How much do you figure it costs you in fuel for an average cook?........let's say to cook one butt for this example.
The recent thread about finishing a butt in the oven and a comment or two on it being more economical to move it into the oven made me think about this.
As most of you know, that have been around here for a bit, I don't finish anything in the oven as a matter of principle, "what starts in the smoker finishes in the smoker".........but that line of thinking aside, I honestly think that it is cheaper for me to finish in the smoker......atleast in the summer months.
In the summer months here, I run around $400 a month for an electric bill.
If I moved the cook to the oven that would add to it in electric cost by oven usage (which would probably not be much) but it adds to the heat in the house and I can tell a difference in trying to keep the house cool and that really adds up around here.
Now as far as my smoker goes. I cook damn near everything in my Stumps GF223. If you are not familiar with them, they really are amazing IMO. It takes a bit to get them up to temp, but after that, they stay dead on and hold the heat with very little charcoal usage. I generally use Royal Oak lump since it is readily available and a decent product. I can usually get a bag for about about $5.50..........I probably use about 2/3 of a bag for an average butt cook of around 12 hours start to finish at 250 degrees.................
..........so all of this nonsense just to say that I probably spend about $4 in charcoal from start to finish.
How about the rest of you?
Especially curious about the charcoal crowd.....but you no good gas and electric types are welcome to join in as well...........stick burners, that goes for you to....except the "no good" part.
What does is cost you in fueld to cook a butt?
The recent thread about finishing a butt in the oven and a comment or two on it being more economical to move it into the oven made me think about this.
As most of you know, that have been around here for a bit, I don't finish anything in the oven as a matter of principle, "what starts in the smoker finishes in the smoker".........but that line of thinking aside, I honestly think that it is cheaper for me to finish in the smoker......atleast in the summer months.
In the summer months here, I run around $400 a month for an electric bill.
Now as far as my smoker goes. I cook damn near everything in my Stumps GF223. If you are not familiar with them, they really are amazing IMO. It takes a bit to get them up to temp, but after that, they stay dead on and hold the heat with very little charcoal usage. I generally use Royal Oak lump since it is readily available and a decent product. I can usually get a bag for about about $5.50..........I probably use about 2/3 of a bag for an average butt cook of around 12 hours start to finish at 250 degrees.................
..........so all of this nonsense just to say that I probably spend about $4 in charcoal from start to finish.
How about the rest of you?
Especially curious about the charcoal crowd.....but you no good gas and electric types are welcome to join in as well...........stick burners, that goes for you to....except the "no good" part.
What does is cost you in fueld to cook a butt?