On Mar 10, 6:39 pm, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:

>
> Those are meaningful observations, at least for me. You point out a big
> drawback of the high dollar stuff, and as I learned long ago, more cookers
> are better than a more expensive cooker.

I have always wondered about that. I went to a competition several
months ago, and one of the guys that had the most ribbons was cooking
brisket on a rather modest sized smoker (really nice one, though) and
he had 3 - 4 WSMs and a barrel pit.

He was cooking three briskets. He apparently had everything timed ,
and had obviously done this many, many times before. When he mopped
the briskets (there was some controversy), he would put chickens or
sausage in at the low temps for brisket. Most of them were around 275
for their cooking temp. He left them in for an hour or so, then
finished them up on the WSM which was around 350 or so. Got the smoke
and the texture he wanted.

I made a note there as I had not considered putting the meat in to get
it smoked up then finishing on another cooker.

He had his ribs in WSMs, some pork and some beef. Just before
judging, he took out the ribs and threw them on the barrel pit with a
large fire under them to crisp up any bits of surviving fat, and give
them a little bit of black char. They judged sausage for taste and
bragging rights, but not for points or ribbons. I didn't get to taste
any of them, but they looked great.

But I was really surprised at how much equipment there was. I had no
idea. There were guys with magnificent pits with different chambers
and accessories too, but not near as many ribbons as this guy. But
then I didn't see anyone working as hard as this guy either.

> WSMs and stick burners also don't die and ruin your competition or home cook
> if your power goes out and you don't notice it right away. OR overheat and
> go tits up 45 minutes before chicken turn in at competition, which the big
> fancy box has also done.

Ouch! No kidding, at the start of the smoke after I have stabilized
for an hour, the most my WSM has lost temp wise when I went to bed was
only about 12 degrees. My outside temp gauge showed a drop of just
under thirty degrees from the time I went to bed, and I was in bed for
about 7+ hours before I got out to check. Not bad for an off the
shelf unit.

> Seems like with high dollar pellet rigs you have to hold your mouth right
> with the workarounds (they teach in classes) to overcome various temperature
> and flavor issues. Its an excuse for manufacturers to sell all sorts of
> MSG-laden glop.

No comment. I am worried now that barbecuing is going to go the way
of cigars years ago. Everyone made them, hardly anyone made them
good, and quality suffered. I can't imagine a cooker so good that you
have to be taught how to work around short comings so obvious they
have classes to help you get around them. Why not make a better
cooker? Those damn things are sure expensive enough to have some high
demands put on them. My WSM and I were good friends after the second
cook!

> The NBBD is a wood pig too. However the heatsink technique helps that a lot,
> adding bricks, rocks, or whatever can hold heat wherever there's room for
> it.

I always wondered about that. I have never used one, but they are on
the market from time to time, here. Around here where those pits were
designed and built, barbecue wood is plentiful. Different oaks,
mesquite, and pecan are easy to get, most of the time for free. I am
sure that had a lot to do with the original design and manufacture.

The most surprising thing about the CGSP is the fact that it doesn't
take a lot of fuel. When I smoke 4 racks of spares and some sausage,
I only use about 8 - 9 lbs of Royal Oak and 4 - 5 small fist sized
pieces of seasoned red oak. All 4 racks and the pig tubes take about
7 hours or so. It would NOT do that without the mods or better
charcoal basket, though.

> Some of the houses in older upscale neighborhoods around here have really
> nice brick pits built in ground in their back yards. They are about half
> under and half above ground with nice chimneys. They are a pain in the ass
> to clean out but they are the best damn cookers I have ever seen on a home
> scale. That would be my perfect cooker, if I didn't care about being able to
> take it with me.

All classes have those things here in the older houses. And as "Texas
Traditional" building (whatever the hell that is) is coming back, they
are offering them in some semi custom homes where outdoor kitchens are
now becoming the rage. I am getting ready to move soon, and I would
be willing to bet that I will have one of those rascals at the next
house, most likely built by me.

Robert