!!!New BBQ/SMOKER recommendation!!!
 

Hey guy gona do my first brisket and now I’ve been inspired to buy a new BBQ smoker, not looking for anything I can operate from my phone or anything but something that is a great quality buy once, cry once type unit, has to be large enough for full racks of ribs, and briskets! Recommendations are appreciated!

Yoder smoker. 😂 You’ll definitely cry when you buy.

Hahahaha. Yes but won’t it be tears of joy?

To the OP;
I would recommend just about any larger brand of pellet smoker if you are into convenience.

If you want more of an old school experience that is still fairly easy, any larger brand ceramic Komodo.

I’d stay away from true stick-burners unless you are sure you want to commit a lot of time to master it.

But soooooo worth it! lol!

Seriously though, I stick burnered everything for years and really enjoy it and always pushed the mindset that anything else is just cheating, but even I have succumbed to the pellet smoker. I smoke so often that I just can't justify having to monitor the heat so religiously and never sleep. The pellet grill isn't quite as aggressive smoke wise, but it is still more than pleasing (actually more pleasing to many) and definitely gives a guy his time back to be able to do something other than just watching temperatures all day long. It is also so much simpler to guarantee a problem free cook.

There is something to be said for making amazing bbq mid week while still doing my job and answering e-mails or mowing the lawn or watching a movie with the better half or anything else. I still love firing up the stick burner now and again but pellet has given me more time back for the daily stuff!

I just picked up a Pit Boss vertical pellet smoker.... I already have a pellet grill..... they are both great... I use the vertical for smoking sausage and making jerky

Yup, I joke with my buddies about their Easy Bake Ovens but I think I’m going to go the way of the pellet grill. The convenience is very appealing. I’ll keep my WSM and stick burner when I have time and want to play with fire.

Zero arguments from me. I totally agree, but as I said unless you are sure you are ready to commit the time it likely deters many from smoking more.

I picked up the Cabelas 36" pellet grill last year on sale and have absolutely no regrets so far. Have used it quite a bit. The searing stationwith external control leaver is great.

Only mod I made was remove 2 screws from the screen so I can get my hand in there to push the pellets towards the drain. I don't like leaving pellets in there for too long.

I had a Pit Boss and didn't like it as much as the Cabelas one.

I scored a GMG Jim Bowie Prime Plus second hand. Great grill. Anything in that class will eventually break but it's a grill that's worth repairing stuff. I love mine. Buy the thermal blanket and it'll cut your winter pellet consumption massively.

I would agree to start with a pellet grill VS a stick or charcoal for the ease of use. Don't rule out the WIFI option as it allows you to do so many other things while the meat is cooking and without having to lift the lid the check on things. I never thought I would use something like that as Im a non techy guy but once I tried it, I use it a lot, especially on long cooks. We are a busy family though with kids on the go so that is a factor. When my kids are gone and I have all the time in the world to babysit a fire, that's when I will go back to a stickburner/charcoal smoker.
There are so many brands out there, Louisianna Grills, GMG, Traegar, PitBoss,Cabelas, RECTEQ (my favorite). I recommend going bigger than the little tailgate versions if you ever want to cook more than one thing (sides, appetizers etc) I can do about 6lbs of jerky on my 700sq in with 2nd rack, those little tailgate smokers I don't know if you could do 2 lbs of meat. Think pepperoni sticks, chicken wings (takes up allot of grill space. 2 spatchcocked chickens would need the bigger grill. Also consider warranty and one with wheels if you plan to move it around.

Pellet Grill
 

X2 on the Cabelas pellet grill had mine for two years and love it. Traded up from a Traeger grill which work good also.

I picked up a GMG last spring on sale. I use mine 2 to 3 times a week. They might be on sale again this spring. New model will have a rotisserie as an option. Get the thermal blanket and the pizza oven.

I bought a kamado Joe last spring, the big Joe. It's wood charcoal burning, a bag of charcoal will last for quite a few bbq sessions. A bit of a learning curve, compared to a gas grill, but the taste difference is so much better with the charcoal. I bought a rotisserie, basket for wings, cast iron plate, and a do-joe ( for making pizza's )

The grill grates are 24" diameter, I can fit 4 racks of Costco ribs on there, using a bit of hickory smoking wood, and cooking for 3 hrs @ 150-200*F
The ribs are awesome!!

I was going to buy a pellet bbq / smoker, but thought I would try this first, no regrets though, although not the cheapest of the ceramic smoker / bbq's out there, but it has an awesome warranty with good reviews, etc!

Basic treager , don’t spend a bunch until you own one for a year or two. I am a die hard BBQ guy, I love my Weber kettle charcoal and have a Weber gas. I charcoal the most, then pellet and use the gas once in awhile. Treager is good till -15 without a blanket.

One you can control from your phone? I don’t think there are any charcoal smokers on the market you can control from your phone!!!:sHa_sarcasticlol:

Pit Boss.
Less $ than the Treagers. Same quality imo
And a guy named Treager works for Pit Boss now.

I have been using a Louisiana Grill one for a few years now and still runs like a champ. Nice thing with them is the are out of Edmonton so any issues and parts needed, they are close by. I kinda like the support local aspect too.
That said, most of the units discussed are going to do the job you want.

I am a real fan of a dedicated smoker, have a Bradley digital 4 rack.

I’ve kinda narrowed it down to PitBoss, or Louisiana Grill, I see Costco has a pretty nice one for $1000 (no wifi) I love my bradly but, it just won’t fit a full brisket, and I want something I can do a whole chixken or sear steaks, I like the Louisiana because it can be heat controlled up to 600 degrees, this temp should sear a steak nice!

How do you find the Bradley when it comes to cold weather Ken?

I've been considering buying one here soon but have read about heat consistency being an issue.

I have found that no pellet grill is going to sear a steak like you're used to on gas so i wouldn't base your decision on that. It may get to 600 on a hot summer day but believe me that's not how you're going to use it.

I got the 1100 version of the Louisiana and I have done 3 - 15lb briskets plus a couple Boston butts all at the same time on it! Haha! With the top rack the room is insane for a more cost effective unit.

The searing option is nice for sure.

I would do some hunting around. There are some deals out there if you look!

I have to Louisiana lg900. Overall it is OK. I have done 3 whole pigs on it (1 at a time) and they turned out great. Construction of the Louisiana is much better than the traeger. It’s built pretty heavy which I like. It hits the advertised temp of 600f no problem. The one thing I wish it had was a lower temp setting. Min temp is 180 whereas some others can go as low as 160 or even 140. If I were to buy again I would buy a GMG.

Was gona go with the 900, and they are very well built, but ended up spending a ton more on a traeger that is more of a bbq style pellet smoker, and it’s also very well built and sturdy, bonus about this model traeger is that I can use it in winter because of the thicker cast walls(I think that’s how you would word it), allowing for less heat loss! Looking really forward to using it!!

Good friends of mine didn't want to spend the $$ on a Traeger so they went with a Camp Chef. They buy the Traeger pellets and honestly I can't tell the difference.

Personally I have a dedicated smoker and then a Weber gas and Weber charcoal grills. Smoker unit I have is a Masterbuilt Adventure 40"(had to go check the size as I thought it was only a 36"). The only issue I have is it's a little too big for my family and the remote stopped working. No problem as I go outside and use the controls on the unit itself. Good luck with whatever you choose!

When you start reverse searing steaks, you’ll never go back. You won’t need a sear section.

If you throw a 12” cast iron pan or two into your pellet grill to heat they sear just fine. Better actually as you can use some butter too.

I've had a large and a mini maxx Big Green Egg for 7 years or so. Still very happy with them, use them 2-3 nights a week all year round, -30* no problem.

Christmas before the one just pass I got a Big Joe-tisserie for the large egg, and that has really upped the ante! Self basting, even cooking over smoky lump charcoal, it can't be beat.

The kamodo grills do an incredible job of locking the moisture in.

https://i.imgur.com/wyRYXuQ.jpg

Webber kettle.

Sorry I missed this reply.

I have done it in -20 and it was fine, but havent tried colder.

The one thing that REALLY sucks is if you get a power bump it shuts off. I have since learned that buying a digital wireless probe with alarms is the way to go. I had it on a UPS but it didn't work. The UPS only had to hold power for 10 seconds or so until the generator kicks in and powers up.

Check out flame boss and fire board charcoal bbq controllers. They have blower fans you strap on to the air intake on your charcoal smoker and probes you place in the chamber. They control the exact temp of your smoker using the fan/baffle. Both upload the info to your phone.