Rectec mini as only cooker

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

vartz04

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 18, 2015
74
18
So since moving I really don't have the space for the weber OTG the little gasser and my home made offset on the deck. I am considering the mini as my grill and smoker. The size of the cooking area is no issue. My concern is cooking "hot n fast" steaks and such. Any opinions
 
I think you could do it without too much trouble.  The mini heats up in a hurry - it has the same size firepot as the big grill, with half the space.  The grill grates would be a good option for you to do the hot and fast cooking.  You could also remove the drip pan in order to get some more direct heat when cooking hot and fast if you aren't happy with just the grates.
 
I was thinking the same thing. Just need to find someone to buy my offset to help fund the purchase, once that is gone, ill order the rectec and put my weber and little gas grill on craigslist. 

As much as I would like to have the weber, the rectec, and the offset. I have too many other toys that need the space in the garage/deck. 

Do you think $150 is unreasonable to ask for a homemade offset smoker? I know that is a post for another day but its just made out of a couple air compressor tanks and a metal stand with casters on one side. 
 
Do you think $150 is unreasonable to ask for a homemade offset smoker? I know that is a post for another day but its just made out of a couple air compressor tanks and a metal stand with casters on one side. 
It's hard to say for sure without seeing it...but $150 for a good offset stickburner sounds reasonable to me.  Can you post a pic?  

I agree with everything westby said about the Mini...IMO it'll do both smoking and grilling nicely,,,especially with the addition of the Grill Grates.

Also, what do you want for the Weber Kettle, and what's your location?

Red
 
End up getting the GMG Daniel Boone. Love it and at $475 OTD with cover and a bag of pellets I couldn't pass it up
 
Good luck with it. . . . . .

Not sure if that means you think I made a bad choice?

I did ribs on it on Tuesday and I was slightly disappointed with the smoke flavor

Did some chicken breasts for tacos Thursday and they were great. Grill grates left decent marks.

Did a pork shoulder for a party Saturday and used the tube smoker with it and it was by far the best I have made. When that came off to rest in the cooler I cranked the heat and did some brats because a few of the people coming didn't like smoked food.

I am throwing some chicken quarters on in a minute so we will see how those turn out. I still have the weber kettle to use for steaks as I really don't see this bad boy doing what I need it to do for steaks right now.

I also ordered the downdraft hood yesterday. I am hoping with that I may not need the tube smoker.
 
I didn't mean anything negative by it.  I would have recommended the Rec Tec for marginally more money, but there is a big contingent of GMG guys out there that are happy with theirs.  I see there are occasionally some issues with temp fluctuations and temperature gradients across the grates on GMGs, but those issues can be worked out if they come up.  Honestly, if you are like the majority of people with pellet grills that don't check temps with an independent thermometer, you will likely never know the difference and will still put out good food.  An example would be my mother.  I gave her a Traeger that I won in a drawing and she has been cooking on it for over a year.  She loves the food she cooks on it and is hooked.  I was over one day with my multi probe thermo and found that actual temps were well off from the set temp, wild temperature swings (30 to 50 degrees), and uneven grate temps left to right.  I didn't bother telling her about them since she doesn't care and her food still comes out good.  It seems she figured out that temps were off a bit due to the amount of time it took to cook things, but she acclimated and just keeps an eye on it and cooks things a bit less than you normally would have to (it runs hot).

So good luck with yours and I hope you enjoy it!
 
Fully understood.

I decided that the mini was too small at $675 ish shipped with a cover and a bag a pellets (keeping it apples to apples)

The big rec Tec is too much. Even once I added grill grates, and the down draft I am only into the Daniel Boone $579 for the grill, downdraft hood, bag of pellets, cover, and grill grates. For the big rectec, cover, searing grates, a bag of pellets, and shipping I would be at $1405.94.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky