# What's the point of an offset smoker?



## Megacannon (Oct 15, 2020)

I'm wondering what the point of offset smokers is.  On the surface, it doesn't do anything a WSM doesn't do.  It consumes more fuel and has to be tended to more frequently.  What more would I get out of an offset that a WSM doesn't give me?


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## gmc2003 (Oct 15, 2020)

Megacannon said:


> I'm wondering what the point of offset smokers is.  On the surface, it doesn't do anything a WSM doesn't do.  It consumes more fuel and has to be tended to more frequently.  What more would I get out of an offset that a WSM doesn't give me?



Cleaner, truer smoke flavor if done correctly.

Chris


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 15, 2020)

More beer time while watching it.     

Warren


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## noboundaries (Oct 15, 2020)

I've switched my WSM fuel loading process to a wood log (not chunks) or two on the charcoal grate with cold briquettes on top of it. Then adding a few hot briquettes to the center of the pile and letting the chamber come to temp over an hour or two, even three (on occasion). The wood preheats and carbonizes cleanly.  Flavor improved dramatically.  Add I can sleep!


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## Berettaclayshooter (Oct 15, 2020)

An offset came from Texas as there's a huge oil industry and many cookers were made from pipeline off-cuts (which were free to the pipe-fitters and welders).  I personally favor an offset for the fact they're indirect and at least for me tend to not dry your meat out compared to a vertical type cooker with the fire directly under the meat with some sort of deflector plate.
  I also like to stick burn as to use charcoal with wood chunks.  A lot of people think a smoker should be bellowing out smoke (not if you want you meat to taste good), all there should be is thin blue smoke from a clean burning fire.  
Making barbecue is not a short grilling session, it should be planned out and care taken to make the best you can.  I know my day will involve tending the smoker, which I usually do yardwork or something else in between.  When I do take the time to fire up the smoker it's an event and I usually always have people over for dinner to share what I've made.


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## cansmoke (Oct 15, 2020)

The fire in an offset is not under the meat so no flare ups. You get heat and smoke by the meat, no fire. You can grill in offset while waiting. Havent done that yet but you could.


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## Hawging It (Oct 15, 2020)

It takes skill to run a stick burner and it produces better tasting meat. Best of all It makes you happy it’s a skill that everyone does not have. A skill that most are not willing to spend the time and effort mastering. Just my personal take on the situation .


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## noboundaries (Oct 15, 2020)

Berettaclayshooter said:


> I personally favor an offset for the fact they're indirect and at least for me tend to not dry your meat out compared to a vertical type cooker with the fire directly under the meat with some sort of deflector plate.


Everything was great in your post except the info quoted above. A well-controlled vertical smoker running at 225F, 250F, etc,  will produce meat just as juicy as any other device running at the same temp.


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## flatbroke (Oct 15, 2020)

What do you have now? Are pellet smokers an option? That is a legit question.


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## Bytor (Oct 15, 2020)

I've had one for almost 15 years now.  They can be a pain to tend to and to have to watch, but they sure put out some great tasting food.


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## tag0401 (Oct 15, 2020)

It’s an art. It takes more attention and patience to cook with wood splits all while maintaining temps and keeping a clean smoke. Anyone can smoke using a pellet grill or electric smoker.  I cooked on electric smokers for years I was after a challenge when I decided to go with a stick burner.


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## flatbroke (Oct 15, 2020)

tag0401 said:


> It’s an art. It takes more attention and patience to cook with wood splits all while maintaining temps and keeping a clean smoke. *Anyone can smoke using a pellet grill or electric smoker*.  I cooked on electric smokers for years I was after a challenge when I decided to go with a stick burner.


 good point


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## noboundaries (Oct 15, 2020)

If the 300 year-old oak tree in my backyard ever needs to come down, I might buy a woodburning cabinet smoker with the firebox at the bottom. Until then, cooking wood is too expensive in my area. Below is an example of the local prices for cooking wood. Nut and fruit woods are a little cheaper at $360-390/cord. 

Oak Firewood
$32.95 – $429.95
All prices below are not including sales tax, delivery or stacking. 1/24 cord- $32.95 1/12 cord- $59.95 1/6 cord- $109.95 1/4 cord-$154.95 1/3 cord- $189.95 1/2 cord- $264.95 2/3 cord- $319.95 1 cord - $429.95


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## tag0401 (Oct 15, 2020)

noboundaries said:


> If the 300 year-old oak tree in my backyard ever needs to come down, I might buy a woodburning cabinet smoker with the firebox at the bottom. Until then, cooking wood is too expensive in my area. Below is an example of the local prices for cooking wood. Nut and fruit woods are a little cheaper at $360-390/cord.
> 
> Oak Firewood
> $32.95 – $429.95
> All prices below are not including sales tax, delivery or stacking. 1/24 cord- $32.95 1/12 cord- $59.95 1/6 cord- $109.95 1/4 cord-$154.95 1/3 cord- $189.95 1/2 cord- $264.95 2/3 cord- $319.95 1 cord - $429.95


 That sucks!!!


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## drunkenmeatfist (Oct 15, 2020)

I think the point is that they are fueled by a wood fire. The way they are built allows for the fire to be far enough away to slow cook the meat. The flavor profile from a wood fire is different than what you get from a charcoal fire.


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## Fueling Around (Oct 15, 2020)

I had a cheap offset.  Actually bought it for the grate in the cook chamber that made it a very large charcoal grill.
After I made a fuel basket for the firebox, I smoked a lot of meat.  Nice thing was all of the fuel was basically free.  The sticks came from trimming my oak, maple, ash, and apple trees.
Offset got kicked to the curb after I got a pellet pooper.


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## Fueling Around (Oct 15, 2020)

noboundaries said:


> ...
> cooking wood is too expensive in my area.
> ...


If wood is so expensive in California, how is there any left to burn in the wild fires?


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## civilsmoker (Oct 15, 2020)

For me its all about control.  The RF gives more control and responsiveness to the heat and radiant convection properties of its design.

For example, it can be run low to create the sweet spot then it can be very quickly adjusted to create a hot searing convection roast.....For example, on a short cook like  a Rack of Pork, it can be slow smoked at 225 till the IT hits 125 ish, then temp was bumped up to 315 ish to sear the out side....Here is an example:  Here is the convection roasted crust.....as if it was in the smoker for 8 hours........it was a 1.2 hour cook








Except it was a short cook and the inside is a sweet 145....nothing but goodness!






Here is the next example, creating clean even 425 degree convection baking to cook pastry with no smoke flavor for coloring......





The truth....if you would have told me this could be done in a RF I would have said yea whatever.......but having your oven go out you start to learn how to use your “smoker” as a “cooker”......and yes this came out of a RF.....





all that said The RF is not the end all.....well at least not to me because I have many other smokers or should I say cookers......


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## noboundaries (Oct 15, 2020)

Fueling Around said:


> If wood is so expensive in California, how is there any left to burn in the wild fires?


Most of the stuff burning you can't smoke with...and it's basically full of flammable resin.


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## 3-2-1 (Oct 16, 2020)

Well it goes without saying when you have a firebox next the smoking chamber in a horizontal setup that one side of the chamber will be hotter, gradient is out the window. Gradient is never really talked about which I kind of find interesting. Personally I have pretty much every smoking BBQ concept setup and while the stick burner horizontal smoker will give you great intense smoke flavor compared with a pellet smoker, I have to tend to my meat and be way more on point (less drinking) compared with a pellet smoker.
I live in the Bay Area California where all my wood sources over the years have disappeared. The wood at Safeway isn't cooking grade so don't even try unless it's all oak which years ago I could get here. Pellet smoker here is the way to go.
Lately my choice of smoking has been using a vertical pellet smoker with a nice big water tray! The uniformity is way improved and the water tray keeps moisture in the chamber. I prefer to use whisky barrel pellets (60 lb hopper) and no BBQ sauce, just home rub and a whisky mop. The meat is unreal....


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## mike243 (Oct 16, 2020)

A offset and a pellet smoker move a lot more air thru them than a WSM , takes a lot more practice and patience to run a offset imo the food off all of them has small differences in taste not bad or better just different, it would be hard for me to pick just 1 smoker to live my life with .can you imagine only eating gas fired burgers the rest of your life? not me need some charcoal/wood flavors to break up the routine . some times hot butter in a screaming hot cast iron is calling me without a grill involved.


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## Chasdev (Oct 16, 2020)

Franklin has the best explanation I've seen, you should check it out on youtube or buy his book.
His book tells 90% of everything needed to master offset cooking, it's a great read.
In short, an offset allows wood splits enough O2 for "clean" combustion which burns off the nasty chemicals produced when wood is burned and yet leaves or creates smoke chemicals that taste fantastic.
NO other cooking method can match the smoke flavor imparted by a properly adjusted offset.
I've got three Webers, a pellet spitter, a kamado, a Masterbuilt 560 gravity cooker and while the Masterbuilt comes close to  offset cooker flavor if I overload the bin with oak chunks it can't quite get there.
I started cooking with an offset stick burner running dead fall post oak and nothing I've tried has matched that set up.
I could list all the reasons I sold it but that's another thread.


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 16, 2020)

Want some practice try your hand at open fire cooking it is basically the same hands on fire control as a stick burner.

Warren


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 16, 2020)

Thanks for the like Bytor it is appreciated.

Warren


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 16, 2020)

Thanks for the like Fueling Around it is appreciated.

Warren


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 16, 2020)

Thanks for the like Aj33 it is appreciated.

Warren


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## sawhorseray (Oct 16, 2020)

noboundaries said:


> If the 300 year-old oak tree in my backyard ever needs to come down, I might buy a woodburning cabinet smoker with the firebox at the bottom. Until then, cooking wood is too expensive in my area. Below is an example of the local prices for cooking wood. Nut and fruit woods are a little cheaper at $360-390/cord.



Until we moved to AZ last year from Elk Grove I'd drive my truck 45 minutes up to Gridley, fill up the back of a long-bed pickup for $100 with applewood.. Look around a little or just drive up to Marysville with your chainsaw and knock on a door or two. RAY


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 16, 2020)

Thanks for the like JC in GB it is appreciated.

Warren


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## SmokinAl (Oct 16, 2020)

FLAVOR!!
The flavor from a wood fired smoker is better than a charcoal/wood fire. Yes it takes some babysitting, and a decent off set will cost you 3 or 4 times the amount of a WSM. I have both, a WSM with a Guru controller for absolute hands off smoking & I have a Lang that needs to be tended to every hour or so. But the flavor from the Lang is much better than the WSM. If you have never tried both you would be completely satisfied with the WSM, but if you tried the Lang you would want to use it every weekend!
Al


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## bbqbrett (Oct 16, 2020)

cansmoke said:


> The fire in an offset is not under the meat so no flare ups. You get heat and smoke by the meat, no fire. You can grill in offset while waiting. Havent done that yet but you could.



I actually have grilled on the racks on the firebox while doing some smoking.  Was pretty handy did a steak and crisped up some chicken skin more than once.  Not a lot of room with my set up but was able to get done what I wanted to.


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## 3-2-1 (Oct 16, 2020)

HalfSmoked said:


> More beer time while watching it.
> 
> Warren


Or Bailey's in the coffee if it's morning lol


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## Berettaclayshooter (Oct 16, 2020)

noboundaries said:


> Everything was great in your post except the info quoted above. A well-controlled vertical smoker running at 225F, 250F, etc,  will produce meat just as juicy as any other device running at the same temp.


 
Please Note that I said at* least for me.* I had a vertical propane smoker, this is what I base MY experiences from a vertical on. No matter what I did it wouldn't regulate heat and dry stuff out. I ended up using it only to make deer jerky before selling it. Also I'm not into the slow and low approach, I cook at 275f for most things except ribs which I'll go down to 250F for.


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## noboundaries (Oct 16, 2020)

Berettaclayshooter said:


> Please Note that I said at* least for me.* I had a vertical propane smoker, this is what I base MY experiences from a vertical on. No matter what I did it wouldn't regulate heat and dry stuff out. I ended up using it only to make deer jerky before selling it. Also I'm not into the slow and low approach, I cook at 275f for most things except ribs which I'll go down to 250F for.



Thank you. Excellent clarification.


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## SlowmotionQue (Oct 16, 2020)

noboundaries said:


> I've switched my WSM fuel loading process to a wood log (not chunks) or two on the charcoal grate with cold briquettes on top of it. Then adding a few hot briquettes to the center of the pile and letting the chamber come to temp over an hour or two, even three (on occasion). The wood preheats and carbonizes cleanly.  Flavor improved dramatically.  Add I can sleep!



Good points.  I use the following method which is similar to what you describe.  However I prefer a good hardwood lump charcoal over briquettes.  I don't care for the taste of food cooked over some briquettes.

I set my wood this way.  3 or 4 split logs and sometimes even a few chunks too.  I put my lump charcoal over the top of the wood








I use the Minion method using a coffee can. I light about 1/3 chimney of lump and pour it into the center using a coffee can sized 6 inch  piece of ductwork, and then immediately removing the "can" with a pair of  channel lock pliers and letting the hot coals fall into the center of the pile and burn outward.

My WSM lit this way will get me the flavor I want and the temp control is better this way as well.

It does not dry out my food.  I use the water pan about 1/3 full of play sand covered with foil.


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## Megacannon (Oct 17, 2020)

Thanks for all the answers, everyone!  Lots of good info, but the general consensus seems to be an improvement of flavor.  I'm always trying to get more smoke flavor of my of my Smoke Vault or Weber, so an offset may be something I treat myself to in the future once I've paid off my debt.  A Lang or Meadow creek is super-tempting.


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## Berettaclayshooter (Oct 17, 2020)

noboundaries said:


> If the 300 year-old oak tree in my backyard ever needs to come down, I might buy a woodburning cabinet smoker with the firebox at the bottom. Until then, cooking wood is too expensive in my area. Below is an example of the local prices for cooking wood. Nut and fruit woods are a little cheaper at $360-390/cord.
> 
> Oak Firewood
> $32.95 – $429.95
> All prices below are not including sales tax, delivery or stacking. 1/24 cord- $32.95 1/12 cord- $59.95 1/6 cord- $109.95 1/4 cord-$154.95 1/3 cord- $189.95 1/2 cord- $264.95 2/3 cord- $319.95 1 cord - $429.95


  One word on those prices.. OUCH!  Hardwood firewood here in central pa is roughly $250 a cord delivered, some people have all oak.  I think if I called around I could find someone with mixed species and specify what I wanted.  I'm cheap though and source my wood for free.  A few calls to local tree services will net you a good score of a targeted species at least in my area.  I prefer oak as it's pretty neutral and provides good heat.  Hickory can over power if not mixed with other woods.  I also love cherry for ribs and Prime rib!


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 18, 2020)

Thanks for the like Peachey it is appreciated.

Warren


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 18, 2020)

Thanks for the like 3-2-1 it is appreciated.

Warren


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## JLeonard (Oct 18, 2020)

civilsmoker
 a side note...The welly in your pics looks really good!
Jim


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## civilsmoker (Oct 18, 2020)

JLeonard said:


> civilsmoker
> a side note...The welly in your pics looks really good!
> Jim



Thanks Jim!  It was pretty dang tasty!  I have some honey dos but once those are caught  up, I have some variation experiments for a smoked welly.....but it will have to wait....


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## joetee (Oct 28, 2020)

HalfSmoked said:


> Want some practice try your hand at open fire cooking it is basically the same hands on fire control as a stick burner.
> 
> Warren


Now that would be a fun night. Brisket over an open fire. Sipping some bourbon with your friends. Every now and then slicing off a little crusted piece and eating as it cooks.


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 28, 2020)

Thanks for the like joetee it is appreciated.

Warren


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## Millberry (Nov 13, 2020)

SmokinAl said:


> FLAVOR!!
> The flavor from a wood fired smoker is better than a charcoal/wood fire. Yes it takes some babysitting, and a decent off set will cost you 3 or 4 times the amount of a WSM. I have both, a WSM with a Guru controller for absolute hands off smoking & I have a Lang that needs to be tended to every hour or so. But the flavor from the Lang is much better than the WSM. If you have never tried both you would be completely satisfied with the WSM, but if you tried the Lang you would want to use it every weekend!
> Al


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## Millberry (Nov 13, 2020)

joetee said:


> Now that would be a fun night. Brisket over an open fire. Sipping some bourbon with your friends. Every now and then slicing off a little crusted piece and eating as it cooks.


OMG--stop it


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## Millberry (Nov 14, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Good points.  I use the following method which is similar to what you describe.  However I prefer a good hardwood lump charcoal over briquettes.  I don't care for the taste of food cooked over some briquettes.
> 
> I set my wood this way.  3 or 4 split logs and sometimes even a few chunks too.  I put my lump charcoal over the top of the wood
> 
> ...


I can't wait to try your method--Usually how long do you have to wait to put the meat on?


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## civilsmoker (Nov 14, 2020)

joetee said:


> Now that would be a fun night. Brisket over an open fire. Sipping some bourbon with your friends. Every now and then slicing off a little crusted piece and eating as it cooks.



you mean something like this.......






It’s not a dream but someone’s reality!!! Especially if you have a X-Fire...lol


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## joetee (Nov 14, 2020)

civilsmoker said:


> you mean something like this.......
> View attachment 470783
> 
> It’s not a dream but someone’s reality!!! Especially if you have a X-Fire...lol


Yes that would be amazing.


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## SlowmotionQue (Nov 17, 2020)

Millberry said:


> I can't wait to try your method--Usually how long do you have to wait to put the meat on?




Hi Milberry.

The trick is really in lighting it and in using a good quality charcoal.


I have used a coffee can as described in my prior post, I have also used a piece ofgalvvnized ductwork, which I really cannot recommend, because of the zinc in galvanized metals.

But the trick is in lighting the pile. 

Just a few coals in the middle.  Thats whether you use the can technique, or just dump about a third chimney of well lit coals in the center.

If you're using a good quality lump charcoal, well then you can put your food on when your target temp is hit.

Even if the smoke is not quite as "blue" as optimum.

The reason why you can do it this way, is because a good hardwood lump charcoal is not going to deposit a lot of creosote onto your food.  

And because you are only lighting a relatively small fire,, the smoke will eventually take on the thin blue characteristic that you're looking for, and it will stay there.

Of course in lieu of the above, you can "wait" until it turns the optimum blue color.  But I have not found that to be as necessary when using this center of the pile  lighting method with just about a third chimney of red hot coals,  coffee can or not,  method and just putting the food on when temp is hit, as long as I'm using one of the more dense hardwood lump charcoals such as Jealous Devil, or Kamado Joe Big Block lump charcoal..  These are made of  Guayacan, Guayaibi, and White Quebracho and just Quebracho Blanco for the Jealous Devil.  Very hard woods.

These are very dense and are not scrap wood like Royal Oak and Cowboy Lump.  Both of which , in my experience, make for a lot of bad tasting creosote..

Hope that helps.


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## Millberry (Nov 17, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Hi Milberry.
> 
> The trick is really in lighting it and in using a good quality charcoal.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for taking the time to thoroughly explain this.


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