Help! Larger smoker: PBC Junior vs Weber kettle+SNS???

[Mr. Bones]

Yer quite welcome, Brother!

Ya been doin some Really Cool cooks on th ol SJS, Nice Job!

[RonB]

patcrail - I was just talkin' low and slow. I do go higher for other cooks.

[patcrail]

Limitations aside, I’m very happy I started out on a Smokey Joe (as opposed to something bigger) right off the bat when FINALLY learning to cook the right way! Dealing with the small size thought me tons about fire management & temperature control, and I believe that laid a damned good foundation to grow on! I understand many of the basics now after learning how to control this thing for everything from strips/ribeyes up to 10 hour slow cooks (& a lot in between).... I understand temp control isn’t a big factor, within reason, with the PNC and other drum coolers, but learning to control this little baby and seeing the effects of cooking temp on meat has forced me to really learn my cooks! And some great brothers on here have really coached me! Mr. BonesTroutman , and everyone else, thanks!
Really looking forward to learning & upping my game with all of yas!

[patcrail]

I hear you, brother, and mostly agree 💯, but now and then I want to go closer to 200 or as high as 325 depending on what I’m cooking and how, that’s why I skipped the PBC for now... I really want one I’m my arsenal, but only being able to afford one, I chose the flexibility of the Kettle... look forward to getting a PBC one day and doing hanging cooks

[RonB]

That's great. Just remember that you can get great cooks without tryin' to hold a specific temp. As long as the temp is in the range of 225° to 275°, don't sweat it. Just make small changes as the temp approaches either end of that range. You will have a lot less anxiety that way, and the beer will taste much better if yur not worryin'.

[Huskee]

Have fun, eat well, and stay well hydrated! She's gonna be a hot holiday most everywhere.

[Huskee]

I go under the lid. I don't have trouble keeping them low.

[patcrail]

Mr. Bones , yes! But now I gotta figure out what order to cook my Porter Road order in: got a Pork Brisket, some Rib Cap Steaks, Memphis BBQ sausage, and back bacon all coming... I’ll probably end up cooking them all the first day & crying in my beer the rest of the weekend, lol ... kept the order kinda small cause I didn’t think it was coming till Monday, thought I’d be using Smokey Joe (well that, and I wanted some beer money left 😎)

[Mr. Bones]

That's Great, amigo!!!

[patcrail]

Hell yes! Just found out the 22” will be here Friday (instead of Monday), as will my Porter Road order, and SNS arrives tomorrow! I hope I saved enough cash for beer, cause I’m gonna be doing a whole lotta cookin this weekend! Mr. Bones

[tenphases]

Great choice, you are about to have a great time tinkering with your new toys. I didn't mention the sns by accident it's actually the first accessory I would buy. (BTW run the and it without water and half full for chicken) comes out great!

[mnavarre]

Never had a problem with the probe wires going through the holes, and the amount of air leakage through the holes is so negligible as to be nonexistent.

[patcrail]

Hell, Mr. Bones , I envy you having that feel for temp! I wanna get there... I’m 51, but been cooking wrong most of my life, on a quest now, so I’m really just using the gadgets ‘n such till I have a feel for my cooker temps... I’m there with the Smokey Joe already, know exactly where I am without the probe, just figure this new kettle is gonna take a month or so to get the feel

[Mr. Bones]

Yer doin th right thing, an utilizin tools that simply weren't available, when I was growin up, an learnin to cook, privately, or Professionally..
I am very actively enjoyin yer journey, an as always, here to help, in any fashion that I can, Pat

[Mr. Bones]

No wories, patcrail ...
Ain't passin no judgement on nobody, least of all yerself, Sir.
Jus tellin yall what I most generally do. That don't make it fer everybody, or even right.
But it is what it is...
Thought I'd share my shortcomins with th whole wide world lol.