New smokers at Academy (now w/smoker picts)

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Ok_Longhorn

25+ Posts
Last Thanksgiving, I followed the directions here and smoked a turkey in the small smoker I bought last year to experiment with. It turned out so well, that my wife authorized me to make an investment in a real smoker.

So what I have now is a New Braunsfel Jr. About the only place around here to buy a good smoker is Academy. I've been looking at the New Braunfels Bandera. They've been sold out but when I dropped by to check yesterday, I found they had some new ones. Most specifically the Old Country Smoker.

Wanted to see if anyone here had seen any of the new ones and could give me a more educated opinion if it's worth $500 or should I just stick with the $250 Bandera.
 
I second the recommendation on the Weber Smokey Mountain.

1. easier to control temps
2. will last forever with basic care
3. best bang for the buck.
 
Never tried it on mine but you could probably half-*** it around to be a usable charcoal grill.
 
Yes you can use it as a grill. My roommate in college had a bullet smoker and he used to grill on it. The main problem with his is the comparatively small grill surface area. He just put the charcoal in the bottom like normal and depending on what he was cooking, he either stuck the grate on just the bottom section or he would put the middle section in and cook on that grate. Isn't the most optimal setup but it worked.
 
WSM is a great choice. If you really get into bbq'ing and want to go to a bigger/ traditional style pit-- you can always keep the bullet as a backup/ mobile unit. Much easier to use if you're going to do a smaller/ overnight cook- and don't want to tend the fire every hour.

Also, you can do steaks on the bottom section- and get a nice hot temp. I do turkeys all the time too- works great.

(Weber is IMHO a much better smoker than a Brinkman- but costs more. Still- for $200- it is unbeatable).
 
LosIllini speaks the truth.

The more grills/smokers the better. I've had my WSM for 3 years and I love it. I really do want to get a bigger pit too.

I love how portable the WSM is though. I take it to the lake house during the summers to cook brisket and ribs.
 
Just how much do you think your wife loves you? I say go for the trailer pit if at all feasible. We did it in December and have no regrets.
 
She loves me a lot but I don't need or have room for a trailer pit. Would be cool though..

I thought about a WSM but wrote it off as it doesn't look like it has a lot of cooking area. I know it say 8 slabs of ribs but I don't see how only being 18.5 inches wide at max. With two racks that's only 537 sq inches of ROUND cooking surface. The reason I was looking at the Bandera is it has 992 sq. in of surface for just about the same price.

Also it looks like it is setup to only burn charcoal. I have a great source for hickory and pecan wood though but don't see how i'd be able to use it.

I've never seen a WSM though so I might be wrong about it and if I am, please say so.
 
Man I was just at Acadmey, and in my professional opinion that Old Country Smoker is WELL worth the $500 they are asking for it.

It's heaver gauge steel than the bandera, and the firebox, the main chamber, and the smokestack are WELDED together. That's huge when it comes to smoking. Not to mention, the double grates in the main cooking chamber that slide in and out, the door on the fire box so you can add logs without opening the lid, the placement of the thermometer, the heavy wheels, and a bunch of other things that show me that pit was put together for one reason: low and slow. Plus, it had a general well-built quality that's lacking in most of the smokers you can buy from a store as opposed to a metal shop.

I need a new smoker, but I won't be getting one until August or so. I hope that's still around by then.
 
Ian, I respect your man meat so I think I might go & take a look @ it.

I have a Bandera, but the firebox door has rusted up a bit & now it won't fully close, plus the top to the firebox side won't fully sit down (seal) & I have to put a heavy piece of wood on there to keep it from gapping by 1/2 inch (for those who don't know, the Bandera has a hinged lid to the firebox side for direct griling).

That said, on Saturday I laid out about 10 lbs of brisket, 2 slabs of pork ribs, 1 slab of beef ribs (about 7 bones) & a chicken. All over about 7 hours (brisket was on for 4 hours, the ribs for 2, the bird for 1-1/2 & then it was all wrapped, toweled & into the cooler.

Started @ 11a with "food on" & ate @ 7.

Yum!

I would have taken photos but was too busy with other stuff to fidget with the camera.

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Last time I was at Cabela's in Buda they had an Old Country sitting out front. It is indeed a well-built solid smoker.
 
Ok, picked one up yesterday and set out today to season it. I like it so far. Seems to be made pretty well and only have one head scratcher so far (last pict)

Smoker porn:

Lighting up it's first fire:
DSC02862.jpg


Multiple Shelves:
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Already has a heat shield:
DSC02866.jpg


Anyone know how to hang a can on this???
DSC02867.jpg
 
I always use the paint can. 1 gallon

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It'll probably rust a little, but you can get them cheap at ACE hardware or somewhere like that.
 
I thought it looked different from my Trickstar that I had as a kid. No pegs or Star Rims on that pic either. I think I had Bear Claw pedals, I forget. Too bad my riding skills were not as badass as the bike was. I was better than average but did the bike no justice.
 
I bought the same one today Ok Longhorn. Thanks for the heads up, I wasn't planning on looking at Academy again because they didn't have anything like that the last 5 times I looked. It's perfect though. I spent the last 2 weeks or so getting the side of my house flattened down and put some bricks down to set the smoker on.

IMG_44171-1.jpg
 
I'll do it as soon as I have 6 hours in a row free.

I went and bought some cheap beef ribs to break it in so I'm all ready.
 
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