green egg or tradional smoker?

[tabascojet]

wife asked what i want for father's day and the makeshift old grill i turned into a smoker is only adequate at best.....any recommendations??

 

[mcnabb7542]

I'm getting an up grade for Fathers Day, the one I have now is just a little two shelf fire directly under the shelves, it gets the job done but I can do a large cut....

I've read and heard the green eggs can get spendy but last a lot longer....

 

[fordman84]

I love my locker style propane smoker, use it all the time. Set it and forget it. Green eggs are nice, but expensive. Based on how much cleaning my smoker needs, seems like the egg would be a PAIN to clean, or else would have a lot of flareups.

If you do go green egg route, check out ACE Hardware. They sell an off brand that is identical but markedly cheaper.

 

[tabascojet]

a propane smoker hey? is that just so the flame stays consistent? what kind of woods do use in it? and how long will one tank last just using it for your smoker?

 

[outofyourmind]

what's the most you want to spend?
because an offset pipe smoker about 18" round with some goodies made out of half inch steel that will last a lifetime will set you back about $1500


http://www.bbqpits.com/backyard_smokers/20x36_deluxe_smoker.htm

 

[SteelersPride]

ive got an egg, temperature regulation makes it a real pain..................the set it and forget it of gas and electric make them more desirable to me............Here in pittsburgh, with winds, and weather, i find myself struggling on alot of days to get the temperature up, and keep it up...........

Also it holds a ton of charcoal, and is a pain to clean............sooooooooo cook lots and lots at once or a total waste

 

[tabascojet]

what's the most you want to spend?
because an offset pipe smoker about 18" round with some goodies made out of half inch steel that will last a lifetime will set you back about $1500


http://www.bbqpits.com/backyard_smokers/20x36_deluxe_smoker.htm

damn...better start a competition team with that rig. I was thinking under a thousand. wife is probably thinking under 500$.

 

[fordman84]

a propane smoker hey? is that just so the flame stays consistent? what kind of woods do use in it? and how long will one tank last just using it for your smoker?

So I had a "small" one (I'd guess about 20" across) and a tank would last, man, I'd guess about 50 hours (standard tank). It used a little pan right over the flame that held wood chips (buy at any grocery store or Lowes/HD). The wood chips would last about 2 hours of smoke, which is enough for my wife. I recently upgraded to a "big block" model that was quite a bit more and put a full size cast iron skillet in there so I can put wood chunks. It has at least twice as much smoker room, no idea how much more gas it uses.


A buddy makes fun of me for "cheating", but my food beats the pants off his. And I can cook a brisket overnight and get plenty of sleep...if I want. The small one was a $99 Bass Pro special, lasted 4 years before I upgraded because it was too small. This one was $400, but use it A LOT. A $99 propane smoker will do anything you need, and you can set it right on 225 and forget it!

 

[fordman84]

Masterbuilt? Sportsman Elite® Cookmaster Propane Smoker | Bass Pro Shops

This little guy will last you at least 5 years. My little one is about to go to a buddy after 4 years (can't put a full rack on there without curling it up or cutting in half, only drawback) and is no worse than the day I got it, other than being a little gray from the sun and heat. Never even covered it up, just drug it out back and hosed it out after every few uses. A cover and proper cleaning and it would last at least 10 years I'd guess. At that price, it's great just to keep around if you have the room if you want to do any long, overnight smokes.

 

[outofyourmind]

Have you ever thought of a UDS = Ugly Drum Smoker.
I have been thinking of making one of these. It's not hard. A lot of these videos tell you how to do it. Some are too extravagant but you'll get the idea.


Cheap to build and they say it does a good job.
check this barrel smoker out.

 

[outofyourmind]

this one looks like it's a little more simple.

 

[HuskerInSecLand]

I would definitely go with an offset smoker. I have a chargriller which isn't the best but with a little modification does real good.
Metals just a little thin though so I end up replacing the fire box every 3-4 years. I use mostly wood though rather than mostly charcoal which burns a lot hotter.

Modifications are the two lower temp gauges (a must to accurately control your temp) and flipped the charcoal pan that comes in the meat chamber to act like a duct. This works great to maintain temperature better and more evenly across the meat chamber.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

I have been using a "Smokey Mt." Webber model for years with great results. Load it-n-go technology. Simple as it gets. Price?...somewhere around $200-$300 buck depending on model and size. Cheap and well worth it.

Have a friend who uses and egg...likes it and swears by it. All the others on here are great and look like they smokes protein very well.

Dealers choice as to your preference and likes. IF I could I would try and build my own, that would have to be the most inexpensive way to obtain a quality smoker on a beer budget.

 

[fordman84]

Next time I'm out at my parents I'll snap a pic of my dads cheap-o smoker setup. He went down and bought a couple of large terra-cota planters. He set one upright and the other upside down on it (making like a clamshell that opens in the middle. Inside the right-side-up one he put an electric hot-iron coal fire starter and a pan just above it that holds wood chips. Then a round grate that goes down to a certain point and wedges in. Done. He feeds a thermometer in the drain hole on the top one, and the planters retain a TON of heat. I think he has only used it a couple of times, but the time I tried the food from it...tasted pretty good. A little more smokey than I like, but good.

It looks kinda like the second one, but here are some pics off google

 

[bamabear82]

I'd like to have an Egg but I wouldn't take anything for my Weber Smokey Mtn. I think we got it for like $299 at Lowes.

 

[fordman84]

'murica

 

[Cali Steel]

Have a Traeger that I really like.
Can't beat the convenience. Fill the hopper with what ever flavor wood you want for the meat you're smoking, set the temp. and let it go.
Costco has a lil tex for $449 I think.
Other brands out there. Neighbor has a Mak that he paid $ 1300???????

 

[Runeman]

I bought a Primo XL oval smoker 3 years ago and love it. It's similar to the Green Egg, however A little more pricey, but this grill does it all and the oval construction has more cooking space. Do not use a lot of charcoal and have gotten into using dried oak wood as it doesn't have that over the top charcoal flavor and it burns cleaner. The heat deflector that comes with the grill makes cooking turkeys, roasts, and chicken a breeze.