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

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  • jfmorris
    commented on 's reply
    patcrail what thermometer are you using? Mine is a Thermoworks Smoke, and the probe wires are not that thick. Also - you are talking 14" versus 22". Any leak will be 3 times as bad on the 14", as the 22" has almost 3 times the circumference. I do have a fan, but I only use it for overnight cooks. I find the temps to be very controllable. Again - if you are worried about it just run the wires through the upper vent, or drill a hole for probes, and use the grommet they sell for the WSM.

  • patcrail
    commented on 's reply
    Hey, brother, I hear ya, and I wanna get there, but for now, that grill temp probe is helping me tell the difference between 225 and 275.... hoping I learn this new kettle enough to know the difference & don’t need it, but my rookie ass can’t tell, and it’s made a big difference on reverse sear cooks so far

  • troymeister
    replied
    I would say start with the Weber and SnS..Everything after that is a bonus.

    Leave a comment:


  • Mr. Bones
    replied
    Reckon I'm jus a knuckle draggin, stick burnin throwback, a genetic anomaly, an draggin down th World, an th Science of cookin, in general... I do apologize fer that....

    I jus wait until stuff starts lookin done~ish then start tempin / tenderness probin, with an instant read thermo, every so often, til it's ready...

    Leave a comment:


  • patcrail
    commented on 's reply
    Agreed, the vent option is a real pain, and I’m not really wanting to drill a 1.25” hole in my brand new kettle just to accommodate the WSM grommet...I drilled a3/8 hole in my Smokey Joe, just the right size, thinking of going that route for now on the new one... just worried about the probe wires laying right on the hot metal, & cramming foil around them is a pain... if I could find 1/2 hi-temp grommets, I’d probably go that route

  • mnavarre
    replied
    I drilled a couple of 5/16" holes just above the grates to run my Maverick probes through. When I get a new thermometer that uses different probes I'll probably drill a bigger hole and use a WSM grommet. The only reason I drilled in the first place was that I broke a couple of probe cables running them under the lid. That and dropping the probes through the vent is a PITA if you need to get in there.

    Leave a comment:


  • patcrail
    commented on 's reply
    Thanks, jfmorris , do you use a fan? Curious if that helps compensate for any leakage? On my lil Smokey Joe, the leakage from the propped lid was terrible, the only way to get it below 250 was the bottom vent closed except a sliver & the top vent closed, but then it would eventually die out

  • patcrail
    commented on 's reply
    Lol, tenphases , I hear you... I went with the Weber 22 and the SNS, about $100 cheaper, more versatile, and I can choose my cook temp without workarounds... that said, next extra cash may we’ll go to a PBC or Bronco... I really wanna smoke hanging meat over the coals, just not my first priority

  • patcrail
    commented on 's reply
    Rod thanks, but a fan mod isn’t anywhere on my radar! I was guessing running wires under lid would have much less effect on the large kettle vs my Smokey Joe, where it really affects the airflow

  • tenphases
    replied
    Definitely the PBC, you can cook for a large number of people and can grill on you jumbo Joe. You could actually cook 3 slabs of ribs and a brisket on your pbc while your churning out burgers, dogs, and chops on the smokey Joe. The kettle is great but being that you already have a smokey Joe and your desire is more capacity I'd go PBC

    Definitely a kettle, you can get a stacker, rottiserie, and, vortex as time goes by and you will have an excellent cooker (it's excellent by itself as well) that has temp control and is super versatitle. You could reverse sear some killer steaks on your kettle while churning out burgers, dogs, and chops on your smokey Joe.


    .......I'm useless sorry

    Lol with your current set up and budget I would go PBC but don't agonize either way your good to go and will be happy.

    Leave a comment:


  • Rod
    replied
    patcrail With the fan mod a little leakage under the lid doesn't affect anything. The controller compensates for that. I run my 22 and 26 with wires under the lid with zero issues.

    Leave a comment:


  • jfmorris
    replied
    Originally posted by patcrail View Post
    Ok, so you large kettle guys who use temp probes: do you drill a hole for the wires, drop them through the lid vent, or just close them under the lid? On my Smokey Joe, running under the lid made it impossible to run under 270 or so because of the leakage, so I had to drill.
    I don't have any trouble running it under the edge of the lid and maintaining 225 on my kettle. A little smoke escapes where the probe wires snake under the lid, but not enough to affect the cook. More often I snake them through the top vent. I drilled a hole a couple of years ago for a fan, but have never done one for temp probes. I'm using a Performer Deluxe and am too lazy to remove the table in order to drill that hole and install the grommet.

    Leave a comment:


  • patcrail
    replied
    Ok, so you large kettle guys who use temp probes: do you drill a hole for the wires, drop them through the lid vent, or just close them under the lid? On my Smokey Joe, running under the lid made it impossible to run under 270 or so because of the leakage, so I had to drill.

    Leave a comment:


  • mnavarre
    commented on 's reply
    I did a 16 lb. spatchcocked turkey on the kettle back in December. Took some jiggery-pokery to get it in there without overhanging the SnS, but it cooked up beautifully.

  • jfmorris
    commented on 's reply
    Good choice!

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