Smokers/Grills BBQ talk

[YosemiteSam]

Went Pit Boss 820. Read Traeger moved all manufacturing to China months ago and Joe Traeger went to work for Pit Boss.
Watched a lot of video reviews and felt the 820 was perfect size for me.

Looking for a local butcher but trying to avoid having to use Kuby's all the way in Dallas.
But may go Kuby's for first cook next weekend.
I'll def run some wings as a quick test run after burn-in.

I ordered some peach paper for a Texas brisket as that will be my first real item to tackle.

I gotta test a few pellets. Ordered hickory first.

Congrats on the new smoker! Don't forget to invite friends and family. (after the pandemic ends of course) BBQs are like Wine. They are far better with friends!

 

[jterrell]

Rec Tec or Traeger.

Find a good butcher.

I really liked the Rec Tec but I was too cheap, lol.
I might look at upgrading to just the Rec Tec controller on the PB820.

 

[CouchCoach]

Congrats on the new smoker! Don't forget to invite friends and family. (after the pandemic ends of course) BBQs are like Wine. They are far better with friends!

LMAO, that reminds me of one of my friends when we were all basically newlyweds and he got a smoker as a wedding present. He invited us over and asked us to bring whatever we wanted to cook on the new smoker. My first ever BYOM, Bring Your Own Meat party. He still gets embarrassed when I bring that up after almost 50 years and, of course, I bring it up every time I talk to him around other people. What really makes that sweet is that he is by far the most financially successful of our entire crew.

 

[jterrell]

Congrats on the new smoker! Don't forget to invite friends and family. (after the pandemic ends of course) BBQs are like Wine. They are far better with friends!

Yea I'm gonna make some for the folks but drop it on their porch.
They love my briskets made with gas grill/oven combo so they already asked when one would be ready.

Prolly end up with a few drop offs once I get going as I tend to go overboard with stuff, lol.

 

[HungryLion]

I have a question for everyone.

so the smoker I have uses propane to generate the heat.

The smoker is a rectangle shape that stands straight up.

I just used it twice so far. And the ribs came out pretty good.

Here’s the thing. It has a water pan above the heat source. I have been putting white vinegar in the water pan when smoking the ribs.

Anyway, the water pan because it sits right under the meat racks, is also getting all the drippings from the meat in it.

is this normal? Is that what’s supposed to happen? Does that add to the flavor? By having the drippings fall in with the water pan (or vinegar)

The book I have for my smoker doesn’t make any mention of this. But perhaps I am being dense.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Went Pit Boss 820. Read Traeger moved all manufacturing to China months ago and Joe Traeger went to work for Pit Boss.

Congrats JT! I hadn't heard about Traeger.

Keep us updated!!!

 

[Tabascocat]

I have a question for everyone.

so the smoker I have uses propane to generate the heat.

The smoker is a rectangle shape that stands straight up.

I just used it twice so far. And the ribs came out pretty good.

Here’s the thing. It has a water pan above the heat source. I have been putting white vinegar in the water pan when smoking the ribs.

Anyway, the water pan because it sits right under the meat racks, is also getting all the drippings from the meat in it.

is this normal? Is that what’s supposed to happen? Does that add to the flavor? By having the drippings fall in with the water pan (or vinegar)

The book I have for my smoker doesn’t make any mention of this. But perhaps I am being dense.

https://amazingribs.com/more-techni...se-drip-pans-and-water-pans-what-put-them-and

 

[jterrell]

 

[speedkilz88]

This ones interesting. Doesn't use pellets though like Shariff claimed. Load it with charcoal.



https://www.masterbuilt.com/products/gravity-series™-560-digital-charcoal-grill-smoker

With the Gravity Series™ 560 Digital Charcoal Grill + Smoker by Masterbuilt, you can smoke, grill, sear, bake, roast and so much more. Set the temperature on the digital control panel or your smart device and the DigitalFan™ maintains the desired cooking temperature. The GravityFed™ charcoal hopper holds over 12 hours of charcoal and gravity ensures you have constant fuel to the fire. The reversible cast-iron grates are perfect for smoking or searing and in just 13 minutes this grill can reach 700°F. Master the art of charcoal grilling and smoking with Masterbuilt.

• Reaches 225°F in 7 minutes or 700°F in 13 minutes
• Control temperature and cook time with the digital control panel or with smart device control using WIFI or Bluetooth
• DigitalFan™ for precise temperature control
• Built-in temperature gauge and meat probe thermometer for perfect results every time
• GravityFed™ hopper holds 10 lbs. of lump charcoal or 16 lbs. of briquettes for 12-15 hours of use
• Includes reversible smoke + sear cast-iron grates for low and slow smoking or high heat searing
• Two porcelain-coated warming/smoking racks for 560 total square inches of cooking space
• 1 year warranty

 

[Tabascocat]

I’m trying a new snake method on my Weber kettle today with 90% charcoal and 10% wood. So far, it is keeping temp around 230 for a few hours now

I have ribs and turkey legs going........

 

[OmerV]

Folks, what grills are you guys using?

I am considering a pellet smoker right now and the Traeger ones are giving me sticker shock.
Any of you guys used Pit Boss?

Try Z Grill. Same basic design as Traeger and less expensive.

 

[aria]

Weber gas grill and Weber charcoal kettle, love them both. My smoker is custom made, it’s all upright with 4 shelves and an offset firebox for the logs. If could do it again, I would go back to a barrel smoker or a barrel smoker with an upright.

 

[Tabascocat]

Weber gas grill and Weber charcoal kettle, love them both. My smoker is custom made, it’s all upright with 4 shelves and an offset firebox for the logs. If could do it again, I would go back to a barrel smoker or a barrel smoker with an upright.

I love my barrel with upright but it is built to be pulled with a hitch. It is back home in Texas, so I use my kettle grill here in Cali. It is easy to take it wherever we go throughout the state

My RecTec is back home too but I’m not really a fan of pellet smoking.

 

[CouchCoach]

I have a question for everyone.

so the smoker I have uses propane to generate the heat.

The smoker is a rectangle shape that stands straight up.

I just used it twice so far. And the ribs came out pretty good.

Here’s the thing. It has a water pan above the heat source. I have been putting white vinegar in the water pan when smoking the ribs.

Anyway, the water pan because it sits right under the meat racks, is also getting all the drippings from the meat in it.

is this normal? Is that what’s supposed to happen? Does that add to the flavor? By having the drippings fall in with the water pan (or vinegar)

The book I have for my smoker doesn’t make any mention of this. But perhaps I am being dense.

I've tried a lot and never found anything but water to work because it's not flavoring the food. Unless it's something I need the moisture to keep from drying out, I take it out for any fish smoking, I want a drying chamber. Ribs have enough fat that they don't need the moisture but vertical smokers need a fire deflector for low and slow.

I put heavy duty foil on the rack beneath the one the food is on to keep the smoker from getting all funked up as those drippings don't add anything but cleaning time unless I am doing a pork shoulder then I put a foil pan under it to catch that and then put the shoulder in it when I am ready to transfer it to the oven to finish. I do the same when I smoke a chuck roast, my favorite beef to smoke. I am not a brisket guy as I only like the bark and I can get a lot more flavorful bark on a chuck roast.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Here’s the thing. It has a water pan above the heat source. I have been putting white vinegar in the water pan when smoking the ribs.

Anyway, the water pan because it sits right under the meat racks, is also getting all the drippings from the meat in it.

is this normal? Is that what’s supposed to happen? Does that add to the flavor? By having the drippings fall in with the water pan (or vinegar)

The book I have for my smoker doesn’t make any mention of this. But perhaps I am being dense.

You are not dense Brother. If you are trying to learn and have never really had the opportunity to do a thing, then learning and asking questions is the antithesis of being dense.

I mean, usually you find a water pan up high and a drip pan lower and you actually want the water to defuse during the smoking process, which is why it's located higher. You don't want it filled with grease and no water. The grease pan is lower because you don't want any grease fire starting so the pan obviously collects it to prevent this. However, a lot of people do use those drippings for everything from adding moisture back into the meet to adding to other things like beans or what have you to gravy etc. Those smokers out there are pretty industrious!

 

[HungryLion]

You are not dense Brother. If you are trying to learn and have never really had the opportunity to do a thing, then learning and asking questions is the antithesis of being dense.

I mean, usually you find a water pan up high and a drip pan lower and you actually want the water to defuse during the smoking process, which is why it's located higher. You don't want it filled with grease and no water. The grease pan is lower because you don't want any grease fire starting so the pan obviously collects it to prevent this. However, a lot of people do use those drippings for everything from adding moisture back into the meet to adding to other things like beans or what have you to gravy etc. Those smokers out there are pretty industrious!

Thanks ABQ. I appreciate the help On that note. What’s the best way to prevent the drippings from
Getting into the water pan then? I thought of throwing tinfoil down on racks, but then I assume that will affect the smoke from surrounding the meat the way u would
Want it to?

 

[CyberB0b]

Just sold my Yoder YS-1500. I'd recommend Pitts and Spitts.

 

[Tabascocat]

Thanks ABQ. I appreciate the help On that note. What’s the best way to prevent the drippings from
Getting into the water pan then? I thought of throwing tinfoil down on racks, but then I assume that will affect the smoke from surrounding the meat the way u would
Want it to?

If you don’t plan on using those drippings, don’t worry about it. I put sand in my water pan instead of water/liquid

 

[HungryLion]

If you don’t plan on using those drippings, don’t worry about it. I put sand in my water pan instead of water/liquid

Are you pulling my leg?

I should say, if it’s ok for the drippings to go into the water pan. Then drip away baby. Though cleaning it out afterward isn’t the most fun lol

 

[Tabascocat]

Are you pulling my leg?

I should say, if it’s ok for the drippings to go into the water pan. Then drip away baby. Though cleaning it out afterward isn’t the most fun lol

I am serious, no need to separate water and dripping pans. Just have one filled with sand then empty when finished, no mess.

If I am smoking something in less humidity, I use a spritzer bottle to mist occasionally. It ranges from apple juice/cider to beer or whatever I am in the mood for.

Sometimes I don’t use a pan at all