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Smoking (meat) Comparison

GOHOX69

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Sep 26, 2009
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I generally use my pellet pooper to smoke da meats. Yesterday, I decided to use my Weber kettle in an offset configuration. I used cherry wood hunks. I smoked some St. Louis style ribs.

Each and everyone of my guests remarked how well they were smoked and asked me what I was doing differently. I guess I'll be switching to the Weber.

Anyone do a pork butt/shoulder or brisket in it?

For chicken and ribs, I'll be using the Weber here on out.
 
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I’ve been turning more and more to my Weber. I have a vertical Pit Boss pellet smoker and I like it because has multiple levels to make multiple things.

I also have a Pit Barrel which nothing compares to when making ribs.

As for my Weber (22 inch), I purchased a rotisserie attachment for whole chickens and so good. Also done ribs in my Weber using the rotisserie attachment and man, the bark on the ribs was outstanding….Happy smoking!
 
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I’ve been turning more and more to my Weber. I have a vertical Pit Boss pellet smoker and I like it because has multiple levels to make multiple things.

I also have a Pit Barrel which nothing compares to when making ribs.

As for my Weber (22 inch), I purchased a rotisserie attachment for whole chickens and so good. Also done ribs in my Weber using the rotisserie attachment and man, the bark on the ribs was outstanding….Happy smoking!
Thank you good sir. We will both be enjoying this summer :)
 
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Thought this was going to be a bj discussion.

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I generally use my pellet pooper to smoke da meats. Yesterday, I decided to use my Weber kettle in an offset configuration. I used cherry wood hunks. I smoked some St. Louis style ribs.

Each and everyone of my guests remarked how well they were smoked and asked me what I was doing differently. I guess I'll be switching to the Weber.

Anyone do a pork butt/shoulder or brisket in it?

For chicken and ribs, I'll be using the Weber here on out.
I’ve not tried a pork shoulder or any of the longer cooked meats. For this I go with my pellet for ease and temp monitoring… Some day I will!
 
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I generally use my pellet pooper to smoke da meats. Yesterday, I decided to use my Weber kettle in an offset configuration. I used cherry wood hunks. I smoked some St. Louis style ribs.

Each and everyone of my guests remarked how well they were smoked and asked me what I was doing differently. I guess I'll be switching to the Weber.

Anyone do a pork butt/shoulder or brisket in it?

For chicken and ribs, I'll be using the Weber here on out.
I find that using a traeger to smoke things dries them out. Use the green egg for ribs and pork butt and it is hard to have it not turning out amazing. I have a weber kettle too, so maybe I will give ribs a whirl on on them for a comparison test.
 
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I find that using a traeger to smoke things dries them out. Use the green egg for ribs and pork butt and it is hard to have it not turning out amazing. I have a weber kettle too, so maybe I will give ribs a while on on them for a comparison test.
I’m still intrigued by the Green Egg… Neber used one nor had food from one. Always hear good things
 
My stick burner certainly gave more smoke flavor, but for longer cooks like butts or brisket it's just a pain to manage temps overnight. I like my sleep. And I get a more consistent product with the pooper.
 
I’m still intrigued by the Green Egg… Neber used one nor had food from one. Always hear good things
I've given my spiel a few times. If you have kids' activities to get to after work, it is a PITA to use on weekdays, as is a weber kettle. If you have time on the weekend, it is worth the extra time for different types of pork, which I think are its highest and best use. You name it - ribs, bone in chops, pork butt - phenomenal. I've used it for steak and chicken thighs as well, and they were good, just not as good as pork. For steak, burgers, and chicken, I actually like a less woody/smoky aspect, so I will rotate between the Trager, sous vide, and Blackston/griddle, depending upon mood and dish. If you have space and some extra scratch, I think they are worth it. If you do take the plunge, I recommend going all the way with an XL model. We have the large and I always wish I had gone bigger.
 
I generally use my pellet pooper to smoke da meats. Yesterday, I decided to use my Weber kettle in an offset configuration. I used cherry wood hunks. I smoked some St. Louis style ribs.

Each and everyone of my guests remarked how well they were smoked and asked me what I was doing differently. I guess I'll be switching to the Weber.

Anyone do a pork butt/shoulder or brisket in it?

For chicken and ribs, I'll be using the Weber here on out.

Pork butts turn out great in the Weber.

If you're going to smoke in the Weber, the best cheapest mod you can make is buying some gasket tape and run it along the lid where it meets the kettle. Is it totally necessary? Not really, but it gives you a really good seal that just makes it that much easier if you're trying to control temperatures. Especially if it's a little windy and so on.

If you do a snake of charcoal around the outside, and put the butt in the middle, the temperature will almost hold by itself, because the snake limits how much charcoal can burn at once. The downside of it is that if the butt is stalling too long, you can't just foil it and open it up to 350 to crank it out, because the snake by design can't get that high.

Honestly though, if you're doing a pork butt, I would set it up offset, and run it at 300-325 and knock it out in 6-8 hours ("turbo butt" method). Just use a rub that isn't sugar based, or it will burn and the bark won't be as good. But otherwise, it will be fantastic and everyone will love it. Wrestling a 14-hour overnight low and slow out out of a pork butt at 225 or something just is not at all worth it.

Brisket is a different story a little bit. It can definitely be done on a kettle, but its a little more complicated because the size doesn't lend itself to an offset setup. You likely have to get a diffuser involved to use the whole grill, or cut the brisket or something else. And while people do turbo briskets as well, they are not as foolproof, so you're probably in for the long hall. I would use a snake for a brisket, with some kind of deflector/diffuser between the charcoal and the brisket, and try to run it about 275 for as long as it takes.

Briskets are just generally harder to get right. If they come out awesome on your pellet grill, it may or may not come out as well on a kettle, but it can be done.

But pork butts are almost fool proof.
 
I enjoy the ease of my traeger, but would like to try my hand at an offset. I just wish the 1/4" steel models weren't so expensive. Also thought about adding a Weber smokey mountain. Certainly a much cheaper option to add variety.
 
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I smoked 8 lbs pork butt on Weber kettle yesterday and it came out masterfully. Indirect heat for 8 hrs just refresh charcoal as needed. Wrap when internal 150 pull off when hits 205. Pull apart apply salt as needed. Fire
 
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I had a Pit Barrel Cooker and got rid of it (space constraints) and bought a pellet pooper. For convenience, the pellet pooper is by far the easiest. It’s just so simple.

But the pit barrel cooker produced better quality.
 
I've given my spiel a few times. If you have kids' activities to get to after work, it is a PITA to use on weekdays, as is a weber kettle. If you have time on the weekend, it is worth the extra time for different types of pork, which I think are its highest and best use. You name it - ribs, bone in chops, pork butt - phenomenal. I've used it for steak and chicken thighs as well, and they were good, just not as good as pork. For steak, burgers, and chicken, I actually like a less woody/smoky aspect, so I will rotate between the Trager, sous vide, and Blackston/griddle, depending upon mood and dish. If you have space and some extra scratch, I think they are worth it. If you do take the plunge, I recommend going all the way with an XL model. We have the large and I always wish I had gone bigger.
Nice. Thanks for the additional info. Right now I have Weber gas, Weber Kettle, Pit Boss pellet, and Pit Barrel … love the variety each offers … I should research more about Green Egg…
 
I generally use my pellet pooper to smoke da meats. Yesterday, I decided to use my Weber kettle in an offset configuration. I used cherry wood hunks. I smoked some St. Louis style ribs.

Each and everyone of my guests remarked how well they were smoked and asked me what I was doing differently. I guess I'll be switching to the Weber.

Anyone do a pork butt/shoulder or brisket in it?

For chicken and ribs, I'll be using the Weber here on out.

Congrats on coming over to the light side. Pellet grills are for people completely uninterested in BBQ and don’t care if they get inferior results.

The biggest argument for one seems to be ease. Sure my big green egg takes an additional 15 minutes to light... but after that it’s the same deal, with much better results in flavor. Personally, 15 minutes at the front (honestly, I’m usually prepping during this time so it doesn’t really add any time to my prep/cook) is totally worth the flavor. I get my meat on and hit temp and I can leave the house for 6 hours and it’s the exact same temp as when I left.
 
Congrats on coming over to the light side. Pellet grills are for people completely uninterested in BBQ and don’t care if they get inferior results.

The biggest argument for one seems to be ease. Sure my big green egg takes an additional 15 minutes to light... but after that it’s the same deal, with much better results in flavor. Personally, 15 minutes at the front (honestly, I’m usually prepping during this time so it doesn’t really add any time to my prep/cook) is totally worth the flavor. I get my meat on and hit temp and I can leave the house for 6 hours and it’s the exact same temp as when I left.
For me it takes at least 30 minutes for the egg charcoal to light and then settle and burn clean. I am now old and boring, so it works out most days, but it is much easier just to hit a couple of buttons on the traeger if you are in a hurry.
 
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For me it takes at least 30 minutes for the egg charcoal to light and then settle and burn clean. I am now old and boring, so it works out most days, but it is much easier just to hit a couple of buttons on the traeger if you are in a hurry.
That seems like a long time... how do you light yours?
 
That seems like a long time... how do you light yours?
I use an electric starter/coil in a chimney. I have used newspaper in the chimney, and I have used those little wax starters, but I like to use just heat and charcoal when cooking, if I can.
 
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For me it takes at least 30 minutes for the egg charcoal to light and then settle and burn clean. I am now old and boring, so it works out most days, but it is much easier just to hit a couple of buttons on the traeger if you are in a hurry.
During those 30 minutes while the cooker is warming up you use for meat prep. So it does not really add time to the process.

OP, welcome to the Weber family. Another convert. Yes, you can do pork butts and beef brisket on the Weber kettle. Like as has been pointed out about brisket, the size makes it a little harder to do. I've done brisket points and brisket flats but have not done a whole brisket on the Kettle.

Pork ribs, pork butts, chicken, turkey, pretty much anything can be done on the Kettle.
 
Congrats on coming over to the light side. Pellet grills are for people completely uninterested in BBQ and don’t care if they get inferior results.

The biggest argument for one seems to be ease. Sure my big green egg takes an additional 15 minutes to light... but after that it’s the same deal, with much better results in flavor. Personally, 15 minutes at the front (honestly, I’m usually prepping during this time so it doesn’t really add any time to my prep/cook) is totally worth the flavor. I get my meat on and hit temp and I can leave the house for 6 hours and it’s the exact same temp as when I left.
That's just silly.

 
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Nice. Thanks for the additional info. Right now I have Weber gas, Weber Kettle, Pit Boss pellet, and Pit Barrel … love the variety each offers … I should research more about Green Egg…
The green egg should theoretically produce similar results to the pit barrel as it's the same fuel source, but the egg should probably hold temps better. Not sure if it would be worth the investment for you.
 
The green egg should theoretically produce similar results to the pit barrel as it's the same fuel source, but the egg should probably hold temps better. Not sure if it would be worth the investment for you.
The egg holds a temp for a very long time in any weather, and the seal/gasket deprives the coals of oxygen required for flareups. Whether it is worth it is another question entirely.
 
I sold my Smokey Mountain last year and just use the kettle now using the snake method. There's really no difference in the food and it is just as easy keeping the temps in range.
 
That's just silly.

Competition BBQ is different than backyard BBQ. In competition you don't want the smoke flavor to shine through as they are more focused on developing flavor profiles with sauces and rubs. The pellet poopers give them a more blank canvas to operate from. Also, when comp cooking using a pellet pooper takes one variable out of the equation, pit temp maintenance. The pellet poopers give the comp cooker the ability to dial in consistent temps over and over resulting in a consistent product that they can then focus on doctoring the other variables injection, rub, and sauce to get the profile they are trying to achieve.

It's just a completely different style of cooking. Still, guys like Harry Soo have won a lot of money competing strictly with Weber Smokey Mountains.
 
Competition BBQ is different than backyard BBQ. In competition you don't want the smoke flavor to shine through as they are more focused on developing flavor profiles with sauces and rubs. The pellet poopers give them a more blank canvas to operate from. Also, when comp cooking using a pellet pooper takes one variable out of the equation, pit temp maintenance. The pellet poopers give the comp cooker the ability to dial in consistent temps over and over resulting in a consistent product that they can then focus on doctoring the other variables injection, rub, and sauce to get the profile they are trying to achieve.

It's just a completely different style of cooking. Still, guys like Harry Soo have won a lot of money competing strictly with Weber Smokey Mountains.
No offense but this doesn't really make sense.
 
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No offense but this doesn't really make sense.
Did you read the article at all?

I didn't, but after I posted I went back and read it. Lo and behold I was spot on. Also, the article is from 2008...

"I absolutely love the Fast Eddy's by Cookshack cooker - it is a dream to use; you simply press a button and go. We all know it's a fantastic competition cooker. You get very consistent quality and there's never any question about how your product will turn out," says McManus.

Says Powell, "These teams are made up of great cooks, and FEC smokers allow them concentrate on cooking. They do not have to stay up all night tending the fire, so they are rested when it's time to focus on turn-ins. The FEC's thermostatically-controlled system gives them consistent results, so there are no ugly surprises when the meat comes out of the smoker."


Comp cookers allow the cooks to take the variable of pit management out and concentrate on flavor profile.

Competition cooking is a different animal than backyard Q. They are judging on different criteria.
 
Did you read the article at all?

I didn't, but after I posted I went back and read it. Lo and behold I was spot on. Also, the article is from 2008...

"I absolutely love the Fast Eddy's by Cookshack cooker - it is a dream to use; you simply press a button and go. We all know it's a fantastic competition cooker. You get very consistent quality and there's never any question about how your product will turn out," says McManus.

Says Powell, "These teams are made up of great cooks, and FEC smokers allow them concentrate on cooking. They do not have to stay up all night tending the fire, so they are rested when it's time to focus on turn-ins. The FEC's thermostatically-controlled system gives them consistent results, so there are no ugly surprises when the meat comes out of the smoker."


Comp cookers allow the cooks to take the variable of pit management out and concentrate on flavor profile.

Competition cooking is a different animal than backyard Q. They are judging on different criteria.
I don't mean this to be snarky, but does backyard BBQ taste better than competition BBQ? If not, do sauces and rubs overcome an inferior cooking apparatus?
 
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Did you read the article at all?

I didn't, but after I posted I went back and read it. Lo and behold I was spot on. Also, the article is from 2008...

"I absolutely love the Fast Eddy's by Cookshack cooker - it is a dream to use; you simply press a button and go. We all know it's a fantastic competition cooker. You get very consistent quality and there's never any question about how your product will turn out," says McManus.

Says Powell, "These teams are made up of great cooks, and FEC smokers allow them concentrate on cooking. They do not have to stay up all night tending the fire, so they are rested when it's time to focus on turn-ins. The FEC's thermostatically-controlled system gives them consistent results, so there are no ugly surprises when the meat comes out of the smoker."


Comp cookers allow the cooks to take the variable of pit management out and concentrate on flavor profile.

Competition cooking is a different animal than backyard Q. They are judging on different criteria.
So you're saying that competition bbq isn't as good as backyard bbq? Or that backyard bbq people are lazy about flavors except smoke?

Look, you poopers don't put as much smoke on the meat. That's the truth. You can make up a bit of this with a smoke tube, but not all of it. If all you care about is a heavy smoke flavor then a pooper isn't for you. But as you point out, great bbq isn't all about the smoke flavor.
I get enough smoke on my meats that it's not worth it to me to stay up tending a smoker over night. Your mileage may vary.
 
So you're saying that competition bbq isn't as good as backyard bbq? Or that backyard bbq people are lazy about flavors except smoke?

Look, you poopers don't put as much smoke on the meat. That's the truth. You can make up a bit of this with a smoke tube, but not all of it. If all you care about is a heavy smoke flavor then a pooper isn't for you. But as you point out, great bbq isn't all about the smoke flavor.
I get enough smoke on my meats that it's not worth it to me to stay up tending a smoker over night. Your mileage may vary.
I, like you, do not like as much smoke. I will say that comparing the egg to a pellet smoker, I find that ribs dry out too much with the pellet smoker. Perhaps pork butt would be different. I haven't done a butt on the traeger.
 
Nothing beats a real offset grill with heavy gauge metal housing using real splits of wood.

But the Weber Kettle can do just about anything. The biggest drawback is real estate. You can't fit a lot of meat in there.
 
I, like you, do not like as much smoke. I will say that comparing the egg to a pellet smoker, I find that ribs dry out too much with the pellet smoker. Perhaps pork butt would be different. I haven't done a butt on the traeger.
Sounds like a Traeger problem. Nothing I smoke on my pooper comes out dry.
 
Sounds like a Traeger problem. Nothing I smoke on my pooper comes out dry.
Not really. Maybe it requires mopping and such, which an egg does not. So either it is either a function of the type of device or user odd.
 
Not really. Maybe it requires mopping and such, which an egg does not. So either it is either a function of the type of device or user odd.

It's a user problem. Only thing that's come out dry for me was a brisket I cooked in the dead of winter. I think I was spritzing too much and it had the opposite effect by slowing the stall down further. Every butt and ribs have been great
 
It's a user problem. Only thing that's come out dry for me was a brisket I could in the dead of winter. I think I was spritzing too much and it had the opposite effect by slowing the stall down further. Every butt and ribs have been great

Coulda just been a tough brisket.

But honestly, I've given up trying to do that.

Everything else that gets sold in a BBQ joint makes me think, "Aw, hell... my BBQ is better than this!"

So when I'm at the BBQ joint, brisket is what I order.
 
Could just been a tough brisket.

But honestly, I've given up trying to do that.

Everything else that gets sold in a BBQ joint makes me think, "Aw, hell... my BBQ is better than this!"

So when I'm at the BBQ joint, brisket is what I order.
And it has to be a legit BBQ joint that cuts it fresh when ordered. The places that precut it just give you tough, dry pieces
 
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And it has to be a legit BBQ joint that cuts it fresh when ordered. The places that precut it just give you tough, dry pieces

And it's hit or miss even at the same place.

I had a great brisket platter in North Carolina nearby to where the Carolina Hurricanes' arena is. Went back a few months later and got a plate that was mostly fat. :mad:
 
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It's a user problem. Only thing that's come out dry for me was a brisket I cooked in the dead of winter. I think I was spritzing too much and it had the opposite effect by slowing the stall down further. Every butt and ribs have been great
I can own that.
 
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