OT: smoker

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Thank you. This is good vital info.

I will make sure the father's day fairy includes a cover!

I've left my BDE outside uncovered for a decade. The only issue I've ever had is some mold inside after a couple of months of not using while living in NC - which was taken care of by lighting some coals followed by a quick rinse.

Oh, I suppose I have had to replace the wooden handle. Still wouldn't consider a cover a necessity though...

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by booglebug

Guessing the coating on the outside of the egg prevents water penetration?

I would think for the most part it would....I suppose if it got really drenched or something and then froze....as I said, I don't one and suspect the warning was more of a warranty / legalize thing.....

Angry - Here you go...nirvana: DIY Combo Smoker Grill

[RJR]

My father-in-law has the Big Green Egg and i got the Costco version. From a cooking quality standpoint, I haven't been able to find a difference. We'll see how mine holds up over time, I suppose. I also paid $500 for it and I know he's got $2K in his (everything is sold ala carte).

Originally Posted by fmradio516

How do the off brand ceramic grills hold up against BGE and Kamados?

[FriarQuade]

I've had a Tragger for nearly a decade. We live in the sunny side of Oregon and it's pretty dry here. The thing is pretty flawless, I smoke more in the winter than we do in the summer and it's stable and reliable even down to single digits.

I got my dad a Tragger for wiring the tool shop, he still lives in Missouri where muggy is the prevailing weather condition. His grill still works great. BUT, you can't leave the hopper full of pellets for weeks on end and you can't store your pellets outside. The humidity will Leach into the pellets and cause them to crumble and not burn well. If you use your grill a lot, it's a non issue. If you want to use less than once a month you'll need to start from scratch every time.

[sokyroadie]

I have a BGE that is pushing 20 years of outdoor uncovered use, the last 5 or 6 on my pontoon boat. I have had to replace the band/spring/handle once, everything else is fine. The pontoon is all aluminum so no issues from a fire perspective.

I also have a Primo ceramic cooker USA made - it too has been great.

Note: BGE is on starboard stern (right rear) for non boaters.

[hokoman]

Nick,
I got my Yoder grill from Mike at Smokerguru.com - he's local to you and although his shop is a complete mess (it doesn't have everything, but you can call and ask him if he has it on display from his website), you can see and touch some of the items. I ended up with the Yoder pellet grill from the recommendation of forum member, and some accessories... It's like shopping for a bike and going to the shop to get a Lynskey, and walk out with a Firefly.

[duke]

We've been using a Smokin-It #2D for a couple of years with great success.
https://www.smokin-it.com/Default.asp

Also, check out their forum. I haven't seen anybody shopping for bicycles, but there is a ton of good info on smoking.
https://www.smokinitforums.com/index.php

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by sokyroadie

I have a BGE that is pushing 20 years of outdoor uncovered use, the last 5 or 6 on my pontoon boat. I have had to replace the band/spring/handle once, everything else is fine. The pontoon is all aluminum so no issues from a fire perspective.

I also have a Primo ceramic cooker USA made - it too has been great.

Note: BGE is on starboard stern (right rear) for non boaters.

Now that looks like a party!

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by CNY rider

Now that looks like a party!

+1 Nice rig!

[bking]

You have lots of, in fact plenty of good advice here. I've never owned an Egg, or similar, but I've heard good things about them.
I love to cook, generally for large groups, so most all my experience is cooking quantity and when I got into Barbecue, smoking, I needed space. I started out with the kettle Rocky Mt smoker, hard to beat for the price. But, hanging around "smoking" forums and trips to Kansas, Tennessee and Texas for smoked meat convinced me I wouldn't be happy till I'd properly tested myself burning wood--sticks, as those folks might say. That, coupled with a desire to learn how to weld, I built my first stick burner:

I called it Frankenstein...but it worked!

Then bought a Lone Star Grill out of Texas, charcoal burner with chunks of wood with a lot of capacity:




Then built a smoker, also stick burner, and put it on a trailer:




There certainly was a time when I thought any decent BBQ had to involve stacks of wood. But I've had some really good meat from some of the electric pellet smokers--though I confess to being slow to admit it. Using wood or even charcoal involves work, sometimes sleep deprived nights. I'd look hard at the electric, bluetooth controlled smokers. You'll find you'll use them a lot more often once some of the novelty of stick burner or charcoal wears off, and it begins to look a bit more like work...at least I think I would.
All that said, if you have the time and the weather is good, smoking with a stick burner is fun, relaxing, and scriptural: Exodus 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire;
Hard to go wrong though. Have fun.

[fmradio516]

BGE owners: how much of a pain is it to add coals/wood? Im assuming all the meat needs to come off mid smoke?

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by fmradio516

BGE owners: how much of a pain is it to add coals/wood? Im assuming all the meat needs to come off mid smoke?

I'm not sure what you mean by mid-smoke?
The smoke process happens early on, in the first hour or two, or so I've read.
That's when your smoke wood is doing its thing and the smoke can penetrate the meat.
After that you're pretty much just cooking.

[Matt92037]

Smoking yellow fin @170d on my Yoder as we speak!

[hokoman]

Originally Posted by bking

You have lots of, in fact plenty of good advice here. I've never owned an Egg, or similar, but I've heard good things about them.
I love to cook, generally for large groups, so most all my experience is cooking quantity and when I got into Barbecue, smoking, I needed space. I started out with the kettle Rocky Mt smoker, hard to beat for the price. But, hanging around "smoking" forums and trips to Kansas, Tennessee and Texas for smoked meat convinced me I wouldn't be happy till I'd properly tested myself burning wood--sticks, as those folks might say. That, coupled with a desire to learn how to weld, I built my first stick burner:

I called it Frankenstein...but it worked!

Then bought a Lone Star Grill out of Texas, charcoal burner with chunks of wood with a lot of capacity:




Then built a smoker, also stick burner, and put it on a trailer:




There certainly was a time when I thought any decent BBQ had to involve stacks of wood. But I've had some really good meat from some of the electric pellet smokers--though I confess to being slow to admit it. Using wood or even charcoal involves work, sometimes sleep deprived nights. I'd look hard at the electric, bluetooth controlled smokers. You'll find you'll use them a lot more often once some of the novelty of stick burner or charcoal wears off, and it begins to look a bit more like work...at least I think I would.
All that said, if you have the time and the weather is good, smoking with a stick burner is fun, relaxing, and scriptural: Exodus 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire;
Hard to go wrong though. Have fun.

Wow!!!!! Assume you cater with that trailer?

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by CNY rider

I'm not sure what you mean by mid-smoke?
The smoke process happens early on, in the first hour or two, or so I've read.
That's when your smoke wood is doing its thing and the smoke can penetrate the meat.
After that you're pretty much just cooking.

Okay sorry, i should have said "mid-cook". I understand that after the meat hits a certain temp, it wont absorb any more smoke, so yeah, youre just cooking at that point. So when you need to add fuel to the BGE. Hows that go?