New Built-in smoker build/design - Looking for some advice.

[rodgedaddy]

Hey guys.  I am looking at starting to design an outdoor kitchen complete with a Santa Maria Style BBQ grill (Open Pit), maybe a natural gas slide in grill, a wood fired pizza oven, and of course a smoker.  I am a civil engineer and I have a AutoCadd program, so I plan on doing a pretty detailed design on this thing before starting.  I probably won't start for another year or two, since this thing is going to cost at least a couple of grand to put together so I need to gather the necessary funds.  

My first question is, What is the best type of smoker for this type of application.  

I want it decent size, but it doesn't have to be huge.  (No whole hogs), but enough room for say 4 racks of baby backs and a couple of fattys, or a full brisket or tenderloin, I plan on building the thing out of steel and brick.  The interior and some of the structure will be steel, but the outer wall will be fire brick with perhaps a layer of stucco to match the house.  So insulation and heat retention will not be a problem. 

Initially, I was thinking that I would go reverse flow, because they just seem really cool and I like the idea of using a large propane tank for the inner skeleton.  But after putting more thought into it, I'm not sure a stand-up or even just an off-set smoker would work best.  I realize this is kind of an open ended question, but I don't want to put this thing together, only to find out that there was I could have built a better mousetrap.

Which brings me to my next question.  What is the best way to have a self regulating smoker?

Regarding my perfect smoker, I have been watching some of the BBQ shows that they have on travel channel and have seen that a lot of these guys have rigs where they start a fire with a few logs, and they are good for the whole day.  The smoker regulates itself, or seems to, and the temp control is the last thing on their mind.

I realize that the answer to this may depend on a few things like the type of smoker, size, fuel, etc...  What I am looking for is something that is kind of professional grade.  A smoker that I can throw a couple of logs of Santa Maria red oak into and not have to babysit. (if there is such a thing)  I also am not opposed to the option of supplementing the heat with natural gas. 

Enough said for now.  Thank you in advance for you opinions.

 

[daveomak]

Rodge, morning....    That is the "most vague" question I have read.....   I don't know how to answer it.....    Sorry, Dave

 

[rodgedaddy]

Dave, sorry for the wordy nonspecific question. Let me try again. I'm in the early planning stages of building a smoker as part of an out door kitchen for entertaining. Basically I want an outdoor oven with smoke. Something that I can set a few logs burning in, set the temp, and not have to babysit to keep the temp in the right range. For an application like this, what is the best type of smoker? RF, offset, upright? Also, what is the best way to set up automatic temp controls for a stick burner?

 

[daveomak]

Rodge, evening..... Sounds like you want something on the order of a Guru for temp control.... I wish I could think of other brands....  I'm not trying to push a Guru but that's all I know.....   It has a fan, that the speed is adjusted through a micro processor, based on smoker temp...  And the more expensive units are "self learning" to temp swings....  They work in charcoal and wood units.... 

For the smoker, for even temps, the RF smoker works very well... maybe 15 deg diff. from one end to the other....   With an over sized firebox, more charcoal and flavor wood can be put in it, for a long burn time...  Insulating the firebox helps with fuel consumption...  Installing an "above the fire" air intake in the FB helps with fuel consumption also.....

If you are not opposed to "simple"....  The UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker) is probably one of the most efficient smokers and they are fairly inexpensive also......  The plus for one of these is, you can have 2 or 3 of them for darn near nothing.... paint them up with your favorite sports teams and install a Guru type device on each one and cook at 2-3 different temps.....    One filling of briquettes with your favorite flavor wood, (could be different in each), will give about 18 hours of smoke time...  You could be doing ribs or pork butt in one at 225.... chicken in one at 350.....   Baked spuds in one at 450......      And 3 of them would cost less than a decent RF smoker....   Some folks put them on casters so they move around really easily..... 

Do a search for "wood smoker temperature controllers"....   there is a myriad of choices.... and price ranges to choose from... 

There are also folks that make UDS kits..... simple and effective....    The  only recommendation I have for an UDS is, do not put a door in the side of the drum for adding wood.....   Learn the minion method for long burning.... don't be afraid to add extra charcoal and flavor wood for a really good long burn time.....   A properly built and sealed UDS, the fire goes out when you close it up and the wood is there for the next smoke...   

Rodge, I hope that gives you some ideas...  There are more options out there so be patient... work on your outdoor kitchen design and get it right the first time.... re-doing stuff is a PITA......  need more help, we are here and our members are glad to help out any way they can.....

Dave

 

[rodgedaddy]

Thanks for the information Dave. I will look into the different temp control products. I like the idea of an RF and will probably go in that direction. I will post drawings when I start really working on it.

 

[chinasmoke]

I don't know about everyone else but I strictly use wood in my RF and you definitely have to tend to to it every hour to hour in a half but if all the star are aligned 2 hours. If you want an easy set it and forget it. Look at a pellet or vertical charcoal smoker. They are all automated.

 

[radioguy]

Rodge,

If you want a more set and forget type of unit, you may look at a pellet type smoker.  You might be able to purchase one and then build it into your outdoor kitchen.   The more expensive units are all auto controlled, more like an oven.  It may be a good compromise for you.

RG