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I want to buy a smoker (2 Viewers)

TX_Golf_N_Poker said:
The 700 is too big, but I am also looking at the RT-590. If I were only going to smoke with it, I would probably choose the Recteq over the Camp Chef. I'm on the website now, and I don't see a model called the Bullseye. But the RT-590 is $100 off, so it's very appealing. But like I said, the reason I'm leaning Camp Chef is because my current gas grill is about to hit the trash heap, and I'm wondering if I can just go with a pellet grill only and not replace the gas grill for a while, if ever.
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RT-380 Bullseye: https://www.recteq.com/products/rt-b380-wood-pellet-grill

I was on the border with 590/700 but ended up going with the 700 on a Black Friday sale where they paired it with another grill I ended up selling...essentially making my RT700 $1000. Check out some YouTube videos on the the RT models...see what others say.
 
IaHawk said:
RT-380 Bullseye: https://www.recteq.com/products/rt-b380-wood-pellet-grill

I was on the border with 590/700 but ended up going with the 700 on a Black Friday sale where they paired it with another grill I ended up selling...essentially making my RT700 $1000. Check out some YouTube videos on the the RT models...see what others say.
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Yeah, I just watched several videos. It doesn't look like there is an easy way (if at all) to do direct flame searing. What they are calling seared just doesn't cut it for me. They use Grill Grates (a great product which I already use on my gas grill) but only get up around 500 degrees still using indirect heat.

My options (if I want to skip buying another gas grill) seem to be the Camp Chef, or spend over 2 grand on a Yoder.

Sorry, missed the Bullseye link. That's interesting, but too small.
 
TX_Golf_N_Poker said:
Yeah, I just watched several videos. It doesn't look like there is an easy way (if at all) to do direct flame searing. What they are calling seared just doesn't cut it for me. They use Grill Grates (a great product which I already use on my gas grill) but only get up around 500 degrees still using indirect heat.

My options (if I want to skip buying another gas grill) seem to be the Camp Chef, or spend over 2 grand on a Yoder.

Sorry, missed the Bullseye link. That's interesting, but too small.
Click to expand...
I did a ton of research and talked to a lot folks that had pellet grills. It very much comes down to personal preferences in the end. That said, most of the folks that had a sear function said they rarely used it.

My GMG Prime gets up to 550 and I’ve seen a few others brands that can get to ~650. (Thats cooking temp, I would think grate temp would be much higher)

One note on the sear feature that I’ve read, if you don’t clean the fire box regularly, there is a higher risk of a grease fire occurring. (That did happen to a buddy of mine last year whose smoker has a sear function)

I think once you get to a certain level, they are all very similar. A big difference is the quality of the Wi-Fi system. That’s my only issue with the GMG is getting it to connect with my network. Wi-Fi to phone was super easy, network has been an issue (but my Wi-Fi is super weak outside)
 
Budha said:
I did a ton of research and talked to a lot folks that had pellet grills. It very much comes down to personal preferences in the end. That said, most of the folks that had a sear function said they rarely used it.

My GMG Prime gets up to 550 and I’ve seen a few others brands that can get to ~650. (Thats cooking temp, I would think grate temp would be much higher)

One note on the sear feature that I’ve read, if you don’t clean the fire box regularly, there is a higher risk of a grease fire occurring. (That did happen to a buddy of mine last year whose smoker has a sear function)

I think once you get to a certain level, they are all very similar. A big difference is the quality of the Wi-Fi system. That’s my only issue with the GMG is getting it to connect with my network. Wi-Fi to phone was super easy, network has been an issue (but my Wi-Fi is super weak outside)
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Yes, anytime I'm cooking over 400 degrees, I give it a quick cleanup. Another reason I kind of like having a separate smoker/grill. I've seen too many videos on FB groups of grease fires.
 
Budha said:
I did a ton of research and talked to a lot folks that had pellet grills. It very much comes down to personal preferences in the end. That said, most of the folks that had a sear function said they rarely used it.

My GMG Prime gets up to 550 and I’ve seen a few others brands that can get to ~650. (Thats cooking temp, I would think grate temp would be much higher)

One note on the sear feature that I’ve read, if you don’t clean the fire box regularly, there is a higher risk of a grease fire occurring. (That did happen to a buddy of mine last year whose smoker has a sear function)

I think once you get to a certain level, they are all very similar. A big difference is the quality of the Wi-Fi system. That’s my only issue with the GMG is getting it to connect with my network. Wi-Fi to phone was super easy, network has been an issue (but my Wi-Fi is super weak outside)
Click to expand...
That's a good point about cleaning and avoiding a fire. My thinking is that the more easily you can access direct flame for cooking, then it seems the easier it will probably be to clean the firebox. I have an older GMG Daniel Boone now. This is what I hate about it. It is way too hard to clean, and to shift the grates to get the direct flame feature for high temps.
 
LeLe said:
My options (if I want to skip buying another gas grill) seem to be the Camp Chef, or spend over 2 grand on a Yoder.
Click to expand...

Finally something I have some experience with! I’ve been smoking for years and consider my skill level to be advanced-intermediate. Admittedly I’ve only read the first and last couple of pages of this thread but I have a couple of thoughts regarding what I’ve read.

I’m not very familiar with the camp chef but it sounds like the equivalent of dice poker chips. There is a level between Camp Chef and Yoder. My experience ranged from rusting through my first entry level, stick burning smoker from Menards and then upgraded to Yoder Kingman, which is a competition level stick burner. This one lives at the summer home in MI that we share with my wife’s family.

I needed something much smaller and fiscally responsible for my home smoker. I didn’t want to go electric or pellet; I have nothing against these type of smokers and appreciate their simplicity. In fact, I don’t engage in charcoal or gas debate because it’s not a debate for me, I use both. In MI everything is charcoal because when I’m there I’m never in a rush. At home I have a charcoal grill, gas grill and a smoker. The right choice for you is the one that you will make the most use of.

I prefer charcoal when I have the time but I grill 12 months a year and live in the Chicago area. Gas grill is preferred during the worst of winter, no temp I won’t grill in. In better times, however, I often use all the grills simultaneously.

My home smoker is called The Good One and it was designed by Chris Marks. It’s not cheap but it comes in well under 2K. I believe my model ran about $1200. It’s unique design and is fueled by wood charcoal, you get the smoke flavor from wood chunks. It’s not as simple as a pellet burner but once the fire box is set up you can hold your temp for a solid 6 hr period and sometimes as much as 8 hrs. So definitely some maintenance required but not anything like a stick burner and I’ve found it to be totally manageable.
 
Some food pr0n
 

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TriTaylor said:
Finally something I have some experience with! I’ve been smoking for years and consider my skill level to be advanced-intermediate. Admittedly I’ve only read the first and last couple of pages of this thread but I have a couple of thoughts regarding what I’ve read.

I’m not very familiar with the camp chef but it sounds like the equivalent of dice poker chips. There is a level between Camp Chef and Yoder. My experience ranged from rusting through my first entry level, stick burning smoker from Menards and then upgraded to Yoder Kingman, which is a competition level stick burner. This one lives at the summer home in MI that we share with my wife’s family.

I needed something much smaller and fiscally responsible for my home smoker. I didn’t want to go electric or pellet; I have nothing against these type of smokers and appreciate their simplicity. In fact, I don’t engage in charcoal or gas debate because it’s not a debate for me, I use both. In MI everything is charcoal because when I’m there I’m never in a rush. At home I have a charcoal grill, gas grill and a smoker. The right choice for you is the one that you will make the most use of.

I prefer charcoal when I have the time but I grill 12 months a year and live in the Chicago area. Gas grill is preferred during the worst of winter, no temp I won’t grill in. In better times, however, I often use all the grills simultaneously.

My home smoker is called The Good One and it was designed by Chris Marks. It’s not cheap but it comes in well under 2K. I believe my model ran about $1200. It’s unique design and is fueled by wood charcoal, you get the smoke flavor from wood chunks. It’s not as simple as a pellet burner but once the fire box is set up you can hold your temp for a solid 6 hr period and sometimes as much as 8 hrs. So definitely some maintenance required but not anything like a stick burner and I’ve found it to be totally manageable.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure your comment was directed to me, since that's my quote, even though it shows another members name... :unsure:

I think you're being a little harsh towards the Camp Chef. I too started out my smoking journey with a cheap Chargriller. (I think that's what that is in your first pic) I enjoyed the results - AFTER doing a bunch of mods to the smoker that I got from a BBQ forum. But yes, it was cheap, and it rusted out after a few years. And even with the mods it was still unable to keep steady temps without CONTSTANT babysitting. The amount of time and trouble required to use it meant that I only smoked about 4-6 times a year. And THAT was unacceptable!!!

After I retire and move to a larger property I will buy another higher quality stick burner. But for now, I'm super busy, and I need a smoker that is extremely convenient. With a pellet smoker I can put a brisket on at night, then go to bed knowing I will wake up in the morning to a nearly perfectly done piece of meat. No stress. And the Camp Chef and others in that price range are no where close to dice chips. There are HUNDREDS of other options that are MUCH cheaper and much lower quality. At the very least, the Camp Chef is a higher end china clay. While the Yoder YS-640 is probably the Paulson of pellet grills.

I'll take a look at the Good One. I suspect it will require more attention than what I want to give at this point in my life. But I may be surprised. I'll come back here and give you an update after I look it over. Thanks for commenting!
 
Fair enough, I admit my ignorance on the camp chef AND my 50 something understanding of quote functions .
I absolutely appreciate the convenience of a pellet smoker, good luck with your purchase whatever it may be!
 
TriTaylor said:
Fair enough, I admit my ignorance on the camp chef AND my 50 something understanding of quote functions .
I absolutely appreciate the convenience of a pellet smoker, good luck with your purchase whatever it may be!
Click to expand...
50 something? LOL! That makes you a young whippersnapper to me!
 
TX_Golf_N_Poker said:
That's a good point about cleaning and avoiding a fire. My thinking is that the more easily you can access direct flame for cooking, then it seems the easier it will probably be to clean the firebox. I have an older GMG Daniel Boone now. This is what I hate about it. It is way too hard to clean, and to shift the grates to get the direct flame feature for high temps.
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My version of the GMG DB prime has an access pipe directly into the firebox to connect a shop vac. It works pretty good. It takes me longer to get the shop vac out then it does to clean it - lol. (That’s what ultimately sold me on the GMG)

Not sure if they have changed the design, but I can access my fire box to clean pretty easily. Just take the grates and drip pan off and it’s right there. I normally give the interior a good vacuum when I take the drip pan out to clean.

I don’t think my version would do very well with the exposed firebox to cook on high heat though. It’s not really designed to do that.
 
Not to threadjack, but on a related topic… I’m looking for a grill which can burn mostly wood. I’ve got tons of it on my property, and have been laying up firewood all fall.

One option is a “gaucho” style grill such as the ones made by Nuke… These are primarily for charcoal, but it appears split wood could work, too:

https://www.nukebbq.com/

Also considering some options from Arteflame:

https://arteflame.com/products/arteflame-one-series-40

Anyone have much experience with wood as the main fuel? I have a lot of oak, maple, some hickory…
 
Taghkanic said:
Not to threadjack, but on a related topic… I’m looking for a grill which can burn mostly wood. I’ve got tons of it on my property, and have been laying up firewood all fall.

One option is a “gaucho” style grill such as the ones made by Nuke… These are primarily for charcoal, but it appears split wood could work, too:

https://www.nukebbq.com/

Also considering some options from Arteflame:

https://arteflame.com/products/arteflame-one-series-40

Anyone have much experience with wood as the main fuel? I have a lot of oak, maple, some hickory…
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Those are very interesting. So you want a wood fired grill, as opposed to a smoker? No experience from me on those. Didn't even know they existed. Now I want one!!! LOL.
 
TX_Golf_N_Poker said:
Those are very interesting. So you want a wood fired grill, as opposed to a smoker? No experience from me on those. Didn't even know they existed. Now I want one!!! LOL.
Click to expand...

Well, I figure that any grill or smoker which uses charcoal can also use wood. It’s just going to burn differently. Wood will generally start slower (take longer to achieve coals), but depending on the type of wood, it might burn longer. Not sure about the heat quotient. Somewhere in all my papers I have an old chart of how different types of woods burn. I know oak takes longer, and generates more heat. No doubt this same info is online.

Some limited reading I just did suggest that wood can work well for grilling, but that you might want to split off the bark as that can result in some funky tastes.
 
Taghkanic said:
Well, I figure that any grill or smoker which uses charcoal can also use wood. It’s just going to burn differently. Wood will generally start slower (take longer to achieve coals), but depending on the type of wood, it might burn longer. Not sure about the heat quotient. Somewhere in all my papers I have an old chart of how different types of woods burn. I know oak takes longer, and generates more heat. No doubt this same info is online.

Some limited reading I just did suggest that wood can work well for grilling, but that you might want to split off the bark as that can result in some funky tastes.
Click to expand...
I know from smoking experience that oak is about the best you can do for long and clean burns. Hickory is tops too. Fruitwoods like apple and cherry are great for adding flavor. Also Pecan. I would assume all those would be good in a grill too. I used a combination of wood and lump charcoal when I had an offset smoker.
 
Clearly - much like chipping - smoking meat is a rabbit hole of obsession that is contagious LOL!!

Lots of great smokers throughout this thread! Smokers - and smoking meats - has always been a passion (obsession) of mine. Cookers that I've owned at some point: Masterbuilt Electric cabinet smoker; Great Smoky Mountain gas smoker; Rec Tec pellet grill; Weber kettle; New Braunfels offset (stickburner) smoker.

And my current smoker is - I believe - the best I've ever owned. A Southern Q Limo Junior insulated gravity fed cabinet smoker

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This is making want to drag the pit out of the garage this weekend and smoke something! I think I might have a brisket in the freezer....;)


Red
 

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IaHawk said:
I love smoked beans. Would love the recipe if you have one.
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Baked Beans

2 12 oz packages of Hillshire’s Beef Smoked Sausage. (Important to use beef as
there is less grease than in pork sausage).
¾ C Brown sugar
1 Large onion, diced
3 C KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce
1 Can of Bush's Black Beans
1 Can of Bush's Pinto Beans
1 Can of Bush's Red Beans
1 Can of Bush's Great Northern Beans
1 Can of Bush's Navy Beans

• Drain and rinse the beans
• Slice sausage into thin pieces
• Combine everything together and put into foil covered half-size aluminum steam
table pan
• Smoke (or place in oven) for three hours at 325 deg. Remove the foil after three
hours and smoke for another hour uncovered to allow the beans to thicken.
 

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