UK & Offset Smoker

[thejsug]

Hi There

I'm a newbie to smoking but due to moving house (and in doing so, getting space for a smoker), I want to finally make the leep and get my own stick burner to make BBQ the way I enjoy it! After visiting Austin TX for 10 years, I've been spoilt by Franklins/La BBQ/Coopers/Salt Lick and would love to re-create.

One of the big problems is getting high quality offset smokers in the UK seems to be hard, if not impossible. Even the more budget COS type models seem to cost quite a lot in the UK and that's leaving me a little concerned!

The smoker I'm looking at now is this:
https://prosmokebbq.co.uk/products/blackfire-indiana-16

Concerns:

It's only a 16" offset with a 28" width cooking chamber. That doesn't sound like a very big cooking chamber and the overall cooking chamber capacity is about 448sqin. I'll only ever be cooking for a maximum of about 6 to 8 people though so as long as it can comfortably fit and cook a couple of racks, or a boston butt and a brisket or something like that, it might be totally fine?

The firebox is 16x16 which actually doesn't seem like a concern to me but I'm aware that means it's 170% of the recommended firebox side as per the Feldon calculator. Maybe not an issue?

It's with 3mm thick steel (but apparently made by the cactus jack guys so very well put together). I know most people recommend 1/4in steel but it just doesn't look like that's possible for anything less than £1,500.



So I guess the question - If I spend £800 on this smoker, will it be fit for purpose and allow me to cook some great BBQ? Or will it be a regret due to the smallish chamber compared to other offsets and the thinner metal? It's obviously not as thin as a budget COS and some people seem to suggest 11ga steel is more than capable if there's no leakage etc.

My other options are to get a pellet grill but really, based on the negative reviews around weird temp variables with the Traeger's, I'm not even sure if that's a better option and I lose the fun of managing the fire! Or I guess I could get an OJ Highland which has a bigger cooking chamber, is cheaper at £500 but will require some modifications which I'll have to YouTube/learn about.

Thanks for your advice :)

[Rambo]

Our website expert here is KAM, consult with him. In my personal opinion, which if you take that and 3 bits might get you a cup of coffee, is that this pit would be able to do everything you described, They mirror the look of Lyfetyme Smokers, Uvalde, Texas

[limey]

I would look into using a Weber Smoky Mountain 22 inch model, lots cheaper and you will see the savings on wood consumption. You can use charcoal with wood chunks and get nearly the same results. Good luck.

[thejsug]

Thanks for the quick replies:

Rambo: That gives me great confidence that at least, this smoker isn't a BAD option - As in, would get me what I want and is capable of doing the job. So THANK YOU! That makes me feel better

Limey: I have thought about the WSM 22 quite a bit as you can get them easily in the UK. For some reason, I am much more attracted to traditional wood burning and using wood as the fuel source. I've heard that the taste is indeed different, and due to wanting to replicate a lot of what I've tasted in Texas. Then again, the less maintenance aspect IS very attractive so it is definitely tempting. But the managing the fire part is something that actually is quite attractive about a traditional offset and the idea of having to invest time and energy into that fire to make it right isn't something that puts me off. But then again, with a 2 year old at home who knows how feasible it is as an idea.

I have to admit, I've been going in rings when it comes to the WSM, Offset or a Pellet but ultimately I keep coming back to that offset in the link as the thing that makes me most excited.....

[Rambo]

Do you have ample access to good wood? I'm very fortunate where I live to have access to quality woods; Oak, Hickory and Pecan. I have an old Lyfetyme stickburner and I basically burn firewood after one chimney of charcoal to get things going. There is nothing like it, but I am envious of the guys that have more modern cookers that aren't as labor intensive as mine.

[thejsug]

Do you have ample access to good wood? I'm very fortunate where I live to have access to quality woods; Oak, Hickory and Pecan. I have an old Lyfetyme stickburner and I basically burn firewood after one chimney of charcoal to get things going. There is nothing like it, but I am envious of the guys that have more modern cookers that aren't as labor intensive as mine.

There's some online places that seem to sell wood pretty easily such as:
https://www.smokewoodshack.com/smoking-wood-bbq-shop (Seasoned)
http://www.kentlogsales.co.uk/firewood_ ... nt.php#oak (Some seasoned, some kiln dried etc...)

So I was planning on indeed starting off the fire with some lump and then using these types of wood's - I'll look for some local wood suppliers in the area too but should be ok I think?

When you say you're envious of the modern cookers, is it just the time involvement you're envious about? From what I can tell, NONE of the modern smokers deliver the same type of flavour. I.E I was all set with getting a Traeger 575 now they've fixed the temp problems, but the reviews of all pellet grills suggest the smoke flavour is just nothing like an offset smoker and thus if the finished product is that different, what's the point? I read that finished product from the WSM is also quite diff from the offset but hmmm!

I suppose if the offset I linked is suitable and will work well, then it still seems to be my preferred choice.

[Rambo]

Because I've never eaten off anything other than a stick burner I can't help

[Boots]

Would consider 2 factors:

Availability of good wood consistently - maybe in U.K. you can source oak reliably? A good wood if well cured. This Makes a stick burner possible

On the other hand a weber smoky mountain is also a viable, but if you experience very cold weather and or wind as I would expect in the UK, you may wish to invest in a fireproof thermal blanket or water heater blanket to help maintain a steady temperature.

[thejsug]

Would consider 2 factors:

Availability of good wood consistently - maybe in U.K. you can source oak reliably? A good wood if well cured. This Makes a stick burner possible

On the other hand a weber smoky mountain is also a viable, but if you experience very cold weather and or wind as I would expect in the UK, you may wish to invest in a fireproof thermal blanket or water heater blanket to help maintain a steady temperature.

From the links, it seems like getting good seasoned wood isn't too difficult at all actually, though I don't quite know yet the real size of them until I get them:
http://www.kentlogsales.co.uk/firewood_ ... nt.php#oak

Re the blanket, that's for the WSM right? I mean, it definitely gets windy and cold but to be fair, it's not often freezing cold (35f or lower), and for the odd week where it is, I wouldn't be cooking most likely

It sounds like you're pretty confident the offset I linked would work just fine (dependent on wood)?