, I wish you good success with your drum!

[Cheeze-O-Matic]

I have used my PBC for maybe 15 cooks over the past five years mostly during the holidays, and on more that one occasion have had the heat run away on me, or have had the wind strip heat out of it that turned a 6 HR Christmas turkey cook into an eight plus hour nerve racking vigil to get food on the table that won't make someone sick. I just bought a Gateway hoping I can regulate the heat more precisely. Please don't tell me that I have missed a fundamental set up step by lighting my PBC and then setting the temp too soon or too late (hot)?!

[Jerod Broussard]

Leaky lids cause temp spikes. Wind is not a major factor on temp, however cold temps and/or a turkey will kill them coals fairly easily if you don't start out rippin' hot.

[Huskee]

If you're looking for some pro tips on lighting & maintaining temp in your PBC, check our the main Grills & Smokers > Drum Smokers > PBC channel here https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...-barrel-cooker Pay special attention to the sticky topics at the top by "fzxdoc" our resident PBC expert. Excellent info in those topics. I use her tips more than PBC's own website for mine.

[Bad Hat BBQ]

Had to Google "Gateway" it is a cool looking rig and it is not cheap! Appreciate the review and the info.
(not convinced that I need to add another cooker ....grill pavillion is getting crowded!)

[Cheeze-O-Matic]

I seasoned my Gateway the other day. I sprayed the inside of the barrel and the lid with canola oil and fuelled the fire basket with lump charcoal, following the lighting instructions. I put the fire basket into the drum and went inside, leaving the lid off so the coals could catch.
Oops. When they say don't leave unattended with the lid off, it's not a suggestion. Five minutes after ignition, I look out the window and see black smoke puffing out the drum. I go out to check and find that the canola has pooled in the bottom and has caught fire, and the temperature indicator on the dial gauge is well past the last temperature reading of 500'F. (At least I burnt off the new paint smell.)
I put the lid on and closed the two air intakes and the exhaust vent and waited about a half hr till the temp. hit 300'F . I fully opened the exhaust and then experimented with the degree of openness of the air intakes to maintain the 300'F mark, noting that each adjustment would take five to ten minutes to register a temperature change. About an hr after ignition, I finally balanced it out to maintain 300'F and I looked every fifteen minutes to make sure it didn't need any further adjustments. It stayed there for the next 5 hr.
I had to step away for a half hr and when I got back, it had dropped to 200'F. I pulled the lid, spun the fire basket 180' and knocked the ash off the coals, then put the lid back on. It climbed up to 450'F at about 7 1/2 hrs from ignition. I had to go to bed after that, so I sealed off the vents. In the morning I checked and found that I had a third of a basket of charcoal left. I'm going to see how much time and temperature I can squeeze out of the remaining coals when the weather cooperates. I might even throw on a dozen drumsticks!

[fzxdoc]

Well, you sure had an eventful day with your new toy. Looks like you're ready for an enjoyable initial cook now. Let us know how it turns out and how you like cooking on your Gateway.

Kathryn

[Jerod Broussard]

Literally the most eventful seasoning I've ever read about.

[Cheeze-O-Matic]

So, I finally got up the nerve to cook on the Gateway. I dry rubbed, then spatchcocked two chickens. I cut down the backs so that the breast meat would be together and be a bigger mass(smaller surface area). That allows the legs to get to temp 180'F before the breast target of 165'F, is my hopeful guess.

I left the birds in for an hr before I checked the temp which had overshot by 20'F in the leg and breast meat. It was tender but not juicy, and the skin on the legs and thighs was paper-like, not crispy. Perfect for club sandwiches!
The next cook will take place in daylight, so I can take picture and hopefully I can figure out how to get my temp probes in, so I can follow the temps of the food.

[TripleB]

I don't care how "seasoned" someone is at smoking. With a new smoker, there is always a learning curve. It took me a year to get comfortable with my large offset. Temps fluctuated, wood burned or smoldered, meat surface too dark, etc. etc. So it's going to suck for awhile. Recommend on keeping a journal, because you won't remember what it was that you did last time. I've been a KCBS judge for over 10 years. Last time (July) I judged, 1/2 the competition was using Gateways. They must know something.

Enjoy the ride.

[TripleB]

CandySueQ - Did not ask them. Just noticed that a lot of the competitors were using Gateways. Seems to have replaced the WSMs. I must have gotten all the good entries, since it was the best overall Que I've had in a while. Unfortunately, all competitors have gone to a sweet sauce. Chicken sweet, ribs sweet, pulled port sweet. Not much variety in style anymore. Rather disappointed over the last few years.

[CandySueQ]

TripleB -- the sweet sauce is a Gateway thing too. They own Blues Hog. I've got 2 Gateways myself and every time I've used them in comps, I've done well.

[TripleB]

CandySueQ - Did not know Gateway owned Blues Hog. My BBQ sauce is 1 part Original Blues Hog and 1 part Original Head Country. Best I've ever done in competition is 21st for Brisket out of 60 teams. I've only cooked with other teams and not my own team. My brother and I took last place in ribs one time. I laughed, my brother was pissed.