I started stick burning probably in the early 90's. I was always commanding the Weber for grilling before that. Then my kids bought me a new Brinkmann Smokin' Pit for fathers day. I think they were like $89 at Wal Mart at the time. I used charcoal and some splits and it was a bear to manage a fire in it. I mean it was frustration to the limit! Then I started reading up and finding all the mods you could do to help improve fire management. I did all the mods and it was still a battle at times but I smoked that way for probably 5 years.
What I didn't realize at the time was the foundation of experience I was laying down for myself going forward.
I graduated from that into a 24X36 1/4" steel patio pit. Man what a difference!! I was startled how much easier fire management became! It didn't make me a better cook it just made it incredibly easier. Now that I didn't have to focus so much on fire management I was able to focus more on the cooking process.
I have never considered using anything other than a stick burner. Truthfully I had never heard of a KBQ until I ran across this thread. I bought a 22" WSM off of Craigslist about 4 years ago for $200 brand new in the box.
Got it home and was assembling it in the garage. My son stopped down and helped me finish the assembly. When he left the WSM was in the back of his truck and it never came back! That's as close as I got to cooking on something else.
I always get a smile when I read about someone wanting to take up stick burning. I pleases me to see someone want to keep the art alive. And that's what it is to me it's a art. There is so much for someone to choose from when it comes to this hobby. Electric, gas, charcoal. pellets and any can be hooked up to computers and blue tooth to your phone. It's nice to hear people are still drawn to the stick burner.
I truly enjoy the input and effort I have to put into working my stick burners. Tending and fussing with the fire, looking at the exhaust and being able to know if I need to add a stick or just stir the fire it's all almost a kind of therapy which my wife tells me I need!
This is my horizontal stick burner that I call Wreckless. The name of a extremely talented fabricator who built it.
Nice blue from the red oak that I normally burn as it is available by the truck load up here.
What I didn't realize at the time was the foundation of experience I was laying down for myself going forward.
I graduated from that into a 24X36 1/4" steel patio pit. Man what a difference!! I was startled how much easier fire management became! It didn't make me a better cook it just made it incredibly easier. Now that I didn't have to focus so much on fire management I was able to focus more on the cooking process.
I have never considered using anything other than a stick burner. Truthfully I had never heard of a KBQ until I ran across this thread. I bought a 22" WSM off of Craigslist about 4 years ago for $200 brand new in the box.
Got it home and was assembling it in the garage. My son stopped down and helped me finish the assembly. When he left the WSM was in the back of his truck and it never came back! That's as close as I got to cooking on something else.
I always get a smile when I read about someone wanting to take up stick burning. I pleases me to see someone want to keep the art alive. And that's what it is to me it's a art. There is so much for someone to choose from when it comes to this hobby. Electric, gas, charcoal. pellets and any can be hooked up to computers and blue tooth to your phone. It's nice to hear people are still drawn to the stick burner.
I truly enjoy the input and effort I have to put into working my stick burners. Tending and fussing with the fire, looking at the exhaust and being able to know if I need to add a stick or just stir the fire it's all almost a kind of therapy which my wife tells me I need!
This is my horizontal stick burner that I call Wreckless. The name of a extremely talented fabricator who built it.
Nice blue from the red oak that I normally burn as it is available by the truck load up here.
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