Rookie in search of advice on smoker HELP!!!

SweetHeatBBQnSC

SweetHeatBBQnSC

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Hello ladies and gents,

I have really become interested in smoking by watching the tv competitions. Once I started searching for smokers I stumbled upon this website and read numerous forums which interested me even more. So I am an avid gas and charcoal griller, but never have I ever attempted any smoking. However, I am ready to dive in head first. I know someone asked a similar question a few weeks back, but this are my questions. Should I get a cheap smoker to learn the arts or should I bite the bullet and go ahead and get the Smokehouse? Through reading this site it led me to the Smokehouse and that is a beautiful piece of cooking equipment. Also, the gravity feed that should be coming out looks nice too, but are they too advanced for me or would I be better served to just get to know this smoker while learning the trade? I am wanting to do either charcoal or stick smoking, so is it possible to charcoal smoke on the Smokehouse? Also, how much charcoal can you expect to use when using it for smoking. Please don't hold back any advice because I am anxious to learn. I would love to start doing a little competition smoking in the future so any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
My advice would be to start with an 18 inch WSM. $299. Super simple to operate and not expensive. You can cook great q on them (we compete on them)

Then move up when you feel ready.

Or if you have money to burn by all means buy the smokehouse! :p No judgement here
 
I'd start small instead of going in whole hog at first. Pun intended.

WSM, UDS and PBC are great starter units. Some of the pellet poopers are good starter units. JasonTQ even used his CPP (cheap pellet pooper) in a competition and did quite well!

But hey, if you have the scratch and can afford it, go for it!
 
Welcome! I guess it's different for everyone but my take would be to start with something simple like a UDS or WSM (as others have said). Doing this will allow you to learn the meat and process first and then you'll know what you really want and need. I've seen guys go all in right away and it can work but many of them get discouraged easily because they think buying a high dollar unit out of the gate will give you great bbq..it wont. Then a bad brisket turns into "why did I spend all this money" instead of "oh well, at least we'll have good chili".
All that being said, if you've got the cash and don't set your final product expectations too high out of the gate go ahead.
 
I'd go get a Brazos or Over/Under from Old Country. Less than $500 and both are stout wood burning smokers. All it takes is a chimney of charcoal then add a log split every 45 minutes or so.
 
I built a 50 gallon UDS for under $140, depending on what you have available, building is much more cost effective, but I do like building things.
That reminds me, I should post some pics of the build.
 
Smokehouse would Probally run Ok on charcoal but will burn through a lot of charcoal and get expensive to run that way. I think everybody should have both a charcoal smoker and a separate stick burner smoker . I’ve had many different smokers and I think a drum smoker wether bought or built is the Best beginner smoker. Homemade ugly drum smoker or Gateway or Hunsacker or one built by some guy selling them on craigslist. 55 gallon charcoal burning drum smoker. You can build one for as little as $150 -$200 or you can buy a nice powder coated professional built one from Hunsaker or Gateway for $800
 
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If you decide on a UDS Big Poppa Smokers- ,check Brethren Sales and Ventures, sells a kit to build one that has almost everything you need to build one
 
I’d second (or third) the WSM or UDS as a great starter pit. A pellet grill is also great, you really want something that’s easy to maintain temp to start with as you “hone your craft” I started with a terrible Brinkman WSM type of cooker & then from there went to an offset that thanks to this forum I was able to mod to get decent performance from but was still a chore on longer cooks.

Once I switched to a WSM about 10 years ago I forgot how terrible it was when I was starting out. Since then I have recommended a WSM to multiple friends & each time they can’t believe how easy it is to maintain temps, almost like cheating. My pellet pooper is cheating but that’s besides the point, helps me sleep like a baby! The point is that with a stable pit you can spend more time on technique, making rubs, sauces & drinking beer vs cursing at wild temp swings or charred bbq.
 
If any of your local Walmarts still have them, take a look at a Barrel House Cooker. Walmart's been clearing them out at $45. At that price tag, you won't feel too bad if it doesn't work out for you.

Otherwise, I'd recommend the real thing: a Pit Barrel Cooker. Works great, it's set-it-and-forget-it cooking, and turns out great food for little effort.
 
Hi Joedy, and welcome. No matter which smoker you buy, someone on here is going to cook something amazing on something that you don't own and you are going to go out and buy the same cooker. It is a disease that we all have and no one is really looking for a cure. The WSM is about the most solid advice as I can give...and I am going to make one suggestion. It looks like from your handle that you are from South Carolina. This is your lucky day. We are having a brethren bash April 6th at Kings Mountain State Park and would love to have you in attendance. There will be several different types of smokers on hand and you can get tutorials on all of them to get some hands-on experience.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=268401
Check us out.
 
Keep it simple. Start slow. Hone your BBQ "instincts" first and grow from there. You can do that on ANY cooker. I started (and still use) a WSM. Enjoy the journey.
 
Right on Q said:
My advice would be to start with an 18 inch WSM. $299. Super simple to operate and not expensive. You can cook great q on them (we compete on them)

Then move up when you feel ready.

Or if you have money to burn by all means buy the smokehouse! :p No judgement here
Click to expand...


I couldn’t agree more. They are great little cookers and you can cook on them a lot of different ways. In a different life, we took 1st place in Ribs one year and 2nd the next in the state of Pennsylvania using a WSM.
 
Thanks for all the great advice! I have checked out the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker and it seems to be a good cooker. For anyone with knowledge what is the difference in the 18 and 22"? I have always believed buy the bigger one so it will work for smaller and larger quantities. Is the $429 I see on the website the price that everyone has found it for? Y'all rock!!!
 
Weber never has sales. You may catch a clearance sale on some things from different retailers but for the most part Weber pricing is set.

Your local True Value or Ace Hardware may have the WSM 22" in stock. The regular price for them is $399 + tax mans cut.
 
SweetHeatBBQnSC said:
Thanks for all the great advice! I have checked out the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker and it seems to be a good cooker. For anyone with knowledge what is the difference in the 18 and 22"? I have always believed buy the bigger one so it will work for smaller and larger quantities. Is the $429 I see on the website the price that everyone has found it for? Y'all rock!!!
Click to expand...

4 inches... lol, and quite a bit more capacity if that is important to you. I've only cooked on a 22 so I dont have any wisdom on the 18 inch models, but I have not regretted getting one, then another. If I upgrade someday, I will definitely keep one around. I did go through the exercise of building a UDS, and it cooks very similarly to the WSM without water in the pan. As other have suggested, it is an inexpensive way to get some good capacity without spending a bundle (about $100 in my case).
 
some claim the 22 goes through quite a bit more charcoal, so if you're typically doing smaller cooks, might not be worth it


18.5 could struggle with a bigger brisket
 
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