My name is Joe and I was a member sometime ago. Due to some uncontrollable circumstances I had to cancel my membership awhile ago. We have now settled into our new home in a new state (SC). I am a beginner when it comes to using a smoker and would love to hear some suggestion on which type I should be leaning towards. I also already have the Meathead Cookbook and ready to start testing some recipes.
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Welcome from the Land of Enchantment! -
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Welcome from Western Massachusetts.Comment
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Welcome!Comment
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Welcome to the Pit from Dallas.
As for recommendations, it depends on your budget and how much time you want to spend messing with the fire while doing a long smoke. Here are some thoughts:- A Kettle grill (SNS or Weber) is a good place to start because you can smoke and grill. When smoking, it will run for 6-10 hours without a lot of attention once you get it dialed in. It runs on charcoal and wood chips/chunks usually. This is one of the less expensive options and is pretty flexible. I have an SNS and love it. I have smoked ribs, brisket and pulled pork on mine. I've reverse seared steaks multiple times with outstanding results. I've rotisseried many yard birds as well as grilled chicken wings and just about anything else you can think of.
- A good offset will require hourly maintenance and access to supplies of wood. It is more work but has the best results when smoking.Uses mostly wood. Some can be used as a regular charcoal grill for searing steaks or cooking burgers. I have one and love it. This is my go to when smoking multiple pieces of meats or when I want the absolute best smoke flavor.
- A decent pellet smoker will be mostly hands off with decent results. It will use pellets, which vary in price. I've used some but don't have one.
- A lot of people here use barrel smokers and swear by them. They are probably your second least expensive option after a kettle grill. Pit Barrel and Oklahoma Joe are the most common. I don't have one so I can't comment a lot on them.
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Speak for yourself Panhead John! (unless you have survey data to back it up?) -
SmokingSteve I’ll edit the comment for you. Better?Last edited by Panhead John; July 31, 2023, 01:00 PM.
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Welcome to the Pit from Alabama! Glad to have you back onboard!
I also recommend a Weber kettle or SNS Kettle as a great smoker + grill. I've had an offset smoker for 30+ years, but really upped my game in the last 7-8 years using a Weber Performer (22" kettle) for both smoking and grilling, with charcoal and wood chunks. I rarely fire up the offset anymore. Another good way to go is a barrel smoker like the Oklahoma Joe Bronco, or the Pit Barrel Cooker. They have less grilling space though, and are more smokers than grills.
A lot of the decision though depends on:
1. What is your budget?
2. What other grills do you already have? I.e. do you have a "grill" and JUST want a smoker?
3. Do you want just one grill to do everything?
Personally I've found that just having a single grill would be difficult, since each type of grill has strengths and weaknesses. I personally have 5 at the moment in my backyard - down from a peak of 9 at one point! I've got the offset (rarely used, just for really big cooks), a 4 burner gas grill, the Weber Performer, a Camp Chef flat top (griddle) and a SNS Deluxe Kamado. If I had to pare it down to two, it would likely be the kamado and the griddle. If I could only have one, it would be the Weber Performer, as it is the most flexible and has the largest number of available accessories.Comment
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Welcome to the Pit! I agree on the Kettle suggestions, by far the most versatile and affordable grills out there, so a good place to start. I smoked on a kettle for a long time before adding a barrel (OKJ) to my arsenal.Comment
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Welcome back to the Pit from the PNW! You're in for a lot of fun!Comment
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Hey SmokingSteve I’m gonna be in Vancouver the 8th-14th. Any recommendations on bbq places and breweries?
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Welcome back from the California Delta. You're getting some great advise.Comment
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Welcome back Groot!
don’t get too close to the fire!Comment
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Welcome back to the Pit from the Florida Suncoast.Comment
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Welcome back from Colorado.Comment
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Welcome back from Dallas, Texas!Comment
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Welcome back fr Cincy Ohio! We are glad you are here!Comment
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