I half to admit, The Smokey Joe...


 

Todd Phillips

TVWBB Pro
Is by far my most valuable cooker! That's right. Valuable! If I could only keep one, It would be Joe. How did I come to have this epiphany you ask?

Here is my at home setup plus a Primo XL that is built into the backyard.

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I also have my catering and comp trailer

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So let's break this down!

1) Primos $2000.00 Super versatile but they are a 300lbs fish bowl waiting to shatter. Takes a long time to move around temps. Does not like being moved

2) WSM $400.00Great bang for the buck barrel smoker. Just not that easy to chuck it in the car and go. Kind of a production to get it up and running and breaking it down. Not your guy for hot and heavy or single idems

3) Viking Gravity $4000.00 Outstanding cooker, Set it,feed it, and then walk away. 600lbs and only good for one temp/style of cook at a time. Half to run a Guru

4) Full size kettle $100-300.00Greats invention ever. Nothing you can't do on it. Just not on the mobile side and can be a fuel hog for the long run.

Now, for the Smokey Joe! $30.00 Very,very very compact and mobile. I half to carry very little to do everything all of they above do. Super easy and fastest grill out there to control and adjust temps. With one little pot I can make it a double stack smoker that will get me 5-6hrs of cook time direct or indirect. Fits most pizza stones. Fits up to 9inch cast iron skillets under the lid with handles. Fits most woks. IMO it cooks a better steak and spatchcock chicken then my Primo and Performer due to the grate height. Really nothing you can't do on it. So with all that being said and Im sure there a ton of people on here who could add more value to the Joe then I can. It's just the one I won't give up

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Nice breakdown. I don't have a SJ but do have the larger JJ and find that is very versatile along with low fuel consumption.
 
I like the wok idea.

Don't forget you can make the smokey joe into a mini smoker.
 
I use my JJ as a smoker and a grill and it does as advertised with very little fuel consumption. With that said the capacity is not there for larger cooks so that's why I have a 18.5 WSM and the performer plus my E320 gasser for those times we have a no burn restriction including charcoal grills during the fire season.
I guess one size doesn't fit all but they all work very well when needed.
Also what Tony R. said like the wok idea got to try that!
 
Nice breakdown. I don't have a SJ but do have the larger JJ and find that is very versatile along with low fuel consumption.

I would lump the Smokey and Jumbo together. Same idea! If I was splitting hairs, I bet the Jumbo would creep ahead due to the fact of Grate space. More fuel thou. I guess I'm thinking more like a minimalist when it comes to this thread. 9/10 times most people feed 4 or less when they fire a grill. I've fed 7 people a three course meal a few weeks back with the smokey. It took alot of foil and juggling.
 
I'm a big fan of the SJS's versatility and portability too. It's been a breeze to take on hunting trips, camping trips, fishing trips, beach trips, etc. With a little charcoal and a Weber compact chimney you're good to go.

That being said, I have run into a few situations where more grill real estate would be nice while still maintaining the portability factor. So during Target's end of summer clearance next year I'll try to snag a JJ for $20 as some folks here reported doing a few weeks back.
 
I use my JJ as a smoker and a grill and it does as advertised with very little fuel consumption. With that said the capacity is not there for larger cooks so that's why I have a 18.5 WSM and the performer plus my E320 gasser for those times we have a no burn restriction including charcoal grills during the fire season.
I guess one size doesn't fit all but they all work very well when needed.
Also what Tony R. said like the wok idea got to try that!

I hear ya Joe! But if you could only have one cooker for the rest of your life and it was the last cooker on earth. Which one would you chose?
 
It's 14 across the top. 6 across the bottom. It's super old school with wood handles. I got it from a friend of a friend who I was helping move years ago. The guy who gave it to me had it for several yrs. I didn't want it. He stashed it in my truck to get rid of it. I don't use it enough to keep a good season. I go in spurts with it. Funny thing is, That dam thing has been kicked around the garage for years, Used for everything from a nut and bolt holder to a saw horse. This thing does not have a dent or ding in it. Handel's are still perfectly square. I've gotten it over 800 degrees on the performer. Makes a slamming peaking duck. I have a Le Creuset cast iron wok that I can't get that hot.
 
Todd;
Obviously, you have a lot of experience with the Smokey Joe. I have a SJG that I made into a smoker (Mini Joe Gold) that I am very happy with. Recently, I bought a SJS off CL brand new in the box for $15.00. I've only done a couple of cooks on it but am having trouble getting it hot enough. I first tried dumping one lit Mini Chimney of Kingsford Original spread evenly over the charcoal grate. It like to never got hot enough to cook four small hamburgers. I was very disappointed with it's performance. I discovered if I really loaded it up with charcoal it got a good bit hotter. However, it doesn't compare to the temps I get with a full lit chimney (full size) dumped on one side of the Performer (two level fire).

I am open to any suggestions. The little feller is sure compact to carry to the park, etc. But if I can't figure out how to get the heat up, I'm going to pass.

On the other hand, my new Jumbo Joe is a stellar performer! But not nearly so portable...

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
I always use lump. When I first got mine. I had the same problem. Don't be scared to let it take off. It acts way different then a full size kettle. I will start out with a good base across the bottom. All vents open.- Fire up 1/2 chimney good and hot. Pour it around they entire base and let it burn for about 10min. Once you put the lid on it's going to choke down with in minutes. Which is good. The grate is sooo close to the lump you don't need it ragging. If you need more heat, Just slide the lid a little and the thing will take off. Another key also, is not packing the base full of charcoal. It needs to have airflow. I finny method one of the best NY strips the other night on that thing, That's what inspired this post.
 
My smokey joe sits and collects dust ever since I got my SJ platinum. Same princible as the SJ but has just enough room to offset cook a tri-tip or a skillet with a handle and still close the lid. It's portable and you can get a small chimney inside and shut the lid and get the handle up. Plus the handle doubles as a little a holder. If I could only have one it would be the SJP. FUN THREAD!
 
Dustin;
I am confused. Weber's web site doesn't list a Smokey Joe Platinum. What is it? You don't mean a Jumbo Joe, do you?

Just would like to know...

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
Robert, old school jumbo joe. It's an 18" with short legs and a lid bale that flips up to hold it together. Has side vents inside of the one at the bottom (Daisey wheel type) and has a dome style lid that is not as flat as today's jumbo. IMHO it's better than the jumbo. :wsm:
 
All the Joe's are full of win! It's just through the years of throwing down. I got on the bandwagon of "bigger is better" After a year or so of using the Joe. It's a "simpler" is better IMO. I fired it up tonight to knock out a couple quick carne' asada tacos. Even gave the old salt block some love. It was fricken awesome

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Todd and Dustin;
I picked up a bag of lump from the super market, today (Kroger's lump, of all things:rolleyes:) and gave the SJS another run. This time I grilled a couple of 'burgers of fresh sausage from my favorite butcher shop. I had planned to take pictures but my battery died right in the middle of things (that'll teach me not to check things, huh?:(). At any rate, the lump burned quite well and by slipping the top back a bit, it got hot enough to do a good job on the sausage burgers (they were scrumptious). I'll have to fine tune a bit but I think it's going to work just fine (thanks to your excellent tips).

I can see me using the SJS and JJ a good bit in the near future for small cooks. They are so often "just right" for the job at hand...

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 

 

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