Kase, from SC I am a New Smoker

[Kase]

What do you guys think about this 60x24 reverse flow, insulated FB, warmer box, 2 lp burners, wood basket

[MBMorgan]

Hmmmmmm ... I think ... no, I’m sure ... I wouldn’t want that thing on my foot.

[EdF]

We think you don't mess around!

[Kase]

But does this seem like a good one?

[EdF]

I have no experience with offsets, so I can't comment in any reasonable way. Sorry about that!

[EdF]

Is that giving you both wood and gas fuel options?

[RonB]

What brand it is, or is that a custom unit? It sounds good, but I don't have a stick burner.

[Kase]

Custom

[jfmorris]

Kase you don't mess around! That would be getting into smoking in a BIG BIG way.

That smoker looks interesting, but being a custom unit, its going to be hard to say much about it without seeing more detailed pictures of the construction, and how things flow inside. And without seeing it in operation, you cannot tell how leaky it is, as far as smoke coming out around doors and places it shouldn't. Also, the bigger the smoker, the less viable charcoal becomes as a heat source. While you might make a bed of charcoal to get started with a chimney of lit coals, I would think you will need to be burning mostly wood to heat that bad boy up, especially hot enough to do chicken at 325F or so.

[Kase]

So is there a way to check about being leaky? Do not want to make a bad decision.

[sos2979]

Get them to light it up and be there when they are starting it. If it is already lit well the smoke can be too clear to really see, but when they first light it you almost always have heavy white or black smoke. Will be much easier to see if it's coming out anywhere besides the exhaust stack.

[randy.56]

That looks really nice, New or used? can the guy that owns it give you tips, instructions? see it in operation?

[jfmorris]

Yeah being a custom job, I think sos2979 and randy.56 have great advice. Since you cannot read reviews like with a model form a known smoker company like Lang and Yoder, and don't know the quality of the build, I think I would want to see them light a fire. Have them dump a chimney of charcoal in and put a few sticks of wood on top of that, and see if smoke is leaking around the doors or anywhere other than the stack.

Odds are it is a nice smoker, but its also an unknown. And that means you cannot get the best possible advice on fire management, setting of dampers, and things like that, from anyone other than the current owner.

Almost the worst thing you can do if getting into smoking as a newbie would be to get a smoker that is hard to control and requires constant fire management. It could frustrate you to the point that you end up selling it next!

[jfmorris]

Also, Kase, with a custom smoker, you cannot order replacement grates from anywhere. If they are not stainless steel, they will eventually burn or rust out. With a custom job that means going to a local welder to get new grates built.

[jfmorris]

I've got a 30+ year old custom offset, that just happens to be built mostly from stainless steel - my dad had one of the welders in his shop build it in the mid 1980's. Before my dad retired I had him get me a replacement firebox grate built, as he had the drawings on file, and still had guys working for him that could do hat stuff. Now I am on my own.

[Kase]

Very good information, so glad I joined still kind of lost, would love to drive somewhere where someone is smoking and pick their brain. Do they ever have smokers get together just to cook together? If so is there a website?

[RonB]

As I mentioned earlier, google KCBS. They are one of the governing bodies for competitions, and there is a list of competitions by state on their site. If you can find one close enough to visit, you will see lots of cookers and most enjoy talking about what they do. Just make sure to let them work when it's close to time to turn in food.

[jfmorris]

Kase , here’s a question - I don’t think you’ve told us what you have for outdoor cooking at your ranch now, or do you have anything at all? Do you need to both grill and smoker for example? Maybe we need to step back and see what you want to cook. I would be hard pressed to have JUST a smoker and no grill for example, and I regularly entertain for 20-30, and have fed as many as 80. Feeding 80 I smoked 9 Boston butts for pulled pork in advance on the smoker, and grilled chicken wings as an appetizer on a gas and charcoal grill.

It may also be useful to know budgetary restrictions.

[HouseHomey]

Huntington Beach welcomes you!

[randy.56]

Not sure where you live in SC, but there is a KCBS competition, in Greenwood SC this week end, called the Festival of discovery. There will be a verity of smokers there. sorry for short notice. teams are showing up now. turn in times for chicken,ribs, pork, brisket are anywhere from 11-2 Saturday, that's a bad time to chat with them as they a prepping, for the contest. Before or after will be less stressful for them to talk to you. It's over at 4, and teams will be packing up going home. You will find friendly people willing you help you.
The next one near you I now of, is Franklin NC on 8/10 through 8/11

[Kase]

Excited will head down there tomorrow

[DoubleUpOrQuit]

Welcome from Minnesota, Cheers! My first cooks were on a Weber Kettle.

[Donw]

I waited to see what great suggestions you would receive from all these great experienced members. And you have received great ideas. My only observation is to suggest you determine just what role you want to play when entertaining so many guests at one time, and I’m merely guessing, often.
Having been to numerous hosted fishing and hunting camps, and ranches, I note most have a dedicated cook. If that would be your main function then your time is well spent tending fires and charcoal. If your main role is to be host, and still provide an amazing experience for your guests, then maybe a type of smoking that takes less tending might be better. A pellet smoker comes to mind. Even if electricity is a challenge, there are extremely quiet portable generator that can run pellet smokers for hours anywhere.

Just my humble observation. Good luck with any path you take.

[jfmorris]

Good idea Donw - and one reason I brought up pellet smokers earlier on. A big trailer offset like the one she is looking at would be a lot of work tending the fire, and not doing much else.

[Kase]

Really do not have a budget, because I want to get a good one and be able to keep it for years.. I have 3 grills 1 charcoal, and 2 gas. I am always the cooker/Host/cleaner, that about wraps it up.. We have a lot of people who like to hang out and cooking is something I enjoy..

[jfmorris]

Kase , being you are in South Carolina, and are willing to spend money, you might just want to take a look at what Lang has to offer, at http://www.langbbqsmokers.com - They are in Georgia, and might be a long drive, as they are down towards Savannah. They have a wide range of highly regarded reverse flow smokers, from 36” patio models to large ones to feed an army. Then gain that trailer smoker you showed us, if the price is right, just might be a great deal.

If nothing else you can compare their price for a new 60” x 24” smoker to the other one you looked at.

And to be honest, you can spend a lot on a big smoker. Having zero smoking experience, have you considered getting something smaller like the Pit Barrel Cooker to learn on, or even a Gateway drum smoker? Learn smoking in general with a smaller smoker that can fit 8-10 racks of ribs, master the BBQ trinity of ribs, pulled pork and brisket, then get your big smoker.

[Kase]

You have been a book of knowledge my sincere thanks. Trying to be patient..