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BillATL

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I've been cooking on a Primo Oval XL for about ten years. I'm very happy with it except it's too small. So now I'm looking at options with more rack space. I was thinking I'd go to an offset until I saw the Assassin grills. The Assassin set up looks very much like cooking on a ceramic - fire underneath, indirect by using a heat shield, with an insulated door and a Pitmaster controller looks like it would hold steady for hours with very little fuss.

I also saw a picture of a similar set up that Shirley Fab had done which looked great as well but I'm not sure I'm patient enough to wait through their build backlog.

So, any thoughts on whether or not this is the way to go? Other builders I should check out? Reasons why I'd be better off cooking on a gravity feed or offset?
 
In addition to gravity feed, you could throw an insulated cabinet in the mix. Although I have none of the cookers you mention (I got a WSM and kettles), my understanding is the dual functionality of the Assassin compared to a gravity feed or offset could be advantageous. In some off sets you can grill but don't think it's too common.

Edit: I think it depends what kind of Assassin you had in mind.
 
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How much grate space are you in need of? Can you give us an idea of how much food you are wanting to cook at once? 2,3,4,5,6 briskets?
 
The Assassin Grill is a really nice grill/smoker, BBQ Freak has posted quite a few cooks on his recently. If you get one make sure you get the V-pan for smoking.
 
I'm a southern boy so not so many briskets :)

With the Primo I run out of rack space in a few situations:

This weekend I was doing a bunch of apps for a party - ABTs and moink balls. Even with the extended grates the cooker was full and I would have preferred to have everything on one level so the temps were more consistent across the food.

Similarly I do wings pretty often and in the Primo I do them on the extended grates with no heat deflector. I quickly run out of rack space and would like to have around three times the space. There's about 300 sq in on the extended grates.

Holidays I smoke turkeys. Two turkeys loads the Primo completely. It would be nice to have room for three or four turkeys and/or some sides.

Full racks of ribs. Without a rib rack I can do three full racks - two on the main grates and one on the extended. I'd like to be able to do 8-10 racks at a time without rib racks.

I do butts a lot too - but if it will fit the ribs/turkeys I can do enough butts.

So I've been looking at the Assassin 48" which seems like it would meet my needs.
 
You won't be disappointed in the Assassin Grill. Just remember it is built primarily as a grill that can also serve as a smoker. You will have to do a little fire management when smoking even with the V-pan. Still, its an awesome product. I have an Assassin 17 gravity feed & the Assassin Grill is at the top of my "wish list".
Since I currently also have 2 UDS, Weber kettle, a COS & a gas grill, I will have to thin the herd some or my wife will disown me.
 
I have the 3 cookers your asking about. The gravity fed insulated cabinet smoker will be more set it and forget it like you Primo. The assassin grill doesn't quite have the "temp control" you're used to with the Primo. Having said that , it isn't hard to control temp it's just very different than a ceramic.
 
I have a Primo too and for the same reason wanted a larger smoker. I also have UDS that I use for needed additional cooking space. An insulated cabinet is what I was going to add to my patio. I settled on the mini from lonestargrillz.com

http://www.lonestargrillz.com/Insulated-Smokers.html

In the end, I realized that 99% of my cooking is easily handled by my Primo. I barely ever heat up the UDS. But if I did need the capacity, I would add the Lone Star insulated in a heartbeat.
 
Depending on your budget look at the M1 from MGrills. Its on my wish list. Although it will take me awhile to save up for it is what I am aimed at now
 
Jrogers84 said:
Depending on your budget look at the M1 from MGrills. Its on my wish list. Although it will take me awhile to save up for it is what I am aimed at now
Click to expand...



I cook on an M1 and absolutely love it!!!
 
Take a look at the Stumps Baby XL...

looks like it would handle your needs perfectly. Put that with your Primo and you're golden!
 
I have had my Assassin 48 for a few months now and bought it mainly for a grill but I have used it more as a smoker as of late . The one thing I love is it will cook in many different ways , V-Pan and you can do long cooks or like the other day I did ribs on one side and wings on the other were the V-Pan vents which is hotter on that side or you can remove the pan and it is one huge grill . I have been experimenting with a maze and I did get a 11 hour burn time running 250 degrees the whole cook with a BBQ Guru controller and fan and that was something I did not know could be done . I am sure you will be happy with whatever you get and just soak in all the info you can on all the smokers and do a search on you tube for BBQ Freak and I do have cooks and maze tests on the Assassin that might interest you .
 
N2Q said:
Huh??? :loco:
Click to expand...

Texas is Texas not part of the South, right? Y'all do brisket, we do pork ;-)

Not saying I don't like brisket, just didn't grow up cooking it and briskets can be hard to find around here.
 
BBQ Freak said:
I have had my Assassin 48 for a few months now and bought it mainly for a grill but I have used it more as a smoker as of late . The one thing I love is it will cook in many different ways .
Click to expand...

I think I've watched all your videos, I'll have to go check to make sure you haven't added any since the last time I looked. Thanks for those.

Really interested in your feedback using the Assassin 48 as a smoker. Running low and slow can you get reasonably consistent temps across the cooker? I like the size and versatility but don't want to have to constantly rotate things in the cooker.
 
BillATL said:
Texas is Texas not part of the South, right? Y'all do brisket, we do pork ;-)

Not saying I don't like brisket, just didn't grow up cooking it and briskets can be hard to find around here.
Click to expand...


Last time I checked, Texas was in the south ��

But I'll agree with you that we do things a little different here than the rest of the southern US. Didn't realize it was difficult to get briskets in GA. Good luck in your search on a new cooker ��

Because of your geographical location anything assassin makes would be a good fit got you IMO
 
N2Q said:
Last time I checked, Texas was in the south ��
Click to expand...

Just kidding around, but a lot of my friends from Texas will barely admit that Texas is in the US ;-)

A lot of similarities between Southerners and Texans, but there are some clear differences - beef vs pork for the smoker being one of them but it's all good.
 
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