Realistically, how many racks of ribs and/or how many avg sized butts or whole chickens can they hold?
Any special accessories or tiered rack systems to maximize cooking space?
Without a temp control system (fan), what is the typical cooking time capability for smoking at 225-250 degrees?
If you have to add charcoal for a long cook, is it easy?

I'm still planning my outdoor kitchen build and I am having trouble making decisions. So I'm trying to figure it out with specifics to find what I really want. Planning to upgrade from my beloved Weber Kettle grill and Weber Smokey Mountain smoker to a single grill/smoker that is "more" hands off/less tending for longer cooks.

I've got an XL. I hate that I have to purchase any/all upgrades. I say that because I believe competitors come with a few things that would make using them easier. If you aren't stuck on BGE, I'd recommend looking at other options. BGE is PROUD of their name.

I'm not using a fan to control temps. I've gotten used to what it takes to get it to the desired cooking temp and then shutting down air flow to hold it steady. I can go 12 hours or so assuming I start with enough lump. The difficulty in adding more fuel will mostly depend on what you're cooking and the setup for that cook. I recall having to transfer meat, remove the grill and plate diffuser to add coal, but that was mostly because I started with too little lump initially.

If you lay ribs down on their side, then I'd say maybe 3 baby back slabs would work. If you go vertical with the ribs (on a rack) then you could do more. I've done two butts with no issue, but I'd bet 4 would be possible if you really forced it. Whole chickens - maybe 4-5? I have been spatchcocking my birds lately. Typically only one at a time for whatever reason.

Ceramic is great for holding long cooks if you prefer to deal with real fire - not saying that pellet cookers/smokers aren't real fire, of course. I also have a Pit Boss pellet smoker/propane grill combo that I use all the time. Outside of cleaning it and adding pellets, it's just a set and forget for the most part.

I'd like to know more about your outdoor kitchen build. Are you going to go with lumber or metal frames? What are you covering it with? I've wanted to build one and cover in stucco, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet.

I haven't decided yet on lumber vs metal. Leaning towards metal though.
Countertop will be DIY concrete but also considering a natural stone.
Base cladding I'm torn. Either cement board and an adhered manufactured stone veneer (if metal frame) or a stained rough cedar or cypress wood siding for a more rustic look (if wood framed).
Roof will be a cantilever timber frame with black steel brackets and metal roof panels.

Once I can decide on my smoker upgrade, then I can do the layout.

Appreciate the info on your BGE.

I have the Big Joe III with all the accessories and do like it. I had an BGE XL and the cook is different with the Big Joe. The biggest difference is a slow cook. That large a size the smoke doesn’t stay nice at 235, I now cook turbo hurts and and ribs and promise taste is no different but the cook is half the time. I cook a half butt in 4.5 hours or less and test it an hour. Great flavor and all with a shorter cook

If you have a good size family it works great. It’s just the wife and I and it’s a little big but it’s bought it for family and friends get togethers and it works great.

I’ll cut hickory and white oak to use to supplement my charcoal and it helps with cost I guess you can say.



I want a Yoder so bad I can feel it. The 640 is awesome and will do everything. I know some in here don’t like pellet grills but I’ll tell you I miss that flavor from the pitboss.

I always wears intrigued that at duck camp many of rev guys were well known in the BBQ world like Tuffy Stone and Heath Riles and they used pellet grills at camp. There were others too but I laughed when I saw the ceiling smoking area. They also have PK grills and fryers and dual commercial kitchen setup in the actual kitchen. They eat well today the least.

Kamado style cookers/smokers work. Another one to consider would be Primos oval. That’s what I kind a wanted but he local dealer closed right before I bought.

I was watched this guy and he sold the Big Joe 3 to me
It was the accessories that made my decision. I have a beef with BGE but KJ has more to go with it.

The sloroller is awesome along with a few other accessories

Here is my humble opinion on this. The BGE XL is huge, I would hate to think how much charcoal it would take to feed one of those.

I have had a BGE large for 15+ years, an it is great, like mentioned above you can smoke about 4 racks of ribs with a rib rack and a couple boston butts pretty easy on a Large. I personally find it kind of a pain to use it as a smoker. To get it to work well you have make sure it is cleaned out to start. You also have to sort your lump and set it up with the largest chunks and fill in with smaller. Then you have to light it and get it burning and then throttle it back down to smoking temps, and it is not trully set and forget unless you have one of the temperature controlled set ups with the fan and auto damper. Weather, wind, humidity, etc all mess with it as well. If you are doing a long smoke like for a brisket, you would definally have to add charcoal during the process which means you have to pull the meat, then the grate & plate setter which are all going to be hot as hell, add the lump and put it all back together and then get the temperature dialed back in.

I've had a pellet grill for the last couple of years and I don't care what kind of crap anyone want's to give about it I'll pick it every day over the egg to BBQ. It is just so much easier and is truley set it and forget it. I can't tell any difference taste wise either. I still love my BGE and will pick it every time for grilling steaks, chicken, burgers, etc. but I'm not going to mess with it for smoking any more.

Knowing what I know now if I was to buy another of the ceramic style grills I'd buy one of the oval Primos. They seem to give you a much more efficiant cooking space over the round grills.

Thanks for that assessment 👍🏻 Good info!

I've had the KJ classic for almost 15 years. I picked it over the BGE because I felt it was built better than the BGE, plus it had a lot of the accessories I wanted. Mine is about as hands off as you can get. For butts, I usually put them on at night, say by 10pm. Set the vent and daisy wheel and go to bed. Next morning, it's still sitting at the temp I left it. Now, it does take practice and learning where you set your vent and daisy wheel to get the desired temp, but to me that's half the fun and usually calls for a few adult beverages along the way. Can't really go wrong with either.

A bbq guru pit viper is a small investment when you're spending the amount a good komodo costs IMO. I run one on my cheapo Akorn and its a real set and forget device. You can go a long way on a smoke with an Akorn so I think a ceramic komodo would do even better.. I've done 14 hour briskets and only had to open the lid to wrap it. It does take a few cooks to tune in on one but once you do, smoking is a breeze.

I’ve had large BGE for the last 7-8 years. It’s not perfect, but it does the job for me. It does take getting used to, but I have smoked 2 butts at a time for church meals also 2 whole chickens. I’ve honestly got the itch for a stick burner pit, although I don’t smoke the quantity that necessitates one. I just want it.

Stick burner would be cool for sure. If we ever get back to Alabama or at least the South and have a decent yard, I want to build a brick pit like you used to see everywhere. I think it would be awesome to build and fun to use.