guidance needed for smoker recommendations

[brew703]

Leaning real hard towards a Big Steel Keg 5000.....just like a ceramic egg but less fragile...all the versatility is hard to not gravitate towards.

They have made some great improvements since the one I bought several years ago.
The front vent is new and the grill grate is updated.
If I were looking for another grill I would not hesitate to get the Big Steel Keg again.

 

[Ruint]

March 25th. That is the day the broil king big steel keg 5000, dressed in black gets delivered. That's also the day I get to sleep on the couch, even though I got an ok to get it 2 days ago, but you better wait today, due to all else going on.... Click...heheheee! I will wait......on the delivery!

 

[Ruint]

Any other things you guys can point me towards? I will be getting some bags of wood for smoking and some lump charcoal, or good briquettes.

 

[brew703]

Any other things you guys can point me towards? I will be getting some bags of wood for smoking and some lump charcoal, or good briquettes.

Use only lump charcoal or stubb's all natural briquettes. The problem w lump is inconsistent in size.

As for wood chunks fruit woods for pork and chicken. Mesquite, oak or hickory for beef. Maybe you already know that.

When you fire it up start closing the bottom vent when you get within 50 degrees of your target temp. Its difficult to get it back down once it gets above target.

Not sure how you light charcoal but I use either a chimney starter or a weed torch from harbor freight. Both work great.

I full chimney of charcoal will last hours. The keg will hold temps extremely well once you get used to it.

There used to be a forum for the big steel keg. Not sure if it's still active.

 

[Ruint]

Yes sir I have ordered lump oak charcoal, and some smaller bags of fruit wood chipped for more of the flavor portion. Been a little bit, and look forward to the learning curve and burn in. Definitely going to see if everything is tight, and if it isn't, gonna tinker and adjust till she is.

 

[Ruint]

Really, really appreciate yall's inputs and suggestions. They definitely helped me home in on what I believe will work for me! Y'all brought some stuff to the table I didn't know existed. I guess we have to wait and see now....

 

[applescrap]

If you want to use lump charcoal and wood chunks. Its a no brainer, the kamodo. I habe been reading about the big steel keg. It sounds nice, I cant see how long it holds temp, someone did a side by side with bge and it heated faster and was cooler outside. Heated in ten minutes. Thats why the mini one is key, it gets searing hot in ten. So a big thing like that keg getting hot in ten is sweet. How long and how well does it hold temps? How long and how well does the akorn hold temps I wonder. I liked the bge mini max haha came across this fake. I am now considering picking up a big steel keg or the predecessor the bubba keg on craigslist.

 

[applescrap]

Oops heres the fake

 

[Ruint]

I would love to be able to answer those questions from personal experience @applescrap. If you give me a couple weeks...I may be able to! I didn't find any negatives. Most reviews for any of the kamodo styles were mostly positive for fuel consumption and results of the cook, regardless of what kind of meat. Of course, there are certain procedures to follow depending on the meat and how much of it there is. Most negatives were about the ceramic ones cracking, which the steel ones won't do.

I am effing stoked to get this!!! LoL...which means this next week is going to take forever!

 

[brew703]

In regards to the Big Steel Keg it holds temps really well. Don't really need alot of charcoal to maintain 250-300.
The biggest issue I had was being able to add charcoal during a cook but they solved that issue with the grate access.
I've got mine up to 850-900 degrees with no issues. My keg is probably 5-7 years old. It lives on my patio which is mostly out of the elements. The exterior needs a good cleaning but there is no rust or cracks. Held up really well and I would not hesitate to get another if I needed to.
I don't do any smoking on it since I have my Stumps but it's an excellent all around grill/smoker.

 

[Ruint]

Not ready to go all in on a smoke only, dedicated smoker quite yet. SWMBO will have to have been convinced that, that is the next step, and I'm pretty sure the steel keg will help me with that. Either that or it could backfire and make it so damn good, that why is there any need for anything else!?! Anyways, looking forward to the challenges ahead.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Any other things you guys can point me towards? I will be getting some bags of wood for smoking and some lump charcoal, or good briquettes.

I personally gravitate to the Kamado Joe branded lump charcoal, if you can manage to find a Costco road show. I think it's 30# of charcoal for about $23, which for "premium" lump is a smokin' deal, pun intended...

I've used other very nice lump charcoal, like Fogo, the Primo brand, etc. But nothing comes to the same cost level as the road show Kamado Joe stuff.

You can find cheaper, like Royal Oak (especially if you get a good sale), but I find it is much less dense, burns faster, and seemed to have a weird taste/smell coming off it.

If you want to use lump charcoal and wood chunks. Its a no brainer, the kamodo. I habe been reading about the big steel keg. It sounds nice, I cant see how long it holds temp, someone did a side by side with bge and it heated faster and was cooler outside. Heated in ten minutes. Thats why the mini one is key, it gets searing hot in ten. So a big thing like that keg getting hot in ten is sweet. How long and how well does it hold temps? How long and how well does the akorn hold temps I wonder. I liked the bge mini max haha came across this fake. I am now considering picking up a big steel keg or the predecessor the bubba keg on craigslist.

I have two Kamado Joe grills, the Big Joe and the Joe Jr. I can say that the Joe Jr is a fuel miser. It doesn't take long to heat up, and it shuts down quickly, so for small cooks I prefer it.

I can imagine that the big steel keg, without being 200# of ceramic, would be good for quick start. I know the Akorn holds temps very well due to its double-wall construction and insulation, and I would *assume* the big steel keg would also do very well as it is similar construction.

That said, I've never had a cook on the Big Joe that I've had to add fuel mid-cook. Even smoking a big brisket or 35+ lbs of pork shoulder... No trouble whatsoever. I end up after even a 15+ hour cook still having quite a bit of unburnt lump in the firebox.

 

[brew703]

I would love to be able to answer those questions from personal experience @applescrap. If you give me a couple weeks...I may be able to! I didn't find any negatives. Most reviews for any of the kamodo styles were mostly positive for fuel consumption and results of the cook, regardless of what kind of meat. Of course, there are certain procedures to follow depending on the meat and how much of it there is. Most negatives were about the ceramic ones cracking, which the steel ones won't do.

I am effing stoked to get this!!! LoL...which means this next week is going to take forever!

Get a remote thermometer, like a maverick or the one from thermoworks. Will make life easier.
Remember to watch your temps. Once you get within 50 degrees of your target temp start closing the bottom vent. It only takes a small opening to let air in thus altering the temps.

 

[Ruint]

I do believe I am out of the dog house at the moment!!! LoL!!! The wife said that this meal was worth the price spent!

Smoked butt....it's what's for dinner

 

[Wobblybob]

REC TEC. I had a green mountain grill, two of them actually, a buddy with a Traeger, this is the only grill that will hold temperature within 1° all day long. And way more efficient than any of those like a hell of a lot more. Are they expensive yes. Do pros use them yes. I absolutely love mine, I can take a eight dollar chunk of pork shoulder with the bone in it stick it on that bad boy in the morning and eight hours later I’m eating the best pulled pork you ever had. If I do a brisket I will get a prime cut from Costco and it comes out perfect

 

[Lax coach]

Costco has an "online roadshow" that includes the Kamado Joe charcoal. Four 20lb bags for $80, with free shipping. I got a dozen bags the first time they offered it. I've tried over a dozen kinds of charcoal in my Big Joe, and this is my favorite by far. I've heard good things about B&B recently as well.

Good until 6/21:
https://www.costco.com/kamado-joe-lump-charcoal-20lb,-4-pack.product.100482227.html
WRT "graduating" to a "real" smoker, I went the exact opposite way. 5 years ago, I had:

Smoke Hollow vertical smoker
Members Mark Stainless vertical smoker
Weber Performer charcoal kettle
Weber Genesis Gold NG grill
Ducane Meridian Propane grill
Camp Chef 2 burner stove
Bayou Classic turkey fryer

I had two smokers because one was uninsulated and worked great in the summer (but couldn't hold temps in the winter), and the other was heavily insulated so worked great in the winter, but I couldn't get it to stay under 300F in the summer.

Of that list, I now only have the last two, and those are very rarely used (a few times/year at most). So what happened? I bought a Kamado. That obviously immediately deprecated the Weber kettle. But after I tried smoking in it, I gradually lost interest in using the smokers, because the kamado was easier and gave better results. I got rid of both smokers a year or two later. Similarly, the results were much better than grilling on gas, so the Genesis was relegated to really quick things like hotdogs or vegetables.

That seemed silly, so about two years ago I got a Camp Chef Flat-Top Grill to replace the Genesis, and sold both Webers (and the Ducane) at a garage sale. I am now perfectly happy with just the Kamado and the Flat-top, and see no need to add anything else to the mix*. Much MUCH happier with these two grills/smokers than the five I had previously.

*little white lie. I actually love the flat top so much that I bought a portable 17" one that runs on 1lb propane tanks to take with us on vacation.