I cook on a pit, and use hardwood coals for heat and smoke. I have
always believed this was best. Now, some folks use the commercial
smokers such as Southern Pride, etc, and claim the results are just as
good, or at least close to it. I'm not talking about restaurants here,
but the same type equipment as many use. How close can a commercial
smoker (using gas for heat, plus a log for smoke) replicate the taste of
Q cooked on a real pit using hardwood coals?

Looking forward to your reply.

"MonopTN" > wrote in message
...
>I cook on a pit, and use hardwood coals for heat and smoke. I have always
>believed this was best. Now, some folks use the commercial smokers such as
>Southern Pride, etc, and claim the results are just as good, or at least
>close to it. I'm not talking about restaurants here, but the same type
>equipment as many use. How close can a commercial smoker (using gas for
>heat, plus a log for smoke) replicate the taste of Q cooked on a real pit
>using hardwood coals?
>
> Looking forward to your reply.

The controversy will rage on forever. IMO, you just can't beat real wood
burned to coals. It is also the most traditional and authentic method is you
want to follow the historical aspects

That said, I do most of my cooking with gas and wood chunks because it is
easier and the taste is very close. Keep in mind, it is also the cook and
the method of preparation, spices, time, temperature, that can make what is
potentially the best method into the worst.

MonopTN wrote:

> ....How close can a
> commercial smoker (using gas for heat, plus a log for smoke)
> replicate the taste of Q cooked on a real pit using hardwood coals?

There are a large percentage of joints that use the Southern Pride type of
pits that will only use the gas burner as a log lighter. These pits are
true offset pits --- the fire chamber is seperated from the cooking
chamber. They are also incredibly efficient. 1/4 cold-rolled steel
surrounded by 1500 - 2000 degree F rock-wool insulation which is held to the
steel firebox and cooking chamber by 1/8" stainless steel sheeting.

I use an Ole Hickory model. Prior to loading meat, I will burn a butt-load
of logs down to a good sized bed of coals with the log lighter, then I will
add logs for fuel. A load will last through the night. The gas burner gets
used to hold product at 160F during the day after the brisket and shoulders
have been 'Qd -- the pit makes a great holding oven.

You CAN use these pits as glorified gas ovens, and I would bet a lot of
large restaurant-chains do just that. But their best and finest use is to
use them the way God intended --- with hardwood and charcoal.
--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 20:36:34 -0800, "Dave Bugg" >
wrote:

>MonopTN wrote:
>
>> ....How close can a
>> commercial smoker (using gas for heat, plus a log for smoke)
>> replicate the taste of Q cooked on a real pit using hardwood coals?
>
>There are a large percentage of joints that use the Southern Pride type of
>pits that will only use the gas burner as a log lighter. These pits are
>true offset pits --- the fire chamber is seperated from the cooking
>chamber. They are also incredibly efficient. 1/4 cold-rolled steel
>surrounded by 1500 - 2000 degree F rock-wool insulation which is held to the
>steel firebox and cooking chamber by 1/8" stainless steel sheeting.
>
>I use an Ole Hickory model. Prior to loading meat, I will burn a butt-load
>of logs down to a good sized bed of coals with the log lighter, then I will
>add logs for fuel. A load will last through the night. The gas burner gets
>used to hold product at 160F during the day after the brisket and shoulders
>have been 'Qd -- the pit makes a great holding oven.
>
>You CAN use these pits as glorified gas ovens, and I would bet a lot of
>large restaurant-chains do just that. But their best and finest use is to
>use them the way God intended --- with hardwood and charcoal.

The Mother/daughters team use Southern Pride & hardwood & lump. They
opened a few months before you, Dave and have since added two more
eateries to their stable [BBQ, Beer & Blues]. I've only ever been to
their first one, and while my PP & meat loaf is better, their stuff
has come up quite nicely over time I don't do much brisket.

Harry

Dave Bugg wrote:
> MonopTN wrote:
>
>
>>....How close can a
>>commercial smoker (using gas for heat, plus a log for smoke)
>>replicate the taste of Q cooked on a real pit using hardwood coals?
>
>
> There are a large percentage of joints that use the Southern Pride type of
> pits that will only use the gas burner as a log lighter. These pits are
> true offset pits --- the fire chamber is seperated from the cooking
> chamber. They are also incredibly efficient. 1/4 cold-rolled steel
> surrounded by 1500 - 2000 degree F rock-wool insulation which is held to the
> steel firebox and cooking chamber by 1/8" stainless steel sheeting.
>
> I use an Ole Hickory model. Prior to loading meat, I will burn a butt-load
> of logs down to a good sized bed of coals with the log lighter, then I will
> add logs for fuel. A load will last through the night. The gas burner gets
> used to hold product at 160F during the day after the brisket and shoulders
> have been 'Qd -- the pit makes a great holding oven.
>
> You CAN use these pits as glorified gas ovens, and I would bet a lot of
> large restaurant-chains do just that. But their best and finest use is to
> use them the way God intended --- with hardwood and charcoal.

So Dave, you load yours with wood, then use the gas to light and burn th
e wood down to a bed of coals. How long will it then hold it's temp
without heat from the gas, or from more coals?

MonopTN wrote:

> So Dave, you load yours with wood, then use the gas to light and burn
> th e wood down to a bed of coals.

Yup. Then when I have a good bed of coals, I load additional logs.

> How long will it then hold it's
> temp without heat from the gas, or from more coals?

10-12 hours at (apprx.) 215F

--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 20:34:04 -0600, MonopTN > wrote:

>Dave Bugg wrote:
>>
>> I use an Ole Hickory model. Prior to loading meat, I will burn a butt-load
>> of logs down to a good sized bed of coals with the log lighter, then I will
>> add logs for fuel. A load will last through the night. The gas burner gets
>> used to hold product at 160F during the day after the brisket and shoulders
>> have been 'Qd -- the pit makes a great holding oven.
>>
>> You CAN use these pits as glorified gas ovens, and I would bet a lot of
>> large restaurant-chains do just that. But their best and finest use is to
>> use them the way God intended --- with hardwood and charcoal.
>
>So Dave, you load yours with wood, then use the gas to light and burn the
> wood down to a bed of coals. How long will it then hold it's temp
>without heat from the gas, or from more coals?

(from Dave's first paragraph above--emphasis added)
"Prior to loading meat, I will burn a butt-load of logs down to a good
sized bed of coals with the log lighter, ***then I will add logs for
fuel. A load will last through the night.***"


--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

Denny Wheeler wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 20:34:04 -0600, MonopTN > wrote:
>
>
>>Dave Bugg wrote:
>>
>>>I use an Ole Hickory model. Prior to loading meat, I will burn a butt-load
>>>of logs down to a good sized bed of coals with the log lighter, then I will
>>>add logs for fuel. A load will last through the night. The gas burner gets
>>>used to hold product at 160F during the day after the brisket and shoulders
>>>have been 'Qd -- the pit makes a great holding oven.
>>>
>>>You CAN use these pits as glorified gas ovens, and I would bet a lot of
>>>large restaurant-chains do just that. But their best and finest use is to
>>>use them the way God intended --- with hardwood and charcoal.
>>
>>So Dave, you load yours with wood, then use the gas to light and burn the
>>wood down to a bed of coals. How long will it then hold it's temp
>>without heat from the gas, or from more coals?
>
>
> (from Dave's first paragraph above--emphasis added)
> "Prior to loading meat, I will burn a butt-load of logs down to a good
> sized bed of coals with the log lighter, ***then I will add logs for
> fuel. A load will last through the night.***"
>
>
> --
> -denny-
> "Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"
>
> "It's come as you are, baby."
>
> -over the hedge

Denny,

I was confirming what he stated because it is so far-fetched from what I
am accustomed to. Additionally, I was making certain that this
arrangement of leaving it "all night" did not get an occasional blast or
two of gas from the gas burner during the night. And finally, the
statement that it would "last through the night" didn't fully answer my
question. Does Dave consider "the night" the period from 12pm until the
pitmaster returns at 5am? Or, perhaps Dave considers "the night" to be
8 hours of sleeping time. Or perhaps, even longer, as he advised me.

Thanks for your help Dave. These big beasts are fascinating, and you
answered all of my quetions.

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 07:57:00 -0600, MonopTN > wrote:

>Denny,
>
>I was confirming what he stated because it is so far-fetched from what I
>am accustomed to. Additionally, I was making certain that this
>arrangement of leaving it "all night" did not get an occasional blast or
>two of gas from the gas burner during the night. And finally, the
>statement that it would "last through the night" didn't fully answer my
>question. Does Dave consider "the night" the period from 12pm until the
>pitmaster returns at 5am? Or, perhaps Dave considers "the night" to be
>8 hours of sleeping time. Or perhaps, even longer, as he advised me.

Looked like you'd sort of missed or disbelieved what Dave said there.
No offense meant. (when I mean offense, there's usually no doubt...)

If you ever get out west and can visit Dave's place you'll appreciate
him even more, I think. He's definitely one of the Good Guys.

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

>
> Looked like you'd sort of missed or disbelieved what Dave said there.
> No offense meant. (when I mean offense, there's usually no doubt...)
>


My fault Denny, I guess I'm a bit jumpy around here!

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 20:51:48 -0800, Denny Wheeler
> wrote:

>On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 07:57:00 -0600, MonopTN > wrote:
>
>>Denny,
>>
>>I was confirming what he stated because it is so far-fetched from what I
>>am accustomed to. Additionally, I was making certain that this
>>arrangement of leaving it "all night" did not get an occasional blast or
>>two of gas from the gas burner during the night. And finally, the
>>statement that it would "last through the night" didn't fully answer my
>>question. Does Dave consider "the night" the period from 12pm until the
>>pitmaster returns at 5am? Or, perhaps Dave considers "the night" to be
>>8 hours of sleeping time. Or perhaps, even longer, as he advised me.
>
>Looked like you'd sort of missed or disbelieved what Dave said there.
>No offense meant. (when I mean offense, there's usually no doubt...)
>
>If you ever get out west and can visit Dave's place you'll appreciate
>him even more, I think. He's definitely one of the Good Guys.

Well ,let's not get too carried away here,eh ;0)

Harry
Attendant of the Grand Opening & has the AFB VIP Pass Card to prove it
[Thanks Juke!].

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 20:46:48 GMT, Harry Demidavicius >
wrote:

>Harry
>Attendant of the Grand Opening & has the AFB VIP Pass Card to prove it
>[Thanks Juke!].


Zzzzzzzzzz. wha? gnrrpgh....whawazat?

<Yawwnnn>

Eh, somebody say sumpin'?

Oh.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

If you wanna see pics of Daves, check out
http://www.chefjuke.com/daves

Pic # 095 is a panorama of the kitchen and shows the bit in the rear
left of the pic.

okay then.

Goodnight y'all...going back to bed...




-Chef Juke
"EVERYbody Eats When They Come To MY House!"
www.chefjuke.com

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 10:01:33 -0600, MonopTN > wrote:

>
>>
>> Looked like you'd sort of missed or disbelieved what Dave said there.
>> No offense meant. (when I mean offense, there's usually no doubt...)
>>
>
>
>My fault Denny, I guess I'm a bit jumpy around here!

Nah. I looked over how I'd posted, and it was kinda snarky.

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 23:11:28 -0800, Chef Juke >
wrote:

>If you wanna see pics of Daves, check out
>http://www.chefjuke.com/daves

Hey, Juke--I sent an email to what I hoped was your unmunged posting
address (removed the uppercase, I did) but so far no reply.

My posting address is my email address if the uppercase is removed.

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge