- Mar 26, 2021
- 6
- 0
I've been a lurker to many smokin' forums for a while (except for the AmazingRibs forums because I'm too cheap to purchase a pitmaster annual fee to view member comments), mainly to review comments related to which smoker to purchase and people's experiences with their purchase and reviews after they've used them for a while.
Currently I don't have a stick burner - just use a cheap kettle for pretty much everything - but I've developed a "hobby" of sorts for preparing/smoking foods and some of my experiences this past year (in the cool, upstate NY climate - right outside Rochester to be exact) have me longing for better equipment. I've read all the articles and watched all the "beginner" and "which smoker is right for you" YouTube videos to know that offset stick burners are not for the "set-it-and-forget-it" generation; I know that owning/using one will require a certain "labor of love" of fire mgt and tending to the process - but for me, the end result of smoked, wood-flavored food is worth it over gas/charcoal every time.
So the question I've been researching for a while is: where can I get a decent stick-burner in upstate NY? I know I could go for the box store Ok Joe models and mod them, but I would only go that route if I was a warmer climate - I plan to use a smoker even in the fall/winter/early spring months and not just during the peak-BBQ months from late spring to early fall...and that means you need a better quality than just the 1/8" Ok Joe/box-store models. I know Meadow Creek out of Lancaster, PA is the dominate brand of smokers in the Northeast US and there's a dealer (Big Pappa Smokers) that's located above Buffalo, I think - but even the SQ36 model is $1,600+ and that's just for a basic offset - no reverse-flow, no add'l features that you see w/ the Langs, Shirleys, Jambos and Lone Star Grillz of the smokin' world.
Here are my specs:
Budget - like to keep it in the $1k or less ballpark if I can (including shipping)
Fuel - predominately wood; I do have access to hickory, apple, oak, etc, and wood is much cheaper w/ a quality offset. The SQ36 specs states 15-20lbs of charcoal to "get started" - you kiddin' me? That nearly 1 bag of charcoal or $7-$10 right off the bat - not efficient at all.
Quality - obviously would love 1/4" steel thickness but realize $1k ain't gettin' you very far in the 1/4" steel world. But something that will hold up in the cooler months that won't take a whole bunch of fuel.
Size - either 20-24" X 36-40"; not the smallest, but not the big trailer size pits, either. Something you could use for 1 dinner for family, or a nice-size crowd if you needed it.
Multi-use - yes, I'd like an offset that has the capability to grill directly over the fuel source if you need too (burgers, steaks, char veggies, etc). And yes, I'd love a flattened griddle or plate to warm a bot of beans or perhaps slowly caramelize onions - but obviously the most important feature is the cooking chamber (I just think if you're going to spend high 3/low 4 figures on a piece of cooking equipment, you mine as well get as much bang for your buck as you can).
Made - would love for something to be made in US, but not a deal-breaker if not.
After my research, really the only offset stick burner that meets that is the Old Country Brazos. It's a good size (nearly a 20" X 36"), 1/4" steel construction in the chamber so it's heavy-duty (evens out temps), stack is at grate level, has a grate to cook directly over cools, warming plate on top of firebox, and a drain valve to get rid of the grease. The price is $999 from Academy Sports (Southern-based sporting goods chain) and I believe shipping is only $100 with no assembly (comes all in 1 piece). They don't always have one in stock so it's hit-or-miss, but I can't find anything else around that is comparable for that price. For a Lone Star 20" X 36-40" offset, you're talking $1,795 to start (before the add-ons) and that's not including shipping from TX to NY (I'm sure that's another $500+), and that's similar for most of your custom 1/4" steel smokers like Lang, etc.
Does anyone else in New York (upstate or downstate) have any other recommendations (other than watch the local Craigslist)?
Currently I don't have a stick burner - just use a cheap kettle for pretty much everything - but I've developed a "hobby" of sorts for preparing/smoking foods and some of my experiences this past year (in the cool, upstate NY climate - right outside Rochester to be exact) have me longing for better equipment. I've read all the articles and watched all the "beginner" and "which smoker is right for you" YouTube videos to know that offset stick burners are not for the "set-it-and-forget-it" generation; I know that owning/using one will require a certain "labor of love" of fire mgt and tending to the process - but for me, the end result of smoked, wood-flavored food is worth it over gas/charcoal every time.
So the question I've been researching for a while is: where can I get a decent stick-burner in upstate NY? I know I could go for the box store Ok Joe models and mod them, but I would only go that route if I was a warmer climate - I plan to use a smoker even in the fall/winter/early spring months and not just during the peak-BBQ months from late spring to early fall...and that means you need a better quality than just the 1/8" Ok Joe/box-store models. I know Meadow Creek out of Lancaster, PA is the dominate brand of smokers in the Northeast US and there's a dealer (Big Pappa Smokers) that's located above Buffalo, I think - but even the SQ36 model is $1,600+ and that's just for a basic offset - no reverse-flow, no add'l features that you see w/ the Langs, Shirleys, Jambos and Lone Star Grillz of the smokin' world.
Here are my specs:
Budget - like to keep it in the $1k or less ballpark if I can (including shipping)
Fuel - predominately wood; I do have access to hickory, apple, oak, etc, and wood is much cheaper w/ a quality offset. The SQ36 specs states 15-20lbs of charcoal to "get started" - you kiddin' me? That nearly 1 bag of charcoal or $7-$10 right off the bat - not efficient at all.
Quality - obviously would love 1/4" steel thickness but realize $1k ain't gettin' you very far in the 1/4" steel world. But something that will hold up in the cooler months that won't take a whole bunch of fuel.
Size - either 20-24" X 36-40"; not the smallest, but not the big trailer size pits, either. Something you could use for 1 dinner for family, or a nice-size crowd if you needed it.
Multi-use - yes, I'd like an offset that has the capability to grill directly over the fuel source if you need too (burgers, steaks, char veggies, etc). And yes, I'd love a flattened griddle or plate to warm a bot of beans or perhaps slowly caramelize onions - but obviously the most important feature is the cooking chamber (I just think if you're going to spend high 3/low 4 figures on a piece of cooking equipment, you mine as well get as much bang for your buck as you can).
Made - would love for something to be made in US, but not a deal-breaker if not.
After my research, really the only offset stick burner that meets that is the Old Country Brazos. It's a good size (nearly a 20" X 36"), 1/4" steel construction in the chamber so it's heavy-duty (evens out temps), stack is at grate level, has a grate to cook directly over cools, warming plate on top of firebox, and a drain valve to get rid of the grease. The price is $999 from Academy Sports (Southern-based sporting goods chain) and I believe shipping is only $100 with no assembly (comes all in 1 piece). They don't always have one in stock so it's hit-or-miss, but I can't find anything else around that is comparable for that price. For a Lone Star 20" X 36-40" offset, you're talking $1,795 to start (before the add-ons) and that's not including shipping from TX to NY (I'm sure that's another $500+), and that's similar for most of your custom 1/4" steel smokers like Lang, etc.
Does anyone else in New York (upstate or downstate) have any other recommendations (other than watch the local Craigslist)?
