Gravity Smoker can’t decide.

[GrapeRadio]

It’s my first post here, so cut me a bit of slack. Long story short is that I used to have a KLOSE stick burner (20 years) smoker and I was decently skilled.
However, at my age, I just don’t think I have the stamina for the long cooks of a stick burner. I flirted with the idea of buying a Shirley, but I’ve been frustrated by the lack of communication from them. I am now considering getting a gravity smoker. My feeling is that I’ll get more smoke flavor than a pellet grill, but a bit less than a stick burner. Any thoughts on this particular point?

I don’t mind spending the money for a very high-quality smoker. I am leaning towards a mid tier Stumps but am open minded. Help me decide.

 

[Vision]

I've never used a gravity smoker but don't like charcoal igniter smoke.

I would go with a Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 36.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

It’s my first post here, so cut me a bit of slack. Long story short is that I used to have a KLOSE stick burner (20 years) smoker and I was decently skilled.
However, at my age, I just don’t think I have the stamina for the long cooks of a stick burner. I flirted with the idea of buying a Shirley, but I’ve been frustrated by the lack of communication from them. I am now considering getting a gravity smoker. My feeling is that I’ll get more smoke flavor than a pellet grill, but a bit less than a stick burner. Any thoughts on this particular point?

.

I've never cooked with or eaten food from a pellet smoker. But I've had two stickburners and two GF's, a MB 560 and currently an Assassin 17. And I agree with your assessment. The GF's make clean smoke. IMO, they're as close to stickburner as it can get.

 

[cowboyupbbq]

I’ve cooked on about every kind of cooker out there and some of the best food I’ve made was on a stumps classic.

 

[WeberWho]

I really like my gravity feed smoker. The flavor is very close to a stick burner as you can place chunks of wood below the charcoal grate so it will fully ignite and get similar results that you would a stick burner. I also have a stick burner that I really enjoy but I unfortunately just don't have the time in most scenarios. The gravity feed is a fantastic replacement or option. While I still add chunks for the first the 2-3 hours, it's set it and forgot it afterwards. (You can place chunks in with the charcoal but I prefer the light smoke flavor like a stick burner compared to when you add wood chunks to the charcoal where it sits and smolders) Just my personal opinion.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

I open the firebox door on the Assassin and flames come licking out. The small wood splits are not smoldering. Downside is I'm adding splits every 15 to 20 minutes. But I get steady cooking temp using Thermoworks Billows. I've not had this cooker long enough to fully understand that.

 

[Vader1959]

If your gonna go through adding splits that often, coupled with an ATC, you might as well be using a stick burner.

 

[WeberWho]

I would go with smaller splits or chunks. You're looking for a smoke flavor profile with the splits/chunks. Your gravity feed smoker is relying on the charcoal for a stable temperature. So adding splits and chunks that often isn't needed like an offset where it's relying on the heat/temperature of the splits. I'll add a couple chunks of wood every 30-40 minutes for the first 2-3 hours.

 

[bonz50]

i know very little about gravity fed smokers other than reading a few articles about them... to my uninformed eyes it seems like if you're gonna go gravity feed you might as well go electric/propane with wood chips, seems to be about the same net effect. the design almost seems like a solution looking for a problem... just my .02

 

[JeffinNE]

Before getting my Shirley I was strongly considering the Lone Star Grillz mini IVC. Rather than gravity feeding the charcoal you just set the charcoal in the basket at the bottom and run a "snake maze" with small chunks of wood throughout. Easier than adding chunks every so often and seems clean up would be easier.

Humphrey's is another popular maker of IVC cookers.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

If your gonna go through adding splits that often, coupled with an ATC, you might as well be using a stick burner.

Nope, the temps are stable. Smoker ran a dead steady 275. And it did not matter whether a chunk was burning in the ash bin or not.

World of difference from my Franklin offset. Which I run in a 25 degree range.

My MB560 chunks also flamed in the ash bin. And that smoker ran dead steady also.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

I would go with smaller splits or chunks. You're looking for a smoke flavor profile with the splits/chunks. Your gravity feed smoker is relying on the charcoal for a stable temperature. So adding splits and chunks that often isn't needed like an offset where it's relying on the heat/temperature of the splits. I'll add a couple chunks of wood every 30-40 minutes for the first 2-3 hours.

I called it a split. Its chunks.

That firebox is not big enough for a split.

 

[BuckN BBQ]

I open the firebox door on the Assassin and flames come licking out. The small wood splits are not smoldering. Downside is I'm adding splits every 15 to 20 minutes. But I get steady cooking temp using Thermoworks Billows. I've not had this cooker long enough to fully understand that.

It looks like you have a big fire in the ash pan. How do you light your fire? My Assassin I start the charcoal from the bottom with a torch put in a couple of chunks of wood and force a few embers down to start smoking the wood. I've never had a fire that big in the ash pan itself. Yes, the chunks will catch but nothing like that and much more ash then what I see you have. You really should only need a few chunks throughout the cook. I don't think there is a need to keep adding wood after the first few hours of the cook.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

It looks like you have a big fire in the ash pan. How do you light your fire? My Assassin I start the charcoal from the bottom with a torch put in a couple of chunks of wood and force a few embers down to start smoking the wood. I've never had a fire that big in the ash pan itself. Yes, the chunks will catch but nothing like that and much more ash then what I see you have. You really should only need a few chunks throughout the cook. I don't think there is a need to keep adding wood after the first few hours of the cook.

I do the same thing. I don't put wood in the hopper.

That is one 8" X 1" piece of pecan. I buy 16" splits for my stickburner. I cut those in half down to 8". Then I split them for use in the stickburner. For the GF, I split them at least one more time, maybe twice.

How much wood to use will have to be learned the hard way. I don't think anyone can tell me that. How much smoke goes on meats is subjective and can vary with each person's taste and it will vary with the wood used.

I don't do long cooks on the Assassin. It will be mostly ribs which are about 3 hours maybe 4 hours. Long cooks are on the Franklin stickburner, i.e. brisket, pork butt, beef rib, etc.

Here's my splits ....... maybe ya can get an idea of the size

 

[Lynn Dollar]

Here's a graph of a baby back cook on the Assassin this past weekend. Set temp was 275 with the probe on the middle grate. Another probe was on the top grate, which ran cooler than the middle.

Have to look past all those " L " s for low temp warnings. I talked to Thermoworks about disabling that feature on the Billows and they told me it wasn't possible. Its a PITA for me.

 

[BBQBrew65]

I have been using a Southern Q Smokers Limo Jr. Gravity fed for several years at home and in competitions in Texas. We have had several walks in all categories and a few GCs. So, anyone who says you can't produce "offset" quality BBQ on a gravity fed is just wrong.

 

[Robert]

I have a Stump Stretch that we use in competition mounted on our competition trailer. I bought it used in like new condition in December 2013.



I fill the coal chute with briquettes and use a map gas torch to light the fire from the bottom. Takes about five minutes. Shut the firebox door and set the temp controller. Once up to desired temp, I then add three or four splits about 8-10 inches long and about coke can diameter size. Shut the door and put the meat on. Lots of smoke comes out of the stack for the next three hours. This gives us plenty of smoke cooking at 275. If I try to add more after three hours, the judges complain of too much smoke. for personal consumption, I might add another split or two because I like to taste a little smoke. This is for big pieces, briskets and butts, not ribs. Ribs only one split. I have never cooked chicken on this cooker.


One of my cooking partners has a SouthernQ Limo Junior. Website says $2400 for the basic model. A comparable model from Stumps would be the Junior and it is listed at $6300. As far as I can tell it is built just as good as the Stump. I can tell you the owner from SouthernQ is much nicer to deal with than the horses patootie at Stumps. One good cussing from him was all I needed. Imagine a guy being mad because you bought a used Stump and then not answering any questions about how to get the temp above 200 degrees without a temp controller.



I used to own a Jambo. But,being stubbornly old school, I tried to make it cook at 225, which it would do and even got Reserve Grand Champion at the American Royal in 2003 with that method. But, I was an all night affair to run it like that. I foolishly traded it off rather than try to cook at 275+.



I know lots of folks here love the pellet cookers. Been there, done that,three different times. Somehow, I didn't get the T-shirt. My youngest son told me that he was going to buy a Pit Boss Copperhead. I said, "I don't even know who you are anymore". He said it was purely a convenience decision. Yet he has a guy that he works with that can build a gravity feed in his spare time for about a $1000 in materials. But he is stubborn to a fault like his old man so all i can do is shake my head.


I'd definitely look at the SoutherQ before you make you decision.


Good luck,


Robert

 

[Lynn Dollar]

The smoke I've been getting from the Assassin 17 is barely visible thin blue.

At the end of my baby back cook, I put a larger split in the firebox. The same size I use in the Franklin. And the smoke became more visible. But it was still thin blue.

I'm gonna run larger splits next cook.

 

[Headgear]

I had a stump Classic but it started to get a little rust and I thought I better get rid of it before I couldn't get much for it. I loved that thing and the food I made on it but they are just too darn pretty to have rust, and I was ready at that time for something even more set and forget and I got a MAC One Star General and still have it. I retired and had more time and always wanted a stick burner and recently got one also. The pellet smoker did put a good amount of smoke on the food, but it just doesn't compare to the smoke flavor of a stick burner. Neither did the Stump. Maybe close and I'm sure others can do better with it than I did. But IMO nothing beats the sweet smoke that a stick burner produces. But everyone is different. But I'll tell you what, the set-and-forget ability of a gravity-fed combined with the taste is hard to beat.

 

[patrickd26]

I mix wood chunks in with my charcoal down the chute on my Assassin 28. Also, once my meat is on and the temp is stable, I start throwing a handful of wood chunks into the firebox. It does run clean, but I'm good with that. The flavor is always great!