Pit Questions - Comments - Reviews

This is a where news and announcements are posted and questions on how to use the forum.

Moderator: TBBQF Deputies

osd USER_AVATAR
OSD
Retired Lawman
Posts: 7294
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:59 pm
Location: Fl
Contact:

Pit Questions - Comments - Reviews

Postby OSD » Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:54 am

This is the place for questions, comments, and reviews about pits, grills, and smokers.
Jim
datsbbq USER_AVATAR
DATsBBQ
Deputy
Posts: 8149
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:15 am
Location: Yorktown, VA
Contact:

Review on a ceramic

Postby DATsBBQ » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:29 pm

I have Primo Large Round. It's a ceramic and like all ceramics it don't come cheap, around six and half bills if I remember right.

Pro's:
Extremely efficient. Doesn't matter if it's 5* or 95* outside. Once dialed in, it will hold temp +/- 5* for hours without adjustment. No need for a water pan since it draws so little air, as opposed to say an ECB, the meat remains moist . I've gotten 12 hrs burns on one load of lump. Primo claims upto 750* for searing steaks though I've never used mine as a grill. Do plan to do pizza as I've tested a prolong temp at 500* after a cook and it held perfectly.

Con's: Weight, it weighs more than the Mrs. :lol: Actually, close to my weight. So they aren't easily picked up. That could be a pro in that a single thief would have to be muscle man to make off with it. Capacity, I can fit a 12# packer or butt, 3 full spares using a rib rack or a 22# turkey with a little room for a fatty or side. You ain't feeding an army on just one of these.

Click the www button under this post to see Einstein. It's under Colorado. The Big Green Egg is very similar. The Kamado (see California) are much bigger and a lot more $$$$ but the owners love em. We're talking functional yard art here.

Would I buy another one? If a meteor fell out of the sky and smashed Einstein to bits, as fast as the insurance money was in my hand I'd be down at the dealer buying a replacement. Maybe even before I got the check :wink:
Deputy Dave

“A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer."-Bruce Lee
osd USER_AVATAR
OSD
Retired Lawman
Posts: 7294
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:59 pm
Location: Fl
Contact:

Postby OSD » Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:12 pm

I'm smoking on a Spicewine. They are an insulated cabinet style smoker.


Pro's---- Spicewine will custom build or modify to suit your needs. Great people to deal with. Very efficient. Easy to control temp. Holds heat very well. You can use the water pan or run dry. Can be painted any color you want. A std med size will hold around 9 butts. Mine is modified with an extra shelf. It is very heavy but, with the type of rollers it has it rolls easy on a hard surface.


Cons--- If you have to roll it anywhere other than on a hard surface. It won't roll across the yard. Too heavy and will sink in the dirt.

Would I buy another. Yes. as a matter of fact I'm drawing up the plans for the new one I want to have built.
Jim
osd USER_AVATAR
OSD
Retired Lawman
Posts: 7294
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:59 pm
Location: Fl
Contact:

Postby OSD » Wed May 02, 2007 12:01 pm

Come on guys and gals. :? You all talk about the meals you smoke. Let's see some talk on what you smoked them on. Tell us what you smoke on and the pros & cons of your smoker. :D :D
Jim
chilefarmer USER_AVATAR
ChileFarmer
Forum Star
Posts: 6602
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:18 pm
Location: Jacksonville,Texas
Contact:

Postby ChileFarmer » Wed May 02, 2007 8:17 pm

Well, my old home made smoker has give it up. I have patched it for the last time. Been using it for about 20 years so I won't complain.
I did go and buy me a Oklahoma Joe Longhorn today. I think it is an original as it has the Oklahoma Joe brass tag and serial number.
It has a few leaks that I will attend to. Right now I love it setting on my patio, but haven't seasoned it yet or done any cooking on it. But as I see it I don't have a choice now that I have bought it already. CF
OK, get over it, you lost. God bless America

http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee175/ChileFarmer" target="_blank
Lots of Sub folders to.

http://curingandsmoking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank
osd USER_AVATAR
OSD
Retired Lawman
Posts: 7294
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:59 pm
Location: Fl
Contact:

Postby OSD » Wed May 02, 2007 8:19 pm

Good buy :D I hear they are real good smokers. :D :D
Jim
larry wolfe USER_AVATAR
Larry Wolfe
Cowboy
Posts: 389
Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:19 am
Location: Bealeton, Virginia
Contact:

Postby Larry Wolfe » Thu May 03, 2007 12:26 pm

Primo XL Oval Kamado

Pro’s:

Efficiency –
An overnight cook (15.5hrs) consisting of 4 – 8lb Boston butts only consumed about ¼ of a firebox full of lump. The firebox holds a 10lb bag of lump charcoal, so it basically only consumed 2.5lbs in 15.5hrs of cooking at 250*. Last week I loaded up the firebox with a 10lb bag of lump charcoal. I grilled (high heat) dinner that night for about 2 hours then closed the vents to extinguish the coals. The next day I grilled (high heat again) another meal for approximately 2 hours then closed the vents to extinguish the coals. The following day I relit the same coals from the night before and I smoked ribs (low heat) for 5+ hours then closed the vents to extinguish the coals. The next day I relit the same remaining coals cooked a brisket for over 12 hours then closed the vents to extinguish the coals. Two days later I went out to add more coals to grill dinner, but realized I still had more than enough remaining. So I relit the same lump and grilled (high heat) for approximately 2 hours, then closed the vents to extinguish the coals. The next day I thought for sure I would need more coals to grill some burgers, but still had enough left but finally starting to get low. So I fired up the remaining coals and grilled for about an hour and I think that finally did in my 10lb bag of lump! That is a lot of cooking on 10lbs of fuel. At this rate the Primo will pay for itself in no time!

Temp Range – You can cook from 170* - 700* on the Primo Ceramic cookers. I have found that it cooks equally well no matter what temp you cook at and achieving either temperature range is as simple as opening up the vents.

Weather – Unlike other thin bodied grills and smokers, the Primo Ceramic is thick thus very well insulated and air tight other than where the vents are. This means you can cook in any kind of weather. Rain, snow, wind, etc. will not effect how the Primo operates due to its insulated value and its air tightness to maintain temperatures. For example I cooked the 12 hour brisket on Sunday and it was very windy. I got the Primo up to temp, set my vents and it held within 1 or 2 degrees of 250* the entire time. After it came up to temp I didn’t have to make one vent adjustment or touch the cooker until it was time to take the brisket off.

Clean up - This is the part I like the best. It’s as simple as sticking the Primo Ash Tool into the bottom vent and sweeping out the little bit of ash that has dropped through. THAT’S IT! No dumping of the old charcoal pans and having the ash go everywhere. A 10lb bag of lump ended up being about 4 cups of ash. Other than scrapping the grates clean, that’s all there is to keeping the Primo clean! The outside is porcelain coated ceramic and cleans up very easily and quickly with a wet sponge or a quick spray from a water hose or if you’re lazy like me let the rain do it!

Versatility – As I stated before you can cook at a very wide temperature range on the Primo. Most smokers are only good for smoking low and slow and most grills are only good for grilling at high heat. But with the Primo you can do both, plus you can bake on it. Yes I said you can bake on it! So far I have only smoked and grilled, but I have friends that have been baking bread, lasagna, casseroles and most of all pizza for years with outstanding results. Due to the way the Primo works it’s not only efficient, it’s clean burning as well. That means your casseroles or lasagna is not going to come out tasting like it was cooked on a smoker! Primo also offers a Pizza stone!

Capacity - With the extended cooking grates you can cook 8-10 boston butts, 4 whole packer briskets or 5 with one separated, at least 6 racks of of loin backs or 4 racks of spares laid out flat, if using a rib rack much more!


Cons – None so far other than the weight of the cooker itself. But once you get it set into the Primo Cradle or the Cypress Table you can roll it wherever you need to.
Larry Wolfe
---------------------

Visit The Wolfe Pit
gator USER_AVATAR
Gator
Sheriff
Posts: 6986
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
Location: Coppell, TX
Contact:

Postby Gator » Sun May 20, 2007 10:44 am

I cook on a Southern Style Custom Cooker, made in Oklahoma. It is an upright wood burner. See my full review in the general post area of this forum.
Gator

"I won't tolerate rude behavior" - Woodrow F Call
burnt food dude USER_AVATAR
Burnt Food Dude
Bandolero
Posts: 691
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:22 pm
Location: Chicago, IL. a susburb of Milwaukee
Contact:

Postby Burnt Food Dude » Sun May 20, 2007 12:19 pm

I use WSMs. Just bought my 3rd one.

I think everyone knows how great they are. The only draw back is they are kinda small and need a smoking jacket in the colder weather.
"All who wander are not lost.

Sometimes they just can't remember where they parked their car
."

Da Dude's new blog

Return to “TBBQF News, Announcements & Help Using the Forum”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests