Hello kbq masters haha especially Ernest with those beautiful pictures of meat. I am going to buy a new smoker its either going to be the KBQ or Yoder ys 480 or yoder ys 640 pellet smoker or rect tec or anything else you guys recommend pellet wise. Right now i have a PBC, Weber smokey mountain 18 inch and a smoke house . i have 2 chords of split oak already and a commercial log splitter. But anyway what do you think i should go for and will produce better flavor and results?? I have read the kbq has landed whole 89 page thread 3 times and already and hooked haha amazing pictures from you all. I never owned a pellet smoker but that KBQ looks so amazing. Anyone have a Yoder pellet smoker or something better that can compare to the KBQ?
-
-
With the KBQ you are burning wood which has its own unique flavor. If flavor is your target I'd go with KBQ. The problem with it is it needs to be baby-sat. You will be adding wood every half hour or so. A pellet cooker is truly set/forget. So, if convenience is what you are looking for a pellet cooker is what you want. -
king kielbasa This is not something we can tell you. You are talking two entirely different classes of smoker. The KBQ is a true stick burner, although in my opinion, having a fan and other electronics, not quite the same as something like an offset or reverse flow offset like a Lang or Yoder. The pellet smokers are great, but do not give the same flavor profile as a stick burner. The smoke flavor will be much milder from pellets.
You have to decide - do you want the convenience of a pellet smoker - pour in a bag of wood pellets, set a temperature, and let it run unattended - or do you want to "feed the fire". Stick burners, including the KBQ, need to be babysat during the cook. I don't get much sleep if I am running a brisket overnight in my offset, as I have to sleep next to the Smoke remote on the couch, and go feed the fire hourly or more often if using just wood, maybe every 2 hours if I burn charcoal and wood chunks in the offset. Contrast that to your PBC or Weber Smokey mountain, where you can probably go sleep for at least 5-6 hours before you need to get up and check that brisket.
If you have a smoke house, you are presumably burning wood and/or charcoal for that, so have some idea of the work involved in running the KBQ.
Personally, while the KBQ appears to be a novel concept and truly produces some amazing BBQ, I also feel like it is a "hybrid" since it burns wood. but requires electricity. My personal thought is that if I were spending $1500 or whatever, I would be looking at a Lang or Yoder or some other offset, as I feel those type stick burners, with no electronics or electricity involved, are likely to last for decades. No pellet grill or even the KBQ will last that long without maintenance and replacement of all the electrical parts over time.
Just my 2 cents...Comment
-
In the smoker world it can be said 'Convenience, Flavor, Affordability- Pick two.' Of course those qualities are all subjective and don't always mean the same to each person. I agree with the above, feed it a piece of wood every half hour through the whole cook, or push a button and walk away w/ the ability to cook all night while sleeping if that's needed. Those are your two biggest deciding factors between the pellet and KBQ.Comment
-
The smoke house i am using i guess you can call it a stick burner it has a 5 foot steel pipe running from a smoke box made from fire bricks with a cast iron door. i am burning pure wood . i mean already have two cords of oak split a 35 ton gas splitter and a good source to wood and also the alligator loopers. The pellet smoker will be more convient for shure and more lazy . But i kind of like adding wood and maintaing the fire and looking at those red hot coal bed and that great smell from burning wood . Wanted to know more about the flavor if it is a huge difference comparing a yoder pellet smoker or other great pellet smoker vs the KBQ and if you had to choose what would you get? Also can the kbq get to lower temps let say 120-160 deg?Comment
-
In my opinion after having cooked on both many times over, there is a huge difference in smoke flavor between a real stick burner burning real wood and a pellet cooker burning sawdust pellets. Huge, of course, is a relative term but there is indeed a difference. I prefer real wood when I'm after smokey flavor, pellets when I want milder smoke and convenience. -
I believe the kbq will do 120 -160. It should go from ambient to whatever temp you need up to 375 - 400 depending on ambient temp.
-
-
dont want a stick burner right now and have the learning curve with mastering fire management, or oversmoking my food. maybe some time later in life i will buy a lang. Its either a pellet or KBQ . hopefully someone can chine in that has both and tell me what they think . Ernest or spinaker YOU online??? haha also my smoke house is for polish kielbasa, bacon, smoked cottage ham, pork loin for temps around 120 to 190 deg. ITs the old school european way to make sausage hams and loins where there cured and then smoked at a low temperature for ribs brisket and other meats i would have to use way to much wood to get it up to temp because i have a 6 foot pipe from my fire box to my smoke house. I am a trial member for right now but will definitely be a member for good love this forumLast edited by king kielbasa; April 12, 2018, 10:52 AM.Comment
-
Welcome to the Pit king kielbasa from NE Washington state. Along with tips, techniques, and recipes about BBQ we have a lot of fun. If you like music, go to this thread to hear what others are listening to and share what you like. For jokes, go to this thread. Go to this thread to post where you work and what your hobbies are and get to know other members here. We are happy to have you along and looking forward to your participation.
I own a KBQ and recommend them. You already have a good supply of wood, and I'm guessing electricity since you are using a electronic device to post here. Of course, you could be using the library before heading home to your backwoods cabin, but I'll go on a limb and assume. The electronics are simple, two fans and a thermostat, nothing digital. The customer service is top notch. Construction is all stainless steel, no rusting. In fact, only the fan box need be stored indoors, the rest can sit outside. The firebox and the fan box sit on top of the cook box, taking apart is simple and it is light enough for one person to carry. And as you have seen on the 'KBQ has landed' thread, the quality of finished product is excellent.
However, there are things you should be aware of. It is a live fire, like a campfire. You will have flames coming out the sides or top of the firebox. Embers will fly as well. Which on the one hand makes it fun to watch, on the other hand you have to be aware of your surroundings. And it burns only wood, so you have to have access to that, which you seem to do.
I have never used a pellet cooker, but have owned three pellet stoves to heat the house with. I found them to be a pain. Augers would clog, clinkers would build up in the burn pot. I don't know if pellet cookers have any issues, and I never will.
But it is all up to you. In the end you are the one who has to be happy with it. Do your research, ask specific questions, and then go with what appeals most to you. Hopefully whatever you choose will bring many happy and enjoyable cooks.
Comment
-
Let us know which choice you went with.Comment
-
Comfortably Numb thanks yes i do have electricity and the ambient temps range from 70-100 deg depending on the weather here in California. I have read all about the kbq and everyone is amazed by the quality of the cooker and i know i have to store the fan box thats no problem. the embers are no problem and the smoker will be placed on concrete away from anything that would catch fire my back yard is pretty green and no dry brush. There has to be some one here that has both a good pellet smoker and kbq to compare. Also does the meat come out juicy in the KBQ ?Comment
-
-
Hello king kielbasa, I have a Rec Tec 680, the Rec Tec Bullseye and a KBQ. (among other MCS acquired cookers) I use them all for different things. The pellet cookers are a lighter smoke, that's what I started with. I can get something a little oversmoked from the 680 but I would have to try really hard, but I love it for the "set it and forget it". I use the KBQ when I want a more traditional smoke flavor. I get a better bark with the KBQ (have to pay some attention not to get too dry on a long cook) the heat and air flow is a little different and I use it without a water pan.Comment
-
The airflow definitely makes things a bit different - convection. That means everything cooks a bit quicker. For spares, my BGE takes 6 hours; the KBQ takes 5. That kind of thing.
The other interesting thing I've noticed is that before the food is about ready, I don't smell anything. And then suddenly when it's getting there, the BBQ perfume starts coming out. Odd, but kind of fun!
Comment
-
Smog man if you had choose between your rec tec or kbq what would you choose if you only had to use one? also any other membes on here with pellet cookers and kbq? Leaning more towards the kbq . EDF and smog man what is the measurement in between where you slide in the rack to cook on ? when i smoke sausage i like to hang it so i was wondering if i can get a small wood dowel and take out the rack you cook on ?Comment
-
Also was wondering for the sportsman lodge hibachi grill is it worth it to buy the cast iron grill grate to put on the fire box when i am going to sear something or would the one that comes with the kbq make a difference? Can you buy a replacement cast iron grate for the sportsman or you have to buy the whole grill? Dont have a charcoal grill and seems like a lot of people like that little sportsman what do you guys think?Comment
-
Sinaker whats up man love your posts of the kbq good job man. If you had to choose one smoker would it be a kbq or pellet smoker?? Yeah i will probably be using the grill fur shure anyway but then i saw the son of hibachi what do you think son of hibachi or sportsman lodge. the sportsman will fitprobably perfect for the kbq fire box. not really going to camping and using the cast iron charcoal grill portable so i think maybe the sportsman would be beter. what do you think?Comment
-
king kielbasa If you want someone to notice a post, put an '@' before their name and they will get a message letting them know. Spinaker
-
Comment