hi guys as title suggests am looking for a grill/smoker combo that wont break the bank if such a thing exists.
Or am i better off getting cheaper kettle for grill and say a weber smokey mountain smoker?
Smoker/Grill Combo on The Cheap?
Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/05/2020 - 14:12
Comments
A weber kettle can also be used as a smoker have a look at the snake method which I use on mine and works quite well
I don't have a weber but a ProQ smoker. Using the snake method I never actually get to a decent heat. Have swapped to just throwing it all in at once and gets to a proper temp. Anything special you are doing with the snake?
Not sure if the snake method would work on a pro q have a look at this: https://perthbbqschool.com/blog/minion-method-pro-q
they also have a guide on snake, thing I learnt was when you put the lit charcoal in have all vents opened on the kettle then when it hits the temp you need start closing up the vents
Weber Kettle can do literally everything mate. I smoke, grill, roast on mine. Can pick one up second hand for cheap as. Or if you want to spend some money the new Weber Kettle master touch plus is a beauty. However it’s not needed to smoke and bbq perfectly. I picked up a second hand kettle to learn how to smoke before I then went out and got a Weber Smokey mountain. Message me if you want any info.
Find an all steel drum ? Then I am sure there are guides on the internet on how to convert it into a grill or even an offset smoker.
Akorn from Bunnings.
$549 is list price but they go on special.
Rock solid, ridiculously versatile, ideal for low and slow or high heat applications (Inc pizza).
Very cheap to run.. you'll save money in the long run. Kettle is great (love them personally) but they chew through briquettes.
Disagree on the kettle chewing through briquettes, using the snake method I can do a 10hr cook and only use around 40 heat beads. And I just bought a tip top temp and although I’ve only done one cook with it so far, it used even less.
wow, my original comment got negged so I don't know why I'm bothering to reply. Sorry for having an opinion on replying to OPs thread.
but 40 heat beads for a 10 hour cook does not compare at all to the amount of usage of lump charcoal in an Akorn.
1 x briquette = 60g
1 x bag = 4kg (66 briquettes)Cost of bag: $9.95 (Coles list price)
Cost of briquette: 15c
Cost per 40: $6.031 x bag = 7.5kg = $12.98 = 125 briquettes = 10c each (Bunnings list price)
Cost per 40: $4Cost per 10 cooks = range between $40 and $60.03.
Cost per 52 cooks = $208 - $313Meanwhile a hardwood bag of lump (20kg Heat Beads Lump) costs $41.03 (Bunnings list price).
I can assure you, that 20kg bag is getting a lot more than 100 hours of cooking time by a factor of at least 3. Suspect much, much more.
52 cooks is about two bags of lump charcoal. $80 vs $208. Your call.
That's interesting, if you used lump in a Weber would you get the same long come times?
@OZB Al: No, because the Akorn (or Big Green Egg, Dragon, ceramic kamado etc), is much more insulated and retains heat and allows for much reduced airflow.
You actually almost need the briquettes to do a slow cook in a Weber because the way you line the beads up allows for a gradual burn (the snake method). Would be hard to line up uneven lump in a kettle.
Also it's basic thermodynamics: insulated will retain the temperature alot better than uninsulated. In the case of bbqs, better heat retention results in less fuel use.
Don't forget that the taste of lump is far better than the taste of heat beads.
Buy an old Weber off eBay, gumtree etc
Your only going to get the new one dirty anyway.
Old Weber would be much better quality than new Weber
Or the cheap junk they sell in Bunnings etc.