More Smoking Area


 
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ADavidson

New member
Currently doing all of my smoking on my large BGE. Unfortunately with its configuration I'm pressed to smoke 2 racks of ribs with a rib rack real estate wise. Messing with adjusting indirect heat flow and controlling smoke. I also have a Weber 22" kettle and was looking at utilizing it more. Looking at Slow n Sear addition, but even then with configuration it looks like I may be able to get 3 racks on with a rib rack, but that might be pushing it. I don't really want to add another cooker, but have contemplated selling BGE and replacing with one of the following. Getting a 22" WSM for all my smoking needs and using kettle for grilling. Looks like you could load the WSM with 6-8 racks of ribs with ease. Option 2 is also selling my kettle and replacing BGE AND kettle with a Weber kamado. Not sure how much it could handle, but like the idea of control and how it works similar to BGE with more real estate. Last option would be to go with a pellet popper and could get as much cooking area as I want. But this option is REALLY a last resort as I really like cooking over charcoal. To summarize what would be your suggestion for cooking 3-4 racks of ribs or 2-3 whole chickens etc. comfortably. This whole process is really messing with my mind so I've come to those with the know:) Thanks in advance for your assistance.

al
 
IMO go for the WSK, it will give you everything that you need in a single device. You do pay up front a bit more but you will get that back on saved charcoal over the years.
 
Indeed the kamado looks very attractive. If I sell my BGE and all accessories I can pretty much pay for a new Weber kamado. Plus if I sell my kettle I get some more deck space back too:) Thanks for your input.
 
I feel your pain about not having enough area for smoking.
I have a couple performer kettles and an 18” wsm.
I had to contort the living heck out of a big brisket last night on the wsm to make it possible.
Not having enough room for to lay down 2 racks of ribs is bs as well.
I’m liking those upper end gravity smokers more and more.
 
I would keep the BGE and save up for a WSK. I have both, I like both.

Except for size, I find smoking on my BGE to be easier. Easier to setup, easier to stabilize temps, With the PS woo I can pull the meat and deflector out to add or adjust smoke wood if I need to, but I rarely need to.

If you don't have an extender rack for your BGE I would get one. I have a PSwoo with an extender rack.

I don't know what your used market is for the BGE but you'll lose over half of your purchase price. If you are the original owner you have lifetime warranty.

The reason I suggest saving up is then you'll have both WSK and BGE side by side and you can decide which is better for you, rather than having us tell you which is better for you.

Good luck with your journey and share it with us.

edit:

I bought a WSM 22 for the same reasons you did. I picked one up used, cooked on it for a few months and then sold it. The setup, cleanup and amount of charcoal used didn't fit my cooking style. I also did a side-by-side rib cookoff between the BGE, my Pit Boss Pro pellet grill and the WSM and the winner from me and my family was the BGE.

The WSM might be a good interim while saving for a WSK but IMO the WSK wins.
 
I am not a fan of cooking ribs on their side, rack inches matter lol, I would take the 22" WSM, I am glad to have no shortage of space. the only style of smoker I have never owned is a gravity fed, looking at the fuel usage and the price of charcoal these days I may never buy 1. I have a 18" WSM clone I bought new dirt cheap several years ago. works very well but in order to use the space I end up cutting ribs, butts are not a problem. bought another charcoal grill yesterday to make life easier to grill, adjustable charcoal tray and a warming rack which worked well on a rack of ribs. While the WSK is a great unit there isn't enough rack space vs cost to help a lot imo.
 
MikeCantell said:
I am not a fan of cooking ribs on their side, rack inches matter lol, I would take the 22" WSM, I am glad to have no shortage of space. the only style of smoker I have never owned is a gravity fed, looking at the fuel usage and the price of charcoal these days I may never buy 1.
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Heh, what if I tell you that three briskets here are probably as expensive as a brand new WSM.

I am not sure if you asked, but my 22 WSM runs on roughly 1 pound of briskets per hour. Which, is much, but considering the price of kamado's, you'd have to grill a ton until the lower fuel usage pays off. That's what brought me to the WSM.

I heard good things about the large webber kettle. I think they have the best price to grill space ratio, and do not need as much charcoal as the wsm.
 
There's cleanup in any smoker/grill so IMO putting a negative by a WSM and not the others is just not an honest debate. Also set up isn't an issue especially if you have a dedicated area. To me the real estate is the top priority in the OPs view. Nothing with the footprint or price mentioned beat a 22 WSM.

Again, this has been discussed time after time about fuel consumption. How much more time and fuel does it cost/take to cook the same amount of protein? Sure if all you cook is a rack at a time you may have some merit to the argument.

Outside of that I'm not buying what people are selling. 6 racks flat 12 in rib racks not sure about hanging or coiling that's not my gig. Full case pork shoulder 70 to 80 lbs and 2 large brisket you can't come close to the 22 WSM capacity or fuel and time for the same amount cooked. People with vertical cabinets or large offsets can handle more then a WSM. Some pellets, but then you lose smoke profile with a pellet if you like charcoal or wood. I should also mention you could upgrade and put more racks in the wsm and lay 9 racks flat. If you use a vortex vs water pan you may get 15 but 12 for sure. I'd imagine more brisket and pork shoulder as well. Just not very convenient to do so. When I use the smoker it's gonna get used to the max. It's just too time consuming not to.

There's negatives about every smoker or grill so I look at many aspects and for me a WSM can't be beat especially if you cook for large families or crowds or like to do everything at one time in 1 cooker. I actually run two 22s if I'm cooking for a larger crowd. Meat on one, sides and appetizers on the other. Made my life so much less stressful. The biggest inconvenience was juggling what and when to cook meat, sides and appetizers all for one party or get together. Problem(s) solved.

My other option was to get a insulated vertical cabinet and for me the price just couldn't tip the scale from my wsm. Not to mention the cost of a new stove for momma no way could I spend that much coin on a smoker and not upgrade her inside cooking apparatus. Convince is expensive, especially when the end results have little to no net gain.
 
While Kamado style cookers have their place and their fans sometimes the budget is not accommodating of a Kamado purchase. Someday maybe a WSK is in my future but not now.

Another option is to get a 22 inch WSM and a Hunsaker or other aftermarket brand of hanging style rack. Eight racks of ribs is nothing for this set-up. Plus you can hang tomahawk steak, pork loin roasts, chops, poultry, picanha, you name it. A favorite thing to hang is pit baked potatoes. I prefer to hang most things. No messy racks to clean. 😁

Then install a charcoal grate on the water pan bracket straps and now you can grill too. Carbon steel griddles are available so you can griddle too. I my mind, charcoal is still cheap compared to meat and protein prices. I did the modification to my 22 WSM. It gives me room when I need it and options to experiment. Good luck on your decision; lots of options.
 
Chad-Burnt to a T said:
There's cleanup in any smoker/grill so IMO putting a negative by a WSM and not the others is just not an honest debate.
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You can dismiss it as not being an honest debate, but I respectfully disagree.

Taking a WSM apart to get the water pan out to clean it is a messy chore bending over taking the smoker apart to do so.

Cleanup on the BGE is one minute to take foil off the SS drip pan, toss in the trash and rewrap the SS pan with another sheet. Same for the WSK, though it takes me slightly longer to foil the WSK deflector because I punch out the holes. The main advantage is I am doing this do this standing upright, not crouched over and I don't have to take either smoker apart to clean and prep for the next round.

WSM wins for size. The appeal for me was ability to cook six slabs of ribs all flat. WSM wins on purchase cost.

I don't consider charcoal cost with my buying decisions, but I both the WSM and BGE are frugal on coal use.

All that said, I started cooking ribs on their side when doing more than three slabs. Hanging ribs on the WSM seems like a great way to smoke them.
 
I say avoid the water pan by either hanging or using a Piedmont pan. I came from a drum cooker where I used a Piedmont pan, so I was never water trained. I never foil the Piedmont pan in my 18 WSM. After a cook, I pull the pan and dump the liquids in my ash collection bucket. If the pan is too scuzzy, then I might flip it over on the coals and sear the pan off.
 
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DanHoo said:
Cleanup on the BGE is one minute to take foil off the SS drip pan, toss in the trash and rewrap the SS pan with another sheet. Same for the WSK, though it takes me slightly longer to foil the WSK deflector because I punch out the holes. The main advantage is I am doing this do this standing upright, not crouched over and I don't have to take either smoker apart to clean and prep for the next round.
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Well, I wrap the waterpan. And for the extra bit of lazyness, I added aluminium pans to the wrapped bowl. I lift the grate, and wipe off the pans. I don't get why this should be less or more involved than on a kamado.

It might be more annoying on an 18 wsm with its deep water pan.
 
DanHoo said:
You can dismiss it as not being an honest debate, but I respectfully disagree.

Taking a WSM apart to get the water pan out to clean it is a messy chore bending over taking the smoker apart to do so.

Cleanup on the BGE is one minute to take foil off the SS drip pan, toss in the trash and rewrap the SS pan with another sheet. Same for the WSK, though it takes me slightly longer to foil the WSK deflector because I punch out the holes. The main advantage is I am doing this do this standing upright, not crouched over and I don't have to take either smoker apart to clean and prep for the next round.

WSM wins for size. The appeal for me was ability to cook six slabs of ribs all flat. WSM wins on purchase cost.

I don't consider charcoal cost with my buying decisions, but I both the WSM and BGE are frugal on coal use.

All that said, I started cooking ribs on their side when doing more than three slabs. Hanging ribs on the WSM seems like a great way to smoke them.
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Yeah, I don't have to take it apart to be honest. I use the spent ash to soak up the liquid and toss it all in the trash. I foil my pan so it really isn't that big a deal. I actually get more of a mess dumping ash from my performer that's dry.
 
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