The Texas BBQ Forum

I cook on a 24" Southern Style Cooker:



These are made in Oklahoma and sold at the Grill Doctor stores. They come in 12, 18 and 24" models. It has been a really good backyard smoker. The large 24" model about $850 new. They are front loading, both wood and meat. They have built in waterpans, adjustable charcoal grates, fire box grate, lower and upper vents, firebox pan and top therometer. Everything you need is built in. They are on casters for rolling around.

Advantages:
- Easy to use design and provides a lot of cooking for a small amount of space. Since its front loading - will worl in tight areas.

- Cooking is faster than offsets. Since to firebox is directly below the rack, it cooks a lot faster that most smokers. I can cook a large brisket in 6 hours running at 250 degrees.



- Can accomidate large wood - up to 36", which is great when your firewood suppliers only have 24" logs. Also works with charcoal and lump.

- Easy to operate and clean up. Can work as a smoker or grill, run with or without water pan.

- Wiil hold 3 briskets or 6 racks of ribs. Good sized cooking area.




Disadvantages:
- Is prone to flare ups if you are not careful. I rarely have a flareup any longer unless I get careless and stoke it up too much.

- Its heavy (arent they all?). It has wheels, so as long as you are on an even surface no problem, but this smoker aint for the mobile kitchen.

Looks like just whut the doctor ordered to me. I just love upright direct with or without the optional water pan. Now to me believe I would attempt to feed that beastes charcoal and chunks...or break out the shovel and go slow driect over the coals. Dang you aint never had no good bbq till you have let a Texas bohunk fron N. S. or central whup you up a batch over mesquite coals. Wowser. I would not consider that nice pit you got to be a log burner. Maybe that is part of the flareup problemo. Have you ever thought of the burn basket idear? Course they all will rare up on you if you dont keep that grease buildup knocked back. That is why the Good Lord give us the propane flame throwers. If you cant make it burn with one of those whilst you burning the crud off the grates..it whut the slab savers call inflammable or maybe unflammable. I lose track of some of there vernacular.

bigwheel

That looks like a handy type cooker. Smoke or grill.

BW,

You are correct on the flare-up in that they happen when you run outta water in the water pan then over heat the cooker. Long as she has water in da pan, no problems.

I havent thought about the basket idear - I have pretty good luck burnning 1 or 2 - 24" logs at a time, real slow like as long as I have a decent base of coals. Maybe the hot coals wud work just as well...maybe I will give it a shot sometime. Im thinking of retireing this one to the ranch and getting on of dem fancy smancy "automatic" smoker for city smoking.

Gator wrote:BW,

You are correct on the flare-up in that they happen when you run outta water in the water pan then over heat the cooker. Long as she has water in da pan, no problems.

I havent thought about the basket idear - I have pretty good luck burnning 1 or 2 - 24" logs at a time, real slow like as long as I have a decent base of coals. Maybe the hot coals wud work just as well...maybe I will give it a shot sometime. Im thinking of retireing this one to the ranch and getting on of dem fancy smancy "automatic" smoker for city smoking.

psst, the Sheriff's going to buy a gasser/pellet cooker - pass it on

The Boss is going to turn into a Pellet Head.

Hey Gator, If you are looking into a new cooker we have a new sticky in the pits section that list a lot of builders with links to there sites for more info. It's great for comparing different types and models.




Sorry, I couldn't resist being a Smarta**.

Id go for one of those pellet cookers too!

I must be getting lazy... . Tending a fire aint half the fun it used to be...

Those Traegers look interesting. I hear they cook very well