What does is cost you?

[packplantpath]

A long cook with the SnP takes quite a bit, 7 or so dollars I'd guess.

The ceramic grilldome, much less. One big chimney full, and it lasts the whole cook, with leftovers.

Course, ceramics are expensive as hell, and pretty small, so it takes a while to make it up in charcoal unless you get it used like lucky old me.

 

[bbqgoddess]

this is an interesting thread...
Recently I have found "Kroger" lump at Ralphs here in Cali, it is less expensive than the big green egg stuff at bbq galore..however, it has a few good size chunks and the rest are fairly small pieces...so it ends uo around a bag and a half, I believe they are 8 lb bags...$4.50 each ..so fuel is right around $6.75 for a butt...I have to order some RO on the net just to give it a try....any of Cali smokers out here with any other lump they have found, at a decent price??

 

[pineywoods]

I have been using propane too and I doubt the actual costs are much different unless you consider the fuel time and effort it takes to get propane tanks filled around here.

 

[lcruzen]

In this area I'd say propane and tricity is a wash. But I agree with FBJ that I prefer not to heat up the house in the summer with the oven. In the winter I'm glad to do it but the smoke smell lingers in the house for a couple of days and that can be annoying to the wife. My Silver Smoker I use 100% pre-burnt wood so no cost associated with it.

So, I finish everything in the smoker when possible as my Chateau Bow Wow does not have A/C or heat.

 

[walking dude]

phreak.........can you tell me, if you FOIL THE BUTT, how the taste can be diff. from a smoker to a OVEN?.......that one corn fused me.........once foiled, it CANNOT get any more smoke to it!

My ecb is NOT very fuel efficent. Thats why i said what i said, in the other thread Joe alluded to in the first post. AND if its foiled, what diff. would it make? This way, my bag of charcoal will go further. With me not werking due to my health issues, with just momma's income, I save charcoal as much as i can.

 

[phreak]

well, I am by far not an expert...I was just stating personal preference...oh, and it might get a little more smoke, I know that even though I wrap a spud in foil before it goes in the smoker it gets a slight smokey flavor it

 

[ronp]

Whatever the cost for an 800 watt element and a few chunks of wood on the MES. Seems like it would be cheap though.

 

[cbucher]

Did 2 butts and a brisket couple weeks ago and used about 10lbs lump and half bag of splits. 11 hour cook and about $10. That was on my trailer pit.

 

[travcoman45]

I get say 5 ta 6 long smokes outa a 20 pound tank, depends on the smoke run, average butt er brisket 10 ta 12 hours. A 20 pound tank cost 15 bucks ta fill. So lets say 5 smokes of 10 hours each, that would be 3 bucks a smoke, sometimes less ifin I get 6 runs sometimes a bit more ifin the smokes run longer. Not bad fer the fine vittles comin outa that box! Plus ifin I'm doin more then one item it is economy at its finest!

 

[ronp]

I called my electric company and asked what an 800 watt element cost to run for 6 hours. Came back on and said $10.00 for 30 days usage or .33 cents a day everyday. That's not counting the time the element isn't on.

WOW, that's cheap and maybe 4 chunks split for 6 hours.

Glad this was asked because recently the wife commented on how expensive it was to run. I just said it was like a light bulb LOL.

 

[richtee]

That is one BIG fugging lightbulb!

 

[ronp]

I guess I stretched the truth a bit huh?

 

[gorillagrilla]

Think it definatly depends on the smoker. A butt on my offset will guzzle about 15 lbs ! But on the drum a 20 lb bagolump will last 3 weekends.

 

[smoking gun]

A butt in my snp takes me about 1 bag of RO and 4 or 5 pieces of split oak. 4.97 for the RO and the oak is free. Butt thats taking it to 165. I have finished both I have done in the oven and that has taken 2 - 3 hours at 250. Electricity here is pretty cheap because of all the coal and it's late at night when I'm at that stage anyway so it's cooled off outside. Once it's foiled I don't think it makes any difference. If you finished it on the pit without foiling you would definitely get a thicker bark layer butt I don't know how tender and juicy it would be. Now the briskets have been another story altogether. The last one took 2 bags of RO and half a 10 lb bag of LARGE hickory chunks. Whatever the cost though it was worth it. You'd think a 10 lb flat would last more than 2 meals........... But it didn't. ;) F
Bottom line for me is it's probably cheaper to finish in the oven.

 

[walking dude]

When i first started doing butts, i smoked all the way without foiling........Jeff Rub........the barg got SO hard, had to almost drag out the hammer drill. Now since i foil, the barq isn't so tuff, but still crunchy, but can be managed..........PLUS i get all those juices to apply back to the meat...........so that is the BIGGEST reason i use the oven.......i dn't have to use more charcoal.

 

[venture]

Ralphs? You must be in SOCAL. In the Fresno area Wallyworld carries RO at $5 and change for 10 lbs.

 

[cman95]

This last smoke I did lasted 9 hrs. I used about 1 1/2bags of RO plus what pecan, apple, and maple I used. Smoker was Oklahoma Joe sfb.