On Mar 10, 10:09 am, Tutall > wrote:
> On Mar 10, 8:45 am, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:
> . Cleaning the firebox of ash down to the metal after every
>
> > use will prolong the life of the steel.
> > MartyB in KC
>
> Seriously, do you really do this or know anyone who does?
It's pretty damn slow around here, so here's a response with some
unsolicited commentary. It's raining like hell here, so I have the
time.
I don't clean the cooker out immediately after I use it, but usually
the next day. I am not too careful, I just open it up, sweep it out
and then spray the inside with oil to ready for the next cook.
We have great conditions here most of the year for barbecue, and we
don't have most of the conditions that tear up a cooker. We can
literally go a couple of months (or more) with no rain. Nothing.
Zero.
It does not snow here but once every 10 years. Maybe. We get ice
occasionally, but not often. So minimal care of the pit, most
importantly keeping it cleaned out and covered when not in use will
make them last a really long time. I had a really nice barrel smoker
that I had (no kidding here) for about 15 - 16 years. It wasn't one
of those Chinese things, it was a NB barrel that was made up the road
from me in New Braunfels.
However, when I gave it to a friend, he kept it out in the yard, and
didn't clean it. It only lasted a year after that.
I will be keeping track of how long the CG I have lasts. I am sure
that it is made from the least expensive metals they can use and still
get it to bend, but at $139, if it burns out in a few years, I'll buy
another, or something better when that time comes.
>>But, I grilled on it 2x
>>week, and did butts and ribs on it with the offset, it was >>damn sure
>>worth it. For three years. If you're serious, go ahead >>and invest in
>>something with 1/4" steel.
Couldn't agree more with that first part, and I will have to wait and
see for the second.
The CG works great for me as my heavy lifting for meats that require a
long smoke is done by my WSM. I do love that thing, but theWSM cooker
has its flaws as well; limited capacity.
That's where the CG comes in. I can put 6 - 7 full racks of loin cut
of ribs or 4 racks of spares easily on my CG, and still have room for
sausage. With the mods, I don't have to do much of anything until
about 3 hours in, and I just add more fuel. With the mods I have done
(easy ones) it holds temps like a champ.
The combo is perfect for me, since I can put a brisket in the WSM the
night before we are to eat it, and then get up the next morning and
put ribs in the CG and have the best of everything in affordable
performance.
I actually like splitting up the cooking on different setups. When I
am barbecuing for family and friends, I don't like to cook just one
thing. If I had a $1500 smoker, I would feel like I should cook
everything on it. But when I cook a brisket, it is at one temp,
chicken another, ribs another, shoulder at yet another. And of course
times on the pit vary, making this almost impossible. Cooking chicken
at 250 degrees is almost pointless, as is sausage. Sure is good for a
shoulder, though.
I guess the other thing about the bigger, heavier pits that I like is
a tradeoff in fuel. Some seem pretty efficient, some are great
cookers but fuel hogs. I had a chance just recently to buy a nice pit
made from 3/8" drain pipe that was about 5 ft long, and pretty well
made. According to the owner, it held temps very well, but the reason
he was selling it was he couldn't keep it in fuel. From lighting his
firebox and getting up to temps was about an hour and a half to two
hours steady temps and blue smoke.
He added seasoned split wood about every hour or better after that.
When he told me how much wood he burned for an hour smoke, I was
really surprised. He was fine for that when he lived in the country
and he cut his won wood, but not now where he has to buy it, or cut
and haul it in. Plus, for me I don't want to go back to the days of
snoozing by the pit all night tending a fire for a brisket. The WSM
has ruined me.
He also pointed out that this thing was no good for anything but
barbecue. To big to be a grill, he found he didn't use it but two -
three times a month, usually on the weekends or holidays. And while
he had great capacity, the other reason he was selling it was he
didn't want to use all that wood and personal energy to cook one
brisket and sausage for him and the wife.
Still, you see something like this and you have to lust a bit. The
mind wanders at how much it would cost to have that "perfect smoker"
built.
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/spo/598819050.html
Robert