Hi Joedy - my thoughts on the Assassin 48 grill, in particular what I like about it and how I make it work for me.
Draft/Draw - the 6-1/4 in. x 8 in., center-mounted exhaust stack draws very well, no stagnant smoke or air, plenty of convection, no smoldering coal; can adjust temp with stack damper; of my pits, closest to stick burner flavor, great color, smoke ring, moisture.
Versatility - Grilling: very large cook chamber can be setup with multiple heat zones from searing to warming; does not need much fuel to get to grilling temps, a full chimney atop a sparse layer of unlit will get hot fast and stay hot for a long grill session; often grill fatty foods over the slots in v-pan, helps prevent flare ups while controlling some of the grease, still gets plenty hot; upper and lower cook grate vertical temp differences can be utilized. Smoking: multiple methods for temp and fire management, a) with v-pan (or solid steel plate)an up and back charcoal snake with chunks, properly stacked, can get 8 to ten hours at 250 - 275 degrees, will often turn v pan as snake advances so slots are not over lit coals for more stable temps. b) with v-pan, a pile of lit coals in a mound at the firebox gets 3 to 4 hours at 250ish in center of bottom cook grate with temp variance toward and away from firebox (mine is on left), this my preferred for ribs, only need to light a chimney twice and I like to move ribs over slots after saucing for a little char finish, c) scatter dump lit coals over charcoal grate is an infrequently used method but works for for shorter cooks like chicken, but temps can be variable and may need to move food.
Space/Other - large cook area, no crowding food, accesorry friendly accommodates pots, cast iron pans, racks, Dutch ovens, etc…; runs well on lump, charcoal and I have fed it mini wood splits on a few occasions, I get most consistent temps with charcoal when smoking; well built, proven design, made in America; can use fan/blower (I don’t); easy to move; insulated cook chamber door; awesome paint and shock/strut assist to open and close door; flat cooker top used to keep food warm.
Drawbacks/Inconveniences and how I work with them - a) Grease management is biggest area that needs improvement imho, there is no drain or slopping bottom to capture and collect, I use foil often draped over v pan to collect a lot of the grease, shape of v pan (not flat) creates difficulties using drip pans, it can be done but then cannot turn v pan. So I mostly cook on rack above a drip pan on main grate. This works for me but would not if I regularly needed to fill it up and couldn’t use drip fans. I also have a flat steel plate (not stock) that I use instead of v pan that allows drip pans beneath main grate, but it’s very heavy and does not have slots, too much radiant if not careful with temp control and placement of drip pans (with water if needed to help moderate radiance); when my ash pan starts to slip and slide from side to side when pulling in and out, it’s time to clean it out, about twice a year for me; b) charcoal grate heavy, I don’t take out to clean, use hand broom to sweep onto ash pan and dust pan to save back; water pan is useless to me, getting rid of the water in pan is major PITA and uses too much fuel, ymmv, but it makes an excellent shelf for my accessories; c) depth from front to back not sufficient for full size pans, minor to me because I don’t regularly fill it with food but would be nice; d) minor and picky but the insulated, painted door really attracts the ash
For my needs it performs great, and like many of us, have multiple cookers to choose from depending on food, mood and time. Preparation of coals and cooker using v pan or plate with snake method takes a little time and thought but yields more stable temps, it can also take an hour or more to get stable cooking temps.
I’ll add more as I think of things and don’t hesitate to ask if you any more questions. I’ll also add some photos to another post. This is getting long and don’t want lose it. I really enjoy the pit and it would be among the last if I had to thin the herd. Apologies for taking a bit to respond to your question.
