Frustrated after wasting $45 on beef brisket on a OKJ Highland... Trade it in for a WSM 18?

[Longbow63]

Hang in there Bro....lots of good info for you on this thread...you will get it next time!

 

[Doog]

Welcome to the forum!!
You got lots of good information from the members. Not much to add except... every cook is a learning experience. :wink:
Looks like you have a few decisions to make.
1.Give ole Joe some time and try and figure it out.

2.Find something that is easier for you to cook on.

Good Luck!

 

[SmittyJonz]

Get the Oak - a typical Pork Butt or Brisket cook would use 10-12-14 splits. (2 to start then 1 every 45 minutes) so a pickup load or 1/4 cord would do 6-8 cooks.

 

[FrkYrPrk]

I'd select oak only for your offset, and run a small, hot fire. I would expect to get 2 long cooks from 2 wheelbarrows of wood. Buy the half cord, if you can afford it up front, it won't go to waste...

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Some of those are near me, but isn't Eucalyptus toxic for cooking? Could I use Avocado wood or just go full oak. Also, I'm not familiar with wood sizes and would 2 'wheelbarrow' full last me through a 8-12 hour smoke? Do I need to buy a 1/2 cord?



Can a 14.5 fit a 14 lbs or so brisket? I guess I can get a 14.5 WSM to cut my teeth on first...



Oh geez, I feel better now lol. That's an epic waste of meat lol.

Brisket it just depends on how it is shaped. Also, are you willing to separate the point and flat and stack them? Also, depends on how aggressive your trim that brisket. I am pretty aggressive in trimming my brisket. I have gotten decent sized briskets on it but you have to separate the brisket flat from the point. Weight is not he issue it is the length and width of the brisket not the thickness that plays the important role of will it fit or not. It really depends more on the length and width. Weight is not an issue. It has to be cooked top grate if you want to wrangle another big hunk of meat on there. If you are cooking for yourself and just a brisket just separate the point from the flat and wrangle it in and you should be good to go.

My opinion is it can be done but it is going to be a tight fit You have to strategically select your brisket for a cook on this smoker. I like to get nicely marbled meat and then I like to separate the point and flat before cooking. That way it fits.

Also, trim it up as much as possible but don't be too aggressive or conservative.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

If you want a wsm i suggest the 18 if you dont cook for large groups and are concerned with fuel usage. 22 can handle alot but from what i hear they can chew up a bit more fuel. Rusty may have better luck with his 14 but i think most would suggest the bigger ones as your first/only smoker. Both are great smokers out of the box. I dont really use mine anymore since i got the longhorn (same as the Highland only longer) and mastered smoking on a kettle. I use the stickburner when i want to play with fire and larger cooks and the kettle when im busier. The kettle just uses way less fuel and im usually only cooking small amounts.

:biggrin1::biggrin1:

I tend to agree that the 18.5" is a good choice. The 22.5" is a fuel hog but it does cook nice. Not my favorite pit but it will get the job done.

Keep in mind I originally got my 14.5" because it was hugely discounted just because I thought it would be nice to have smoker for just cooking for me and my wife. I never planned to compete on it. Circumstances forced my hand on that one.

My pregnant wife could not help me move the bigger smokers and well I was to stubborn to wait until next year to compete and I went crazy and said I will make due with that tiny arse WSM.

It has worked out very well for me but I have spent many sleepless nights learning how to master this pit. The biggest thing is learning how to use the real estate you have because it is limited. That is any pit I suppose but none more so than the 14.5" WSM.

If you want a bit of a challenge or don't think you will smoke a lot of meat then go ahead and try a 14.5" but an 18.5" is probably the route to go.

I swear by the 14.5" WSM because it forces me to focus on very little meat and I have to be spot on with my cooks for competition as it can very easily blow up in my face.

Whatever you choose to do there are plenty of great people here that can help you.
If you do go with a 14.5" WSM I will be more than willing to share the tricks I have learned to maximize the pits space.
No matter what you choose this is the place to learn.

 

[Radio]

My OK Joe's had shipping damage and the CC lid was off center really bad. These are some of the pics I sent to customer service. to their credit, the shipped out a new CC and FB which also arrived damaged. Sent more pics of that one and they reshipped. The doors on that one were perfect, but something heavy had been dropped on the CC and put a huge dent in it.

The last pic with no text for description is where the two halves of the FB go together. With a gap like that, it would be nearly impossible to regulate air flow with the damper. I finally gave up and welded the two halves together.

The new one they sent finally was acceptable, so I have 3 spare CC and two spare FB setting around that could possibly be useable, but would take lots of cutting and welding
to make things fit

Not trying to hijack, but putting this out there in case the OP might have gotten a smoker that was damaged like mine and being new at smoking, is not aware anything is/was wrong and is affecting the smokers performance

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

What a GREAT thread. As a new guy, I learned more from reading this thread than I can imagine. I know this BBQ business isn't rocket science, but it isn't exactly kindergarten stuff either.

I think that the most important thing I need to remember, that a beginner can't expect EVERY piece of meat to be perfect!

I picked up the Arron Franklin book at the post office this morning, I can't wait for lunch time to open the package.





.

 

[markrvp]

Aaron's book is going to be the Stick Burners Bible. Lots of good tips. As others have mentioned, do some smaller, more forgiving meats to practice on. The more you practice the better you'll be. Do lots of chicken quarters and fatties. When you have time to go 8-12 hours, do a pork butt. I've been doing briskets for 5 years now and I still get an odd one every now and then.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

Aaron's book is going to be the Stick Burners Bible. Lots of good tips.

Well, I didn't understand that it was geared toward wood burners, or I probably would have held off on buying it. BUT, I don't think it was a bad purchase, just premature.

I'm just learning, have covered up my gas grill for storage and started with a Weber 22"er. I've done a few cooks this summer on that and I am now gathering parts for a UDS. I figured I would learn a bit on those, before I purchased a stick burner. You'll know when that happens because I'll ask for suggestions and recommendations on what to buy.





.

 

[Right on Q]

Aaron's book is going to be the Stick Burners Bible. Lots of good tips. As others have mentioned, do some smaller, more forgiving meats to practice on. The more you practice the better you'll be. Do lots of chicken quarters and fatties. When you have time to go 8-12 hours, do a pork butt. I've been doing briskets for 5 years now and I still get an odd one every now and then.

Honestly this is the best advice on this thread for the OP. Aaron's book is geared specifically for stick burners. Spend the ~$25 and buy the book. It will shorten the learning curve for a stick burner tremendously.

I learned a lot from it and i don't even use stick burners

 

[magbarn]

I keep hearing about UDS in this thread and all over the forum. Isn't a UDS basically a homemade version of a WSM or a WSM is a 'mass-produced' UDS?

:biggrin1::biggrin1:

I tend to agree that the 18.5" is a good choice. The 22.5" is a fuel hog but it does cook nice. Not my favorite pit but it will get the job done.

Keep in mind I originally got my 14.5" because it was hugely discounted just because I thought it would be nice to have smoker for just cooking for me and my wife. I never planned to compete on it. Circumstances forced my hand on that one.

My pregnant wife could not help me move the bigger smokers and well I was to stubborn to wait until next year to compete and I went crazy and said I will make due with that tiny arse WSM.

It has worked out very well for me but I have spent many sleepless nights learning how to master this pit. The biggest thing is learning how to use the real estate you have because it is limited. That is any pit I suppose but none more so than the 14.5" WSM.

If you want a bit of a challenge or don't think you will smoke a lot of meat then go ahead and try a 14.5" but an 18.5" is probably the route to go.

I swear by the 14.5" WSM because it forces me to focus on very little meat and I have to be spot on with my cooks for competition as it can very easily blow up in my face.

Whatever you choose to do there are plenty of great people here that can help you.
If you do go with a 14.5" WSM I will be more than willing to share the tricks I have learned to maximize the pits space.
No matter what you choose this is the place to learn.

Do you find it harder to maintain a steady temp on the 14 vs the 18 WSM?

For Radio:
When I get home from work tonight I'll look for all those holes you just showed me. Hopefully mine is nowhere near as bad as yours...

 

[Ron_L]

I keep hearing about UDS in this thread and all over the forum. Isn't a UDS basically a homemade version of a WSM or a WSM is a 'mass-produced' UDS?

They are similar in that they are barrel-shaped vertical cookers, and can produce similar results. The UDS is a great lower cost option for those who are handy with tools. The WSM is higher in price but great for folks who prefer something pre-built

 

[cb25]

As has already been stated, you *can* learn to cook on that pit if you want to put in the time/thought. It is definitely a "buyer beware" and "your mileage may vary" type of smoker.

I have one, and I've done precisely *zero* mods to it, and it cooks pretty darn well. Not without it's struggles at time (the first couple cooks where I was trying to cook w/ charcoal were much like your experiences). I will say, looking at it, especially compared to some of the pics posted of poorly sealed, poorly fit versions - mine is pretty dang solid.

At some point, I'll probably seal up some of the leaks.

At some point I'll probably purchase a tuning plate/baffle.

I'm in no rush, because I'm doing fine without them...but it took a half dozen cooks before I really understood how to use this particular cooker, and I'd venture to say I'm definitely still learning a few years later.

 

[magbarn]

As has already been stated, you *can* learn to cook on that pit if you want to put in the time/thought. It is definitely a "buyer beware" and "your mileage may vary" type of smoker.

I have one, and I've done precisely *zero* mods to it, and it cooks pretty darn well. Not without it's struggles at time (the first couple cooks where I was trying to cook w/ charcoal were much like your experiences). I will say, looking at it, especially compared to some of the pics posted of poorly sealed, poorly fit versions - mine is pretty dang solid.

At some point, I'll probably seal up some of the leaks.

At some point I'll probably purchase a tuning plate/baffle.

I'm in no rush, because I'm doing fine without them...but it took a half dozen cooks before I really understood how to use this particular cooker, and I'd venture to say I'm definitely still learning a few years later.

I get what you and others are saying here. So basically this OK Joe that I have is basically a 'stick cooker' and is impossible or difficult to cook with charcoal? I basically need to return it as I'll be having to borrow a truck constantly to pick up wood which I really didn't have in mind. Guess I'll be going with a WSM then. Hopefully Lowe's doesn't give me a hard time...

 

[nbicoy]

I know I'm a little late jumping in on this thread. I was in the same boat as you and started off with a cheap offset. Except it took me about 8 years before I learned the difference. For the first year, I don't think I served anything to anyone other than my significant other. It took that long before I produced anything that I was reasonably happy with. It took me about 8 years to bother even learning that there were other options.

But let me tell you. Cook with anything for a long time, and you make it yours. I can control the temp like a champ on that POS using charcoal with some wood chunks. It's not easy, and I can't go take a nap while I cook. But it's doable. If you take the time to learn on something that is a pain the ass, when you pick up something like a WSM (I use the 18 and 22 for comps) it's a cake walk to control and you can focus on flavors.

I say suffer through learning the offset for a while until you get it down. It will make you that much more comfortable controlling heat in the long run. Just my 2 cents.

 

[cb25]

I get what you and others are saying here. So basically this OK Joe that I have is basically a 'stick cooker' and is impossible or difficult to cook with charcoal? I basically need to return it as I'll be having to borrow a truck constantly to pick up wood which I really didn't have in mind. Guess I'll be going with a WSM then. Hopefully Lowe's doesn't give me a hard time...

I think so. You'll go crazy constantly adding charcoal (not to mention you'll be PLOWING through bags of charcoal to keep temps up). My sanity level greatly improved when I switched to cooking primarily with wood splits.

A WSM (or alternatives) gives you a bit easier of a cook, I'd think. Plus, I'd think once you really get it dialed in with some practice, much less babysitting. I've got to keep an eye on the OK Joe pretty much through the whole cook to make sure the fire burns clean. Luckily for me, I find tending a fire relaxing - so I cook when I know I have the time to do it right.

 

[chasbates]

The first thing I ever tried was a brisket. Bought a Brinkman a couple BBQ cook books and was of to the races. As I recall it was not half bad (probably wishful thinking). So 26 years later still learning.

 

[Radio]

For Radio:
When I get home from work tonight I'll look for all those holes you just showed me. Hopefully mine is nowhere near as bad as yours...

Mine was apparently damaged in shipping, so the CC door got tweaked out of position. Even though the firebox wasn't damaged, the bolts just weren't close enough together to pull the halves in for a tight fit, hence the welding them together.

If you keep it, every gap you can seal will only help with air draw through the damper and help keep temps stable.

Like many others, I cut my teeth on a stick burner, so anything else is going backwards for me. I do kinda want an electric smoker though just for summer sausage

 

[mike-cleveland]

You can pick up a cheap roasting pan and place it under half of the main cooking chamber to cook over charcoal. It is what I do. A small amount you can cook a brisket or whatever indirect. I just ordered a cord of wood and got it delivered for > $200 but I am in Ohio. Not sure what the price would be in your neck of the woods. But cooking over charcoal is more expensive for me than wood. I figure each stick cost me about 30 cents. Maybe takes 10 or so pieces for a long cook of 8 to 10 hours. Trick is to build a very nice coal base first so that when you add a stick, it flares in less than a minute with no steam etc.

Here is me doing some steaks over lump ( i like it for less ash/clean-up and heat)

http://www.imnotallowed.com/wp/?p=606

And here is my first smoke on my OK Joe

http://www.imnotallowed.com/wp/?p=431

I also found the metal in my smoker adjusted after a few cooks. Pretty tight now.