OK, I give up

JimH · Posted: Feb 10 2005 Post subject: OK, I give up

What's a Backwoods Smoker? Is that Granpa sneaking off behind the barn for a but? Wink

Garry · Posted: Feb 10 2005 Post subject:

http://www.backwoods-smoker.com/

Here's mine http://www.garryhoward.com/backwoods/

http://www.garryhoward.com/backwoods/FirstFire.htm

Garry

YankeeBBQ · Posted: Feb 11 2005 Post subject: Here's Mine

This is my Backwoods

Garry · Posted: Feb 11 2005 Post subject:

Now, yours doesn't look like the picture any more than mine does. Smile

Garry

JimH · Posted: Feb 12 2005 Post subject:

Which model is that Garry?

YankeeBBQ · Posted: Feb 12 2005 Post subject:

Both Garry and I have the Competitor.

Steve

JimH · Posted: Feb 12 2005 Post subject:

Steve, were you able to compare models? If so what do you think of the two lower end models, Patio & Party?

YankeeBBQ · Posted: Feb 12 2005 Post subject:

There both good but definately not the same quality as the Competitor. If you want something smaller than the competitor but with the same quality, take a lood at the fatboy.

Steve

Salmon · Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Kansas City USA

This probably won't work, but perhaps here is a pic of the Backwood Smoker Fatboy.

Rick

hartbbq · Joined: 06 Feb 2005 Posts: 4

Rick, posting pictures works fine over here.

are you planning to cook contests with the twins this year?

chris

Salmon · Joined: 12 Feb 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Kansas City USA

At this point Chris I Don't know what I'm gonna do. The other two guys on my team are going out on their own to cook this year. I got a new job and don't know how often I can get off work. Also, all I have cooked on them so far is ribs and chicken. In fact, one has never seen a fire in it yet. I guess the answer to your question is, I don't know, sure would like to though, it'll probably depend on my mood adn if I really feel like hauling them heavy dudes around.

Rick

roxy · Posted: Jun 11 2005 Post subject:

Garry:

Damn those pictures of your firstsmoke are something else. Those are some good looking eats especially the one showing the smoke ring....
Got that pic bookmarked for when I get the withdrawl shakes...lol

http://www.garryhoward.com/backwoods/backwoods31.jpg

That smoker style looks like the one a friend of mine made to cure fish and make jerky, he used a old metal lined fridge, the style from the late 50's early 60's and piped in the smoke (cold smoke method).
I know that beauty is a long ways from what he had, I can see by the pix you took explaining how it works. Nice page by the way. A
Are those units expensive. What about that fat boy.. whats the price tag on that unit...

Roxy
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Garry · Posted: Jun 11 2005 Post subject:

Roxy,

The Backwoods smokers are somewhat expensive. The prices have gone up since I bought mine. You can get current pricing from their website

http://www.backwoods-smoker.com/pricing_main.htm

Garry

roxy · Posted: Jun 11 2005 Post subject:

Garry:

Is that your preference or is it because of the volume of meat you can cook at once....?? It seems to be a lot more advanced than most of the units I have seen on line. One question, is there a circulation fan inside or is it strickly airflow...?

Most of the offset smokers I have seen remind me of some of the crude creations I have made over the years.
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Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit...

Garry · Posted: Jun 11 2005 Post subject:

I bought the Backwoods for a number of reasons. There was a guy on the BBQ mailing list who used them and had good things to say. The primary reason, though, was space. The Backwoods has a very small footprint. At the time, I was living in a condo in Cambridge, MA. We had a 1 car garage and no yard to speak of. The Backwoods rolls nicely into one corner. It also has a large capacity for the amount of floor space it takes. I won Reserve Grand Champion in the very first contest I used it in and I'd only cooked on it once before. Of course, I did the same thing in my first BBQ contest using Weber Smokey Mountains. Smile

Garry

roxy · Posted: Jun 12 2005 Post subject:

I think this style of smoker is the way to go, its a step or two away from offset smokers, but still not a load and forget unit like the southern pride. Not that there is anything wrong with those units.
I also like that your not using gas to run it, thats kinda cheatin dont you think..?? Like using someone elses sauce to win a contest...lol
Better flavour from charcoal anyways.
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Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit...

Garry · Posted: Jun 12 2005 Post subject:

Actually, it's pretty darn close to "load and forget it". Once you get the temperature where you want it, it's rock solid. At contests, I could lay down and get 4 hours sleep. The water pan runs dry after about 4 hours unless you put some kind of autofill on it. Charcoal lasts about 6 hours before needing a refill.

As for gas, I got an Afterburner from http://www.gassmoker.com/ Haven't tried it yet, though. I mainly got it to use to reheat or hold meat that was previously cooked. I wouldn't cook with anything else but hardwood charcoal and wood chunks.

Garry

roxy · Posted: Jun 12 2005 Post subject:

Sounds like I found the unit I want to get

the road. The price tag is more to my liking than the Southern Pride units, man they must be gold plated or something... I cant see how adding a computer justifies the difference in price even for the whole hog unit which is comparible in size.
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Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit...

Big Daddy · Posted: Jun 14 2005 Post subject:

[quote="Garry"]Actually, it's pretty darn close to "load and forget it". Once you get the temperature where you want it, it's rock solid. At contests, I could lay down and get 4 hours sleep. The water pan runs dry after about 4 hours unless you put some kind of autofill on it. Charcoal lasts about 6 hours before needing a refill.

Gary,

So what you are saying is you can get a fire going in the smoker and once you have the temp. where you want, it will maintain that temp for 6 hours? That is nice! My Brinkman has to have charcoal added every 20 minutes. I need to get me a Backwoods Smoker, my budget would only allow for the Patio Unit. Is this unit what I need? I just like to cook for me and my neighbors, couple of racks of ribs and maybe a couple of boston butts. Is the Patio big enough for that?

Zak · Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Honey Brook, PA

Perfect topic! I have been thinking about selling my Brinkmann Pitmaster and getting something different. The patio would be almost perfect for us as well. Any other advise on these?