I turn 59 1/2 in December and will have access to a ROTH IRA that I've had for years. I've decided that I would like to get a true stick burner and I'd like some advice from those of you who have them. What are the pros and cons of your unit and what would you do differently if you could. I have access to plenty of red oak so wood is not an issue. I'd like to keep it under $3K, but would consider upping that for more value. Appreciation in advance, thanks.
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Need Some Stick Burner Advice
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Club Member
- Nov 2015
- 4699
- The Great State of Jefferson
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24X40 Lone Star Grillz offset smoker
Weber Summit Charcoal Grill w/SnS and DnG (Spartacus)
20X36 Lonestar Grillz pellet pooper
SnS 18" Travel Kettle
SmokeDaddy Pro portable pellet pooper
2 W22's w/SnS, DnG (1 black, 1 copper) (Minions 1 and 2)
20+ y/o many times rebuilt Weber Genesis w/GrillGrates (Gas Passer)
20 x 30 Santa Maria grill (Maria, duh)
Bradley cabinet smoker (Pepper Gomez)
36" Blackstone griddle (The Black Beauty)
Fireboard
Thermoworks Smoke and Thermapen.
Gourmet dinnerware by PJ Enterprises
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Administrator
- May 2014
- 19018
- Clare, Michigan area
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Follow me on Instagram, huskeesbarbecue
Smokers / Grills- Yoder loaded Wichita offset smoker
- PBC
- Grilla Silverbac pellet grill
- Slow 'N Sear Deluxe Kamado (SnSK)
- Masterbuilt Gravity 560
- Masterbuilt Digital Charcoal Cabinet
- Weber 22" Original Kettle Premium (copper)
- Weber 26" Original Kettle Premium (light blue)
- Weber Jumbo Joe Gold (18.5")
- Weber Smokey Joe Silver (14.5")
- Brinkmann cabinet charcoal smoker (repurposed)
Thermometers- SnS 500 4-probe wireless
- (3) Maverick XR-50 4-probe Wireless Thermometers
- A few straggler Maverick ET-732s
- Maverick ET-735 Bluetooth (in box)
- Smoke X4 by ThermoWorks
- Thermapen MkII, orange & purple
- ThermoPop, yellow, plus a few more in a drawer for gifts
- ThermoWorks ChefAlarm (wife's)
- Morpilot 6-probe wireless
- ThermoWorks Infrared IRK2
- ThermoWorks fridge & freezer therms as well
Accessories- Instant Pot 6qt
- Anova Bluetooth SV
- Kitchen Aide mixer & meat grinder attachment
- Kindling Cracker King (XL)
- a couple BBQ Dragons
- Weber full & half chimneys, Char-Broil Half Time chimney
- Weber grill topper
- Slow 'N Sear Original, XL, and SnS Charcoal Basket (for Jumbo Joe)
- Drip 'N Griddle Pans, 22' Easy Spin Grate, and Elevated Cooking grate, by SnSGrills
- Pittsburgh Digital Moisture Meter
Beverages- Favorite summer beers: Leinenkugels Summer & Grapefruit Shandy, Hamm's, Michelob Ultra Pure Gold
- Fav other beers: Zombie Dust (an IPA by 3 Floyd's Brewing), Austin Bros IPA, DAB, Sam Adams regular, Third Shift amber or Coors Batch 19, Stella Artois
- Fav cheap beers: Pabst, High Life, Hamm's & Stroh's
- Most favorite beer: The one in your fridge
- Wine: Red- big, bold, tannic & peppery- Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauv, Sangiovese, Syrah, etc
- Whiskey: Buffalo Trace, E.H. Taylor, Blanton's, Old Forester 1870, Elijah Craig Toasted, Basil Hayden's. Neat please.
- 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 me
Real 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.
I only have the Yoder loaded Wichita, and I love it. I wish I'd gotten the larger Yoder Kingman, but I didn't. Happy shopping and choosing!
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I have a home built stick burner. In no particular order:
-Bigger firebox (probably won't be an issue with professionally built ones)
-Bigger cook chamber (mines a ~100 gallon).
-Better wheels (I move mine around my yard a fair amount).
-Better grates (a result of being home made).
-Best pro: I get to play with FIRE!!!
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Club Member
- Jan 2016
- 459
- Seattle area
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Pit Barrel Cooker - 2015
22" Kettle + SnS - 2016
Thermapen - 2016
Jambo 24x48 offset smoker (Big Tex) - 2017
Camp Chef Denali griddle - 2018
Billows and Signals - 2020
I have a Jambo Backyard - 24" x 48" interior, I think just over 6' long total with the firebox and stack. 3/16" steel for the cooker, about 500 lbs. Insulated firebox and stainless steel shelf are standard. Super high quality, and just about the best pedigree you can find when you look at commercial smokers. Very even heat across the grates except right by the fire and right by the exhaust. I thought it would be too big at first, then my wife volunteered me to cook for bigger and bigger crowds so every once in a while I run out of room!
I did make my own stainless bar grates to replace the expanded metal grates, I could never clean them very well. While I was at it I made a shelf when I want high heat or need the extra capacity.
The two things I don't love about it are true of every offset to my knowledge. If I don't put down pans to catch the grease, cleaning it kind of sucks because you have to lean in through the doors and scrape up the gunk. Second, the paint at the firebox has partially flaked off, and above each door there are some rust spots as well that I've been too busy to take care of yet. Oh also, Jamie's not big on customer service, but I was okay with that - just make sure when you get it shipped that you pay for the insurance in case something happens to it in transit.
I know there are a lot of really high quality manufacturers out there including Shirley, Lang, Lone Star, etc. I would never try to persuade you not to get one of those if you felt called to it, because stick burning is so much fun! All I will say is that when I was looking, the Jambo Backyard to me gave me the best value for the size and type of smoker I was looking for.
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Great write up and advice, thank you! The JB looks like a nice fit, kind of scratching me where I itch!Last edited by CaptainMike; October 1, 2020, 02:44 PM.
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Club Member
- Jul 2016
- 3409
- Elizabethtown, KY
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Current line-up of cookers: Oklahoma Joe's Bronco Pro, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050, Blackstone ProSeries 4 Burner 36" griddle, Weber Performer Deluxe and Weber Smokey Joe.
I have no real advice on which smoker to buy in that price range, but having a good supply of wood readily available is a great start.
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Club Member
- Jun 2016
- 4145
- Rockland county New York
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Lonestar Grillz 24x36 offset smoker, grill, w/ main chamber charcoal grate and 3 tel-tru thermometers - left, right and center
Yoke Up custom charcoal basket and a Grill Wraps cover.
22.5 copper kettle w/ SnS, DnG, BBQ vortex, gasket and stainless steel hinge kit.
Napoleon gas grill (soon to go bye bye) rotting out.
1 maverick et-733 digital thermometer - black
1 maverick et-733 - gray
1 new standard grilling remote digital thermometer
1 thermoworks thermopen mk4 - red
1 thermoworks thermopop - red
Pre Miala flavor injector
taylor digital scale
TSM meat grinder
chefs choice food slicer
cuisinhart food processor
food saver vacuum sealer
TSM harvest food dehydrator
Capt. I’m quite sure you know how much I love my LSG.
Here’s the link to their website.
Lone Star Grillz can be your one stop shop for buying the best quality BBQ smokers and grills. Reach us for all types of standard and custom options in budget.
If you have any questions please feel free to PM me. I’ll give you my phone number and we can talk. 👍👍
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Well, I' be dayum! Zat an LSG in yer avatar, Brotherman?
Never knew ya had one o' them there thangs lol!
Here, an all along, I'd jus always figgered ya'd captured ya a pic of a U-Boat suddenly surfacin in yer backyard, there.Last edited by Mr. Bones; October 3, 2020, 01:07 AM.
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I recently got a Lang 36†and it’s my first stick burner. I have zero regrets with it....even temps on the top and bottom shelves (as even as an offset can be). I will say cleaning it is a task but I’d imagine it’s that way with any stick burner. And it would definitely come in under your budget from what it sounds like. Good luck with the search!
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Thank you, I'll check them out.
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I've been cooking on a Lang 48 inch patio deluxe for about two years now. Left-handed version. I cook all year long and have cooked as low as -15 F outside temps with no issues. I won't make any claims about Lang being better than others because I only have experience on the Lang. For me, it's been a great cooker! Good luck!
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My stickburner is nothing to write home about (or write in the comments about 🤣), but I’ll tell you that you’re on the right path to outstanding barbecue.
It was about five years ago that I switched from charcoal with wood chunks to full stick burning. The flavor profile is second to none. The work it takes to manage a fire is worth every bit of lost sleep during an overnight cook.
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I’ve only done a couple of overnight cooks with my LSG. I still have a full time job. So I really have to take that into consideration. Even when doing a day long cook.
As much fun as it is it does take a bit of a toll on you.
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Santamarina you have been planted here by the MCS devils to provoke my lust for a stick burner.
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I went "custom" on mine.
https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...get-ripped-off
Above is my journey 😀 Have you considered a local welder (if you can find it in your area)?
I lucked out and found an amazing welder an hour north of me. I guess the custom smoker build could’ve gone bad for me, but I visited him in person and talked with him at length. I walked away confident he knew exactly what I was looking for and could get the job done.Last edited by scottranda; October 2, 2020, 06:59 AM.
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Here is my finished product (the offset I had custom made) https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ly-stickburner
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I remember that post, magnificent contraption! I can weld a bit and thought about taking the Henrik approach, but I just don't have that skill level. I'm sure I could find someone locally to fabricate one for me, but it would take a lot of R&D that folks like LSG have already done and have proven products. There's a cost that goes with that for sure, but I've learned the hard way that sometimes you can't beat a man at his own trade (think drywall and roofing!)
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Club Member
- May 2017
- 3256
- North Central Washington
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KBQ C-60
PK360
Thermoworks Smoke
Thermoworks Thermopop
Thermoworks Dot
This may bring out a few, "It's not a stick burner, it uses electricity" comments, but if it is cooking with wood you seek the KBQ is an option to consider. It manages the temperature for you, all you have to do is add wood. It's made of stainless steel, so no flaking paint, rust, or seasoning. It is nowhere near the weight of the offsets, so it's easy to put away or take somewhere. Another feature is the fire isn't locked in a box out of sight, it's on top front and centre for all to see and puts on a show.
However it lacks the cool factor. it isn't some giant beast that generates a touch of envy in any man who lays eyes on it. Rather is a shiny box with a small footprint that will leave such men unimpressed, until it's lit and the food is served. There isn't the necessity of mastering temperature and smoke control, so you won't have much to brag about. But I'm old and beyond the need to impress. It's easy to use and produces perfect results every time.
And it's about half your budget. You could also get a Watchman stove. I don't own one presently but would like to have one, grilling with live wood fire. And you'd have enough to get an Engelbrecht Santa Maria grill which looks like a lot of fun.
[rev_slider alias=”slider” order=”1,2,3,4,6,7,5,8,9,10,11,23,17,18,19,20,21,22,12,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42″][/rev_slider] After leading tours of over 230 commercial barbecue establishments across the country, I can say that the Karubecue: 1) Meets our rigorous standard of a traditional, wood-fired barbecue pit; and 2) Eliminates the barriers to making consistently great finished product. From our… keep reading
https://grillsandcookers.com/collect...raten-campfire
Head on over to the 'KBQ has landed' thread and see some of the stuff Ernest puts out.
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So how much work involved? The tending of the firebox requires two things. One is keeping it filled with wood. Wood at the bottom turns into coals, the wood at the top is the future coal bed. So it is important to keep the box filled. The other thing is fluffing the coal bed. You want the coals to be covering the holes in the bottom of the firebox. A poker is included, which conveniently stores in a hole in the firebox, to push/knock down coals for that purpose.
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Another thing is it is ambidextrous. You can load wood from the left side just as easy as from the right, You can just as easily load wood from behind it, and the front is doable, you would just have to reach over the control box. And there is no need for a side table, in fact a side table would be a hindrance to adding wood. A table is best placed across from the front as the cook box is built much like the oven in your house.
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Which brings up another great feature. You don't have to lift food off the grate, the grates slide out and the food can be moved on the grate. The box is sized so a standard hotel pan can be slid in. This catches the grease and makes clean up easier. As for cleaning, you just hose it down. If it is bad, you can spray oven cleaner on it and then hose it down. The only thing that can't get wet is the control box. So that has to be cleaned with a damp rag and an old toothbrush.
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I purchased a Gator Pit almost this time last year for about $2500 shipped. I can't think of a single complaint, and I went pretty basic on it. Think I only upgraded the tires. I did go from a 20" to 24" diameter and am glad that I did. I looked at Lang, Jambo, Gator, Lonestar, Yoder, JJ, Peoria, Shirley a whole slew of them really. They all looked great. I have a grill over the firebox that I've only used a few times, mostly because it is easier to grill on my Akorn. Great for searing a prime rib or something after a smoke though.
If I could do it over again, I would maybe give a longer look to a vertical smoker, just because 6 feet long is pretty sizable in my garage. The warmers also look pretty cool, but I couldn't justify the additional price. Enjoy the hunt, I think I was well over a year doing research.
I guess my only advice is order as early as you can. My pit took 6 months to build. I was all set to buy a Shirley, but the wait list was about 36 months when I was ready to order. If I had to guess an average, it be 12 weeks maybe. Think I was told 12 weeks, but obviously that was not correct in my case.
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Club Member
- Nov 2017
- 7143
- Huntsville, Alabama
-
Jim Morris
Cookers- Slow 'N Sear Deluxe Kamado (2021)
- Camp Chef FTG900 Flat Top Grill (2020)
- Weber Genesis II E-410 w/ GrillGrates (2019)
- Weber Performer Deluxe 22.5" w/ GrillGrates & Slow 'N Sear & Drip N Griddle & Vortex & Party Q & Rotisserie (2007)
- Custom Built Offset Smoker (304SS, 22"x34" grate, circa 1985)
- King Kooker 94/90TKD 105K/60K dual burner patio stove
- Lodge L8D03 5 quart dutch oven
- Lodge L10SK3 12" skillet
- Anova
- Thermoworks Smoke w/ Wifi Gateway
- Thermoworks Dot
- Thermoworks Thermapen Classic
- Thermoworks RT600C
- Weber Connect
- Whatever I brewed and have on tap!
CaptainMike I don't have any of the commercially built pits you are looking at - a lot of them would be great - but do want to point out that living where you do, the farther these heavy monsters have to ship, the higher the freight charge. To get to the Great State of Jefferson from elsewhere in the US will likely be hundreds of dollars - maybe $500-600 even. Ask for a shipping estimate from any of these offset manufactures, and factor that into your budget.
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Club Member
- Mar 2018
- 709
- Cowtown (NorCal), CA
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Lonestar Grillz 24x48
Forno Bravo Casa 110
Sunterra 60" Argentine Grill w/ Rear Brasero
KBQ C-60
Weber Kettle 22"
Fire Magic a660i
PK 360
Fireboard
Bernzomatic w/ Mapp Gas
I'm a +1 on the Lonestar. Shipping cost is unfortunate, if my memory serves me the shipping alone was $600. More locally you could look at "California Custom Smokers"...I have no experience with them.
KAT Smokers are in Modesto, look like decent quality.
I went through the 12 or so builders/options and ended on Lonestar and couldn't be happier.
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In your signature you say you have a KBQ as well, how does it compare to your LSG?
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CaptainMike it's hard to compare. I still love and use the KBQ...but a true offset smoker has a flavor that can't be replicated. I think the KBQ "cleans" the smoke too much sometimes. If I had to choose one or the other...I'd go with the LSG all day...it's more fun and more fire. Plus I enjoy the challenge the offset presents. The KBQ has become my portable smoker, especially camping or company events.
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Thanks for the feedback Jake. I gotta say, there are a lot of great choices out there, but the LSG just seems to offer a few more accessories and options that is pushing it over the top.
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