Smokers (Traeger)

I have not used our Weber q300 since I got the Yoder. I got the heat deflector with the optional access door and it allows me to cook directly over a flame. Just like a grill. I will say I rarely do that as I use Grill Grates and get great sear marks from those. The one thing I can say about a Yoder is it is built like a tank. It is going to be around a long time. I have had no issues. They are pricey though. I think all in I could have bought a cheap race bike! But I smoke and grill more than I ride so that is pretty easy to justify.

I came from an Egg and while I really liked it I just didn't have the time for all the set up and clean up every time.

 

I have a kamado, similar to an egg, I can do easily get 5 hours on a load of charcoal for low and slow, I can also grill steaks/chicken, and get it real hot for pizza.

 

That’s what my buddy has a kamado. Looks like the egg but is red. I can get my Weber to go for 12 hours at 225 using minion method. Steps are below.

1) light 8 pieces of charcoal in chimney.
2) place one large chunk of wood in center of ring and a few smaller pieces around it.
3) fill the bottom ring full of unlit charcoal.
4) place 8 pieces of lit charcoal on the top. I put three in the center evenly spaced and five around the perimeter a few inches from edge. I will make sure one in center is touching wood.
5). Leave all vents wide open.
6) At 200 degrees I fully close two of them and at 225 I close third to half.
7) place pork butt, chicken,etc on and wait.

Notice I didn’t mention water bowl. I have foil in the water bowl and just use it as a drip pan basically. Once you get goood with the minion method you don’t need water.

My Weber is really seasoned in and tight so the only smoke will be coming straight out the vent on top. It’s taken many smokes to get there but now that the seal is good it holds a stead temp really well.

I’ve spent years using it and have figured out exactly how many coals to initially light, etc so I’m not chasing temps all day. Ya definitely not a set and forget but when I do stuff I plan on being home or running small errands anyway.

 

I have a cheap knockoff pellet grill/smoker (they should really call them pellet cookers as they aren't great at grilling or smoking), Big Horn brand from Rural King. I've had to replace the temp probe and another part and have found that pretty much every electronic and moving part has a generic replacement on EBAY, including an entire new control panel for like $60. The unit was only $300 and is big as the largest name brand ones I've seen. The steel body is very heavy and the racks are nice.

 

What size and what lump are you using? I have a Large Big Green Egg and use the Kamado Joe Big Block lump. The Egg holds about 3 to 4 lbs when empty.
I will smoke a brisket and it might use a 1/3 of that lump in a 10 to 16 hour period. I never have to stop and refill it.

I can also sear steaks on it. The gauge it comes with goes to 1000 and I have had it over that but I know their may be a 100 degrees difference.

 

As I've said before in multiple grill/smoker threads, if you want a do it all outdoor cooking device- get the Akorn Kamado. $300 and works just as good as a $1000 ceramic kamado, just know that it will rust out in 3-4 seasons. With a pellet pooper you'll spend more than that in pellets over that time.

 

Agreed. Had my Akorn for 4+ years now and love it, no rust and its on my back deck year round. I do have the custom cover for it though. Fires up quickly for brats/dogs, or keep it at 210* for 15hrs on a single load of charcoal, or ramp up to 700* for a sear on the steaks... Its perfect. Even my brother who has a BGE is impressed with it.

 

Last time I checked you had to pay for charcoal and wood for a stick burner too. Just sayin.

 

We've used the Akorn for 4 years now too. I buy a bag of lump charcoal about once per season, and I've been shaving away at the same chunks of alder and applewood I got from my father in law for years. We grill every chance we get, anything from steaks at 700 plus to smoking home cured bacon at 150. For $300 it rocks.

 

For an offset type smoker a ton of fuel is used, but for a kamado type it's nothing compared to how much a pellet grill goes thru. I have/had them all...

 

Coming off the smoker as I post this.

 

If youre considering the traeger check out rec tec.

Very nice unit i think even better than traeger.

 

A long time customer of mine went from Traeger to the Rec Tec. Nice looking and sturdy looking grill. Unfortunately he had several issues with the Rec Tec and was not too happy last I asked him about it.

 

Just to throw another hat in the mix, I did a bunch of research when I was looking into them and ended up with a Green Mountain Grill... If I had the extra money I'd probably have went with a Yoder, but couldn't justify the extra money for the differences. I've been very happy with mine and their customer service is ridiculously outstanding.

 

Had my Traeger for probably 6 years now. Love it. Only trouble I've had was when it got rained on. Soaked the pellets and plugged the auger.

Doing a few tri-tip!

 

One thing the Bighorn has going for it is capacity...


still had to use the kamado- 54 lbs total

 

A friend just sent me this link, buy 1 get 1. They actually had them on sale as well for $630 and the buy 1 get 1, but it looks like that ended. I know nothing about smokers, and my gut says these are cheap chinese grills but the reviews on Amazon aren't half bad. Anybody every heard of these?

https://zgrills.com/products/zgrills-700e-cover

 

Never heard of Zgrills. If you're really stuck on getting a pellet grill I've read good things about GMG

 

I'll add a +1 for the Yoder but not because I own one but because they are made local to me. I know several people that have one and they love theirs. Locally they offer classes on using them so that has been a plus too.
You mentioned them being built like a tank which is part of the reason they have a lifetime warranty against burnout.
Another cool bit of history is that the family that owns Yoder Smokers also builds construction equipment. That business has actually been around a lot longer. When the economy went south back in '08 they decided to start making smokers instead of laying people off. They were already set up to form and weld thick steel together so it made sense. Now they have distributors all over the world with Canada being one of their biggest markets.