Pit Talk: Tips for choosing a backyard smoker

You have visited plenty of stops on the Texas BBQ Trail and know what good BBQ is. You've experimented on the grill in the backyard, but need to buy the proper equipment to take the next step of becoming a serious backyard pit master.


Here are a few simple tips and options to help you make the choice.


Determine how many people you want to cook for at one time, how often you will be cooking and  how much you want to spend. 


Slow smoking meats in the backyard is a considerable time commitment so consider the cost of a smoker as an investment that will help cook higher quality BBQ.


A good BBQ smoker is well-built with plenty of airflow, good draw and maintains steady & even temperatures at the grate. It also needs to be large enough to cook on while minimizing radiant heat from burning the meats. 


Insulated Smokers will tremendously help produce steady temperatures and heat over long periods of time, which is crucial for making good BBQ. Selecting a functional smoker to cook backyard BBQ to meet your criteria can be overwhelming due to the hundreds of choices out there. 


There are many different pits designs to choose from: bullet, off-set aka log burner/stick burner (which is an indirect type design with the firebox off set to one side), gravity fed charcoal, kamado ceramic cookers and pellet cookers. 


Electric and gas oven smokers have been purposely omitted by the author.


Below is a short list of some smokers that vary in design, size, results, and price. Again it gets down to the level of commitment you are prepared to pursue.

Smoker Name:	Smoker Design	Size	Cost	Fuel	Insulated Firebox	Website	Comments
Barbeques Galore Offset Smoker	Off-set/stick burner	N/A	$349	Charcoal, wood chunks	No	http://www.bbqgalore.com/smokers.html	light gauge construction, possible initial entry-level for backyard, maintaining even temps for long periods could be challenging
Big Drum Smoker (BDS) Small	Direct	small	$475	Wood logs, charcoal	No	http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com/smokers.htm	N/A
Big Green Egg (BGE)	Charcoal, wood chunks	small	N/A	Charcoal, wood chunks	Yes	http://www.biggreenegg.com/eggs/sizes/	widely used by backyard cooks and competition pit masters
Brinkman - Professional Charcoal Grill	Off-set/stick burner	small	$379	Charcoal, wood chunks	No	http://www.brinkmann.net/products/outdoor_cooking/charcoal_smokers_and_grills/details.aspx?item=805-2101-W	light gauge construction, possible initial entry-level for backyard, maintaining even temps could be challenging
Charbroil - American Gourmet Deluxe Offset Smoker	Off-set/stick burner	N/A	$158	Charcoal, wood chunks	No	http://www.charbroil.com/ProductInfo/10-17-1928/American-Gourmet-Deluxe-Offset-Smoker.aspx	light gauge construction, possible initial entry-level for backyard, maintaining even temps could be challenging
Gator - Backyard Classic	Off-set/stick burner	20" x 32"	$1450+	Wood Logs	No	http://www.gatorpit.net/backyard_pits/backyard_classic.htm	N/A
Horizon (Smokey Joe) - 20" Classic Backyard Smoker	Off-set/stick burner	20" x 36"	$995	Wood Logs	No	http://www.horizonbbqsmokersstore.com/servlet/the-376/20%22-Classic-Backyard-Smoker/Detail	Well built.
Jambo Pits Backyard Model	Off-set/stick burner	24 inch diameter - 48 inch length with 24 X 24 X 20 insulated firebox	$1800	Wood Logs	Yes	http://www.jambopits.com/directions.html	good build quality, cook very well, holds the heat and temps steady due to the insulated firebox and design.
Klose	Off-set/stick burner	24 inch diameter - 48 inch length	$2395	Wood Logs	No	http://www.bbqpits.com/backyard_smokers/24x48_smoker.htm	N/A
Lang 36" Smoker Cooker Model	Off-set/stick burner	36 inch length	$949	Wood Logs	No	http://www.langbbqsmokers.com/lang36/index.html	Smaller models are widely used by backyard cooks and the larger models used by competition pit masters
MAK Pellet - 1 Star General	Pellet Cooker	N/A	$1299+	Pellets	No	http://www.makgrills.com/shopping/start.php?browse=1&cat=8&=SID	N/A
Stumps – Baby Model	Gravity-fed charcoal	Height with stack and caster 49” inches; Depth with thermometer 24 1/2” inches; Width with ball valve 36” inches;	$1350+	Charcoal, wood chunks	Yes	http://www.stumpssmokers.com/products/gravity-feed-smokers/vertical-smokers/the-baby	widely used by backyard cooks and competition pit masters
Superior – SS2 Model	Gravity-fed charcoal	N/A	$1900	Charcoal, wood chunks	Yes	http://www.superiorsmokers.com/ssTwo.html	widely used by backyard cooks and competition pit masters
Traeger - Junior Model	Pellet Cooker	N/A	$399	Pellets	No	http://www.traegergrills.com/shop/grills/BBQ055	N/A
Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM)	Bullet	18 1/2 "  & 22 1/2 " diameter	$299 $399	Charcoal, wood chunks	No	http://www.weber.com/explore/grills/smokers-series	good build quality, Cook very well, excellent economical smoker, widely used by backyard cooks and professional competition pit masters. Guru BBQ or Stoker BBQ is easily fitted.

Dropping in on Longoria's BBQ in Everman

Brisket sausage at Longoria's BBQ in Everman.

On a recent weekday afternoon, Marshall Cooper and I dropped in at Longoria's BBQ in Everman, one of our favorite DFW joints. We met pitmaster David Longoria at the cash registers and started to talk BBQ. The lunch rush was over and were back in the pit area in no time. The trip was nothing big, we'd already eaten at two BBQ joints in east Fort Worth that day, Uncle Willie's & Mama E's. But we still had room, if you know what I mean.

Longoria's pitmaster David Longoria meets Posse pitmaster Marshall Cooper.

If you've never met David, it's worth the drive. The first time we hit Longoria's was a couple of years ago on a busy Saturday. David was incredibly gracious. holding court over the smokers as we asked questions for 20 minutes or so. It was BBQ 101 for the recently-formed Posse.

Fresh batch of brisket jerky at Longoria's.

On this day, he insisted we try a bite or two from the fresh batch of brisket jerky curing in the sun. We weren't bashful, it's some of the best jerky you'll ever have. Trust me. You can buy a pound of jerky for a little over $20, far less than my previous favorite beef jerky at Woody's Smokehouse in Centerville, which goes for over $35 a pound.

James Dean stands by the Longoria's menu.

We ordered the legendary brisket sausage and some ribs. The sausage was every bit as good as remembered and expected. The ribs were a little underdone, but great taste and rub. We didn't have room for a brisket burger this trip, but that's on my bucket list.

David has also recently started grinding jalapeno cheese brisket sausage, but it's only for sale uncooked and frozen at this point. I bought his last two pounds and cooked them up on the grill the next day. This could very easily be among the best sausage I've ever had.

Longoria’s BBQ, 100 Christopher, Everman. Open Mon-Fri 10:30am-7pm, Sat 10:30am-4pm.

Photos ©Chris Wilkins/Texas BBQ Posse