Hello from SW MI

[BigCountryQ]

Hey fellas, thanks for all the responses. Let me address some of your questions and concerns.

Budget? Roughly $600

How many you are likely to cook for? Typically I cook for 6-8 people. But several times a year I cook for 20 or 30.

Set and forget or tend often? It doesn't matter to me. I like the science behind things (I'm an engineer). Even if it's set and forget, you bet I'll be out there tending anyways.

What do you like to cook? My favorites are really, what I would consider, the norm. Pork Butts, chicken, wings, meatloaf. As fuzzydaddy mentioned, I just finished my first brisket cook last week. I'm a big hunter and almost always have wild game in the freezer. I host an annual wild game dinner at my house for friends and family and share in the bounty from the year. I'm looking for new menu items every year and would love some insight there. This is why I've joined the pit.

As far as my current vertical propane smoker goes, I don't really have any problems with it, until I try to shove a whole brisket in, or hang sausages/jerky. I'm kind of a trinket type person and am always looking at getting something new/different.

[Huskee]

Welcome to The Pit fellow MI'er BigCountryQ! My advice, get a 26" kettle with a Slow 'N Sear, and a few other essentials as outline below...and later on (or if you can swing over $600 total now), a PBC also. Then you're prepared for anything from 1 burger to smoking a brisket or enough pork butts for a small crowd. Both cookers would definitely get you in the 20-30 people ability.

26" kettle ~$300
SxS XL ~$145
Thermoworks Smoke wireless thermometer ~$99
Thermoworks ThermoPop $29
Weber charcoal chimney ~$15

Total ~$590 not counting shipping.

[BigCountryQ]

Thanks for the recommendations Huskee ! I want to upgrade to the Smoke thermometer (currently use a Maverick ET732), but have been waiting for the wireless bridge to come out. I own 2 thermopops and a charcoal chimney, so I'm at least part of the way there

I've never heard of the Slow n Sear products. Would you mind elaborating on the usefulness of this tool?

I forgot to mention that I also have a brinkman charcoal bullet, but I don't use it very much anymore.

[Huskee]

BigCountryQ Great! Since you have the Mav and T-pop some of that expense is out of the way. If your Mav is working fine you don't need the Smoke, but you'll certainly love it if you do get it.

The Slow 'N Sear (SnS) is a device that helps you effectively and efficiently smoke on your kettle grill turning out a product (liek ribs or brisket) that rivals the expensive stick burning smokers, as well as do a perfect reverse sear on a steak, and anything in between. Meathead's article on the SnS is here.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

By the way, have you ever been to Two Scotts BBQ in GR? I've heard good things and am meaning to try it when I visit family in the area next time.

[BigCountryQ]

Huskee Two Scotts is one of the best in the area. I live about 10 mins South of there. It's been a while since I've been there, but they used to have Scottish Eggs that were to die for. If you come to GR, also look into Slow's BBQ in the Grand Rapids Marketplace, or one of my personal favorites American Char in Zeeland. It's a bit away from downtown GR like the other two (20 mins) but it's totally worth it.

[Huskee]

Excellent. Thank you for the info! I've been to Slow's in Detroit, and I have no complaints with their brisket. I'll watch for the GR one. I've been to that marketplace I think, but everything was closing when we got there so little time was spent.

[GadjetGriller]

check out his video about the Slow n Sear https://youtu.be/YctEIFigx6I from their YouTube channel