Loved seeing Erika on the video!!! Great job Jeremy showing & describing how each cooker tasted in the end. And your neighbor was great also!!! You can't go wrong with a true stick burner!!!! Cheers brother!!!! Much love to you & Erika!
For the little subtle difference, I prefer my WSM. You didn’t mention the thousands of dollars difference nor the footprint of each. Thanks for the comparison.
Traeger owner here. I don’t own and haven’t used any other smoker. I do spend several weeks a year in Dallas and am familiar with good brisket. You did this test just right Jeremy. I use the low temp for the first few hours, always cook fat cap down, and spritz sparingly only after several hours. For best results, I dry brine overnight in the fridge. I put the brisket on the traeger straight from the fridge at the coolest possible temperature. If I want a smokier flavor the charcoal pellets seems to add some flavor. I frequently blend pellet flavors trying to find the mix of flavor we like. Most often this has been a Texas and charcoal blend, or competition and charcoal blend. Never has my brisket compared exactly with exactly what I love in Texas, but it’s plenty good for me and my family and friends. The flavor is never quite “offset smokey” and the fat doesn’t render as perfect. that said, it’s the smoker I have and love it works well for many foods. Very well done video. Thank you for the wonderful education each week. Please keep up the great content. - Matt from Utah
@@replynotificationsdisabled not sure what you mean. I assume you mean it as some type of insult. God bless you anyway. The kids and I love coloring, painting, boating, hiking, biking, surfing, and recording music while we smoke brisket and many other foods. Art heals the soul, and allows for mental clarity. This helps prevent me from making unconstructive comments such as yours. Give the crayons a try, you’ll find you’re a happier person with less need to troll endlessly on TH-cam.
@@mattdcall I find comments like those from Teddy to be representative of a life lacking purpose. Why else would some make such a comment to somebody he doesn't know? And about a cooking tool no less! Utterly ridiculous.
This is probably your best video man. In terms of creativity, fun, and most importantly your personality really coming out makes it great. You seem really relaxed and comfortable with this video.
This video is your best yet. I loved how unscripted it felt and real when you were making your guesses. Also, bring her into the video more! Erica should be part of the taste testing too and stop hiding behind the camera! Team up! (It will make it more relatable for the ladies)
I moved from a WSM to a Traeger Ironwood 650 this year and I think a lot of these comments miss the point. I’m really glad that some folks have 12 hours or more they can devote to tending fires in an offset or that it’s something they enjoy - but not all of us have that kind of time. The Traeger isn’t meant for those folks. It still produces damn good BBQ in a package that quite literally could not be more easy to manage. But if you go into it thinking you are going to get the same level of flavor as a stick burner I think you are just setting yourself up for disappointment. Additionally, no idea why the door was leaking like that, throw some fire gasket tape around the door if it doesn’t have it already.
I think you nailed it. I have a Pit Boss, and while I love the ease and make some dang good BBQ on it, there are a few BBQ joints in-town that use stick burners that I can't compete with and hit up every now and then to remind myself of what really good BBQ is.
sums it up; can now have decent bbq on weeknights; and it beats 90% of bbq in my area (i am stuck in new England; all we have is bad Italian food, dunkin donuts and liquor stores)
I have the Ironwood 650 as well and couldn't be happier with it. I'm not doing any sort of competition cooking, just making tasty foods for friends and family.
The door leaked like that because the Traeger was made in China and uses thin steel. The door expands/contracts during the heating/cooling process because it isn't heavy duty enough to maintain the seal. This is why I have a Yoder YS-640.
@@richarddexter7641 well not apples to orange comparison at 2x cost price point. Overall the timberline pro models have 16 gauge which isn't terrible at 1k mark.
Great video! I have a Traeger Ironwood 650, my first smoker, and it's pretty much perfect for my family. My wife doesn't love a strong smoke flavour, so briskets with it are perfect for us. The super smoke function lets me pack a bit more smoke flavour in, which is handy. The hard part in my neck of the woods (Finland) is just getting my hands on quality meat to cook... And it's practically impossible to source tallow here so I'm going to have to make my own next time! Convenience-wise: I sold my gas grill 6 months after getting the Traeger! I now grill everything with a touch of smoke, it's so versatile :)
My first experience with butcher paper was Reynolds wrap. Used it 3 or 4 times. I'm not sure if I was doing something wrong but it messed my temps up everytime. Guess I'm just used to foil. Works every time.
Been using a 22" WSM for a couple years now, get some fantastic results, and you certainly can't beat it for value, but I really want to get an offset. Looking at the old country bbq brazos.
I have one, and love it! Added the tel-tru thermometers, gasket sealer tape for the doors, and it does exactly what I want. Keep kicking around the idea of ordering a Moberg or a high end smoker, but for now my results are amazing. Right now me and my $399.00 smoker get better results than Bill Miller's (fast food barbecue) and Rudy's Country Store.
Great content. For me, the WSM has performed perfectly using chunk mesquite on brisket. 3 good-sized chunks at each vent and one in the center, to pour your hot coals on, bringing the smoker up to temp.
I prefer to use 2 chunks hickory and 2 mesquite. You can't beat a wsm. You can pretty much set it and forget it for 8 hours or so before you really have to adjust anything. I love it
Great video!!! Love the family affair thing happening. I had the WSM 22" and loved the flavor. Sold it for a Traeger PS and hated it due to lack of smoke flavor. If I have to buy an add-on tube to get more smoke then that tells me even Traeger had no confidence in their smoker. So, I then traded the Traeger to the guy I sold my WSM and never looked back.
Pellet smokers have their place, especially for beginners and people who don't have the time or patience to tend a fire (which is a lot of us). Traegers make great BBQ, I have nothing against them, but pellet smokers will never replace traditional offset (best) or charcoal (2nd best). If they, did Aaron Franklin would just push buttons each night on his Traeagers and cut his manpower in half haha. Love your videos, one of the best BBQ channels on TH-cam!
Kamado Joe, with the Slo Roller, XL chunks and Post Oak Chunks. Once you get the temperature dialed in you can literally take a nap for the first three hours and then set your alarm every hour for a check and spritzing until it's time to wrap. Never have to add fuel for the entire cook. Pretty bulletproof. Tried the pickle juice Franklin's brisket with Lawry's for Labor's Day and it turned out fantastic. Love your content! Thank you.
I currently only have an electric cabinet and a pellet grill. But on the 4th I got to use someone's offset and I did 2 pork butts. After cooking them and staying up all night I said I'd never do it again. After tasting the pork I said I want an offset. Best pork I've ever made. Smoke ring was crazy.
I mentioned above, but specifically even different pellets can produce totally different results. Trager pellets are really for grilling, They are about 80% hard maple and 20% whatever the type says. Meant to burn cleanly and not so much to produce smoke. There are much better pellets available for smoking.
Mad Scientist continually gives great info without being arrogant about it. I wish I knew how he rests for so long without losing temp. I tried this over labor day and failed miserably. I then went to warm setting 170 oven and dried it out... I was able to revive with beef consume and foil cover but it just tasted like oven brisket at that point
Did you use charcoal or lump charcoal on the WSM? I switched from charcoal to lump charcoal. It was a complete game changer. In particular royal oak or b&b. Because it's already burnt wood you get more of that offset flavor.
I'm glad you tested out a WSM. I absolutely love mine. I think when you become more familiar with it you'll appreciate it for it's simplicity for cooking and finding that perfect smoke flavor. I did a 21lb Brisket on mine with 4 chunks of Hickory and it was phenomenal. I'm sure you'll come around on it, but you put it against a Franklin put. That's not a fair competition.
@Hamilton Jones if your buying a WSM then you are paying double for the name and you are definitely interested in smoking but would likely lose your wife if you purchased the Franklin.
"Very faint smoke flavor" is a perfect assessment of pellet grills. I've tried mainstream ones and very expensive models and the WSM outcooks them any day. I absolutely love the WSM. So easy, such amazing results.
Loved this video Jeremy! The interaction with the neighbor and then your wife at the end was superb. Always love how informative yet simple your videos are, keep it going brother. 👍🏼
Same. Less work than an offset and still get great flavor. I just use the smoke setting for 8hrs instead of 3 or 4 which I think is why he didn’t have as much flavor in the video
So, I'm wondering what charcoal you used in the WSM. I cook on one all the time, and looking at what you ended up with is very different from what I do. Straight lump can be OK, but I always get temp swings. Traditional charcoal gives an odd flavor. Hardwood briquets do a much better job of keeping temp, and give the blue smoke you see. I almost always use a mix of chunks, but Pecan/Apple/Cherry you can be a bit aggressive with safely. Also, I go fat down on the WSM. Heat source is below, so the fat renders differently and you get a better ring. I would love to know the actual methodology you used on the WSM. Also, your channel has improved my brisket game immensely, so thank you.
Believe that the fat side down on the WSM would cause all of the fat rendering to fall into the bottom of the smoker rather than melt into the brisket with fat side up. Just sayin
I am guessing you used the Harry Soo method of adding wood chunks to your charcoal in the WSM. I have done it his way and put chunks on top and I get way more smoke flavor with the chunks on top of the coals. Probably 12-14 chunks depending on the size of the chunks. I have an 18 and a 22. Great cookers putting out consistently great results for me.
I’ve used all of these style pits and I agree completely with these results. I built my own offset 10 years ago and all my friends and family borrow it so much, they use it more than I do. It’s the best way to bbq in my opinion.
@Mad Scientist BBQ I am a big fan. I only have a Traeger Ironwood 650. My kids bought it for me. I have been using a pit barrel cooker for a while. I like them both. I would probably never buy an offset smoker because I would never have the time to invest in making great barbeque on one. Your videos are so helpful either way. Besides you, there are one or two other TH-camrs that I watch reverently because of the factual information you post. Judging from the comments, smoker people are pretty much like the Mac/PC faithfuls who constantly bicker about how much better their systems are than the other guy's. To each his own,. I would love to someday get an offset to use, but time and wood seem to be a big factor. Smoke on, EVERYONE! Keep the great videos coming!
@@MadScientistBBQ would you ever be interested in doin a reverse flow compared to a traditional offset sometime? I want to see if there’s a big difference in bark and over all finished product?
I agree 100% that an offset is going to get the best result. I have both an offset and a traeger timberline. It took me a while tweaking my recipes and techniques but I have them really close in results now. When I have time I fire up the offset but nothing beats being able to throw on a brisket before bed, wrap it before going to work and having it done by noon and resting in the warming setting so I can eat it for dinner. Time is valuable and the pellet smokers really bring that convenience factor.
I only use a offset pit at 250 degrees. I use a bed of natural charcoal and pecan wood on top of it for the smoke. I make my own rub from scratch and everyone I've done a brisket for claims it's the best the've ever had. You go out of your way to do it right like I do. That dedication to excellence is what makes the difference. I get most of my wood from my own pecan trees here in Galveston county Texas. You make good BBQ video keep it up.
There is a little user error here. I have used WSM and offsets and can usually get a WSM really close to an offset in terms of smoke flavor. Getting the texture and fat to render is likely a result of temp. I run both at 275. Also on WSM you dont get enough air flow without a fan/thermostat combo. I think the trick on the WSM is to run it with the snake method for 4 hours and then reset the charcoal snake and run it again for 4 hours. You want to add just enough charcoal that the fan is going the whole time. The other thing is that you actually want to get your wood to fire up and give you primary and secondary combustion. The trick to doing this without running the fire too hot is to use less charcoal.
Agree. I run my WSM at ~250 temp using snake method and full water pan personally. I have found that if you run it at ~225, you don’t get as great of fat render or bark on the brisket. The higher temps work here on the WSM
@@Camel_Carpaccio The other thing I was thinking about is that on an offset I run a mix of post oak and pecan with charcoal to get things going. On a WSM I just run pecan and charcoal because you are using so much less wood so you want to go with woods with stronger flavor.
I used to have a crappy little $40 smoker, like a cheap version of the Weber smokey mountain without the adjustable baffles. If you're using that kind of smoker, I strongly advise you to use orange coals only with charcoal or wood, or it will be way too smokey and you will be burping up that campfire taste all day (too much smoke on the outside of the meat). I used to get my charcoal or wood fully burning in my smoker and then load more orange coals from a charcoal chimney when I needed to cook longer. I would throw a chunk of unburnt wood in there now and then to up the smoke but not too much. I want to try the same thing with a stick burner. If you look at the way old style bbq pit guys like Scott's BBQ in South Carolina and Myron Mixon's School of BBQ, they only shovel orange coals in their smokers from their burn barrels. If you're doing a real long cook, use only orange coals. You don't want that wood billowing smoke. I think a lot of you stick burner guys don't know how much smoke is too much and over smoke your stuff.
Is someone talking in non-Texan and I don't understand? HEB (the greatest grocery store in existence and almost only in Texas) started offering red butcher paper a couple of years ago...I'll admit the Reynold's wrap cutter is a nice addition though (and I'd probably pay for it).
I see why they call you the Mad Scientist. Great Job man !!! You alone have fueled a passion in me to smoke meat. It was amazing how you picked each one genuinely. I smoked a brisket for the very first time ( using your videos ) and it turned out amazing. You made me look like a professional PITMASTER. You're spot on with your technique and your delivery. Keep'em coming, I'm watching. Like husband like wife, she NAILED it !!! Be Blessed !!!
Loved this video with taste test between you, your wife, and a neighbor. Very informative! Have a suggestion for a similar video. Can you do a blind taste test between a pellet grill, pellet grill with a smoking tube, and a stick burner. I have not been able to find a similar video on TH-cam. Love your videos!
2 minutes in and wondering why the bowl under the bottom section of the Smokey Mountain is upside down? Pro tip from Harry Soo, who I saw in a recent Mad Scientist video, put a chunk or two of smoke wood under the middle a brisket to raise the center and pull in the sides to make a big one fit . The largest I've cooked in my 18" was #17.5 before trimming. Can't wait to see the final taste test on this one.
Total rookie question here but gonna ask anyway. I use a kamado joe but thinking about buying a brazos offset. With my kamado I can pretty much lock in a temp go to sleep and finish the cook in the AM without really having to manage the fire. Pretty much sounds like to me that you have at most 45 minutes before you have to throw on another split. What do you do for a 16 hour smoke ?
Would like to see your honest assessment on a Char-Griller gravity fed smoker compared to the regular stick burner. Basically started with charcoal and fill the gravity tube with chunks of wood.
You get good clean smoke doing that? I’ve found putting too much wood chunks in the hopper gives me bad smoke. I only put one or two in the hopper now and add chunks in the ash pan.
I use a Pit Boss Copperhead vertical smoker bought on sale at Walmart for $300, and I couldn't be more pleased with it. I rarely use my horizontal smoker for smoking anymore! I get great results with minimal fuss and plenty of smoky flavor (sometimes too much smoky flavor as reported by my sidekick). I couldn't be more of a novice when it comes to smoking meats, but I have successfully smoked a number of Boston butts, Italian sausages and chicken and am presently getting psyched to do my first brisket! Whether horizontal or vertical, I can see that indirect smoking is by far better than that if a direct source, and though my Pit Boss is in the center of the base of the cabinet, I believe that the heat is dispersed well enough to keep it off the meat on the lower levels! Being vertical works for me because I just don't have a lot of space to store equipment.
Have you ever used an Ugly Drum Smoker? Curious how it would compare to the other smokers that your using. Your videos are very helpful and I appreciate what you've put out, thanks. I've currently built 2 UDS and have one more to go, love cooking on them and they produce amazing food!! Looking forward to your next video!!
I have both a uds and a 125 gallon offset. The uds makes it easy to make good brisket(FWIW a uds will make the best homemade bacon you've ever had) but you have to know when to wrap it to prevent over smoking it with the dirty-ish smoke they typically produce compared to a hot burning offset. Use only lump charcoal and a handful of wood...or learn the hard way. A heavy well built offset will make far superior brisket, not even real close imo. You have to use well seasoned wood and learn how to maintain the fire to get the right burn. Once you figure this out you cannot over smoke the meat.
@@alcalc8938 thanks AL I tried cooking a point last weekend and over cooked it. I tried smoking at 250° but I was struggling getting drum to run under 300°. Yes I only use lump and I don't get a good smoke but that's okay my wife doesn't care for smoke food so it's a happy medium.
I have a Traeger XL and I have never cooked a brisket fat down always fat up, I typically cook a 18 to 22 lb brisket. I have been cooking BBQ since the 70s and often cook for 25 to 35 people at my home. I started like most of us with an large BBQ with a small fire at one end then I made an offset witch was way better. I have had in my life time many different types, some I disliked so much I got rid of them right away. When the treager came out it was just another gadget to me until I got to see one in action at our local ACE hardware store and I have never looked back the ease in cooking with it is hands down the best. I mite also add that that black bark you all talk about to me looks like burned meat an offset is great for burning meat just my opinion. // Keep up the good work
Man your wife got hands, was afraid for you when she started swinging! 😂 Really well done test, I've seen multiple "cooker vs cooker" test videos but this was the most organized and easiest one to watch that I have ever seen. RIP Kobe! 🙏
Thanks. I've had a Weber for years but have been thinking about getting a pellet smoker. However, after watching your video. I'm now strongly leaning towards the offset, Franklin type. Gonna go check them out now.
You and your wife are so cute! I cook with a pellet grill and I think a smoke tube is a must. When I retire I will upgrade to a offset. Thanks for all the great videos!
It is not the pit it is the pitmaster, this is my opinion. I have multiple of these smokers, cooking for crowds. If you spend as much time, how to do the pellet and the WSM, as to the offset, you get great results of all of them. You need stronger woods and different temperatur management and time for the offset. For the WSM i use Inkbird blower systems and wood management like Harry Soo. Chapeau and cheers from Austria ! 👍👍
So glad I got an Oklahoma Joe’s offset last year! I, too, enjoy the process and 3 out of 4 briskets have been very good. Interestingly the first and the 4th turned out to be the best. Salmon, chicken and ribs have all turned out great. Thanks for this comparison of smokers. I have shared it with other avid smokers.
What coal did you use in the Weber? You mentioned a different flavor, wonder if that's where it's coming from. I use FOGO super premium and it burns super clean.
Would like it if you could figure a a way to get better results on a pellet grill! Is one better than another? What about the different pellets?Does one brand of pellets work better than another? How can any grill compete with your top of the line Franklin!
This was a very good test with results that aren't surprising at all. As a purist at heart nothing beats a stick burner, it's just the way it's supposed to be done, period. That being said, I use a WSM. For me the positives outweigh the negatives. I can take it apart, put it in the truck and take it anywhere, not happening with a stick burner. The WSM (with a couple of easy add-ons) holds temp extremely well and lump charcoal is easy to come by for alot of people that can't easily source good cooking wood. In all honesty I never get any complaints with the WSM results, I'm the only one that complains. You can't get stick burner flavor, just can't do it, but in my opinion it's the next best and it is just so easy to use.
This was great! As an avid WSM user (22 inch), I do think you could get a better flavor if you cook with it longer. I'll grant that offsets produce the best flavor, but in my experience, the WSM is a much closer second than you seemed to indicate here. Also, fat cap down produces better bark. But I rest it fat cap up.
@MadScientistBBQ Great video. I love my WSM but would happily swap it for the Franklin! After seeing the video reviews you did on the Franklin…I’m sold. Question: what is your 12 hour rest process? Do you mind sharing a few details on how you like to rest the brisket that long? Thanks!!!
We have a new Traeger that has turned out dry brisket that is nowhere near this color two times now. The probe had it at 190 degrees but it had been on 6 hours. We took it off and it was dry. We used a good rub, sprayed it, wrapped it in butcher paper. Followed directions to the T both times.
Good show! You are so right, once you use a good size heavy offset and get the fire correct there is no going back to 'easy' methods using charcoal or pellets. It simply doesn't compare.
@@Chilax probably. I have yet to have any bitterness in my smoke. I don’t know if it’s Harry’s wood under the coals technique I use but all the pork butts, hams and bacon I’ve smoked on there have been very good…nowhere near offputting smoke.
I smoked a 20 lb turkey on my Traeger Texas pellet smoker for Thanksgiving, and used a tube smoker to amplify the smoke flavor. I used a mixture of pecan and apple pellets (which are both mixed with oak for providing more heat output.) The result was a very pleasant smoke flavor that did not overpower the turkey meat.
This is such a great video. I own a MAK pellet grill and 2 of the WSM type (charcoal with wood chunks). I've never used an offset but my Franklin smoker is supposed to be completed and shipped this month. I really appreciate the insight you give in this comparison. I didn't think I could get more excited about getting the Franklin offset, but this video turns my anticipation up even more now.
I know you intentionally avoided using a smoke tube for the pellet grill but in all honesty, it is an absolute MUST for a pellet grill and makes a world of difference! Good job!
What brand of pellets were used? I've seen other videos where the brand of pellets make a huge difference. Anyway, thank you for comparing these 3 as I've been curious to see your take.
I cook on the WSM mostly. I have an 18 and a 22. I’ve never cooked brisket on the 18 though. I’m surprised you got it to fit! I’ve also smoked a brisket on a Weber Kettle. Love it!
Last brisket I did on my 18" was one my wife picked up at Costco. It was about 18+ lbs so I ended up having to trim several inches off the flat. It was actually pretty nice to have a second "mini" brisket (that was done pretty quickly) to snack on while the rest of it finished up.
I recommend that you do a video explaining how you choose a temperature on an offset. You mentioned that the Franklin was best at 275 or so - how do you come to that conclusion. When we buy a new offset, what can we do to "calibrate" our pits for brisket, pork butts, etc. Always love your videos! Thanks!
The only thing this video shows is which smoker Jeremy is most skilled at using. Bring in Harry Soo and he would cook a brisket that is just as good or better using a weber smokey mountain. Jeremy is pro at offsets no doubt.
@@zmechy1456 absolutely but Harry competes with offsets and pellet smokers all the time and turns out legit top tier cooks and wins. Might not be the best example of bbq in general, but it does show the possibilities
I’ll be the first to say I love Harry and I have bought his merch. He’s fantastic, but competition brisket is much different than tradition barbecue. Put enough beef au jus and thinned out sauce on each slice and it will always taste great for a one bite comp. I’m just saying, not enough air is flowing through a WSM, or even a PBC (I have both and I cook on them often) but I’m telling you nothing beats an offset unless your into that slightly bitter flavor and less fat rendering… your call.
For sure, something heavy like mesquite or hickory or even post oak would bring in much better smoke flavor on such a big piece of beef.....cherry or pecan wouldn't do much at all
@@ZmannR2 I was talking about the brand, some of them use 100% of the wood type they are, and some like traeger use oak and scented oils of mesquite or whatever wood.
@@jonnyg44 the cheapest and best ones near me are the bear mountain pellets. They sell then at tractor supply for about $10 a 20 pound bag and they have lots of flavor options.
First time viewer. I think you should have included more info on these cooks. What brand and flavor pellets? What type and brand charcoal and wood chunks? What type wood in offset? Any off camera techniques such as spritzing? In my opinion, why vary the cook temps so much? To me that really impacts the fat rendering. Great video .
That specific WSM looks like one of the smaller options. The WSM 22 is the way to go if you want a ceramic smoker, and it's no more than half the price of Komado Joe or Big Green Egg.
The WSM is nowhere near a ceramic smoker man.....it's kind of the same shape that's about it. Ceramics retain heat and moisture like nothing on the planet, they also seal INCREDIBLY well. Also they'll last you a lifetime as they wont rust
Awesome videos as always. One comment about the rendered fat caught my ear though. I also have used all 3 types of cookers…but have a lot of experience using a WSM. And out of a ton of briskets…going hot and fast on a wsm will ALWAYS render the fat better than doing a typical 225 low and slow cook. The idea of going with the best cooking for each particular smoker was a good good idea…but you just might be surprised doing a 275-325 wsm smoke. Anyway, thanks for the vid
Danny, for hot and fast on WSM one might be better off using wood chunks with strong smoke flavor such as hickory. Oak might be subdued. What you think?
@@CoolJay77 yeah I like that theory...simply because smoke exposure on a hot and fast cook will be limited be default since you will likely be wrapping around the 3-4 hour mark. However, the times I've used post oak chunks going hot and fast have still produced great results so you mileage may vary. Part of the fun to experiment though!
Brilliant video thanks Jeremy. There is a trend on gravity feds like masterbuilt and chargriller so comparing that against the offset or pellet would be cool. Thanks!
I recently started using a pellet smoker and one thing I can say is that the brand of pellets you use makes a big difference. Traeger's pellets are kind of crappy. Not sure if that's what you used, but I've used them before and got very little flavor.
Use to have off set but like to sleep at night. I agree you get a little more quality smoke on it but not enough to tend the fire. Plus I like the versatility of the WSM (all I use now). I can hang ribs or chicken at high heat, skip the wood and use it as a oven. Learned the best setup for flavor and function is use fill with lump charcoal and some wood chunks. I never use water in the pan anymore, just heat baffle plate. I is use a FlameBoss WiFi fan and it is amazingly accurate for 20 hours. Pellet smokers really have decent flavor but the WSM is more fun with about the same work.
I have been smoking briskets on the WSM22 for several years. I’d be honored to pack it up and come do a comparison cook with you!!! BTW, have you done a comparison between your Old Country Brazos and the Franklin? I’m really tempted to get an offset and the Brazos is top of my list (since dropping $4G on a Franklin probably wouldn’t get approval from the Board of Trustee). Also, I’d be interested to see how results of other cooks (butts, baby backs, turkey) compare between your offset and my WSM.
I imagine, with Jeremy's mastership, he can pull similar results on either Brazos or Franklin, even if he seems to rate Franklin much higher. Find the clip that he cooks on a dirt cheap offset smoker with great results. I would guess Franklin may be easier to control for a lesser experienced cook, but I'll leave that for Jeremy to answer.
When she got them right you could tell he was like I’ve never loved you more than this exact moment 😂
Best comment award 🏆
LOL. I know id be excited if it was me
You’re not wrong
She is super impressive. She nailed it!
He was rendering as she was guessing
Loved seeing Erika on the video!!! Great job Jeremy showing & describing how each cooker tasted in the end. And your neighbor was great also!!! You can't go wrong with a true stick burner!!!! Cheers brother!!!! Much love to you & Erika!
You're the best person
t-roy, man both of yall cook good ...
We love you t buddy!! Glad you started making videos again! You and Karen are an awesome couple
Love ya troy!
Harry Soo, from last video he is an expert with WSM right?
Do a video with him!!
Compare offset vs wsm
This is a great idea!
The wife is a real plus in this episode! Y’all are a cute couple!
Rh
@ANGRYWOLVES I’d have put smile in quotes 🤣
12:43 is my fast forward just to see the wife.
Keeper
@@trappedindc8678lol beautiful "smile"
For the little subtle difference, I prefer my WSM. You didn’t mention the thousands of dollars difference nor the footprint of each. Thanks for the comparison.
I like that the Cali Mad BBQ Scientist knows his Central Texas BBQ joints. Wifey was wearing a Kreuz BBQ shirt. Too cool!!!
Traeger owner here. I don’t own and haven’t used any other smoker. I do spend several weeks a year in Dallas and am familiar with good brisket. You did this test just right Jeremy. I use the low temp for the first few hours, always cook fat cap down, and spritz sparingly only after several hours. For best results, I dry brine overnight in the fridge. I put the brisket on the traeger straight from the fridge at the coolest possible temperature. If I want a smokier flavor the charcoal pellets seems to add some flavor. I frequently blend pellet flavors trying to find the mix of flavor we like. Most often this has been a Texas and charcoal blend, or competition and charcoal blend. Never has my brisket compared exactly with exactly what I love in Texas, but it’s plenty good for me and my family and friends. The flavor is never quite “offset smokey” and the fat doesn’t render as perfect. that said, it’s the smoker I have and love it works well for many foods. Very well done video. Thank you for the wonderful education each week. Please keep up the great content. - Matt from Utah
You bring crayons and coloring books with your traeger?
@@replynotificationsdisabled not sure what you mean. I assume you mean it as some type of insult. God bless you anyway. The kids and I love coloring, painting, boating, hiking, biking, surfing, and recording music while we smoke brisket and many other foods. Art heals the soul, and allows for mental clarity. This helps prevent me from making unconstructive comments such as yours. Give the crayons a try, you’ll find you’re a happier person with less need to troll endlessly on TH-cam.
@@mattdcall lulz
I always mix in some Lumberjack Charcoal/hickory pellets with whatever other type of “wood” I’m using on a long cook.
@@mattdcall I find comments like those from Teddy to be representative of a life lacking purpose. Why else would some make such a comment to somebody he doesn't know? And about a cooking tool no less! Utterly ridiculous.
This is probably your best video man. In terms of creativity, fun, and most importantly your personality really coming out makes it great. You seem really relaxed and comfortable with this video.
This video is your best yet. I loved how unscripted it felt and real when you were making your guesses. Also, bring her into the video more! Erica should be part of the taste testing too and stop hiding behind the camera! Team up! (It will make it more relatable for the ladies)
I moved from a WSM to a Traeger Ironwood 650 this year and I think a lot of these comments miss the point. I’m really glad that some folks have 12 hours or more they can devote to tending fires in an offset or that it’s something they enjoy - but not all of us have that kind of time. The Traeger isn’t meant for those folks. It still produces damn good BBQ in a package that quite literally could not be more easy to manage. But if you go into it thinking you are going to get the same level of flavor as a stick burner I think you are just setting yourself up for disappointment.
Additionally, no idea why the door was leaking like that, throw some fire gasket tape around the door if it doesn’t have it already.
I think you nailed it. I have a Pit Boss, and while I love the ease and make some dang good BBQ on it, there are a few BBQ joints in-town that use stick burners that I can't compete with and hit up every now and then to remind myself of what really good BBQ is.
sums it up; can now have decent bbq on weeknights; and it beats 90% of bbq in my area (i am stuck in new England; all we have is bad Italian food, dunkin donuts and liquor stores)
I have the Ironwood 650 as well and couldn't be happier with it. I'm not doing any sort of competition cooking, just making tasty foods for friends and family.
The door leaked like that because the Traeger was made in China and uses thin steel. The door expands/contracts during the heating/cooling process because it isn't heavy duty enough to maintain the seal. This is why I have a Yoder YS-640.
@@richarddexter7641 well not apples to orange comparison at 2x cost price point.
Overall the timberline pro models have 16 gauge which isn't terrible at 1k mark.
Great video! I have a Traeger Ironwood 650, my first smoker, and it's pretty much perfect for my family. My wife doesn't love a strong smoke flavour, so briskets with it are perfect for us. The super smoke function lets me pack a bit more smoke flavour in, which is handy. The hard part in my neck of the woods (Finland) is just getting my hands on quality meat to cook... And it's practically impossible to source tallow here so I'm going to have to make my own next time!
Convenience-wise: I sold my gas grill 6 months after getting the Traeger! I now grill everything with a touch of smoke, it's so versatile :)
My first experience with butcher paper was Reynolds wrap. Used it 3 or 4 times. I'm not sure if I was doing something wrong but it messed my temps up everytime. Guess I'm just used to foil. Works every time.
Been using a 22" WSM for a couple years now, get some fantastic results, and you certainly can't beat it for value, but I really want to get an offset. Looking at the old country bbq brazos.
I've got a brazos coming in tjr next week or 2!
Got my brazos earlier this year, love the thing
I have one, and love it! Added the tel-tru thermometers, gasket sealer tape for the doors, and it does exactly what I want. Keep kicking around the idea of ordering a Moberg or a high end smoker, but for now my results are amazing. Right now me and my $399.00 smoker get better results than Bill Miller's (fast food barbecue) and Rudy's Country Store.
@@fishin4bogey perhaps you have a Pecos not Brazos. Of you got a Brazos for $399, please tell me where… :)
@@jonchines yup that noob has the Pecos model with 1/8 metal thickness.
The Brazos is 1/4 inch steel, that’s the difference and $999
Great content. For me, the WSM has performed perfectly using chunk mesquite on brisket. 3 good-sized chunks at each vent and one in the center, to pour your hot coals on, bringing the smoker up to temp.
I prefer to use 2 chunks hickory and 2 mesquite. You can't beat a wsm. You can pretty much set it and forget it for 8 hours or so before you really have to adjust anything. I love it
Great video!!! Love the family affair thing happening. I had the WSM 22" and loved the flavor. Sold it for a Traeger PS and hated it due to lack of smoke flavor. If I have to buy an add-on tube to get more smoke then that tells me even Traeger had no confidence in their smoker. So, I then traded the Traeger to the guy I sold my WSM and never looked back.
Pellet smokers have their place, especially for beginners and people who don't have the time or patience to tend a fire (which is a lot of us). Traegers make great BBQ, I have nothing against them, but pellet smokers will never replace traditional offset (best) or charcoal (2nd best). If they, did Aaron Franklin would just push buttons each night on his Traeagers and cut his manpower in half haha. Love your videos, one of the best BBQ channels on TH-cam!
Would love to see a Big Green Egg/kamado-style grill in this mix, please!
Excellent video, thank you!
Kamado Joe, with the Slo Roller, XL chunks and Post Oak Chunks. Once you get the temperature dialed in you can literally take a nap for the first three hours and then set your alarm every hour for a check and spritzing until it's time to wrap. Never have to add fuel for the entire cook. Pretty bulletproof. Tried the pickle juice Franklin's brisket with Lawry's for Labor's Day and it turned out fantastic. Love your content! Thank you.
I currently only have an electric cabinet and a pellet grill. But on the 4th I got to use someone's offset and I did 2 pork butts. After cooking them and staying up all night I said I'd never do it again. After tasting the pork I said I want an offset. Best pork I've ever made. Smoke ring was crazy.
Great to see the Mrs involved (suspect she's always bringing stuff together behind the scenes). Would love to see you tackle a vertical propane.
Offset forever! Stick burner for life...🔥🔥🔥
💯
One of the better episodes on TH-cam period be when it comes to comparison of smokers. Great job and thank you
Have you ever done a video on smoke tubes or anything else to see if you can get a pellet smoker closer to an offset in terms of smoke???
I mentioned above, but specifically even different pellets can produce totally different results. Trager pellets are really for grilling, They are about 80% hard maple and 20% whatever the type says. Meant to burn cleanly and not so much to produce smoke. There are much better pellets available for smoking.
@@leonpalnau6839 in your experience, what pellets are best for smoking?
Mad Scientist continually gives great info without being arrogant about it. I wish I knew how he rests for so long without losing temp. I tried this over labor day and failed miserably. I then went to warm setting 170 oven and dried it out... I was able to revive with beef consume and foil cover but it just tasted like oven brisket at that point
Did you use charcoal or lump charcoal on the WSM? I switched from charcoal to lump charcoal. It was a complete game changer. In particular royal oak or b&b. Because it's already burnt wood you get more of that offset flavor.
I love B&B lump
Thank you for the comparisons. Unique idea looking at the different fuel types. Thanks, George.
I'm glad you tested out a WSM. I absolutely love mine. I think when you become more familiar with it you'll appreciate it for it's simplicity for cooking and finding that perfect smoke flavor. I did a 21lb Brisket on mine with 4 chunks of Hickory and it was phenomenal. I'm sure you'll come around on it, but you put it against a Franklin put. That's not a fair competition.
The WSM stacks up simply on value for performance. Its also a great starting point if you're not sure how serious you want to get.
I love my WSM to. Don’t have to do a lot of work to make great BBQ.
And yet Harry Soo wins awards and competitions using wsms. He must know some black belt bbq tricks.
@Hamilton Jones if your buying a WSM then you are paying double for the name and you are definitely interested in smoking but would likely lose your wife if you purchased the Franklin.
@Russyl Royer it's a completely different way of cooking than the back yard method!
"Very faint smoke flavor" is a perfect assessment of pellet grills. I've tried mainstream ones and very expensive models and the WSM outcooks them any day. I absolutely love the WSM. So easy, such amazing results.
Same. I would challenge anyone with a pellet smoker vs my wsm anyday. A offset is a different story though
Loved this video Jeremy! The interaction with the neighbor and then your wife at the end was superb.
Always love how informative yet simple your videos are, keep it going brother. 👍🏼
When you stated you wanted to smoke the best brisket for each pit. Two thumbs up for doing that!
Love my Trager Pro 34. Not as high-tech as more expensive models, but love the results of my cooks.
Same. Less work than an offset and still get great flavor. I just use the smoke setting for 8hrs instead of 3 or 4 which I think is why he didn’t have as much flavor in the video
Very nice man. Good video. Great to know Reynolds has butcher paper now.
So, I'm wondering what charcoal you used in the WSM. I cook on one all the time, and looking at what you ended up with is very different from what I do. Straight lump can be OK, but I always get temp swings. Traditional charcoal gives an odd flavor. Hardwood briquets do a much better job of keeping temp, and give the blue smoke you see. I almost always use a mix of chunks, but Pecan/Apple/Cherry you can be a bit aggressive with safely. Also, I go fat down on the WSM. Heat source is below, so the fat renders differently and you get a better ring. I would love to know the actual methodology you used on the WSM.
Also, your channel has improved my brisket game immensely, so thank you.
Believe that the fat side down on the WSM would cause all of the fat rendering to fall into the bottom of the smoker rather than melt into the brisket with fat side up. Just sayin
Agree about the briquettes for sure. But not for fat side down. The top and sides receives more heat.
I am guessing you used the Harry Soo method of adding wood chunks to your charcoal in the WSM. I have done it his way and put chunks on top and I get way more smoke flavor with the chunks on top of the coals. Probably 12-14 chunks depending on the size of the chunks. I have an 18 and a 22. Great cookers putting out consistently great results for me.
I’ve used all of these style pits and I agree completely with these results. I built my own offset 10 years ago and all my friends and family borrow it so much, they use it more than I do. It’s the best way to bbq in my opinion.
@Mad Scientist BBQ I am a big fan. I only have a Traeger Ironwood 650. My kids bought it for me. I have been using a pit barrel cooker for a while. I like them both. I would probably never buy an offset smoker because I would never have the time to invest in making great barbeque on one. Your videos are so helpful either way. Besides you, there are one or two other TH-camrs that I watch reverently because of the factual information you post. Judging from the comments, smoker people are pretty much like the Mac/PC faithfuls who constantly bicker about how much better their systems are than the other guy's. To each his own,. I would love to someday get an offset to use, but time and wood seem to be a big factor. Smoke on, EVERYONE! Keep the great videos coming!
Top tier content, Jeremy. One of your best videos to date IMO!
Thanks!
@@MadScientistBBQ would you ever be interested in doin a reverse flow compared to a traditional offset sometime? I want to see if there’s a big difference in bark and over all finished product?
@@trentwatts8670 Or throw a ceramic smoker in the mix?
@@1983mojo1 I agree
Why this channel doesn’t have a million subscribers baffles me. It’s the most informative and intuitive bbq channel on TH-cam. By opinion of course.
I agree 100% that an offset is going to get the best result. I have both an offset and a traeger timberline. It took me a while tweaking my recipes and techniques but I have them really close in results now. When I have time I fire up the offset but nothing beats being able to throw on a brisket before bed, wrap it before going to work and having it done by noon and resting in the warming setting so I can eat it for dinner. Time is valuable and the pellet smokers really bring that convenience factor.
I only use a offset pit at 250 degrees. I use a bed of natural charcoal and pecan wood on top of it for the smoke. I make my own rub from scratch and everyone I've done a brisket for claims it's the best the've ever had. You go out of your way to do it right like I do. That dedication to excellence is what makes the difference. I get most of my wood from my own pecan trees here in Galveston county Texas. You make good BBQ video keep it up.
There is a little user error here. I have used WSM and offsets and can usually get a WSM really close to an offset in terms of smoke flavor. Getting the texture and fat to render is likely a result of temp. I run both at 275. Also on WSM you dont get enough air flow without a fan/thermostat combo. I think the trick on the WSM is to run it with the snake method for 4 hours and then reset the charcoal snake and run it again for 4 hours. You want to add just enough charcoal that the fan is going the whole time. The other thing is that you actually want to get your wood to fire up and give you primary and secondary combustion. The trick to doing this without running the fire too hot is to use less charcoal.
Agree. I run my WSM at ~250 temp using snake method and full water pan personally. I have found that if you run it at ~225, you don’t get as great of fat render or bark on the brisket. The higher temps work here on the WSM
@@Camel_Carpaccio The other thing I was thinking about is that on an offset I run a mix of post oak and pecan with charcoal to get things going. On a WSM I just run pecan and charcoal because you are using so much less wood so you want to go with woods with stronger flavor.
@@BigJawnMize fat up or down?
@@Camel_Carpaccio can I ask fat up or down?
@@petergriffinson1907 Fat up has worked great for me personally and is what I always do.
I used to have a crappy little $40 smoker, like a cheap version of the Weber smokey mountain without the adjustable baffles. If you're using that kind of smoker, I strongly advise you to use orange coals only with charcoal or wood, or it will be way too smokey and you will be burping up that campfire taste all day (too much smoke on the outside of the meat). I used to get my charcoal or wood fully burning in my smoker and then load more orange coals from a charcoal chimney when I needed to cook longer. I would throw a chunk of unburnt wood in there now and then to up the smoke but not too much. I want to try the same thing with a stick burner. If you look at the way old style bbq pit guys like Scott's BBQ in South Carolina and Myron Mixon's School of BBQ, they only shovel orange coals in their smokers from their burn barrels. If you're doing a real long cook, use only orange coals. You don't want that wood billowing smoke. I think a lot of you stick burner guys don't know how much smoke is too much and over smoke your stuff.
Yes a good idea to finally get butcher paper in a store you can find without ordering a huge roll online and waiting for it to come in the mail.
I’m shocked it took this many years for Reynolds to capitalize on it.
@@rockford2981 Reynolds butcher paper 225 sq ft about $26 at Walmart. Regular roll of butcher paper 350 sq ft about $23 on Amazon.
@@CohibaIIIin reality, their selling point is the convenience. It’s just another box in my zip loc, aluminum foil drawer.
Is someone talking in non-Texan and I don't understand? HEB (the greatest grocery store in existence and almost only in Texas) started offering red butcher paper a couple of years ago...I'll admit the Reynold's wrap cutter is a nice addition though (and I'd probably pay for it).
@@bennattj I’ve been using the pink/red paper from HEB for years as well. Can’t recall the price but it’s way cheaper than the brisket.
I see why they call you the Mad Scientist. Great Job man !!! You alone have fueled a passion in me to smoke meat. It was amazing how you picked each one genuinely. I smoked a brisket for the very first time ( using your videos ) and it turned out amazing. You made me look like a professional PITMASTER. You're spot on with your technique and your delivery. Keep'em coming, I'm watching. Like husband like wife, she NAILED it !!! Be Blessed !!!
The offset is more work to manage, but in my humble opinion, the flavor it produces is unbeatable.
Loved this video with taste test between you, your wife, and a neighbor. Very informative! Have a suggestion for a similar video. Can you do a blind taste test between a pellet grill, pellet grill with a smoking tube, and a stick burner. I have not been able to find a similar video on TH-cam. Love your videos!
2 minutes in and wondering why the bowl under the bottom section of the Smokey Mountain is upside down? Pro tip from Harry Soo, who I saw in a recent Mad Scientist video, put a chunk or two of smoke wood under the middle a brisket to raise the center and pull in the sides to make a big one fit . The largest I've cooked in my 18" was #17.5 before trimming. Can't wait to see the final taste test on this one.
Didn't notice that
Total rookie question here but gonna ask anyway. I use a kamado joe but thinking about buying a brazos offset. With my kamado I can pretty much lock in a temp go to sleep and finish the cook in the AM without really having to manage the fire. Pretty much sounds like to me that you have at most 45 minutes before you have to throw on another split. What do you do for a 16 hour smoke ?
Would like to see your honest assessment on a Char-Griller gravity fed smoker compared to the regular stick burner. Basically started with charcoal and fill the gravity tube with chunks of wood.
You get good clean smoke doing that? I’ve found putting too much wood chunks in the hopper gives me bad smoke. I only put one or two in the hopper now and add chunks in the ash pan.
I use a Pit Boss Copperhead vertical smoker bought on sale at Walmart for $300, and I couldn't be more pleased with it. I rarely use my horizontal smoker for smoking anymore! I get great results with minimal fuss and plenty of smoky flavor (sometimes too much smoky flavor as reported by my sidekick). I couldn't be more of a novice when it comes to smoking meats, but I have successfully smoked a number of Boston butts, Italian sausages and chicken and am presently getting psyched to do my first brisket! Whether horizontal or vertical, I can see that indirect smoking is by far better than that if a direct source, and though my Pit Boss is in the center of the base of the cabinet, I believe that the heat is dispersed well enough to keep it off the meat on the lower levels! Being vertical works for me because I just don't have a lot of space to store equipment.
Have you ever used an Ugly Drum Smoker? Curious how it would compare to the other smokers that your using. Your videos are very helpful and I appreciate what you've put out, thanks. I've currently built 2 UDS and have one more to go, love cooking on them and they produce amazing food!!
Looking forward to your next video!!
I have both a uds and a 125 gallon offset. The uds makes it easy to make good brisket(FWIW a uds will make the best homemade bacon you've ever had) but you have to know when to wrap it to prevent over smoking it with the dirty-ish smoke they typically produce compared to a hot burning offset. Use only lump charcoal and a handful of wood...or learn the hard way. A heavy well built offset will make far superior brisket, not even real close imo. You have to use well seasoned wood and learn how to maintain the fire to get the right burn. Once you figure this out you cannot over smoke the meat.
@@alcalc8938 thanks AL I tried cooking a point last weekend and over cooked it. I tried smoking at 250° but I was struggling getting drum to run under 300°. Yes I only use lump and I don't get a good smoke but that's okay my wife doesn't care for smoke food so it's a happy medium.
I have a Traeger XL and I have never cooked a brisket fat down always fat up, I typically cook a 18 to 22 lb brisket. I have been cooking BBQ since the 70s and often cook for 25 to 35 people at my home. I started like most of us with an large BBQ with a small fire at one end then I made an offset witch was way better. I have had in my life time many different types, some I disliked so much I got rid of them right away. When the treager came out it was just another gadget to me until I got to see one in action at our local ACE hardware store and I have never looked back the ease in cooking with it is hands down the best. I mite also add that that black bark you all talk about to me looks like burned meat an offset is great for burning meat just my opinion. // Keep up the good work
Man your wife got hands, was afraid for you when she started swinging! 😂 Really well done test, I've seen multiple "cooker vs cooker" test videos but this was the most organized and easiest one to watch that I have ever seen. RIP Kobe! 🙏
I love Kobe...beef
Thanks. I've had a Weber for years but have been thinking about getting a pellet smoker. However, after watching your video. I'm now strongly leaning towards the offset, Franklin type. Gonna go check them out now.
You and your wife are so cute! I cook with a pellet grill and I think a smoke tube is a must. When I retire I will upgrade to a offset. Thanks for all the great videos!
It is not the pit it is the pitmaster, this is my opinion. I have multiple of these smokers, cooking for crowds. If you spend as much time, how to do the pellet and the WSM, as to the offset, you get great results of all of them. You need stronger woods and different temperatur management and time for the offset. For the WSM i use Inkbird blower systems and wood management like Harry Soo. Chapeau and cheers from Austria ! 👍👍
So glad I got an Oklahoma Joe’s offset last year! I, too, enjoy the process and 3 out of 4 briskets have been very good. Interestingly the first and the 4th turned out to be the best. Salmon, chicken and ribs have all turned out great. Thanks for this comparison of smokers. I have shared it with other avid smokers.
What happened to the 1 out of 4 briskets?
You actually have the most interesting an exiting BBQ videos for BBQ Nerds. 👍 Cheers from Austria !
What coal did you use in the Weber? You mentioned a different flavor, wonder if that's where it's coming from. I use FOGO super premium and it burns super clean.
For the WSM, I found using 1/2 regular Kingsford, 1/2 B&B, and then a few blocks of your favorite wood on top works great.
I’ve been smoking on a regular ol webber since 2014 and it’s been doing really well for me. Usually snake style, it’s great at keeping temp.
Would like it if you could figure a a way to get better results on a pellet grill! Is one better than another? What about the different pellets?Does one brand of pellets work better than another? How can any grill compete with your top of the line Franklin!
Try Lumberjack hickory - by far my best result.
@@crashcopter6000 I’ll do that, thanks for the tip sir!
This was a very good test with results that aren't surprising at all. As a purist at heart nothing beats a stick burner, it's just the way it's supposed to be done, period. That being said, I use a WSM. For me the positives outweigh the negatives. I can take it apart, put it in the truck and take it anywhere, not happening with a stick burner. The WSM (with a couple of easy add-ons) holds temp extremely well and lump charcoal is easy to come by for alot of people that can't easily source good cooking wood. In all honesty I never get any complaints with the WSM results, I'm the only one that complains. You can't get stick burner flavor, just can't do it, but in my opinion it's the next best and it is just so easy to use.
That was cute. When she got them all right you can actually see him fall in love with her all over again. Lol
This was great! As an avid WSM user (22 inch), I do think you could get a better flavor if you cook with it longer. I'll grant that offsets produce the best flavor, but in my experience, the WSM is a much closer second than you seemed to indicate here. Also, fat cap down produces better bark. But I rest it fat cap up.
I agree
@MadScientistBBQ
Great video. I love my WSM but would happily swap it for the Franklin! After seeing the video reviews you did on the Franklin…I’m sold. Question: what is your 12 hour rest process? Do you mind sharing a few details on how you like to rest the brisket that long? Thanks!!!
th-cam.com/video/qsCVMmmNRec/w-d-xo.html
@@CohibaIII Thanks!
I think you hit the nail on the head with the fact of your experience being a factor in the cooks as well
Finally she's not afraid to be on camera!
We have a new Traeger that has turned out dry brisket that is nowhere near this color two times now. The probe had it at 190 degrees but it had been on 6 hours. We took it off and it was dry. We used a good rub, sprayed it, wrapped it in butcher paper. Followed directions to the T both times.
Love having the wife involved!
Good show! You are so right, once you use a good size heavy offset and get the fire correct there is no going back to 'easy' methods using charcoal or pellets. It simply doesn't compare.
Where’s Harry? He should have been the one running the WSM. 😁
I was thinking the same thing 🤣
He would change his mind on wsm
@@Chilax probably. I have yet to have any bitterness in my smoke. I don’t know if it’s Harry’s wood under the coals technique I use but all the pork butts, hams and bacon I’ve smoked on there have been very good…nowhere near offputting smoke.
@@txfieros yeah they both think differently on how smoke is most effective. But Harry has the trophies so I go by his knowledge
I smoked a 20 lb turkey on my Traeger Texas pellet smoker for Thanksgiving, and used a tube smoker to amplify the smoke flavor. I used a mixture of pecan and apple pellets (which are both mixed with oak for providing more heat output.) The result was a very pleasant smoke flavor that did not overpower the turkey meat.
Fair to assume the Traeger was run at 165 for 3 hours and 200 until IT was 205ish? Was super smoke available on this model?
This is such a great video. I own a MAK pellet grill and 2 of the WSM type (charcoal with wood chunks). I've never used an offset but my Franklin smoker is supposed to be completed and shipped this month. I really appreciate the insight you give in this comparison. I didn't think I could get more excited about getting the Franklin offset, but this video turns my anticipation up even more now.
Where and how much does it cost to buy a Franklin offset?
I know you intentionally avoided using a smoke tube for the pellet grill but in all honesty, it is an absolute MUST for a pellet grill and makes a world of difference! Good job!
Great video as usually. Could you do a comparison between Franklin offset and a good name brand reverse flow offset
What brand of pellets were used? I've seen other videos where the brand of pellets make a huge difference. Anyway, thank you for comparing these 3 as I've been curious to see your take.
Follow up: any noticable difference in the juiciness and tenderness with the pellet smoker, since the meat was fat side down? Thanks again
Love that Kreuz BBQ t shirt. Love me some Kreuz's jalepeno sausage. They use the burned ends in the sausage.
I cook on the WSM mostly. I have an 18 and a 22. I’ve never cooked brisket on the 18 though. I’m surprised you got it to fit! I’ve also smoked a brisket on a Weber Kettle. Love it!
Yeah the 22 would have to be better for brisket. When I went to Home Depot they only had the 18 in stock
@@MadScientistBBQ I gotta get an offset!
Last brisket I did on my 18" was one my wife picked up at Costco. It was about 18+ lbs so I ended up having to trim several inches off the flat. It was actually pretty nice to have a second "mini" brisket (that was done pretty quickly) to snack on while the rest of it finished up.
I’ve done it on the 18 many times too. The best briskets I’ve made were on it. Good job yall
@@YummyPork when I have a brisket too big for the 18, I trim some off and make burnt ends with that part
Great info, I may have to look into a small offset.
You know you have a winner when she can pick the right grill.
I recommend that you do a video explaining how you choose a temperature on an offset. You mentioned that the Franklin was best at 275 or so - how do you come to that conclusion. When we buy a new offset, what can we do to "calibrate" our pits for brisket, pork butts, etc. Always love your videos! Thanks!
He has....multiple times.....go to his first few vids on his new pit when he got it
The only thing this video shows is which smoker Jeremy is most skilled at using. Bring in Harry Soo and he would cook a brisket that is just as good or better using a weber smokey mountain. Jeremy is pro at offsets no doubt.
This comment... this is the one. Slap Yo Daddy, king of the wsm
You can only get so good with the WSM. The wood smolders… just can’t duplicate an offset quality in another cooker.
@@zmechy1456 absolutely but Harry competes with offsets and pellet smokers all the time and turns out legit top tier cooks and wins. Might not be the best example of bbq in general, but it does show the possibilities
I’ll be the first to say I love Harry and I have bought his merch. He’s fantastic, but competition brisket is much different than tradition barbecue. Put enough beef au jus and thinned out sauce on each slice and it will always taste great for a one bite comp. I’m just saying, not enough air is flowing through a WSM, or even a PBC (I have both and I cook on them often) but I’m telling you nothing beats an offset unless your into that slightly bitter flavor and less fat rendering… your call.
Can't argue with that. But I'd still love to see that video.
I would love to see a blind test between you smoking brisket on the Franklin and Harry Soo on his Green Mountain Grill.
What brand of pellets did you use? That makes a huge difference imo.
What brand works best for you? How much do you go through while smoking?
For sure, something heavy like mesquite or hickory or even post oak would bring in much better smoke flavor on such a big piece of beef.....cherry or pecan wouldn't do much at all
@@ZmannR2 I was talking about the brand, some of them use 100% of the wood type they are, and some like traeger use oak and scented oils of mesquite or whatever wood.
@@jonnyg44 the cheapest and best ones near me are the bear mountain pellets. They sell then at tractor supply for about $10 a 20 pound bag and they have lots of flavor options.
@@jonnyg44 B&B competition blend. about 2gal for 8-10 hours.
I've got to say, your channel has gotten much much better.
First time viewer. I think you should have included more info on these cooks. What brand and flavor pellets? What type and brand charcoal and wood chunks? What type wood in offset? Any off camera techniques such as spritzing? In my opinion, why vary the cook temps so much? To me that really impacts the fat rendering. Great video .
Dude every single one of your videos are perfect, thank you!
That specific WSM looks like one of the smaller options. The WSM 22 is the way to go if you want a ceramic smoker, and it's no more than half the price of Komado Joe or Big Green Egg.
The WSM is nowhere near a ceramic smoker man.....it's kind of the same shape that's about it. Ceramics retain heat and moisture like nothing on the planet, they also seal INCREDIBLY well. Also they'll last you a lifetime as they wont rust
Harry Soo works magic with that WSM.....and I love your channel.
Should have done them all at same temp. I run wsm at higher temps and you get both primary and secondary combustion
Yeah, I do briskets and ribs at 245-270 on a WSM. Only thing I keep at 225 the whole time is pork shoulder
For brisket do you cook fat up or down?
Awesome videos as always. One comment about the rendered fat caught my ear though. I also have used all 3 types of cookers…but have a lot of experience using a WSM. And out of a ton of briskets…going hot and fast on a wsm will ALWAYS render the fat better than doing a typical 225 low and slow cook. The idea of going with the best cooking for each particular smoker was a good good idea…but you just might be surprised doing a 275-325 wsm smoke. Anyway, thanks for the vid
Danny, for hot and fast on WSM one might be better off using wood chunks with strong smoke flavor such as hickory. Oak might be subdued. What you think?
@@CoolJay77 yeah I like that theory...simply because smoke exposure on a hot and fast cook will be limited be default since you will likely be wrapping around the 3-4 hour mark. However, the times I've used post oak chunks going hot and fast have still produced great results so you mileage may vary. Part of the fun to experiment though!
Lol you almost caught some aggressive punches there while blind folded
😂
Brilliant video thanks Jeremy. There is a trend on gravity feds like masterbuilt and chargriller so comparing that against the offset or pellet would be cool. Thanks!
I love this and I'm so glad you did this but I want someone to just feed me fork fulls of smoked brisket.
That was a great video! I use a small tailgate style pellet smoker because it packs up easily for RV'ing but this video has got me thinking......
I recently started using a pellet smoker and one thing I can say is that the brand of pellets you use makes a big difference. Traeger's pellets are kind of crappy. Not sure if that's what you used, but I've used them before and got very little flavor.
What pellets do you recommend. I’ve only used traeger pellets have had it for about a year
@@kuhlbeans B&B and Lumberjack pellets tend to be the most highly recommended brands. I use B&B myself and love them, never tried lumberjack though.
@@kuhlbeans B&B competition blend all the way. big difference. And they're relatively cheap.
Lumberjack, no oils or fillers like most other brands.
Definitely Lumberjack. Makes a huge difference.
Use to have off set but like to sleep at night. I agree you get a little more quality smoke on it but not enough to tend the fire. Plus I like the versatility of the WSM (all I use now). I can hang ribs or chicken at high heat, skip the wood and use it as a oven. Learned the best setup for flavor and function is use fill with lump charcoal and some wood chunks. I never use water in the pan anymore, just heat baffle plate. I is use a FlameBoss WiFi fan and it is amazingly accurate for 20 hours. Pellet smokers really have decent flavor but the WSM is more fun with about the same work.
I have been smoking briskets on the WSM22 for several years. I’d be honored to pack it up and come do a comparison cook with you!!!
BTW, have you done a comparison between your Old Country Brazos and the Franklin? I’m really tempted to get an offset and the Brazos is top of my list (since dropping $4G on a Franklin probably wouldn’t get approval from the Board of Trustee).
Also, I’d be interested to see how results of other cooks (butts, baby backs, turkey) compare between your offset and my WSM.
I imagine, with Jeremy's mastership, he can pull similar results on either Brazos or Franklin, even if he seems to rate Franklin much higher. Find the clip that he cooks on a dirt cheap offset smoker with great results. I would guess Franklin may be easier to control for a lesser experienced cook, but I'll leave that for Jeremy to answer.
This would be a good one
@@CoolJay77 problem is..the Franklins not avail and they have a waiting list one has to sign in for notice if when itll be avail..
Check out Workhorse pits, sister company to one of the best commercial smokers in the business, and much more affordable.
Do you cook fat up or down?
Great video! As I look at my pellet and Kamado smoker ... a tear forms in my eyes.