Insulated Firebox on Offset Question

[Sid Post]

OP:
What you describe really suggests you don't have TIME to run a stick burner. Sorry but, 3 young children (even 2) and the time and attention they require suggests a stick burner is probably not something that will bring you joy and happiness at this stage of your life.

While no one wants to see a little one get an owie, kids are generally smart enough to learn pretty quickly! :wink:

Your best options from what I read right now are an IVC or a Gravity Fed smoker. A really top end pellet pooper would probably also work but, is out of your price range. An IVC can make good 'gue, they just do it differently than a stick burner. All 3 of these options are a better choice for someone with time constraints like yourself.

On the other hand, a WSM on the front driveway and the kids in the backyard might work too! :laugh:

 

[norcalniner]

Get a 36" Weber smokefire and all your problems will be solved! :laugh:

Im pretty much in the same boat as you. I have a 4 yo and 3 month old twins. I had wanted a stickburner for forever and a day and knew that it would essentially be a 4th child on certain days. I told myself that my attention wpuld get pulled into it if I bpught one.

So I considered a pellet grill...the smokefire...long story short. I didnt get it (thank god) because my wife said I wouldnt have fun with it becuae I like fussing with things like that.

So I bought a stickburner. For now, I just have a large gate that I use if I need to. That seems to be my best solution given my backyard layout. If I know I cant tend to it, I'll use my kettle with my slow & sear which Im happy with. Nothing replaces the offset, however. It's nice having options. Im good for now

Pardon my errors. It's 440am and im feeding one of the kids and typing on my phone. So tired lol

 

[norcalniner]

Another angle is to smoke what you can and if you have to wrap something, finish it in the oven. BTUs is BTUs after all

 

[Bigpappa1]

Pardon my errors. It's 440am and im feeding one of the kids and typing on my phone. So tired lol

I totally feel your pain. Your idea for the gate is kind of what I had in mind if I were going to do it as well. We have one of those fold up portable gates that I have actually put around my WSM before I built a small fence around my little grilling area. I'm the same as you: I like fiddling with it. If it's too set and forget then it takes away from how I was going to spend the day smoking. That's not spending the day smoking, that's spending a few minutes getting a smoker setup and then leaving. *sigh*...time and a place for everything I guess. I have time to think on it, though.

What you describe really suggests you don't have TIME to run a stick burner. Sorry but, 3 young children (even 2) and the time and attention they require suggests a stick burner is probably not something that will bring you joy and happiness at this stage of your life.

This is precisely my concern: turning a pleasurable activity into a headache/responsibility. BBQ is what I do to unwind, not get wound up...

Thank you for your input everyone, it really is appreciated!

 

[sickhick]

My firebox is mega insulated, it's still warm to the touch at the least, and too hot to the touch near the smoke chamber. Not to mention the entire smoke chamber will be hot as hell anytime you use it.

Charcoal on a normal offset is just wasting charcoal and you'll be pulling your hair out trying to reign in the temps.

Get an insulated vertical cabinet. closest I've found to stick burner results, but none of the hassle. I'm a stickburner through and through, but my LSG IVC was pretty awesome I admit. I'd still have it but I had to sell it to afford the Moberg (I have a sneaking suspicion I might end up with another cabinet though at some point).

 

[ironmanerik]

Get the stickburner if that's what you want. I have cooked with the grandkids around, get a hot fire going, squat down, hold the child close, open the firebox door, take there hand in yours and move it toward the fire until you can feel it, say hot, ask if they can feel it, talk about cooking, at 5 the 3 year old will be able to add a piece of wood and tell you what the cook chamber temp is, in third grade your son will be talking about perfect ribs and bark on brisket while everyone else is talking about their gas grill cooking, chicken burning dad not letting them near the grill because its too hot.
Yes you have to keep an eye on it but I do almost all of my home repairs, yard work etc on cook days.