The Texas BBQ Forum

Currently we have a Brinkman Smoking Pit Professional offset. While we love using it, it's just not very portable at all and we'd like something a little easier to take camping. The money is just not in the budget right now for a WSM. I can get a brand new Smoke N Grill by Brinkman for free. I haven't heard a lot of good about them but was wondering if anyone else uses one and could say yay or nay on this one.

Thanks! I was planning to get a set of knives but they are already gone so I'm trying to decide what to pick. I do surveys for points and can redeem them for prizes with free shipping. Yes, this company is legit as this isn't the first time I've gotten prizes from them.

Or I can save up more points and get this one:
http://images.ugive.com/v3/fullsize/166-85270809.jpg

Maybe Brinkman Gourmet since I found one like it on Amazon for $99.99. Here's the description:
Charcoal Smoker and Grill
Top of the line double grill charcoal smoker and grill cooks up gourmet foods with enough room for 50 lbs of brisket, chicken, veggies and more.



Features:
# Separate base pan design for easy set-up and clean-up
# extra large charcoal pan for longer cooking times
# Converts in seconds to a portable or waist high charcoal grill
# Porcelain-coated steel water and charcoal pans
# Two chrome plated steel grills
# Wooden handles
# 18.3â€

I think I would wait,save up and get a WSW. I think you will be a lot happier with the WSW. JMHO

I can't speak for the brinkman, never used one, but the price is right. How often do you think you will use it?
Keep your eyes peeled for a WSM, maybe craigslist, if you are near a bigger city.

The only Brinkman I had was the famous ECB. It sucked! I think I paid $20 for it several years ago. Maybe the more expensive ones work better. I've heard some people turn out some good Q with them.

I think I'm going to save up the points and get the bigger, more expensive Gourmet version. We have our offset to use at home so this would only be for camping or going over to friends' houses to cook. It wouldn't be used nearly as often as our other one.

Thanks for your advice!!

If you're not in a hurry to get something besides the Brinkmann and there is another pit/smoker that is better for your rewards then may as well wait and upgrade. Unless there are other items/merchandise that might work better for you for the reward points thing.But if you need a pit or want one... free is always good. You can't beat that price. I've seen people cook in clay pots and it come out good. How often do you need to transport a pit ?

I would choose the Gourmet over the ECB any old day if only because of the external firepan. That is really a biotch trying to to poke charcoal into that little square hole on the ECB. Have you checked Wally World? They had the Gourmets for around 50 bucks last time I was nosing around in there.

bigwheel

I'm not in a hurry. I have 7990 points and need 10,000 for the Brinkman Gourmet Charcoal Grill and Smoker. We have our big Brinkman offset for home use and Les is supposed to be getting a big tank to make his own. We're going camping later this month and will be taking the offset. It may be a pain to load and unload but everyone wants us to make bbq, abts, and whatever else they come up with and the guys want an excuse to sit up all night drinking. lol Surprisingly, we can think of several reasons to have something more portable. We're not in a rush to get anything else right now but figured for free, if nothing else, we could probably sell it to someone around here. The other prizes aren't really anything I want.

My first smoker was an ECB (el cheapo Brinkman). The thermometers they stick on 'em ain't worth a nickel. They have a tendency to relocate themselves when it gets windy.

My dad had one of the ECBs when I was a kid. He blew it up one day. I can't remember what he did but he got it way, way too hot and the handles melted off and the top blew off. lol He was telling us about that when we visited this past spring.

I'm holding out for the bigger one. When I go to Walmart tomorrow morning, I'll look and see if they have one. While it comes with a cover, it will most likely live in the shed except for camping trips and other times we take it with us some place to cook.

Tell ya I have lugged one of the Snnp's (that is some kind of bbq vernacular for the offset pit you have described:) many miles in the back of my pickemup truck. Also carried around 2 or 3 big pickle buckets full of firebricks. I had it mathematically figgered out how many firebricks a person can stuff into the cookchamber of one of them thangs. Sure did smoothe out the spikes in the temps. Only thing was when it rained it was so heavy it sink in the mud and get low on one end. Turned out some mighty fine groceries on that old pit. Finally give it to the yankee son in law thinking maybe it make him stay home mo often..but alas..the best laid plans of mice and men oftimes go awry. He still come over to my house and eat up too much of my baloney and peanut butter...ice cream etc. Finally wound up buying him a bus ticket back to PA and dont recall seeing him since. Tell ya that bound to be the very best investment I ever made:)

bigwheel

Allie wrote:I'm not in a hurry. I have 7990 points and need 10,000 for the Brinkman Gourmet Charcoal Grill and Smoker. We have our big Brinkman offset for home use and Les is supposed to be getting a big tank to make his own. We're going camping later this month and will be taking the offset. It may be a pain to load and unload but everyone wants us to make bbq, abts, and whatever else they come up with and the guys want an excuse to sit up all night drinking. lol Surprisingly, we can think of several reasons to have something more portable. We're not in a rush to get anything else right now but figured for free, if nothing else, we could probably sell it to someone around here. The other prizes aren't really anything I want.

We've been talking about doing some mods to make it hold the temps better. It's not horrible now but I'm sure we could improve it a lot. We've talked about the firebricks and Les has been looking into sealing it around the openings. He also has a neighbor looking into getting a propane tank so we can make one. That's in the future a bit.

So did you daughter go to PA with the son in law? I have a feeling one day I'll have some kids and in-laws like that. lol

Nope daughter stayed in Texas.

bigwheel

Allie wrote:and Les has been looking into sealing it around the openings.

I never got around to ordering from them before I sold my CG, but here is a link to some gaskets.

http://www.woodstove-outlet.com/gaskets.htm