My journey is the same as yours! I had a chargrill the size of your firebox, and I shoved the meat on one side, and the coals and wood chips on the other side. Then I got a $200 offset from homie depot, and that’s all I’ve been using since (4 years)😬 It has taught me a lot about fire management and technique😁 I figured if I can smoke on this cheap piece of equipment, then I can smoke on anything 😆 I figure if you can drive a hooptie, then I’m sure a new car would be no problem for you to drive🤷🏻♂️ Same concept. I have a few friends (and their friends) that pay me to smoke briskets and pulled pork for their games. It’s not work if you love it😇
I've done some really good bbq on my WSM 22, but definitely better on the custom built reverse flow at my bud's bbq place. WSM is a really good starter smoker for sure and I agree that ribs are its strong point.
Another awesome Video. I just purchased a Lone Star Grillz offset smoker. Wont be arriving until June but I'm excited. I will be doing a brisket when I get it.
I have a pellet, drum, and offset smoker. In the end of the day it all depends on how much time I have to spend maintaining the temp. From no time at all on the pellet smoker to Im going to sit all day in front of the fire on the offset
I have a Primo ceramic cooker and I don't regret buying it at all. The ceramic cookers are truly versatile, and you are right, I am very happy with the pork ribs I cook. The one downside is brisket. I can consistently cook a tender brisket with pretty good flavor. But it will never approach top level brisket. The ceramic grills want to run hot. It is easy to peg my 700 degree thermometer with the air dampers open. It is amazing how efficient they are when you close the air dampers. They will maintain 250 degrees for many hours with very little charcoal consumpion. But that limits the clean smoke you are producing and negatively affects the bark. I am really kicking around getting a cheap offset just for brisket. BTW, doesn't one of the Lockhart 3 cook fast over open coals? I might be able to pull that off on the Primo.
Yea. Brisket seems to be the only one that requires a bit more attention, but I’m sure it just takes time getting use to cooking it like that. I would like to get one to try it out, but I’m running out of space in my backyard. Hha
If I had known any better, I probably would go with some of the other guys I had mentioned, but I’m sure it’s a fine pit for backyard usage. Cooking space might get a little tight if you trying to do a cook that’s a little bit more. Thanks for watching!
I have a 18.5 WSM, and it has done me well thus far. Now if I could get you and Jeremy to convince my wife that I need an offset, that would be awesome. 😁
I agree whatever your cooking on you need to know what the temperature is at the same plane as what your cooking is very important. I've seen grate level temps on my thin offset 80 degrees higher than what I was seeing at grate level compared to the thermometer in the lid. Sometimes the difference in temperature changes throughout the cook as well and you wouldn't know that if your not paying attention to the temperature where your cooking otherwise.
Thanks for the continued videos Joe. Been cooking on reverse flows (Lang’s and JR Enterprise cookers) for 16 years. Still have them. But the Primitive Pits 1,000 I got last year is amazingly better than any of my other cookers. Better finished product, more evenly temps, etc..
Joe ,Do you ever use a ir thermometer the point and shoot kind? I have a Fluke a commericial one that i use to see if any electric connections are too hot. I use it to see what are my hot spots on my egg.
@@knoxavebbq I look & feel very technical ,watching my egg with a poker to make .001 adjustment in my bottom air ,a cigar and that gun in the other hand ... its a skill !!!
I personally haven’t cooked on one, so I’m sure, but I’ve heard good things from other ppl. I’m just going by what I know. If you’re willing to spend money, I would check out chudsbbq, primitive, workhorse, mil scale, and moberg.
Hi I love this series! Could you comment on how steep is the learning curve is from a WSM/Lang 48'/backyard offset smoker to a 500gal/1000gal smoker! Look forward to your BBQ Talk on this :D
to be completely transparent, fire management on a well-built 500 or 1,000 gallon pit is going to be considerably easier than on most small backyard offsets. The additional difficulty comes in with the increased meat volume because you have far more to keep track of.
Hey Joe thank you for the videos! I recently started reading more about folks saying easier to make good bbq on commercial sized pits vs smaller pits in our backyards. Do you find that to be generally true in your opinion too?
No I don’t think so. I think 1000 gallons are pretty difficult unless you’re filling it up end to end. Obviously you don’t want a tiny space to cook, but something that’s like half the size of a 250 I think is great. I think I get better food out of my backyard pit, even thought the fire can be a little more challenging to manage because the firebox is smaller.
I have a Weber 26... love it! I also have a 22" WSM, 24" Kamado Joe and a Rec Tec Pellet cooker, love all of them... But none of them put out the quality BBQ that my LSG 24"X48" offset does! Just something about the stick burner that takes the food to another level in IMHO.
I have an old country wrangler offset. I like the smoke you get from an offset over a pellet smoker. To me, pellet smokers are to expensive and you sacrifice a lot of smoke flavor unless you have one of those smoke tubes
MJY, you are exactly correct, I use my pellet smoker for flavor testing. I love JD’s pits and I want one of his offsets. However, I also want a Myron Mixon G-20, and a Kamado Komodo 32. Then the backyard will be complete.
I started with a PBC, got a great deal from the UK at the very beginning of the pandemic. Now i'm thinking about buying an Octo from Fatstack but just customs alone is gonna be crazy expensive, let's see!
Boom! You got it, brother. I run a Humphrey’s Battle Box as my main smoker (I’m in New England and I’m able to BBQ all year round without risking, ya know, dying of frost bite and hypothermia managing a fire all day. But it still allows me to cook with lump charcoal and wood). But to your point, I’m planning on building a drum cooler from scratch in a couple months when it warms up. After doing the research, I was super surprised at how simple it looks. I want to construct something that’s more like a direct heat cooker, and rig it so I can raise the fire basket up for more of a searing experience.
You can definitely turn out some decent eats in an electric or gas powered smoker, but I didn’t realize what I was missing out on until I started smoking with real fire.
This was hard to watch. I'm subscribed to your channel and your normally have some interesting ideas. But this video you would state your opinion then admit you don't have much or any experience with something you just said you didn't like. I believe you should have put a little fore thought into this video before turning on the camera or fixing things in post. For the beginner just say use what you have access to. The best way to determine what kind of cookers you want to get is cook as often as possible and decide what you like and don't like with that equipment and move forward. Always remember we are all different and in the end we need to discover what it is that "we" want as a individual. Don't concern yourself with what others like. After all it's your money your spending. After years of doing outdoors cooking I like many different types of cookers. They all have pros and cons. As to value as in bang for the buck I think vertical smokers are a great place to start. That said when I want a really nice "smoky" brisket and I have time to babysit the smoker I'm going straight to my offset. Have a great day 🌤 😀 🔥👍🍻
@@knoxavebbq I sure hope you didn't miss understand me on my comment earlier. I like your work. It was just this one could have been better. It's hard to give advice to some folks who are begging thier bbq journey. It's a journey of learning and experience. They need to discover their path and that takes time. They are always looking "for the one" The perfect cooker. The perfect meat. The perfect rub. Etc etc etc. So it's a truly difficult thing to try to deal with. 😅 I'm 64 I'm I'm still looking for new things to discover. Enjoy the journey. 😀👍🔥🙏😋🍻
I like having the Electric smoker around for warming and finishing off things in foil pans if needed. It's essentially an electric oven.
yea, i hear a lot of people doing that. unfortunately i don't have one, and don't plan on getting one. haha.
My journey is the same as yours! I had a chargrill the size of your firebox, and I shoved the meat on one side, and the coals and wood chips on the other side. Then I got a $200 offset from homie depot, and that’s all I’ve been using since (4 years)😬 It has taught me a lot about fire management and technique😁 I figured if I can smoke on this cheap piece of equipment, then I can smoke on anything 😆 I figure if you can drive a hooptie, then I’m sure a new car would be no problem for you to drive🤷🏻♂️ Same concept. I have a few friends (and their friends) that pay me to smoke briskets and pulled pork for their games. It’s not work if you love it😇
I've done some really good bbq on my WSM 22, but definitely better on the custom built reverse flow at my bud's bbq place. WSM is a really good starter smoker for sure and I agree that ribs are its strong point.
Definitely. That bottom is great for ribs
Another awesome Video. I just purchased a Lone Star Grillz offset smoker. Wont be arriving until June but I'm excited. I will be doing a brisket when I get it.
nice! should be good times.
LSG’s are second to none! 🔥🇺🇸👍🏼
@@jeans3490 that is great to hear. I ordered it in January. Eager for it to arrive.
I have a pellet, drum, and offset smoker. In the end of the day it all depends on how much time I have to spend maintaining the temp. From no time at all on the pellet smoker to Im going to sit all day in front of the fire on the offset
🤣🤣🤣 I Remember this smoker
which one are you talking about?
What do you cook on?
Yoder kingman and a 1000 gallon primitive
I have a Primo ceramic cooker and I don't regret buying it at all. The ceramic cookers are truly versatile, and you are right, I am very happy with the pork ribs I cook. The one downside is brisket. I can consistently cook a tender brisket with pretty good flavor. But it will never approach top level brisket. The ceramic grills want to run hot. It is easy to peg my 700 degree thermometer with the air dampers open. It is amazing how efficient they are when you close the air dampers. They will maintain 250 degrees for many hours with very little charcoal consumpion. But that limits the clean smoke you are producing and negatively affects the bark. I am really kicking around getting a cheap offset just for brisket. BTW, doesn't one of the Lockhart 3 cook fast over open coals? I might be able to pull that off on the Primo.
Yea. Brisket seems to be the only one that requires a bit more attention, but I’m sure it just takes time getting use to cooking it like that. I would like to get one to try it out, but I’m running out of space in my backyard. Hha
I’m going all in with a workhorse pit
Can’t go wrong with this
Love my 1975t
One day, I hope to convince my wife that I need an offset smoker.
Love me 1975
Great video. Just wanted to hear your thoughts on Yoder Cheyenne. Just smoking for family but want really authentic and good Barbecue.
If I had known any better, I probably would go with some of the other guys I had mentioned, but I’m sure it’s a fine pit for backyard usage. Cooking space might get a little tight if you trying to do a cook that’s a little bit more. Thanks for watching!
I have a 18.5 WSM, and it has done me well thus far. Now if I could get you and Jeremy to convince my wife that I need an offset, that would be awesome. 😁
That’s between you and the wife. Lol
Insulated vertical cabinet smokers like Lone Star grillz or Backwoods using charcoal and wood are great
I agree whatever your cooking on you need to know what the temperature is at the same plane as what your cooking is very important. I've seen grate level temps on my thin offset 80 degrees higher than what I was seeing at grate level compared to the thermometer in the lid. Sometimes the difference in temperature changes throughout the cook as well and you wouldn't know that if your not paying attention to the temperature where your cooking otherwise.
💯
Very informative. Can't say I agree with everything but thanks for sharing.
Regards from Australia 🤓🇦🇺🇺🇸
I love and appreciate different opinions. Like I love to say, “it’s all about preferences.” Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the continued videos Joe. Been cooking on reverse flows (Lang’s and JR Enterprise cookers) for 16 years. Still have them. But the Primitive Pits 1,000 I got last year is amazingly better than any of my other cookers. Better finished product, more evenly temps, etc..
How would you compare the food quality between a WSM and an offset? Thanks!
What kind of smoker do you have at home looks like a old country
Joe ,Do you ever use a ir thermometer the point and shoot kind?
I have a Fluke a commericial one that i use to see if any electric connections are too hot.
I use it to see what are my hot spots on my egg.
I haven’t, but I’m sure it works fine.
@@knoxavebbq I look & feel very technical ,watching my egg with a poker to make .001 adjustment in my bottom air ,a cigar and that gun in the other hand ... its a skill !!!
Do you consider direct cooking over wood coals barbeque? Is there anything you'd do this way other than chicken and maybe steak?
I don’t ever wanna fit the term in a box. I just think cooking with wood, fire and smoke is where I sit with what it means.
Outstanding ! Made 3 pastramis on my BGE , now your brisket speaks to me now . thank you Joe .
Tell what do you think about insulated vault smokers like lonestargrillz IVS?
I personally haven’t cooked on one, so I’m sure, but I’ve heard good things from other ppl. I’m just going by what I know. If you’re willing to spend money, I would check out chudsbbq, primitive, workhorse, mil scale, and moberg.
Another great video. Where's your go to spot for quality meat?
Hi I love this series! Could you comment on how steep is the learning curve is from a WSM/Lang 48'/backyard offset smoker to a 500gal/1000gal smoker! Look forward to your BBQ Talk on this :D
It’s not that steep of learning curve. You should be fine.
to be completely transparent, fire management on a well-built 500 or 1,000 gallon pit is going to be considerably easier than on most small backyard offsets. The additional difficulty comes in with the increased meat volume because you have far more to keep track of.
Hey Joe thank you for the videos! I recently started reading more about folks saying easier to make good bbq on commercial sized pits vs smaller pits in our backyards. Do you find that to be generally true in your opinion too?
No I don’t think so. I think 1000 gallons are pretty difficult unless you’re filling it up end to end. Obviously you don’t want a tiny space to cook, but something that’s like half the size of a 250 I think is great. I think I get better food out of my backyard pit, even thought the fire can be a little more challenging to manage because the firebox is smaller.
@@knoxavebbq thank you for taking the time to respond! 👍🏼
Hi Thank you for information what you do very helpful .i am from Chicago too. and i wanna know Please if you can. from where you get/buy your logs?
A1 firewood
@@knoxavebbq i really Appreciate man Thank you! keep doing what are you doing you are awesome!
If I could do it all over again, I shouldve bought a weber 26" with a SNS
I have a Weber 26... love it! I also have a 22" WSM, 24" Kamado Joe and a Rec Tec Pellet cooker, love all of them... But none of them put out the quality BBQ that my LSG 24"X48" offset does! Just something about the stick burner that takes the food to another level in IMHO.
So what would be a good offset for a beginner to that style of Q?
Nice one MJY. I have a pellet, a vertical wood & gas fired, and a Weber Kettle with an SNS. Saving for one of JD’s masterpieces.
I have an old country wrangler offset. I like the smoke you get from an offset over a pellet smoker. To me, pellet smokers are to expensive and you sacrifice a lot of smoke flavor unless you have one of those smoke tubes
Agreed
MJY, you are exactly correct, I use my pellet smoker for flavor testing. I love JD’s pits and I want one of his offsets. However, I also want a Myron Mixon G-20, and a Kamado Komodo 32. Then the backyard will be complete.
I started with a PBC, got a great deal from the UK at the very beginning of the pandemic. Now i'm thinking about buying an Octo from Fatstack but just customs alone is gonna be crazy expensive, let's see!
If really on a budget. I'd buy an oil drum. And cut a hole on the bottom and open the top. Put a grill on it and get a 18 inch grill top.
Boom! You got it, brother. I run a Humphrey’s Battle Box as my main smoker (I’m in New England and I’m able to BBQ all year round without risking, ya know, dying of frost bite and hypothermia managing a fire all day. But it still allows me to cook with lump charcoal and wood). But to your point, I’m planning on building a drum cooler from scratch in a couple months when it warms up. After doing the research, I was super surprised at how simple it looks. I want to construct something that’s more like a direct heat cooker, and rig it so I can raise the fire basket up for more of a searing experience.
@@omcorc old school
Cabinet smokers aren’t all electric or propane. Back Woods, Lonestar, and Humphrey’s all make solid charcoal fed cabinet smokers.
yup. i know. im specifically talking about the electric and gas.
@@knoxavebbq Gotcha.
You can definitely turn out some decent eats in an electric or gas powered smoker, but I didn’t realize what I was missing out on until I started smoking with real fire.
@@omcorc for sure, but it's definitely not the same. lol.
Best commercial smoker - primitive pits, of course.
Free Weber on Craigslist is the BEST place to start! 🔥🇺🇸👍🏼
Free is always good
I got a free cheap offset smoker on craigslist. I cooked ribs and chicken so far is really good. I will try a brisket after I modify the chimney
This was hard to watch. I'm subscribed to your channel and your normally have some interesting ideas. But this video you would state your opinion then admit you don't have much or any experience with something you just said you didn't like. I believe you should have put a little fore thought into this video before turning on the camera or fixing things in post. For the beginner just say use what you have access to. The best way to determine what kind of cookers you want to get is cook as often as possible and decide what you like and don't like with that equipment and move forward. Always remember we are all different and in the end we need to discover what it is that "we" want as a individual. Don't concern yourself with what others like. After all it's your money your spending. After years of doing outdoors cooking I like many different types of cookers. They all have pros and cons. As to value as in bang for the buck I think vertical smokers are a great place to start. That said when I want a really nice "smoky" brisket and I have time to babysit the smoker I'm going straight to my offset. Have a great day 🌤 😀 🔥👍🍻
Thanks
@@knoxavebbq I sure hope you didn't miss understand me on my comment earlier. I like your work. It was just this one could have been better. It's hard to give advice to some folks who are begging thier bbq journey. It's a journey of learning and experience. They need to discover their path and that takes time. They are always looking "for the one" The perfect cooker. The perfect meat. The perfect rub. Etc etc etc. So it's a truly difficult thing to try to deal with. 😅 I'm 64 I'm I'm still looking for new things to discover. Enjoy the journey. 😀👍🔥🙏😋🍻