Gathering Advice

planning on the following;

1) being told that you could have done a search and found "an abundance of information" lol

2) plan on spending a butt load of money

3) plan on making sure your wife is all in on your upgrading your BBQ rig so you can do it proper.

4) plan on receiving a multitude of opinions.

as for me, I am relatively new at this as well.......i went all in 1.5 years ago and got a myron mixon mms-48 smoker and a 12 foot enclosed cargo trailer to haul things in, including the smoker. I love the smoker and the trailer is cool.

with that said, after going around some comps and checking out other rigs and setups AND literally dealing with some of the worst rain in recorded history at our comps and some high winds, I can tell you without hesitation that my advice to you is based on how far you want to go with this and how much money are capable of spending.

we do tents and have the trailer, smoker and a portable sink. we setup our town tables and and just take it form there. it works well but you are still quite a bit in the elements, even with sides on your tents and portable heaters. and when it's hot there is no escaping it.

but our setup is based on my level of interest combined with my ability to spend money. even with our modest setup I have easily spent over 13k on the smoker, trailer, and all the tables, tents, chairs, sink, and accessories to do this.

but as I walk around competitions, I can also tell you that the majority of teams I see have rigs that usually contain some sort of RV and BBQ porch. this is BY FAR the setup I would have if I were all in and could afford it.

with that kind of setup you sleep indoors and set your own temps.

you have your own bathroom and not a damn portapotty to use.

if it's raining and windy you prep your food indoors, you cook the food inside your porch and then when its time to build your box you do it indoors and out of the elements.

I can say without hesitation, that having that kind of setup provides those teams with a huge advantage over teams that do not have that kind of setup.....it's not to say that a team with a modest setup cannot perform well.....they can. but look at it like this, you can deliver a baby in the back seat of a moving car on your way to the hospital and things turn out just fine......but wouldnt you rather let your wife have the baby in a sterile, clean proper environment for delivering babies? as a cook, I would a thousand times rather be able to be inside a RV taking care of things than outside in the wind, rain or heat trying to make food good enough to win a contest.

so in summary, if you are on a budget then get a smoker and some kind of trailer that will allow to travel dry and keep your equipment dry. you will need sides on your tents, tables and some comfortable way to be able to wash things as it is needed. other than that, I would recommend a fan or two and a portable heater.

if you have the money and are willing to do it, then buy at least a BBQ porch and if you really want to go all in, get an RV to pull your porch with.

it's addictive, fun, frustrating, exciting, tiring and all kinds of stuff to do this.....good luck in whatever direction you go.

In my opinion, your money will be best spent on buying meat and practicing. If you're looking for another smoker, check craigslist for a used WSM in good shape. Trailers and RVs don't automatically give you an advantage - practicing nailing appearance, taste and tenderness does.

ITBFQ said:

In my opinion, your money will be best spent on buying meat and practicing. If you're looking for another smoker, check craigslist for a used WSM in good shape. Trailers and RVs don't automatically give you an advantage - practicing nailing appearance, taste and tenderness does.

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i hear what you're saying, but in my comments above I made the assumption that he like almost all of us care enough to develop into being a good cook.

and yes you are correct, plan on spending a lot on practicing with cooking meats.......but make no mistake about it, if cooking skills and quality of meat purchased are even remotely in the same ballpark, then the porches, kitchens and RV's provide a HUGE advantage. that's not a slam, I dont have a problem with them and maybe one day I will have my own, but there is no denying it provides a huge advantage over those who dont have them at a comp.

ITBFQ said:

In my opinion, your money will be best spent on buying meat and practicing. If you're looking for another smoker, check craigslist for a used WSM in good shape. Trailers and RVs don't automatically give you an advantage - practicing nailing appearance, taste and tenderness does.

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Exactly this! If you are looking for the most bang for your buck in competitions, practicing on your cooks and going to a class will send your scores up.

Trailers and smokers are nice but if you don't know how to use them you will be right back at square one with a lot less money in your bank account.

This is coming from a team with 3 WSMs and no trailer at the moment. I would love a trailer but I prefer higher scores than I do a trailer at our budget level.

Good luck out there!

Right on Q said:

I would love a trailer but I prefer higher scores than I do a trailer at our budget level.

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you say that as if both can't happen for you???? if you know how to cook how can having a out of the weather cooking area, kitchen and sleeping area not be a positive advantage for you?

to me it's real simple, I ask myself, being someone that knows how to cook, would I rather do this inside a BBQ porch/kitchen with air and heat or outside.......uh, I'll take the porch please!

secondly, I just recently cooked at the Jim Beam Classic a couple of weeks ago, with 15-25mph winds, temps around 50 and constant rain for 24 of the 26 hours I was there.

however, as I walked around Friday night and looked at the 44 other rigs on site, I noticed that about 30-32 of them were some sort of BBQ porch/kitchen and the majority of the 30-32 also had a vehicle/rv that allowed them to sleep inside.

hell, two of the participants had rigs that were totally enclosed......even the cooking area was totally enclosed and had massive ventilation.

if those kinds of rigs didn't provide a huge advantage then like all things in life, people would not invest in them.

doesnt mean that the guy sitting there with an uninsulated smoker sitting in the rain and cold and one tent can't win.......but you will never convince me that it won't be harder for him to perform at his optimal level under those circumstances.

and I say all of this being on a budget myself....I dont own a porch or an RV......I have a trailer and some tents.

backdraftbbq said:

I'm new to the competition and just finished my 3rd and final one for the year. I've done OK and need to work on things and I figure now is the time to research and improve. I currently have one Rec Tec RT-680 pellet smoker and plan on getting an additional smoker, not sure which one yet. I also plan on getting some sort of a trailer. I know there is an abundance of knowledge on this forum and plenty of opinions. While there probably isn't a definitive answer to this question, I'm curious to hear from people that consistently do well, is there any advice that you can share? Where is my money best spent, in a trailer or smoker or a balance between the two? So many options out there. Thank you in advance for taking the time to reply.

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While this pains me:heh: I'd invest in a gateway drum smoker. I'd practice in the off season with your two smokers, you should be able to get a used enclosed trailer with air without breaking the bank and it will hold it's value should the need arise for something bigger.

Burnt at Both Endz said:

While this pains me:heh: I'd invest in a gateway drum smoker. I'd practice in the off season with your two smokers, you should be able to get a used enclosed trailer with air without breaking the bank and it will hold it's value should the need arise for something bigger.

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Hahahhaha! Hell just froze over! If you don't watch out, you'll be playing your music too loud and wearing a black hoodie!

I'd listen to him, however. He is wise. Get some Gateway Drums, a class and an enclosed trailer for less than the cost of other competition quality pits alone!

Over the years, I have seen a lot of teams sink because of rain, cold or wind.

Don't get me wrong, I do agree with the idea of practicing, but I do want to address what you asked about in the OP through personal experience...

After our 1st year as a pro team, we debated the exact same situation you mentioned (trailer vs. smoker). We were cooking on an off-set stickburner, and we got calls, but not at the consistent rate that we wanted. After much debate as a team, we contacted Scott Smith with Southern Q (QSB team), and he offered us a deal on a used Limo paired with his class. We decided that a smoker would be best for the time being, and we would get an inexpensive open, single axle, utility trailer to haul the gear till we could upgrade after another year.

Fast forward to July, we did so well we had an extra $1400 in our budget, so we were able to get a used 6x12 enclosed, and insulated utility trailer from another BBQ friend. It's not the biggest, or the best trailer out there, but it works great for what we needed. Had we gone with a trailer a year ago instead of the smoker, we would not have been as successful as we have bee this year. The new smoker paired with the class helped elevate us to where we're at now. If next year goes as well as this year has, I see us upgrading to a comp trailer or a toy hauler by fall 2016.

With all that being said, you need to practice a lot and cook a lot, but if you have the extra money to invest in a class with the extra practice, that is where I would suggest you start. Then you can consider a new/additional smoker or trailer depending on what fits your needs. We all want fancy trailers, but as long as you have a simple way of getting from point A to point B safely, a trailer really should be at the bottom of your list when it comes to investments.

Good luck with your decisions!

In 2013, we packed the minivan to the gills with fold-up tables, canopy, WSMs, and other equipment.

2014 upgraded to a small enclosed cargo trailer to have a place for all the competition stuff, but quickly began dreading loading and unloading at comps. We needed to make things easier if we were going to continue doing it. A porch trailer or toy hauler wasn't a good option because we would also need to buy a big truck to haul it.

For 2015, we found a step van that the previous owner had renovated with solar panels, turbo fans, interior lights, and a vending window. We decided that gave us everything we needed...a place to work, shelter from elements, and somewhere to sleep. Our 2nd comp this year we weren't able to show up until well after dark, but when we got there we were instantly ready to start cooking. Won our first Grand, and we are convinced it wouldn't have happened without the new rig.

At some point we may upgrade to an onboard smoker, but for now we are more than happy with our WSMs.

You can be successful without a trailer, but you can't without a smoker.
If you've done a few comps then you probably have most of your equipment you need. Classes are important when starting out and they can cost a bit, plus when you get home the first thing you're going to do is fire up your cooker so you can practice, probably.
Tents have sides to help protect against the weather, and they make clothing to protect from the cold and wet. Its cheaper to trim your meats at home than buying a trailer to prep them inside. Sure they are more comfortable and convenient, but consider your budget, get the smoker you want then look at trailers if you still have a budget. You don't want to have smoker envy or regrets and wish you would've spent more on the smoker.

And the winner for best advice is...

ITBFQ said:

In my opinion, your money will be best spent on buying meat and practicing. If you're looking for another smoker, check craigslist for a used WSM in good shape. Trailers and RVs don't automatically give you an advantage - practicing nailing appearance, taste and tenderness does.

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some of this thread is cracking me up.......these posts about learning to cook and practicing your cooking are hilarious.

am I missing something here? is it wrong when looking at this stuff to assume that the guy knows how to cook? he's probably been cooking awhile and has family and friends telling him his cooking is the best they have ever eaten, like most of us experienced before trying our hands at comps.

and isn't it sort of a given that you will enter into this world as someone who already owns a smoker you are comfortable with or one that you already love? I understand that at some point you may want to upgrade but if you are someone willing to spend all this money to enter a comp then I think it's sort of understood that you own a decent smoker and you think you know how to cook.

so with all that said, I find it fascinating that some of you feel that good dry transportation for your equipment, the ability to stay out of the elements when prepping, cooking and building boxes and the ability to stay dry and warm when trying to sleep is sort of looked at like an afterthought.

it boggles my mind......the only thing I can figure is that if you feel that way then you have never had to deal with an extreme elements at a comp. 95% of what I have spent in the last two years, outside of my smoker, has been to deal directly with the elements at a comp. I guess that just comes with reacting to what we've had to deal with.

the first comp I went to where I had to deal with massive rains was not even predicted to be that bad....."scattered showers" and only 50% chance........so I figured we had tents, and that it would be fine. well it began raining when we arrived and I had no waterproof gear, and only one of my tents had sides. we got soaked setting up camp and I stayed wet for next 26 hours....luckily it was in the summer so I didn't freeze to death but I was terribly cold at night and my skin literally wrinkled up from being so wet. We had water running through our camp to the point that camp grounds manager brought in a backhoe and dumped gravel for us because the mud was over our shoes. My smoker got hung up in the mud and we had to chain it to the truck and drag it out of the mud. I had one change of clothes and it was MISERABLE the entire time. winds nearly blew our tents away and they were even staked down. we still managed a 6th place in pork and I have no idea how we did it. but once you go through something like that, you will understand in a hurry how important these things I keep mentioning are.

and yes, I agree a good smoker and knowing how to cook is essential.....matter of fact, it is essential enough that if you dont already possess those attributes you shouldn't be out there wasting your money going to a comp unless you just want to pay for the "experience" of being there.

masque13 said:

you say that as if both can't happen for you???? if you know how to cook how can having a out of the weather cooking area, kitchen and sleeping area not be a positive advantage for you?

to me it's real simple, I ask myself, being someone that knows how to cook, would I rather do this inside a BBQ porch/kitchen with air and heat or outside.......uh, I'll take the porch please!

secondly, I just recently cooked at the Jim Beam Classic a couple of weeks ago, with 15-25mph winds, temps around 50 and constant rain for 24 of the 26 hours I was there.

however, as I walked around Friday night and looked at the 44 other rigs on site, I noticed that about 30-32 of them were some sort of BBQ porch/kitchen and the majority of the 30-32 also had a vehicle/rv that allowed them to sleep inside.

hell, two of the participants had rigs that were totally enclosed......even the cooking area was totally enclosed and had massive ventilation.

if those kinds of rigs didn't provide a huge advantage then like all things in life, people would not invest in them.

doesnt mean that the guy sitting there with an uninsulated smoker sitting in the rain and cold and one tent can't win.......but you will never convince me that it won't be harder for him to perform at his optimal level under those circumstances.

and I say all of this being on a budget myself....I dont own a porch or an RV......I have a trailer and some tents.

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To clarify, I am not against trailers. Actually I would love a small enclosed trailer to get out of the rain!

I was simply answering the OP about the biggest bang for his buck. IMO the biggest bang for his buck is a practicing or a class. If he has all of those things down pat then a trailer would help him be more consistent.

Also, If you want a porch trailer so bad just buy one already. :becky:

Right on Q said:

To clarify, I am not against trailers. Actually I would love a small enclosed trailer to get out of the rain!

I was simply answering the OP about the biggest bang for his buck. IMO the biggest bang for his buck is a practicing or a class. If he has all of those things down pat then a trailer would help him be more consistent.

Also, If you want a porch trailer so bad just buy one already. :becky:

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I dont know if I will ever get a porch trailer.......for the following reasons;

1) money

2) being realistic about how far I want to go into this hobby

3) how often would I really use the thing? if i'm cooking in less than 5 comps a year and go out and do festival type of events 2-3 times more a year then is that enough to justify the investment? as of now, no.....but it doesnt mean that I cannot see the value of what it would mean to have one when I'm helping hold my tent from blowing away with sideways stinging rain blowing in my face and needing to get my chicken box ready to turn in.

and let me say this, I love forums but I also hate them because you can never judge someones tone of voice through writing or their intent.

I dont mean to seem over the top about this issue and I certainly dont want to come across as being pushy.....I fully understand everyone has their own stance on these kinds of questions. I get it.

I guess where I'm coming from is that I just figure if you have enough interest to own a smoker, have made it to this website, created an account so you can post, have actually paid the money to compete in a contest then I think you feel like you sort of already know how to cook.

I mean dont you? in this BBQ world you find people that are either outwardly humble towards others or outwardly cocky about what they do.......but at the end of the day, I bet nearly every single one of that has chosen to actually compete, that if it all comes together correctly for us that we absolutely cook well enough to win.....why else would we get out there and do it?

I'm not a Q snob, I am blown away anytime I get a hold of some great Q and I know tons of other people make good stuff too.....but I will also admit that I think at times I can cook stuff that is every bit as good as anything I have ever eaten. I think you have to believe that about yourself, or otherwise, there are cheaper and less stressful ways to meet folks and socialize :razz:

and I guess because of that belief that I dont feel it necessary to advise someone to learn how to cook when they are asking about what to do at a comp. that's why my focus is on the other things that matter because I make the assumption they at leas think they can cook.

I'm going to disagree that a trailer should be at the bottom of a person's list. If that were the case then why does almost every team have one? The teams that cook just under a canopy are in a very small minority these days. To me, having a good work area that is out of the elements is just as important as the smoker or any other part of it.