Best BBQ Smoker Under $400

Hands down the best bbq smoker available in the under $400 price point is the Weber Smokey Mountain aka WSM. It's bullet shape is proven, reliable, and affordable.

I've had mine since 2001 and it's still going strong. It's compact, lightweight and functional. Charcoal goes in the bottom, a water pan in the middle and two cooking grates in the top half of the cooker.

Some may argue with me that a kettle grill isn't really a smoker. They would be right - it's a grill with versatility to be used as a smoker too.

Weber Kettle Grill

Using good fire control techniques, banking the coals on the sides (or purchasing an accessory from Weber that makes that part even easier) will enable you smoke ribs on the grill without an expensive smoker. Get a rib rack and you can smoke 5 or 6 racks at once.

BBQ Made Simple

O.k. I'll admit it. 

This weekend I was in the mood for some complicated bbq.

I pulled out my favorite copy of Peace, Love and Barbecue last night and prepared to cook one of the numerous World Championship bbq recipes that are featured.  Unfortunately, after a quick trip to the pantry for supplies to mix up a pork rub, I soon realized that I was missing a primary ingredient - sugar. (We've been trying to eat a little healthier and I've been using stevia in my iced tea.)

Since it was almost 9 p.m., heading out to the store did not sound too appealing. Sometimes you just have to drop back and punt, so I headed back to the pantry and returned with some leftover Billy Bones spice rub that we purchased at Cabela's.

After a couple of apple juice-mixed-with-honey injections and a quick-but-liberal sprinkling of spice rub, the pork butts were marinating in the refrigerator. There was minimal mess and less fuss compared to mixing up a recipe from scratch.

Keeping with the less-is-more philosophy of the day, I pulled out the Weber Smokey Mountain water smoker this morning instead of rearranging the garage to pull out the custom built insulated upright that works pretty well with temperatures nearing refrigerator levels here in Southeast Michigan. The WSM is nearing it's 11th year birthday, but still works like new. It's a true set it and forget it cooker. Who needs a fancy smancy computer controller? And what good really comes from those my-smoker-is-bigger-and-more-expensive-than-yours models?  Truth be told, I have always gravitated toward using the $189.99 basic black cooker versus the $1,500 custom painted red version of the same basic design for informal personal cooking sessions.

I often think about putting my retirement savings on the back burner for a while and putting my name on the waiting list for a premium offset smoker that's all the rage on the competition circuit these days.

But on days like this while watching the Sunday morning talking heads, reading the newspaper, surfing my favorite bbq websites, catching up on Facebook, and writing a couple of bbq blog posts I remember why I started cooking bbq in the first place. I really enjoy good food cooked the way I like to eat it without having to spend a lot of money.


Pulled pork seasoned with Billy Bones spice rub from Cabela's

In competition I cooked pork butts to 196 degrees and let it rest in a cooler for 4 or 5 hours before turn in time.

I cooked this pork at 225 degrees for roughly 8 hours to an internal temperature of 200 degrees. I have found that when cooking the meat a little longer, it doesn't need to rest quite as long before pulling. These butts rested for 90 minutes and separated easily.



While I had the cooker fired up I decided to cook some pork ribs too. I purchased these ribs locally from Back Forty Acres in Chelsea, MI. They are untrimmed, but for eating ribs at home it's not always necessary to trim them. Trimming is time consuming and there's also a certain amount of waste that occurs.

 



Untrimmed pasture raised Tamworth ribs from Back Forty Acres

Update:  I took some leftover ribs for lunch and they were delicious.

One Contest, Four Meats, One WSM

My post from a couple days ago about Slap Yo Daddy's success in Las Vegas has got me thinking.

Wouldn't it be great if competing in bbq contests were affordable again (and fun)? Somewhere along the line, the cost of competing started getting in the way of my enjoyment. For awhile I thought I was the only one, but here and there on various bbq websites, blogs, and forums I've started noticing other competitors hinting at the same line of thought.

What if contest competitors left their RVs, customer trailers, etc. at home and competed on equivalent bbq equipment?  Identical WSMs, Backwoods Party's, or even Big Green Eggs would make good candidates.

I think it would be a great idea for a contest organizer, not to mention a great way to promote a bbq contest. The International Race of Champions (IROC) was stock racing's version, why shouldn't KCBS, FBA, or GLBBQA get behind it? Golf and bowling have handicapping; sprint cars, open-wheel, and even truck and tractor-pulling have cubic inch, bore and stroke limitations in certain classes. Why not bbq?

This would be a way to keep costs down for everyone in the sport.  Competitors could keep down costs for smokers, supplies, transportation, etc. and contest organizers wouldn't be under so much pressure to keep raising the prize money pools to attract and (in many cases) maintain contest entrants.

I need to give it some more thought before I commit to anything, but right now I'm toying with the idea of entering a few contests this season and cooking them on my WSM.  Wouldn't it be great to roll into a bbq contest in my Ford Fusion Hybrid and pull the bbq smoker out of the trunk? I bet that would turn some heads. What do you think? Anyone else want to try it?

50.3 mpg on my 18.2 mile commute to work, 70+ mpg running errands around town

Pulling my old cargo trailer with the Explorer, we averaged about 12 mpg and a lot of the expense of competing flew out the tailpipe.  My Fusion averages 42 mpg in normal interstate driving using cruise control. On a 400 mile round trip to an event, that's a $93 savings on the gas bill alone.

Less money for gasoline = more money for meat.

Now...if I can just figure out how to fit my Caravan portable tent in the car.

$10,000 From a WSM and 1 Bag of Charcoal

My Favorite BBQ Smoker

I have been cooking bbq on my Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) since 2001. I get extremely consistent results from the WSM and if I was competing this weekend, I would still prefer to use the WSM for brisket versus any other bbq smoker I own.

Many have said it before me and I've been saying for 11 years on the web - "It's not the cooker, it's the cook."  If you give 10 bbq cooks the same smoker and the same recipe, I'd be willing to bet you that there would be 10 different types, styles, and flavors of bbq results.

You don't need a $100,000 RV, a $25,000 catering trailer, or three or four different bbq smokers, etc. etc. to win a professional bbq contest. Don't believe me?

Slap Yo Daddy BBQ won a large bbq contest in Las Vegas earlier this year using 1 WSM and 1 bag of Kingsford charcoal for the event. From SlapYoDaddyBBQ.com:



Our continuing efforts to use only one WSM and one bag of Kingsford for each contest is working out as most of the choreographed ballet steps trying to cook four meats on one pit have been worked out.

So while some guys are out there ordering $15,000 custom bbq smokers mounted on trailer along with every new gadget, accessory, training class, book, DVD, etc. Slap Yo Daddy is keeping things pretty status quo (for them) and concentrating on executing bbq at a consistently high-level from contest to contest and collecting prize money. And if you've been following their results like I have, you know that they've been collecting a lot of grand championships these last few years.

Maybe it's time to return to basics and K.I.S.S.



I cooked this brisket on my WSM.



A Letter to the BBQ Guy

Dear BBQ Guy,
As your wife I have complained at times over the long hours you spent with your smoker and grill. I have grumbled when I had to scrub a grill grate or chopping board. I have begged you to finish one BBQ sauce or rub before starting another one. I have grudgingly given you one whole shelf in the pantry for your excess BBQ supplies. I’ve sat by you as you blog about your favorite subject or search the BBQ forum for old friends. I have asked for sympathy from other wives – that your obsession was driving me crazy.

Although tonight when I sat at work with my desk in disarray and your number flashed up on the cell phone I just knew that I was about to be mad. I just knew you were calling to ask what is for dinner, but I was wrong. You reminded me of the two Buffalo fillets that you seasoned with Miner’s Mix Steak Seasoning earlier in the morning. A huge since of relief fell over me when I remembered that I was married to The BBQ Guy and for this one instance he was using his grill powers to make my life a little bit easier.

I was nervous about the Miner’s Mix because I truly like your simplistic approach to steaks, however; this new seasoning was a pleasant surprise. The rub seemed to penetrate the meat and provide a delicious flavor. It’s a definite repeat in my book.

So I say bring on the raw meat, bbq rubs, sauces, brines, and marinades and I promise to keep my sarcasm to a minimum. I promise to be your loyal assistant while you pursue your obsession to grill and smoke outdoors. As long as you promise to save the day a few days a month with your trusty Weber Smokey Mountain or Platinum.

With love,

THE BBQ GUY’S wife

BBQ Smoker Poll

For the last 3 weeks or so I've been conducting a reader's poll here on the BBQ Blog to find out what types of smokers my readers are currently using.  Here is a quick summary of the results so far:

Weber Smokey Mountain 13 (27%)
Backwoods Smoker 1 (2%)
Cookshack Pellet Smoker 0 (0%)
Stumps Smoker 4 (8%)
Lang Offset 3 (6%)
Klose Offset 0 (0%)
Big Green Egg 9 (18%)
Other Offset Smoker 16 (33%)
Other Vertical Smoker 6 (12%)

It looks like the Lang and Other Offset Smokers are in the lead with 39% of the votes. The Weber Smokey Mountain is in second at 27% with the Big Green Egg third with 18%.

There are two days left to vote in the current poll. Have you cast your vote yet?

Care to share your suggestions for a topic for the next poll?

BBQ Smokers, iPods and Androids

My wife has had an iPod Touch - known for it's ability to run Apple applications from iTunes and access the web anywhere there's a wireless connection available - for 12 months. I've had the Droid Eris, which runs Google's Android software applications for two weeks and I've have realized that there's not a huge difference between them.  Both run neat applications that provide entertainment, education, and time savings.  Both will access the Internet. And both cost roughly the same.  I'd give a slight edge to the , but only because it also makes phone calls possible, but that's really an apples and oranges comparison (pun intended).

It's easy to make a similar comparison between the Backwoods, Stumps, or Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) smokers and the various derivatives.  All are upright smokers with the removable cooking racks configured vertically. All are easy to cook with and will each prepare excellent bbq and make fire control and temperature maintainence very easy.  All have options that incorporate the use of water and steam in the cooking process.  All allow the user to add charcoal while cooking without too much trouble.

But here's where the apples and oranges thing comes into play....

The Backwoods and Stumps are insulated smokers. The WSM is not.  Accessing the water pan in the Backwoods and Stumps is easily accomplished.  The WSM requires a funnel or hose in order to add water while cooking.  The Backwoods and Stumps provide easy access to the meat as it cooks.  Accessing meat on the upper rack in the WSM is as simple as removing the lid, but accessing meat cooking on the second rack requires removal of the upper rack.

I'll give the WSM an advantage overall for home use because it's cheaper, lighter, and easier to store. Now if Weber will just add an option that allows me to make phone calls and surf the Internet while cooking I'd be first in line to buy one!

BBQ in the Rain

I am lucky to have such a dedicated bbq assistant. 

But in the end, a few rain drops didn't hurt anything.

Win a Free WSM

Instructables.com is hosting a Low and Slow BBQ Contest with the chance to win a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker. Runners-up (maximum of 10) will win a signed copy of Low and Slow by Gary Wiviott.

From the contest rules on the website:

"We're looking for recipes, techniques, and even ways to build your own BBQ. Just make sure to take plenty of mouth-watering photos and provide helpful text so others can follow in your footsteps. Impress us and you'll win a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker and a signed copy of Low & Slow BBQ to ensure that your BBQ reign continues."

Visit the website to submit your entry today.

New Weber Smokey Mountain

According to the folks over at VirtualWeberBullet.com the Weber Stephens Company is going to introduce a new, bigger, WSM this month. The current 18 1/2 inch WSM that is 41 inches tall is great. I have one in the garage, but a new 22 inch version would even better.

I haven't seen one yet, but the new model promises many additional features that bbq cooks are going to love.

The door is supposed to be bigger to offer better access from outside the cooker and there is a new mechanism that will help the door seal tighter.

The Bigger the Better, Right?

I pondered the answer to this question while watching a neighbor cooking on a small kettle bbq grill this weekend. The grill was a very generic "BBQ Pro" and measured no more than 18 inches in diameter. Did the size of the kettle grill make the bbq automatically inferior to 'que cooked on bigger grills? To borrow a phrase from my 14-year old niece -- NOT.

When we started competing in BBQ competitions using our small Backwoods Party and Weber Smokey Mountain, we dreamed of purchasing a bigger cooker and custom built trailer. We talked constantly of what we could do with a little extra money. Then we bought the big red cooker. We bought it before we even had a way to carry it to competitions. How smart was that? But it was big and we were going large.

Then we purchased a bbq trailer to haul our equipment to contests. Somehow the planned flat bed single-axle 10 foot trailer constructed of expanded metal became an enclosed tandem axle 16 foot trailer with an RV door, catering window, insulation, lights, electric, and a three compartment sink. We were living in Michigan and at that time Michigan had only 2 bbq contests, but we reached our goal of going big and we continued thinking big. Once we had the trailer, we needed a bigger truck to tow it with, and it was inevitable that we now needed an even bigger cooker.

Here it is two years later and gas prices have doubled. We often talk about how well we actually cooked when we were traveling like modern day hillbillies in the short-bed Ford F-150. We’d like to start competing again, since we’ve moved back to Florida, but we need to find a more economical way to travel. The big trailer has now been sold, so the big red cooker won’t be traveling with us to future competitions.

Recently we realized that the WSM is the best cooker we’ve ever owned for the money. For the money invested, we have won more prize money with cheap equipment than with the larger ones.

Bigger isn’t always better after all.

Weber Smokey Mountain Video

For anyone reading the bbq blog that hasn't had the opportunity to see a WSM in action, I found the next best thing -- a video. It's not exactly step-by-step how I use mine, but it covers the basics and will get you started cooking with your WSM.



Start a Catering Business

Weber Smokey Mountain on Sale

Amazon.com is currently advertising Weber Smokey Mountain smokers for sale at $179.00. If you're in the market for a WSM, this is a good price.

For the money, the WSM is hard to beat. You can smoke ribs, chicken, pork butts, pork loins, briskets, and even a turkey.

The smoker has two racks, a charcoal grate, and a water pan. There are websites devoted entirely to the WSM and it's use.

If you are new to bbq or relearning the craft, the WSM is an inexpensive way to get your feet wet.

Weber Smokey Mountain - Bargain Price

During the course of the last three years, I've noticed the price of WSM's inching up little by little on Amazon.com. I purchased my original smoker for $179.99 from a local hardware store in Winter Park, FL several years ago.

Just when I thought the days of cheap WSM's were over, Grill Doctor Online Store put WSM's on sale for $179 -- again. The Weber smokers have a 10-year warranty.