Anyone here own an offset?

[parkerj2]

Been on here a while - first time poster.

I have read reviews of so many grills and I am struggling with what to purchase for my new home next month. Pellet grills offer ease of use, but when I went to Austin and ate at Franklin....can a pellet smoker match that flavor? Can a pellet smoker give me the flavor of a southern whole hog?

I am looking into an offset smoker, how they do in TX, with a fan for assistance on the temp control.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a good model for under $1,000?

[Brisket Syndicate]

Long story short, "Close, but no cigar". My pellet cooker can definitely throw some smoke, but it is nothing near the flavor I get with my stick burner.

[Oakgrovebacon]

Welcome to the Pit from Southern Illinois!

[jfmorris]

Pellet smokers do not offer the same flavor profile as an offset. Unfortunately, finding a good quality offset for under $1000 is also problematic.

The best smoke flavor profile in a pellet smoker is likely going to be in something like the Grilla "original model" pellet smoker. I've been looking into pellet smokers, and even Grilla customer service steered me towards their round upright model, versus the Silvebac, if I was coming from an offset, which I am. If I pull the trigger on a pellet smoker, right now that is where my money is going.

Back to offsets. You can find some sub $1000 units out there, like the Oklahoma Joe's, but without a lot of mods and work, they do not work very well, and will be a frustration in temperature control. If I were serious about an offset, I would look hard at the following:

1. Yoder. I like the Yoder "loaded" Witchita. On a budget, their Cheyenne model comes right at $1000 with the heat management plate - which you NEED. If I buy a new offset at some point, the loaded Witchita is on my short list.

2. Lang. They have some patio models that are 36 to 48 inches, but they will set you back $1300-$1800.

3. I had something in mind, but then had a brain fart!

There are lots of good offsets - just read the postings in the Pit.

If it were me, and you want more wood/smoke flavor, maybe consider a vertical charcoal smoker if you are new to smoking. A Weber Smokey Mountain or Pit Barrel Cooker come to mind. You can smoke a lot on a Weber Kettle with the SNS. These are much more economical and hands off than an offset. I have both, and if it fits on my kettle with the Slow 'N Sear, I tend to use that versus my offset. If you are after ease of use, look at pellet smokers like the Grilla, and use a smoke tube to increase smoke output if you decide its not smokey enough.

[JCBBQ]

Take a look at the Karubecue. Not an off set but it'll get you the flavor profile you're looking for.

https://amazingribs.com/smoker/karubecue-c-60-pit-review

[JCBBQ]

parkerj2 Sweet! Lotta guys on here love 'em. EdF I know I poo pooed your recommendation before, and I still love the looks of the LSG, but the price on this bad boy may make it a whole lot easier for me to go KBQ vs LSG.... Oh boy, now I've said it.

[parkerj2]

JCBBQ I found out about my bonus yesterday and i got approval from the wife so.....looks like I'll be the proud owner of a Karubecue in about a month!

[JCBBQ]

parkerj2 Wow! Look at you! I'm happy for you. Now go start reading the KBQ threads. Start with this one. It'll have you drooling in no time.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/logs/karubecue-kbq/105628-kbq-~-has-landed

[Keiferr]

Welcome from southeast Michigan! Check out the smoker reviews on the free site of AR.

[Henrik]

Welcome to the Pitmaster Club!

Offsets need a lot of baby sitting, unless you have one that you can run on briquettes. I say that with your reference to the fan for temp control. If you plan on using regular logs, which is the true way to run an offset, you're just gonna have to tend to it yourself. Either way, plenty of offset owners in here, myself included. The trick is to find a commercial one that with thick enough walls. Both Lang and Lonestar Grillz have excellent models (for reference), and there are plenty other brands out there. I would check out Craig's List or similar to find a used one, that will bring the price down for sure. A well built offset will last forever.


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[jfmorris]

I will second what Henrik says about offsets needing LOTS of baby sitting. Burning real wood versus charcoal needs more airflow and I doubt a fan based controller is going to cut it. A controller makes more sense with charcoal, and you can get into a charcoal smoker for a lot less than $1000. If you are not going to use a cooker that you need to tend every 30 minutes, an offset is probably not for you, and I would look at charcoal or pellets.

[Nightrayne]

I will third what Henrik said. Offsets can make fabulous food, but they require dedicated watching. I am pre-heating, pre-selecting 3 logs at a time and checking on my smoker every 20-30 minutes plus watching it with a Maverick remote. If you want to have more free time/less watching it, with that budget consider a pellet pooper or possibly a PBC with a fan controller.

[Steve R.]

Not sure if you have an Academy Sports in your area of the country, but the Old Country BBQ Pits line is solid, and mostly under $1,000. I have had the Over and Under model for a couple of years and it has been great for the $500 I paid for it. I could have spent $2,000 on something else, but I find it hard to believe it would be 4X better than mine. If you are determined to get an off-set, there is the All-American Brazos that looks to be really well built, and runs about $1,000. There is also a vertical Smokehouse model that I have had my eye on for awhile now, for $700.

They all come with a lifetime warranty, and I can attest that they stand behind their products. The company owner sent me a handwritten check to cover the cost of a minor repair a few months ago.

[jfmorris]

I've seen those at Academy, and wondered about them. They seemed to have pretty thick steel in the construction. That Over/Under model seems a lot like the Good-One Open Range.

[Steve R.]

It's a similar concept, jfmorris, just on a larger scale. It's not 1/4" steel, but it doesn't need to be, the way it's designed.

[RonB]

Welcome to The Pit.

[Mr. Bones]

Howdy from Kansas Territory, Welcome to Th Pit!
Nice to hear from ya, after so long...

In chronological order to yer questions,
1>Yup. I got three offsets...
2>Nope. Don't rightly reckon yer gonna reproduce Texas / Franklin's BBQ, or Southern whole hog cooks without burnin wood.
3>There's already been a few good suggestions tendered, above...if I think of any to add, in yer budget range, I'll add them at that point in time...

[JGo37]

What about the Good One?

[Mr. Bones]

Oops, took ma a few to git back here, sorry JGo37

Th Good One is counted as among my offset cookers; it is simply a front/back offset, vs a side by side.

I would recommend it fer th ease of use, an quality of food it can produce, without any reservations, whatsoever!

[PaulstheRibList]

No, I don't own an offset.

I own, one, two, three, four, five of them!

[Black99vette]

Welcome to the put! I don't own an offset - yet.

[Elton's BBQ]

Welcome to the pit!
I don't have a stickburner/offset but it is on my wanted list.
Cheers from Norway

[Lock Stock and Barrel]

Had many brands of offsets over my lifetime of BBQ'ing, as well as other types like Webers, Old Smokey, Charbroil Grills. Been doing this for around 50 years and all I can say is I personally would not trade my offset for anything else. The "$1,000.00" range offsets are fabricated from very thin metal. This makes them very difficult to control the temperature. One side is very hot while the other side of the grill is much cooler. This leads to tending and moving your meat constantly while poking, stoking, and adding charcoal and or wood. Inexpensive offsets are much better at grilling rather than smoking at 225 degrees. Also, note that the temperature gauge is less accurate than your finger while trying to determine wind speed outside. Mine is 75 degrees off and slow to boot.

The worst brand I have ever owned was my last thin wall Oklahoma Joe's! If you decide to steer away from the upper end offsets you can read through this site to modify it over time to get better results but you will get a lesson in the school of hard knocks. Like the above posts I would steer you to Lang reverse flow offsets, Yoder and any brand that uses a 1/4 inch steel plate for under 2K instead.

My offsets rarely last 5 years in the past. Most people do not realize that high heat in a firebox burns the carbon out of thin wall steel and accelerates the rust process by many times. That is why even if you live in the desert your smoker rusts out and always at the firebox.

If you take your time researching at the Pit and reading about design you will desire a heavy duty reverse flow offset... even if Santa does not bring one.

I built my own after many many hours of research on the internet, forums, videos. That is not practical for most people but that's why they call me crazy!

Now, things to look for in a low end smoker:

Tight fitting lids, very important on thin wall units.

Heavy legs and wheels, always rusts out as quick as the firebox.

Baffle plate between the firebox and smoke chamber to reduce super hot grill space next to firebox.

Large diameter chimney to get better draft.

Compare the pinwheel draft controller on your firebox to others... it is the first to break down.

The heavier the steel used all around the better it will cook and the longer it will last over the 5 year mark.

Fans with controllers are a great way to up your game but of course they do not come with the smoker. I suggest using your smoker for a lot of cooks by tending the fire and pin wheel draft controller and mixing sticks with lump charcoal before embarking on the digital temperature controls for fans. It is crucial to get the fire size correct and learn to control the pit at 225 and 325 as per Meathead. Also, get the book! Then add the fan and your work is cut down to checking instead of tending.

Hope some of this helps... as usual I talk to much! Good Luck!

[EdF]

A great sharing, this one!

[Frozen Smoke]

I concur with what most are saying. Offsets priced at $1000 or less will require more of your attention to run them than you are likely willing to give. You will most likely get frustrated and get the wrong attitude towards stick burning and give it up for good out of frustration.

I started with a $89 Brinkman Smoke 'N Pit and after many modifications it became serviceable. I cut my teeth on that thing for 5 years! But it payed off. When I upgraded to a patio pit made of 1/4" steel I was astounded how easy fire management became. It didn't make me a better cook but it allowed more time to concentrate on cooking than tending a fire which did help me become a better cook.

I now own a trailer rig offset and up until recently had two but I sold one this spring and will likely be buying another this coming spring.

Bottom line here is there are a lot of smokers out there from electric to gas to pellet grills to charcoal. They are all in their own way trying to imitate what a stick burner does. The truth is none of them will, the only way to get authentic wood fired taste, and texture is through using a real stick burner.

Stick burning is not for everyone to be sure. It takes time and attention but no other method will give you the satisfaction and pride you get from your end results. It's a labor of love to be certain!