If grills are cars, then BBQ smokers are trucks and I’ve been driving all kinds of trucks since I was a little boy in South Texas. Are you ready for a “truck”?
I put BBQ smokers into three general categories: original, traditional, and other. Everyone has an original BBQ pit – it’s a hole in the ground. Legendary pit master Walter “Barbecue King” Jetton famously catered the first state dinner BBQ for US President Johnson and West German Chancellor Erhard in December 1963 using ground pits at Johnson’s ranch along the Perdernales River. The following year, Jetton returned when Johnson hosted newly elected Mexican President Diaz Ordaz. An incredible video detailing the US-Mexico BBQ can be viewed by clicking here.
Today, however, the health department frowns on open ground pits. To create the same indirect heat/smoke environment, traditional offset or “stick-burner” pits were created that have a fire box used to burn hardwoods such as post oak, pecan, maple or mesquite. The cooking chamber is offset from the fire to allow the chamber to hold temps in the BBQ range of 225-325F and can be rather large in size. Some of the larger pit manufacturers make offset pits that can cook 500+ pounds of meat at a time.
For more information on traditional pits, I suggest the following websites:
- Meadow Creek – New Holland, PA
- Klose BBQ Pits – Houston, TX
- Lyfe Tyme – Uvalde, TX
As for other BBQ pits, this is where BBQ meets technology. Pellet cookers, vertical smokers, ceramic, rotisseries – there are many ways to make great BBQ (and likewise, many ways to spend your disposable income!) In basic terms, a pellet cooker maintains the temperature of the pit by controlling the fuel (in wood pellet form). Vertical smokers have a firebox directly below the cooking chamber with a drip pan and/or pizza stone to dissipate the direct heat from burning the meat. Ceramic smokers are essentially the same format, but are made with ceramic materials instead of steel. Rotisserie smokers can be any of the above including offset stick burners.
There are many manufacturers to consider, but here are the ones I have used:
- Pellet – Fast Eddy/Cookshack – Ponca City, OK
- Pellet – Traeger Grills – Wilsonville, OR
- Vertical – BBQ Guru Onyx – Warminster, PA
- Vertical – Weber (Smoky Mountain)
- Vertical – Backwoods Smokers – Dixie, LA
- Ceramic – Big Green Egg – Atlanta, GA
- Ceramic – KomodoKamado – Los Angeles, CA
All of these smokers can make great BBQ, in fact, many pitmasters cook on modified oil tanks, propane tanks, or even 55 gallon drums! The concept is the same – indirect heat in the BBQ smoke range. The main difference between pit options is capacity and control. How big do you need your pit and how much effort do you want to put in to the cooking?
For example, while stick burners can scale rather large, the firebox needs tending to keep the pit temps within range. Other pits are much easier to control especially with fan controls that restrict air flow and allow you to set the temperature like an oven, yet their design makes for smaller and mid-range cooking capacities.
So what do I suggest you consider? If you are just starting out, look at the Weber Smoky Mountain “bullet” smoker. It provides a low cost entry point and many BBQ competition teams use these smokers with success. If you followed last week’s columns about grills, a ceramic cooker/smoker would be a great option for both grilling and BBQ.
If on the other hand you’re seriously into BBQ (and possibly considering entering a competition), the BBQ Guru Onyx oven is an excellent choice. I am able to get a 12+ hour burn with little to no tending. It is the set-it-and-forget-it pit!
Expecting to feed 100+ people? You’re in stick burner territory now. Take your time reviewing all the options. You are in for an education!
What do we cook on? Big parties require our Meadow Creek TS250 smoker w/ BBQ 42 grill trailer. The capacity for this rig is about 300-400 people depending on what is being cooked. Groups of 50 and under can be handled by our BBQ Guru Onyx while the ceramic smoker/grill is usually on appetizer and/or grilled chicken duty.
Next week, just in time for Mother’s Day, we’ll cover all the must-have gadgets and tools available for aspiring pitmasters.
PS – a special thanks to all that attended the DEHS girl’s softball benefit BBQ last weekend. The weather cooperated and we were able to feed about 300 people. This event keeps growing with each passing year!
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