I am not sure where to start It is definitely quarter inch thick and Cooks awesome Reverse flow sends the heat across the bottom and back across the top so it’s sort of cooks from both sides You can cook a lot of ribs on it without a problem I did six racks, and there was still room for more It’s not an inexpensive piece, but I’ll never have to buy another one If you’re on a stick burner now, the learning curve was minimal Hope this helps I’m far from an expert and learning every time
It is not hard. I have had a few cheap smokers over the years, this is a game changer. Yes it is some work keeping the fire where you want and you just can't walk away for hours and leave it but with a little babysitting and some good clean and dry wood it does the work. When it is on cruise control the is no smoke , just heat rays and the smell. The wood does the rest. There are others here that have this thing down pat , SKEETER is the go to guy . Reach out to him , I am willing to bet he could also give you some things to look for. Keep us posted!
I know of a nice little offset smoker that is for sale. My cousin bought this about 15 years ago for a restaurant/catering business he had. It has propane start or assist and will burn wood or custom charcoal or just propane with smoke packages. It has hot and cold smoke chambers. All chambers are select-able for smoke in case of small loads. I forget how many pounds of meat he said it would smoke at one time but it was impressive. He has since sold the business but still does some custom catering for specific customers. The story is that Willie Nelson commissioned it from a Texas fabricator and paid for most of it then changed his mind. He then commissioned another, larger one. Seems he didn't want the "small" one he first ordered. My cousin got a fantastic deal since it was mostly paid for. I believe it is still for sale if any one is interested.
Nice and little. Perfect description. Go ahead and tell her you just bought a small cooker and pull up with that. Tell me how that works out for you. I hope your doghouse has heat and AC.
I personally would seriously consider either of those Brinkmanns if they were close. Nice! 1k plus is a bit spendy. I have more of a [cheap]beer budget though.
I just realized that there were links to the cookers in your post. That Lang is an older model. It is also the only " Reverse Flow" out of all of them.
That's the key, how much do I use it to justify the cost. I truly enjoy smoking, but do not do it all the time. At the same time it's can be frustrating playing with a small cheap offset but I love playing with fire, lol!
A little late to your post but one of my sons has a Lang and is very happy with it. He produces some very good Boston butts, Brisket and chicken on it. The initial price is kind of a lot to digest but I don’t think you would go wrong with it and like others said you likely will not ever buy another one!
Yes, I started out with a Lowe’s cheap one and did make some good pork shoulder and ribs on it but keeping consistent heat was a chore. Once you use a good we’ll built smoker you will smile every time.
Yes it is an investment for sure however the end product is awesome , real BBQ You will not ever need another one , it is built to last a lifetime!
Dammit son now that's a rig! I'd love to see the one that Willie ended up with! I wasn't hungry till I saw that thing of beauty.....
Update on the big smoker: Cousin has indeed sold it. Went to a religious group/church who does not eat pork or beef. It will be used for, you guessed it......goat! My cousin was asked to inaugurate the smoker and train the new owners by BBQing 7 goats. We don't know the significance of the number 7. In any case, Cousin declined and referred them to YouTube! Somewhere, I am sure, Willie Nelson's blue eyes are crying in the rain!
No "GOAT" , thanks anyway The first goat cooked will probably taste the best , still some pork and chicken fay on the grates to help improve flavor. You smoker guys know it is imposable to get those grates spotless.