charcoal or gas?

For camping, there is no better fire than charcoal, but gas is the way to go in the backyard.

OK I gotta chime in on this one. I am currently welding up an offset firebox smoker. My old smoker is just to small for the amount of meat I want to serve so a bigger one is needed! I just welded up most of the firebox (18"x18"x18" 1/4" thick). I need to go get more plate for the cooking chamber. It will be 20"x20"x36" long with hooks and two shelves. Can pile up a lot of pork butt, brisket, ribs, sausage, and chickens in there. I usually smoke my pork butt for 12 hours at about 200 deg. (I have had it fall apart when I tried to pick it up off the smoker before) The last hour I throw on tater skins, corn and whole onions on the smoker while my cornbread cooks in the oven in my iron skillets. Of course I made my three different BBQ sauces the day before and are heating up on the firebox. Gas ?? !! ?? I'll take wood and LUMP charcoal any day! (even Kingsford uses some petroleum products, but has the least of all briquette types) I have a Weber Genesis and is a great grill, but I only use it for hot dogs. True BBQ is low and slow! I would say get the gas. Master that, get a Webber kettle charcoal, then maybe try a small offset firebox smoker. Take it in steps. OK.. I am ready to eat now. I made myself hungry!

Kevin KC8GAB

opportunity.

Everyone -

Thanks for all the insight! When I posted the original question, I had no idea it might lead to the posting of a photo of a pig in the back of a van, a discussion of Dutch sex technique, or hi-tech notes about using laser to measure pollution. However, it was all vital in helping me decide; particularly the analogy penned by Barry Bean: "Ultimately - charcoal grill to gas grill is like classic Jeep to Kia."

So I went with the Char-Broil charcoal grill. It may be more work, but now I can proudly stand on my side of the fence, mocking the clean-burning, mess free grill of the dude next door. I'm firing it up this weekend, and you're all invited. Take it easy,

L.A. Jeepster

opportunity.

Damn, Kevin, you got a crane to get that sucker up on a stand or are you building it in place? At least, you have no problem with it blowing away...

Will,

I figure the fire box will be about 250 pounds. The cooking chamber will be out of 3/16" thick I figure about 700 to 800 pounds total when it is all done. I will put four10" pneumatic tires on it and pipe extensions that pull out wheel barrow fashion to steer it when needed. I thought about just putting an axle under it with a tongue, but that would be hard to store and use in the back yard. If I need it to go mobile I'll just use a come along on my trailer and tie it down good. This is similar to what I am making.

Just be sure you flame that guy up real hot before cooking on it! The flux from your welds (dunno what kinda welding yer doin) will get in to your food (somewhat NOT good for ya!). You just using steel? Is it galvanized (hope not!) ?

(Sniperonie)

So what's the address???

I was riding through hillbilly country the other day & came across this guy selling smokers made outa those big ol outdoor gas tanks. He had one painted "Yeller" musta been 16 feet long, ya coulda fit 4 or 5 cows in it.

L8r - Jersey

Using a Lincoln 220 "tombstone" stick welder.

Hmmmm.... Not thought of that. Hey.. come over for some flux flavored ribs? Should be OK after I season it. I will season it like an iron skillet. Rub everything down on the inside with bacon grease or spray it with Pam and fire it up! I'll let it get good 'n hot for a long time to let that grease seep in all the nooks and crannies. I'll hose it out (1 1/2 " ball valve in bottom to drain) then do it all over again. I have done this process on the smoker I am using now, but I did not weld it either.

No, not galvanized

Thanks, I'll look into this! Kevin KC8GAB

Well, it's a bonus if she's good and hot...if I'm hungry enough I'll just throw her on right away! ;)

What, no picture? :-)

-- Old Crow '82 Shovelhead FLT 92" 'Pearl' '95 Jeep YJ Rio Grande ASE Certified Master Auto Tech + L1 TOMKAT, BS#133, SENS, MAMBM, DOF#51

We'll be riding the bikes to a party in Tennessee in June. The guy there has an offset firebox smoker where the cooking chamber is about

-- Old Crow '82 Shovelhead FLT 92" 'Pearl' '95 Jeep YJ Rio Grande ASE Certified Master Auto Tech + L1 TOMKAT, BS#133, SENS, MAMBM, DOF#51