Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Offset Smokers - need input

I've had several different kinds
The offset cylindrical steel kind with the larger place
with the racks for your meat and the smaller cylinder
for your fire and coals
And the squared off upright steel chamber with a
door that you both tend the fire and the meat through
Homemade versions of both
The ones I probably like best are the sheet metal
cylinders with legs and the fire pan at the bottom
and a water pan above that, and the 2 levels of
grates above that, then the rounded off lid.
The R2D2 looking outfit

I've done every manner of meats in those with
good results. I especially like them for my
homemade sausage. I've cooked the beer can
chickens and turkeys and goodly chunks of
venison and beef and such

Probably the best part is they're not usually
over $100.00
This last one out here was around $20.00
on wallyworld clearance IIRC
Hard to beat for the price unless you
just like spending money

Good Luck

Sounds like your "R2D2" cooker is something like the Weber Smoky Mountain. Good alternative for the price.

https://www.weber.com/US/en/charcoa...wQ9LEAAYAiAAEgKjVfD_BwE&utm_adgroup=

Yeah, same basic layout, only the less expensive
version not the several hundred dollar ones.
One can cook excellent meat without having
to spend hundreds of dollars for cooking tools
and expensive cooking vessels.
Some years ago when I followed such things,
one of the usual winners of BBQ cooking
contests was a rancher here that used old
rusty homemade bbq grills made from 55
gallon drums that looked like they'd been
pushed out of the back of a truck several
times. A big cash layout isn't necessary for
cooking good food

Looks like a legit offset smoker.
Luling Smoker 2 Year Review

I opted for the Traeger Timberline. I apologize to you firebox purists. I admit I prefer the "outdoor oven" aspect of set it & forget it. T

Thank you all for your input.

True enough. In my opinion however, better equipment can make it easier to get great results on a consistent basis with less babysitting hassle.

Rolled mine outta the garage today

Let it sit in the sun for awhile......

got up to 145* in the sun w/o the fire !

Burning some nice dry cherry....all I had on hand

Pork roast in 4 hrs or so

Oh yea.....95* outside..........yechk.......

Why an off-set? Check out Deep South Smokers made in Cumming, GA

They gone!

Does that thermometer not give actual temps?

Losers.

The 2500 dollar one looks expensive for what it is unless it is really well built.

I know a lot of people around here that like their outdoor oven. Enjoy!

Shirley Fabrication 24x36 reverse flow

I second the motion for Shirley Fabrication. Best built cookers on the market. I've been involved in home cooking, bbq competition cooking, and catering for over 10 years. The Shirley is hard to beat. Buy one size larger than you think you want/need. NOBODY has ever said, "Man, I wish my smoker was smaller!" We have 2 large trailer units, one homebuilt, the other a Shirley, a Shirley patio model, and 3 Humphrey's reverse flow cabinet smokers. Regarding a traditional reverse flow, Shirley is the best in my opinion. However, if you do alot of cooking in cold climates, you may want to check out the Humphrey's. They have 2" thick insulated cabinets that can run in ANY ambient temp. We regularly cook in 0* to -30* temps here in ND and MN. In the winter, the Humphrey's is King. You would get worn out feeding a traditional offset/reverse flow in sub zero temps. Adding a Thermoworks temp controller to the Humphrey's is the closest thing to "set it and forget it" you will ever have with a legit cooker. The cost is expensive up front but worth it in the long run.

Nothing says BBQ like a Traeger.


LOL

Sorry Travis

I call BS

Nuthin' like a real fruit wood fire smokin' UR meat

I have $300 in this home built job (including welder fee)

I've been smoking with my Weber 22 Kettle using the snake method. This is the poor mans smoker. I've done ribs, chicken, tri tip, pork butt, and brisket. They have all turned out great.

https://thebestbbqgrill.com/bbq-tips/how-to-do-snake-method-on-weber/

Is this a sarcastic reply to my sarcasm?

Oh Jesus Fugk Me Christ.

LOL

Are you from Wisconsin?