I vote either the Pit Barrel Cooker or a 26in kettle with a Slow 'N Sear. đ
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First purchase, or, "How I was overcome by the paralysis of choice."
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Administrator
- May 2014
- 18988
- Clare, Michigan area
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Follow me on Instagram, huskeesbarbecue
Smokers / Grills- Yoder loaded Wichita offset smoker
- PBC
- Grilla Silverbac pellet grill
- Slow 'N Sear Deluxe Kamado (SnSK)
- Masterbuilt Gravity 560
- Masterbuilt Digital Charcoal Cabinet
- Weber 22" Original Kettle Premium (copper)
- Weber 26" Original Kettle Premium (light blue)
- Weber Jumbo Joe Gold (18.5")
- Weber Smokey Joe Silver (14.5")
- Brinkmann cabinet charcoal smoker (repurposed)
Thermometers- SnS 500 4-probe wireless
- (3) Maverick XR-50 4-probe Wireless Thermometers
- A few straggler Maverick ET-732s
- Maverick ET-735 Bluetooth (in box)
- Smoke X4 by ThermoWorks
- Thermapen MkII, orange & purple
- ThermoPop, yellow, plus a few more in a drawer for gifts
- ThermoWorks ChefAlarm (wife's)
- Morpilot 6-probe wireless
- ThermoWorks Infrared IRK2
- ThermoWorks fridge & freezer therms as well
Accessories- Instant Pot 6qt
- Anova Bluetooth SV
- Kitchen Aide mixer & meat grinder attachment
- Kindling Cracker King (XL)
- a couple BBQ Dragons
- Weber full & half chimneys, Char-Broil Half Time chimney
- Weber grill topper
- Slow 'N Sear Original, XL, and SnS Charcoal Basket (for Jumbo Joe)
- Drip 'N Griddle Pans, 22' Easy Spin Grate, and Elevated Cooking grate, by SnSGrills
- Pittsburgh Digital Moisture Meter
Beverages- Favorite summer beers: Leinenkugels Summer & Grapefruit Shandy, Hamm's, Michelob Ultra Pure Gold
- Fav other beers: Zombie Dust (an IPA by 3 Floyd's Brewing), Austin Bros IPA, DAB, Sam Adams regular, Third Shift amber or Coors Batch 19, Stella Artois
- Fav cheap beers: Pabst, High Life, Hamm's & Stroh's
- Most favorite beer: The one in your fridge
- Wine: Red- big, bold, tannic & peppery- Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauv, Sangiovese, Syrah, etc
- Whiskey: Buffalo Trace, E.H. Taylor, Blanton's, Old Forester 1870, Elijah Craig Toasted, Basil Hayden's. Neat please.
- Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About me
Real name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan- near Clare. (dead center of lower peninsula)
Occupation:- Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
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Agree. The 22ââŹÂ kettle with SNS is fantastic but capacity limited. I had a 26ââŹÂ with sns and replaced it with a PBC, both are good choices.
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Polarbear777 I was fortunate enough to fit a 14lb brisket on my 22 w/ SnS, tight fit but it fit. But yeah the 26 is nice with that extra wiggle room.
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I started smoking on a glass grill, then moved to a gas cabinet smoker when I wanted to jump in further. I've now got the PBC & really love it. You can grill with it by raising the basket, or hanging it from the rebar & placing the grate on top, but it's not a great setup.
But for $500, you could get the $400 PBC package & watch Craig's list for a used Weber kettle (around here premiums come up for less than $100 pretty regularly). Then just ask for the sns for Christmas or a housewarming gift.
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Club Member
- Dec 2015
- 996
- Phoenix, AZ
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Weber Genesis S330 with GrillGrates
Weber Summit Kamado E6
Weber Performer with SnS, DnG and Pit Viper mod
Weber 26" kettle with SnS, DnG and Pit Viper mod
Traeger Flatrock Griddle
PKGO
Fireboard (2)
Thermoworks Smoke
Thermoworks MK4 (2)
Themoworks Thermapen ONE
Accessories ranging from a Vortex to bear claws.
I would definitely recommend a kettle. A 26" with a SnS will cover everything you would want to do for your backyard cookouts. And then when MCS kicks in you can add a lot of mods to it that sorta reinvents the cooker. There is not a single thing you cannot do on a kettle. One day you can add a fan and have the most set and forget cooker out there.
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Club Member
- Feb 2018
- 2816
- Northshore MA
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Home:
XL BGE
PK360
PKGO
Alfresco Gasser
Alfresco Power Burner
Alfresco Sear Station
Blazin' Grid Iron Pellet Cooker
Shirley 36 Patio Offset Smoker
Up at Camp:
Weber Summit Charcoal Grill
Weber 26 and S&S
PK360
PBC
Now if you are willing to spend a little more I will suggest an insulated Water Smoker. You can smoke in winter and they have great capacity.
The Humprey's Weekender is nice: https://www.humphreysbbq.com/products/the-weekender
Or a Backwoods Chubby:https://shop.backwoods-smoker.com/co...ts/chubby-3400
Last edited by Old Glory; September 30, 2019, 03:26 PM.
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Club Member
- Aug 2018
- 1094
- Heart of Dixie
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Kamado Joe Big Joe III, Recteq 1250, PKGO, Jumbo Joe and PBC. Weber kettle @ the hunting camp.
My vote would be Pit Barrel Cooker with this. Or a properly equipped 26" kettle and SnS (if you can find one, still can't believe Dave isn't selling those anymore....).
Edit to add, the Original PK is a nice option. They are having a deal if you plan to take your cooker places, they throw in an extra travel stand. PKTx is the way I'd go....
Last edited by au4stree; September 30, 2019, 03:35 PM.
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Club Member
- May 2017
- 2769
- San Antonio, TX
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Weber Kettle Performer
SNS Upgrades
Weber Jumbo Joe w/SNS
Weber Q1200
Meater Block
Thermoworks Smoke
Thermapen MK4
Thermapop
Thermoworks Chef Alarm
Thermoworks Dash
Too many thermometers, gadgets, accessories, and tools!
Favorite beer: Alaskan Amber
It is hard to add to the good advice already given here especially by jfmorris. I would just add that since you plan to grill on your gasser the PBC might serve your needs for an inexpensive but very reliable smoker. I both grill and smoke on my kettle/SNS setup, but for bigger, longer cooks I go to my Yoder pellet grill.
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Club Member
- Apr 2018
- 4865
- Western Mass
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Retired, living in Western Mass. Enjoy music, cooking and my family.
Current cookers Weber Spirit 3 burner. A 22" Kettle with vortex SnS and OnlyFire pizza oven. A Smokey Joe and the most recent addition a Pit Barrel Jr with bird hanger, 4 hooks and cover. ThermoWorks Smoke 2 probe, DOT, ThermoPop and a Thermapen Mk4. Recently added 2 TempSpike wireless meat thermometers.
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Club Member
- Nov 2017
- 7089
- Huntsville, Alabama
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Jim Morris
Cookers- Slow 'N Sear Deluxe Kamado (2021)
- Camp Chef FTG900 Flat Top Grill (2020)
- Weber Genesis II E-410 w/ GrillGrates (2019)
- Weber Performer Deluxe 22.5" w/ GrillGrates & Slow 'N Sear & Drip N Griddle & Vortex & Party Q & Rotisserie (2007)
- Custom Built Offset Smoker (304SS, 22"x34" grate, circa 1985)
- King Kooker 94/90TKD 105K/60K dual burner patio stove
- Lodge L8D03 5 quart dutch oven
- Lodge L10SK3 12" skillet
- Anova
- Thermoworks Smoke w/ Wifi Gateway
- Thermoworks Dot
- Thermoworks Thermapen Classic
- Thermoworks RT600C
- Weber Connect
- Whatever I brewed and have on tap!
I know I got a little long winded before, but the more I think about it, especially when I looked back at the original post from cdschwanz , I think the PBC is the best way for him to go. The price on the PBC is still at $299, which leaves a budget for accessories. $100 will get you about all the PBC accessories he could want, including a cover. The WSM base price for the 18.5" is up to $329 (tariffs?) now. I think that without spending money on a Gateway 30 gallon drum hanger kit, to let you hang stuff vertically in the WSM 18, that the PBC will trounce the WSM 18 in capacity. You won't fit a brisket in the WSM 18 without cutting it down and cooking on 2 levels, whereas you could hang that brisket in the PBC easily. The only thing I think a WSM 18 can cook more of is butts. If the WSM is under consideration, I think you need to go to the WSM 22 to have capacity that can beat the PBC, and that is $429, plus tax. Note that the WSM 22 does include the cover in the box, which they don't appear to include with the WSM 18, for whatever reason. The WSM 22 is the one I am considering for my next smoker.
The kettle is great, and I love it, but I sure cannot fit 8+ racks of ribs in my kettle, even with a rib rack.
If the primary use is smoking, I'm going to vote for the PBC now as the best bang for the buck. IF you are keeping it in a shed while in not use, the 18" foot print is great, and you don't even need to spend money on a cover. If you want to smoke AND grill, a 22" kettle is great, and you can add a SNS or other stuff to it later.
No one has addressed cold smoking, which was a question. I think you could "cold smoke" with the PBC by putting an Amazing Smoke Tube down in the bottom, if you want to get some smoke on some cheese or something that cold smoke is appropriate for.
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It used to be the rule that we don't discuss cold smoking here because it's a potentially serious health hazard. I David Parrish used to enforce it strictly when he was the Pit Boss. IDK if that's still the rule or not.Last edited by Dewesq55; September 30, 2019, 05:32 PM.
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Agreed Dewesq55 - I personally would never cold smoke anything, especially meat. I have a friend that is a cheese maker, and know that he has smoked some cheddar and other such cheeses - I think cheese would be safe. Meat, not so much.
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With your goal to get a smoker here's my take @cdschwanz. I'm a Weber guy since 1978 currently with a Peformer / SNS but love the capacity of my PBC and the unique flavor profile it provides. Yes the PBC is stupid easy to use as long as you are not a specific temp control freak and can live with minimum temps in the 275 - 300 range. While the Weber / SNS does not have a lot of capacity it will cook at 225 all day long and is versatile enough for other cooks such as the ultimate reverse seared steak etc. The Weber / SNS has wheels for mobility, the PBC does not. Both my cookers work perfectly well without hundreds of dollars for temp control fans / temp controller add-ons.
Since you already have a gasser and your goal is for a mobile smoker, take a serious look instead at the Oklahoma Joes Bronco drum smoker. https://www.oklahomajoes.com/bronco-drum-smoker It has the capacity of the PBC, real temp control for low and slow cooks and wheels. It will hook and hang food or cook on a grate or both and it also features a heat diffuser plate, braided lid gasket and two position set up for the charcoal basket which reminds me of a certain $1600 Weber charcoal grill and at $299 won't bust your budget.
Any of these cookers will work well so it's just what fits best for you. Good luck and let us know what you decide.
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From what I read in ur post ur lookinâ for a smoker.
You have a gasser and ur movinâ on to true Q
best bang for the buck I think is the PBC.
Had a WSM and moved on,,,, not a bad unit but I find the PBC delivers a better result with less tendinâ time
Does it all almost effortlessly,,,,,butts ,bones ( pork,beef,chicken),brisket,,pork belly,,,,poppers,,you name it with great results
this is my $2.73 opinion
Im not askinâ you to send me the $$$$
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Club Member
- Jul 2017
- 1408
- Southeast Illinois
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Cookers I have:
Weber S-335 gas grill
Weber 26ââŹÂ kettle
Weber 22ââŹÂ kettle
Camp Chef XL Smoke Vault
Camp Chef 3 Burner cook top
Camp Chef Woodwind 36 Pellet grill with sidekick burner
PBC
Accessories:
SnS XL
SnS standard
Vortex
Weber Rotisserie for 22ââŹÂ Kettle
1st gen FireBoard
2nd gen FireBoard
Griddle for Camp Chef cooktop
Several Thermoworks items
Set of Grill Grates
You have a ton of great advice from everyone. I hav a 26" kettle with a SnS, a PBC, a 24" propane smoke vault and a weber gas grill. If I had to choose between them it would have to be the 26" weber kettle due to its versatility, after market toys and price. Sure I can cook more on my PBC and it creates great Food but it's just not as versatile IMO.
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You donât need to worry about insulation. Shielding from the wind is helpful. Youâll use more fuel in cold temperatures but you get a hotter, cleaner fire and my below freezing smokes always seem to turn out better.
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Man, my heart really has been switching between the PBC and the Weber + SnS. Going into all of this I thought the PBC would end up winning out, but the versatility of the Weber 26" + SnS blew me away. Ultimately I doubt that I would ever be using either device up to their fullest capacity (half dozen pieces or more of meat at a time) so it's just looking to make sure I am not limited from the get go. But temperature control seems to be the big thing: is it a problem if the temperature range is 275-325F? Without the similar regulating airflow intake capabilities, would it get down to 225 as easily? I guess if the answer is "it doesn't really matter, it won't ruin the product" that's good enough. Even AR's own recipe for pastrami https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...e-katzs-recipe says to go to 225. What are the ramifications of going higher?
Lastly, looks like cold smoking is probably out. I didn't know there were so many health concerns to it. I don't think it would be worth any additional hassle.
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