Food for thought

[Catsup and Mustard]

Morning.

I was wondering if I could get some view's on a few things.

First Pro Q Excel charcoal combustion, I am still learning with my new toy but not sure if I have been loading her up right at the start. I seem to waste a fair amount of fuel and seem to be topping her up every hour to get my temps around the 200 mark.

I think part of the problem is I am using standard Big K Charcoal, but using a 5kg bag for a 6-7 smoke this sound about right?
Do I fill the charcoal basket full at the start? and place the hot coals in the middle? (cant remember name for this method)

Next, in the next year or so I was looking at upgrading my current set up (Pro Q and Webber OTP) to start doing catering on a larger scale.
I was looking at some posts in here and other sites.

What has caught my eye is the Backwoods smokers and the Jambo pits.
I was put off buying a offset smoker as heard mixed opinions so what makes the Jambo any better? has it overcome offsets issues I hear about?
I know they look the part which is one the reason I like them, and I have been told by a Bespoke firm they could hook up a Backwood smoker to a trailer and do some other things.

Also anyone a rough figure on how much with shipping would it cost to own one of them?
Do we have any UK alternatives?

I got more on my mind but maybe save that for when I go Grillstock

[Eddie]

C&M I hope that this might answer your questions:
Q: couldn’t get pit above 200f
A: In this weather it is always better to use restaurant grade charcoal and don't use old charcoal left over from a previous burn as it will give out less heat. Depending what you are cooking I find that a clay saucer method always helps. Forced air I find helps a great deal.

Q: Placing hot coals in the middle
A: this is called the minion method, best used on low and slow cooks 6hrs+.

Q: Jambo-v- Backwoods
A: If you want to spend time on the art of fire management, having a large amount of wood that would have to be 1-2 years dried and stay up all night placing a log in the jambo? Be my guest. But if you want something that you can set and forget? Look into a backwoods. Sending a PM to Swindon Ed would be your first point of call as he is a approved importer for this company and can give you cost.

Regards

Eddie

[Catsup and Mustard]

Thanks Eddie

Well Ill be giving the Jambo a miss as that's not how I like to do things. For me its the lit her up,and sit back approach.

Just done a quick Google on the Clay Saucer Method, Ill try that at weekend and see if helps cut back on the Charcoal using, and achieve better temp control.

Ill be ordering restaurant grade charcoal as soon as used up last bag of standard Big K Charcoal, it has to many small pieces and most likely last years stock.

Thanks

Philip

[Swindon_Ed]

I was put off buying a offset smoker as heard mixed opinions so what makes the Jambo any better?

Jambo's aren't really a catering cooker they're more designed as competition cookers. But there are other good offest smoker you should also consider Lang, Yoder, Gator & Klose pits. The difference between these compared to most of the other offset smokers in the UK is that they're made out of much thicker steel and hand made to fit properly

I think as Eddie pointed out initially, the first thing you need to decide is do you want to be getting up every hour to put a log onto the fire, or do you want to get some sleep???

[Catsup and Mustard]

I think as Eddie pointed out initially, the first thing you need to decide is do you want to be getting up every hour to put a log onto the fire, or do you want to get some sleep???

[/quote]

Sleep for me so ill forget the Jambo.

Just looking at you web page our those price's including shipping?
And what size unit would you recommend as a starter size? just so I got a rough idea what finance may be needed.

Thanks

Philip

[Swindon_Ed]

Just looking at you web page our those price's including shipping?

The prices quoted include shipping to the UK & taxes. If you want it shipped to your house there would be additional charges for that.

And what size unit would you recommend as a starter size?

Either a Fatboy or a competitor will be a good one to start wilth.

I'm waiting for my Fatboy to be shipped at the moment, so i cannot give you exact numbers although i've seen one filled with 8 full briskets. This would make me think i'd be able to fit maybe as many as 16 pork butt's, but i won't know for sure till i can see it for myself.

The Competitor is basicly double to cooking chamber of the Fatboy so you could fit 16 briskets or possibly 32 pork butts

[Toby]

If you wait for a few weeks there could be a UK alternative, ie we have something underway at the moment. Will let people play with it before we put it into production to make sure it works!

[keith157]

Good luck once again British could be best perhaps

[Toby]

It could also be 100 percent scrap! either way mark one will be known as the fugley!

[Catsup and Mustard]

If you wait for a few weeks there could be a UK alternative, ie we have something underway at the moment. Will let people play with it before we put it into production to make sure it works!

Great news. I am in no rush was thinking ahead. Still learning and happy with my Pro Q excel.
But ill rather buy British. So can wait.

One other thing with out starting a new tread, Can you buy blues hog barbecue sauce in the UK? I have tried google found some old threads dating a few years back. Cant seem to find anyone selling over here.