Jambo Pits. Why not Reverse Flow?

[thunderdome]

I saw a pic of one of these Jambo Pits recently and they are pretty sharp looking. Tuffy and Johnny Trigg both have them as well, so I checked out Jamie Greers website.

I remember on one episode, that Tuffy borrowed a pit from Myron and said "it ain't no Jambo". It looked like this one I think:

Jamie also has some patio and economy models on his site. I'm surprised someone here isn't using one like this:

MY QUESTION IS: Why not reverse flow? It's a stick burner that is said to hold steady heat very well...I can't figure out why it's not a reverse flow? All the pics show the smoke stack on the opposite end. This seems like it would be sorta hard to keep consistent temps from left to right, yet the competition guys use these and win. What do you all think?

I see a few members here have been to these competitions and always take pics w/ Trigg or whoever, but has anyone had a chance to check out the pit? Did I mention they're upwards of $13,600 before tax/shipping/custom paint job?

 

[Dutch]

It's a matter of personal preference and the fact that competition guys use these and win is because they know the ins-and-out of their smokers. They may start out with the meat at the hotter end of the chamber and during the smoke; they will gradually move it to the cooler end. They know how their smoker will behave and react to and with all the weather variables that these guys can face in a comp.

 

[thunderdome]

Makes sense

I would think a Reverse Flow pit would have been requested by a customer

 

[jdt]

most guys at this forum are stuck on the lang is best bandwagon, very few have ever even seen a jambo, alot of them will lie and say they wouldn't trade their lang 60/84 Deluxe for a jambo but this just proves they are clueless as you could buy a lang 108 tandem for what you could sell a used jambo for
FYI No reverse flows in the top 10 bbq teams of 2009, there were however three conventional units, one horizon and two jambo's

 

[indyadmin1974]

I looked into a Jambo pit (while day dreaming) and they look like quality pits.

As Dutch says, it is personal preference. Reverse flow is a somewhat hallowed term on SMF but if you have a reverse flow rig that you don't know, it's probably not going to be a good rig for you.

 

[thunderdome]

It's weird to see so many people modify a traditional SFB smoker, with plates, reverse flow, deflectors, etc. Yet there isn't a reverse flow Jambo. Makes you wonder

 

[rickw]

It's in how well the pits are designed. My Horizon can keep steady temps within a degree or two from one end to the other and it's a traditional SFB smoker. It does have a sliding convection plate built in but it's part of how Horizon made it.

 

[jaxgatorz]

So u are saying that we "lang owners" would lie and we are clueless? Wow, thats a stretch !!

 

[danielh]

In my personal opinion.. Its probably because they are cooking so many different types of meat on the same pit with a turn in schedule.. I really dont know anything about Jambo pits, and they may be super even cookers. But it seems logical to me than in a competition setting (which i've never done) there may be advantages to having a hot & cool end..

I have a kingfisher rotisserie which is typically 40-50* hotter on the firebox end, and it works great at times for when i'm cooking different types of meat. I can put the hot end at around 275* for chickens or whatever and keep anything I want to keep a little cooler on the other end. But there's also times I hate it like when i want to load it down with ribs.. Having to swap stuff end for end, etc when i want the whole batch to finish the same at the same time. Thats why I'm building a reverse flow for the backyard.

At the end.. both types are going to get smoke and heat. No need to argue which is better, its whatever works better for you.. And its going to be good grub either way.

 

[thunderdome]

Also, I noticed the SFB on the Jambos go up almost as high as the tank, so that also probably allows for a more even heat input?

Compared to a New Braunfels or basic SFB smoker which only allows a small crescent shape input of heat

 

[rickw]

I would bet that the entire area that is connected to the tank is not all open.

 

[rio_grande]

Pretty much took the words out of my mouth.... Cause we know all the Lang owners here are just big liars,,, Come,, On

I am going reverse flow cause I have used them and like them. Langs are great but I aint spending that kind of money on a pit period so the Jambos are definately out.

As for why,,, I think it is simple, Texas.... Never seen a "Texas" cook use anything but the offset fife box type smoker. Not to say they dont. I just have never seen it. I think the jambos are paterned off of that type of cooking and that is what they make. Reverse flow, direct heat, grill or a dang oven none of that matters if you are in practice and know what you are doing.

But wait I am a reverse flow proponet so I must be liar,,,

 

[sumosmoke]

Yanno, there are a couple of us gals that also are stuck on Lang smokers.

I have never seen, or eaten food prepared on, a Jambo smoker, however I still will say that I wouldn't trade my Lang in for another type smoker. Does that make me clueless

The type of smoker people like to use, or consider "the best", is based on personal opinion. Purchasing a >$1500 rig is hardly what I'd call a bandwagon jump.

 

[mballi3011]

I'm with the lang owners here. Now I don't own a lang but the ones that smoked on or really help smoke on they sure seem to be nice and cook even and if you lift the lid it doesn't loss all the heat out of the smoker either.

 

[jdt]

if you wouldn't trade something worth $2000-5000 for something worth $10,000-15,000 then clueless is the nice word for you. Sorry you never seen a jambo, you might someday then you will know how wrong you are saying you wouldn't trade a little lang for one even if to sell and replace your lang with a 108 tandem as originally indicated(I would hope you lang owners know what a 108 tandem is) If you own a lang you are not a bandwagon fan, if your a buster that ain't ever even really cooked and you go around talking about how reverse flow is superior then your a bandwagon fan. Here you got guys that only have electric and gas smokers giving advice to newbies to buy a lang because they are best when in fact jambo is by far superior, in cooking, in looking and in resale value.

 

[gnubee]

Did you used to own a Lang?
Do you now own a Jambo?

 

[indyadmin1974]

Wow...let's remember that this is a friendly forum folks.

To each his own opinion. I would hesitate in passing judgment either way unless you know the person.

Just because someone may have their signature full of charcoal and LP rigs doesn't mean they don't know other rigs.

I agree that Lang is a popular smoker on this forum but is that really a bad thing?

I suppose it would be if others would bash another type of smoker because it's not a Lang. If that's happening then it needs to stop.

I would still venture to say that if I had a 3000.00 Lang that I knew like the back of my hand and I was offered a Jambo from Jamie himself for use in my next comp valued at 3 times as much as my (hypothetical) Lang, I would jump at the chance to use Jamie's rig but only if I had my Lang there as a backup.

Nothing beats experience in anything and smoking is no different. Just because it's valued more and even built better doesn't mean it's going to work best for you.

Let's keep this civil folks. It ain't worth getting banned.

*Off the soapbox.

 

[TulsaJeff]

Just because something costs 13,000 does not mean it is actually worth that much to everyone. I have a custom built that I paid less than 2000 for that I would not trade for a Jambo.. WhY? because I have spent way too much time getting to know her and learning what makes her purr.

I borrowed a much nicer, prettier smoker a while back while mine was out of commission and I hated it.

We need to be careful acting as if everyone must like something better just because it costs more.

While we are on the subject.. I am not that impressed with competition barbecue in a lot of cases. I do not compete and probably never will since I think that would take the fun out of it for me but I have been to a lot of competitions and tasted the food and my wife gets so tired of me saying this but it's true.. that food is just not that great in a lot of cases.

I usually leave frustrated that I can't get a good tasty bunch of ribs or brisket at a barbecue competition.

I'm just saying that it's all perspective..

I think I know the Lang owners around here well enough to know that most of them would not trade their smoker for a Jambo or any other pit. They might trade for a Jambo straight across then go sell the Jambo and buy several more Langs

You tend to use what you love and love what you use.. it's that simple.

I think the Jambo pits are really nice pits and I have seen plenty of them. They are pretty and they are made very well. I ain't looking for pretty personally and most other nice smokers in that category are also made well.

If you love the Jambo then love it but don't knock my smoker just because I love another.

No offense intended.. just speaking truthfully here.

 

[soafung]

i think the langs are nice units, but i feel you could find a comparable pit at a better price. i feel that East Texas Smoker Company and Bell Fabrications could provide you with a product that would make you lang owners just as happy. obviously, i don't own any of these pits, but i'm all about value. comparing a lang and a ETSC (minus the top cooking grate on BOTH), the ETSC RK250 is 2352 sq. in. @ $3200 and the lang 84 original is 2088 sq. in. @ $3495. looks to me like you could find a better value with the same quality. pc sucks apple rules.

and back on the ORIGINAL intent of the thread, pre-hijack, Jambo no reverse flow, cause the traditional offset is what he knows, loves, and does well.

 

[corn cob]

Since I retired I cook on a Klose 48X20...It more than meets mine, the little woman's and occasional guests needs...Langs are Ok...Lang owners are OK too...Jambos are a proven design as well ~~ After hanging around the pits for 50 years I can ga-ron-tee you one thing ~~~

It ain't the arrows boys....It's the Indian!!

Eat Well...Enjoy!!