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 meReal 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.
The amount of guff offsets smokers get from people who do not have them or use them, but have observed them, is comical. I could claim having a jet ski or a fifth wheel isn't worth the their cons because I've heard people complain about them, but I won't because I haven't lived that life. You get a dog knowing there will be some level of work and responsibility, but if a non dog owner told you they were just too much work, what would you say? Same with a spouse or children.
So I'll bite here. I will try to dispel a couple myths people who do not have offsets like to propagate about them.
They don't use "a lot of fuel".
What is "a lot"? More fuel per square inch than a Weber's charcoal use? More per square inch than a Traeger's pellet use? They use an armful, or two, of firewood per cook. To someone who already deals with fires, wood, etc, this is not a lot of fuel.
If you have property and trees and a chainsaw, then they're free to operate. Do you make your own pellets or charcoal? Likely not, so offsets can be far cheaper to operate in the long run, and they never break or go bad.
If you're running a BBQ business, then maybe it uses "a lot" of fuel, but so would anything running nonstop.
You only need to keep the fire at 225-250 for most things. Remember you are not powering the steamship across the Atlantic, you're cooking a relatively small hunk of meat. Small fire, low temps, not a ton of fuel.
They don't necessitate 'staying up all night feeding it', I've never once had to cook all night unless I chose to.
Briskets can be done in 12 hrs, 14 sometimes. Get up early. No need to stay up all night, this is a myth.
This is the same as with any other cooker, the meat takes the time it takes, it's not the cooker's fault.
You don't have to sit right next to them.
You can, if the weather is nice - the cracking of the fire, the gentle smell of smoke with the rub scent - it's heavenly. It's not all bad if you choose to sit next to it, but you don't have to anymore than you'd have to sit next to your kettle.
You need to walk out to it to load it on occasion, yes, but no need to sit next to it. We have remote thermometers nowadays, remember?
They are not a pain to operate.
How hard is tossing a log on your bonfire every 20-30 minutes? Most people consider that to be relaxation, yet many of the same folks will claim it's "a pain" when cooking. I don't get it.
Yes, of course there are automated cookers that don't require as much from you, many needing a power cord. Yes you can make great food from these devices. But here's the thing- to those whowant to get into offset smoking, this dramatization of their weaknesses and cons is fake news. If you're someone who wants to get into cooking with them, don't be swayed by all of this nonsense.
If you're disabled, live in a tight spot, or otherwise cannot own or operate one, cool, you have several other options to accomodate you and still make excellent BBQ. But if you want an offset, DO IT!
Yep, there's a learning curve. So? There's a learning curve with the smartphone in your pocket, a knife sharpener, and an Instant Pot. You learn it, you have fun, and it becomes a very useful tool for you like anything you've learned.
Yep, good ones are pricey. Same with vehicles, homes, computers, etc. If it fits your budget, you're likely still reading this.
They are fun, they are very rewarding, you can cook for an army if you need to or an army of one if you don't, and you can do it without electricity. I cook on just about every type of cooker there is, and I love the food from them all. But I will say with 100% honesty, I feel the best when I cooked it on the offset. Like using a rowboat and a worm to catch your dinner, there's something... real... about it all.
I was drafting a response and did not see your comment. Wish I had. You laid it out beautifully. As I mentioned in my rant, I see reports on this forum of PP's breaking down quite often. Never heard of an offset breaking down.
Thank you, Huskee, for sharing these truths. I cherish the time I get next to my offset, and the food that comes off it is worth every minute of “work.”
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
I don’t use an offset. But I also don’t feel the need to make a video about it… or talk about it at all, really. There’s a lot of things I don’t do that are completely not relevant to anything. Period.
I agree that an offset is not for everyone. By the way, did you check out the finished product on the video? The brisket flat is dry at the taste test -11:05 mark. It crumbles. The brisket point is moist and the presenter had turned over the piece he was sampling, squeezed the point so that oozed fat over the flat and then turned it right side up. You can tell by the fat drippings running up (not down) the piece he was taste testing.
I don't use a pellet pooper due to Electrical failure (seems I read about someone's PP crapping out at least once a week on this forum), cost (a good PP, like a good offset, is expensive), and it's boring (I enjoy splitting the wood, managing the fire, regulating the temp with the exhaust flue, etc.). But I do encourage my friends, with no BBQ skills, to purchase PPs. And they enjoy them.
If I did get a PP it would be....wait, I'd never buy a PP.
I was once thinking of a pellet pooper, but eventually that desired died down, as I would rather have something reliable that lasts for many years without worry of electronics or other electrical parts failing. Which will happen over time with any PP.
Lol, I get what you're saying but in the interest of playing devil's advocate I will say don't discount PPs completely either. Like an offset, they sometimes get an unwarranted bad rep. Super convenient. All the push-button-walk-away ease of a gas grill but with a thermostat like your indoor oven and more smoke and more flavor.
This feels like a major advertisement more than anything. I don’t use an offset mostly because I have never tried it and am unwilling to spend the money needed to get a good one. If given the opportunity, I probably would, but the frequent need for wood feels difficult from the outside looking in.
I think it all really comes down to preference and in this videos case, merchandizing!
SnS Kettle
Napoleon 500 Pro gasser grill
Weber Slate 30” griddle
Gozney Arc XL pizza oven
Instant Pot Duo Crisper 8 qt
Cuisinart food processor
Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
Breville Smart toaster oven
Anova Sous vide (Pro version and Standard Version)
Cabella 15” Vacuum Sealer
Combustion Inc Wireless Probes (Gen2 upgrades)
Fireboard v2
Fireboard Spark
Fireboard Pulse (3) probes and S1G antenna
ThermoWorks RFX gateway and 2 RFX meat probes
Thermoworks IR gun
Thermoworks MK4
Thermoworks Zero
Thermoworks Signals
7 Shun knives (paring to 12" slicer)
Misen Chef's knife
Dalstrong Phantom Series Boning Knife
8-9 other knives (enough to get an eye roll from wife!)
2 Mandolins, 1 veggie spiralizer
Work Sharp E5 sharpener
Chef's Choice sharpener
Hone Rolling Sharpener
I own a PP - and the MAK has been rock solid. Never owned or tried an offset. So What??! Why on earth would I knock what others are using, as long as they enjoy the ride and the results are what they shooting for? Good grief!
I hear ya. I have never owned a PP, nor will I. It's just not me. My friends and people I meet that love BBQ, but don't want to mess around with an offset, I tell them to get a PP. It will put out a good product and no fussing around with the fire.
Gear includes: Char-Griller's Grand Champ off set stick burner/smoker, SnS Kamado Deluxe, Weber 22, PBC, Victory gasser, Victory 36 griddle, Smoke Hollow electric smoker. ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4, Smoke, Signals, and RFX4, Meater+, SNS-500, roti fits 22 n gasser, Emeril countertop TO, InkBird Sous Vide, Potane Vac/Sealer. Fire&Ice griddle/cooler ensemble.
3-pkg of Collapsible Prep Tubs
Junior, Original, Xtra Lg. SS D. Norcross
Complete set (Tx PJ!) Wusthof Knives n block.
Dalstrong:
Phantom Series Paring knife
Shogun SeriesX 6" Chef knife
Gladiator Series 12"Cleaver knife
Just got into charcoal Dec ‘21 (PBC)
fav is brisky. Love Turkey on PBC. also Turkey in the glass,(any nice bourbon)
Bud has always been my barley pop.
Been smoking a handful of years, just got serious in the last two or three years. Thanks to AR n @glemn picked up an SnS Kamado for appx 1/3 price of new. I dont think he used it twice. Love AR! keep calm n smoke on! Miss you Bonesy.
I absolutely love my offset! I was the third (2nd) place contestant in The Great Giveaway picked in August 2023. Probably would not have purchased one but I will never give this one up.
It is the Char-Griller's Grand Champ. It is not a cheap piece of junk. The metal it is fabricated from is quite substantial and like anything, just needs a little TLC on occasion, to keep it right. I assembled it by myself using a bit of leverage.
I have a PBC, a kettle, a Kamado, and my offset. Each does it's own thing with different results. I would not give up any of them. To each his own. If you have not tried it, please do not knock it. AmazingRibs rocks Baby! TY. "Keep Calm n Smoke On".
Yes. Franklin offset, PK360, gasser and side burner for me. The Pk serves as my 2 Zone/Sear, Kamado, and kettle. Gasser is for rotisserie, burgers/dogs, holding/warming. The burner does sides, boils, and frying. Wheee.
I would probably pick the same if I won second place! Agreed about the foolishness of knocking what others have. I really think he was just trying to advertise and get clicks so he could make money off the cooker he was paid to sell.
Kamado Joe Big Joe III
Pit Barrel Cooker
Camp Chef Flat Top 900
Weber Performer 22
PowerFlamer Propane 160
Meater +
Thermoworks Smoke
Thermoworks Thermapen
Temp Spike
Different strokes for different folks. I like driving a car with a manual transmission - even though I don’t currently own one. Can’t drive a stick? You’re in luck…just about every car has an automatic these days. But if you have an opportunity to drive one I def recommend trying it.
If you run a PP, gasser, or even just cook in your kitchen oven…if that’s what you like, do it. If you have an opportunity to try an offset - maybe find a friend with one - I def recommend experiencing it.
Personally, the quality of food that comes off my stickburner is better than barbecue I’ve made on other cookers, so for me it’s worth every bit of time and energy.
Last edited by Santamarina; March 7, 2024, 12:51 AM.
Wait a minute. How can "the quality of food that comes off my stick burner is better than barbecue" when it is BBQ? I guess I should read the rest of the sentence. 🙊🙉🙈
I would love to have a car with a stick again... not sure the wife would like it. She has some injuries and trauma to her left leg over the years that might make working a clutch hard for her...
It's really hard to find a car with a manual transmission these days. I imagine you might even have to custom order the car from the factory to get one, unless its a sports car.
I will say that I love the combo of a Bronco and fireboard, or my Weber PP on a busy day. Monitoring the cook while I am out and about is awesome, and both are pretty much set and forget. I trust the bronco more than the EX6, though.
I have an offset but it is out at the ranch where the wood is....gotta bring it home someday. My limit on the Offset is a rib cook, maybe 6 hours max. No brisket, no pork butts. Just not into the 12 hour cooks.
Comment