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Velvet
by Tree Dweller. 09/07/24 01:33 AM
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Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
#4158565
07/04/24 11:46 PM
07/04/24 11:46 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19,190 Chelsea, AL
straycat
OP
Old Mossy Horns
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OP
Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19,190
Chelsea, AL
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My experience has been primarily with a Weber Smokey Mountain or other bullet style water pan smokers. 3 decades. Affordable and simple. It's what I started with and I've just stuck with what I knew. Always make really good food. The drawback has always been the time/tending to the fire. The older I get and as busy as my schedule is, I'd like something "easier" but with same level product of delicious smoked meats.
Side note, I love my Weber Kettle grill and I can arrange it to an excellent smoker with a Slow-n- Sear for a small cook. Besides obvious grilling, use it often for a single butt, chicken, or a rack or two of ribs. No complaints except for a little tending time for long cooks like a pork butt.
So I am looking for personal experience recommendations for a new smoker. List of priorities: 1. Minimal tending time. Think get it to temperature and get an overnight cook/all day cook without all the fire and vent adjustments. 2. Technology like auto fans to keep temperature regulated are fine as add ons. 3. Ability to do larger cooks like I can do on my Smokey Mountain. 4 larger cuts like a butt or whole chickens or 4 - 6 racks of ribs...or really the ability to do several racks and a couple of butts. Regularly cook for 15-20 people (holidays, church group, get togethers) 4. Space limitation is around 3 feet width, maybe 4 ft. Incorporating a new 36" Camp Chef griddle, a new smoker, and my Kettle grill into an outdoor kitchen build. 5. I'll spend some $$ because I cook enough to justify it.
So what say the Aldeer gurus of smoke? Pellet? Gravity Charcoal? Kamado w/ 2 racks? Vertical? Horizontal? Something else? If you had the same priority list, what would be your recommendation?
Thanks in advance! Mike
Last edited by straycat; 07/05/24 12:12 AM.
"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8
"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.� Samuel Adams
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4158605
07/05/24 07:55 AM
07/05/24 07:55 AM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 10,488
BPI
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 10,488
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Pellet smokers are getting better and better. They will smoke meat but in my opinion you don't get the amount of smoke flavor as you do with a Komodo or a stick burner. As far as set and forget goes, in my opinion the best system going right now is a Komodo/ Egg with the Digi Q / Ultra Q system. You can leave it unattended for 12 hours at least. If you set up your wood / charcoal correctly you can go even longer. I've smoked several briskets and butts by putting them on before I went to bed and in the morning they were ready. With that setup the system will shut off the oxygen to the fire when your internal temp hits what you want it to hit so you don't risk overcooking. The blue tooth / wifi model's will also notify you of temp spikes and you can monitor your cook from wherever you like. It takes a little learning curve to get the feel for it and what your particular grill likes. But once you get it figured out, it's a no brainer.
With that said, it still doesn't give you the smoke of an offset. But it's close.
Last edited by BPI; 07/05/24 08:22 AM.
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4158606
07/05/24 07:57 AM
07/05/24 07:57 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 20,057 colbert county
cartervj
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 20,057
colbert county
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I don’t have a Yoder yet but will. I did like the smoke flavor from my Pitboss 1100 pro. It caught on fire easily though. A pellet that drops the pellets instead of inline auger probably the best design. There’s numerous pellet grills out there and I’d spend the money on the higher end one of those for ease of use. Cookshack Eddie is another good one and very well built.
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4158693
07/05/24 11:56 AM
07/05/24 11:56 AM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19,190 Chelsea, AL
straycat
OP
Old Mossy Horns
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OP
Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19,190
Chelsea, AL
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I'm a big fan of charcoal and wood for a really good smoke flavor. My late night interwebs deep dive let me read about the Masterbuilt Gravity charcoal/wood smokers. Limited tending because of the Gravity feed and fan regulated temperature controls.
Anyone have any experience with these?
Also, on the kamado style smokers, are they large enough to put on full racks of ribs? I'm assuming a second grate can be added above the main cooking grate
"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8
"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.� Samuel Adams
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4158741
07/05/24 01:56 PM
07/05/24 01:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 11,282 Birmingham
wew3006
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 11,282
Birmingham
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I'm a big fan of charcoal and wood for a really good smoke flavor. My late night interwebs deep dive let me read about the Masterbuilt Gravity charcoal/wood smokers. Limited tending because of the Gravity feed and fan regulated temperature controls.
Anyone have any experience with these?
Also, on the kamado style smokers, are they large enough to put on full racks of ribs? I'm assuming a second grate can be added above the main cooking grate Large BGE with ribs [img] https://i.postimg.cc/QtqXVm0X/temp-Image-Ixw-BQh.avif[/img]
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4158875
07/05/24 06:27 PM
07/05/24 06:27 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 20,057 colbert county
cartervj
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 20,057
colbert county
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I'm a big fan of charcoal and wood for a really good smoke flavor. My late night interwebs deep dive let me read about the Masterbuilt Gravity charcoal/wood smokers. Limited tending because of the Gravity feed and fan regulated temperature controls.
Anyone have any experience with these?
Also, on the kamado style smokers, are they large enough to put on full racks of ribs? I'm assuming a second grate can be added above the main cooking grate I was until I got my Big Joe 3 with all the accessories. I have to smoke hotter than I like otherwise I get a funkiness too it. Like 285-300. Had the Ikamand until it was unsupported. Didn’t matter. My BGE large had a great smoke with it down low. I think it’s the relative size to fire/smoke box. A friend had one of the larger at green eggs and he says the same thing. I’ve followed this guy for a few years https://youtu.be/SmxUImDZBpo?si=gt4mCTv3PvsyJJ1XBrother has a smoker like you looked at I’ll ask him.
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4158976
07/05/24 08:56 PM
07/05/24 08:56 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 10,488
BPI
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 10,488
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I think I'll be cranking up the kamodo soon
Last edited by BPI; 07/05/24 08:57 PM.
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4159809
07/08/24 09:04 AM
07/08/24 09:04 AM
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,884 Lower AL
k bush
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,884
Lower AL
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I'm a big fan of charcoal and wood for a really good smoke flavor. My late night interwebs deep dive let me read about the Masterbuilt Gravity charcoal/wood smokers. Limited tending because of the Gravity feed and fan regulated temperature controls.
Anyone have any experience with these?
Also, on the kamado style smokers, are they large enough to put on full racks of ribs? I'm assuming a second grate can be added above the main cooking grate Yes, I have the 800. Works well and they sell upgraded internals made of SS online but I'm still using the originals.
"Cull" is just another four letter word...
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4159837
07/08/24 10:26 AM
07/08/24 10:26 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 562 Lake View
tombo51
4 point
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4 point
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 562
Lake View
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I’ve had good luck with my camp chef
All men die few ever really live
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: 3bailey3]
#4159967
07/08/24 04:06 PM
07/08/24 04:06 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,908 leeds,al
geeb1
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,908
leeds,al
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Man I love my green egg, I have a large and it may not cook all you are wanting to cook at the same time.I have set mine many times at 225 and went to bed and wake up and it it still at 225. Same with my primo grill
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4160178
07/09/24 03:19 AM
07/09/24 03:19 AM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,178 Lamar Co, AL
BamaGuitarDude
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,178
Lamar Co, AL
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well - i love my Weber+SNS so much that I picked up a completely tricked out SNS to add more cooking space to my setup ... the SNS with a digital thermometer is as close to “set & forget” as it can get - rarely do i fiddle w/my grills after settling them into low & slow zone
ALDeer physics: for every opinion, there's an equal & opposite opinion
A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: BamaGuitarDude]
#4160491
07/09/24 06:47 PM
07/09/24 06:47 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19,190 Chelsea, AL
straycat
OP
Old Mossy Horns
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OP
Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 19,190
Chelsea, AL
|
well - i love my Weber+SNS so much that I picked up a completely tricked out SNS to add more cooking space to my setup ... the SNS with a digital thermometer is as close to “set & forget” as it can get - rarely do i fiddle w/my grills after settling them into low & slow zone Talk to me about that. I have a Kettle with the Slow n Sear. It is awesome but not necessarily for me to run an overnight cook. 6 hours no problem. For overnights I've had to always add fuel at some point and that is what I'm trying to avoid. Pus I need set and forget for bigger cooks. I'm a Weber fan through and through and it's tough going to something different when everything is crazy expensive, so I want to pick the right thing and not regret it later. Freaking rabbit hole of smoker research.
"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8
"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.� Samuel Adams
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4161022
07/10/24 07:09 PM
07/10/24 07:09 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,178 Lamar Co, AL
BamaGuitarDude
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,178
Lamar Co, AL
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well - i love my Weber+SNS so much that I picked up a completely tricked out SNS to add more cooking space to my setup ... the SNS with a digital thermometer is as close to “set & forget” as it can get - rarely do i fiddle w/my grills after settling them into low & slow zone Talk to me about that. I have a Kettle with the Slow n Sear. It is awesome but not necessarily for me to run an overnight cook. 6 hours no problem. For overnights I've had to always add fuel at some point and that is what I'm trying to avoid. Pus I need set and forget for bigger cooks. I'm a Weber fan through and through and it's tough going to something different when everything is crazy expensive, so I want to pick the right thing and not regret it later. Freaking rabbit hole of smoker research. i worked with a guy that was constantly researching the “next best thing” & it drove him mad … i’m personally convinced that - at least in the charcoal world (not pellet grills) just about any setup has warts to contend with … 6 hours of basically “set & forget” is pretty damn good - if you sleep 8 hours a night that’s practically all night 🤷🏻♂️ i don’t do overnight cooks - i usually goto bed early & wake-up real early & then take naps throughout the day on long brisket smoking sessions lol …
ALDeer physics: for every opinion, there's an equal & opposite opinion
A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: 3bailey3]
#4180354
08/14/24 11:37 AM
08/14/24 11:37 AM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,556 Northport
Bamarich2
8 point
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8 point
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,556
Northport
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Man I love my green egg, I have a large and it may not cook all you are wanting to cook at the same time.I have set mine many times at 225 and went to bed and wake up and it it still at 225. Second this on my BGE. I have an XL and can cook three butts over a drip pan at one time (could do more if I didn't care about drippings getting in my charcoal). I have an EggGenius that controls my temperature and I can access it from anywhere. Depending on the wood utilized, I can get more/less smoke into stuff very easy.
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Re: Recommendations for best "set and forget" smoker?
[Re: straycat]
#4182402
08/18/24 02:49 AM
08/18/24 02:49 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,118 Huntsville, Al
Bronco 74
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,118
Huntsville, Al
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I’ve got a masterbuilt. 3 years no problem.
"We have an opponent in this state that we work every day, 365 days a year, to dominate."
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