I Sold My XL and Small Egg, I'll Shirley Miss Them!

littlerascal56

I had the same thoughts, till I pulled up Yoders webpage.  They actually have their own forum.  There were several complaints from members about poor drafting!  Yoders response was “please call and we can discuss”!  Not good.

SonVolt

Ozzie_Isaac said:

SonVolt said:

Biggreenpharmacist said:

SonVolt said:

TEXASBGE2018 said:

If this is good enough for Aaron Franklin to use at home. Its good enough for me.

They're certainly heads and tails better than what you typically find at big box stores... just don't spend too much time inspecting the welds and seams like I did.  I think they slap those things together blindfolded. You can get a much better smoker for <$1000.

https://www.yodersmokers.com/cheyenne.html

Be sure and read up on those yoders before jumping on that.  I was looking really hard at those a year or so ago and I kept reading of people having drafting issues with them.  That's not personal experience, but it seems to be a common theme if you start researching.  

Yep. I didn't like their response to those claims either - silence. When I called them and asked about all the "concerns" floating around the BBQ forums they acted like they had no idea what I was talking about.

Talking positively about your business is one thing and to be expected, but flat out feigning ignorance on a widely reported issue in a relatively small online community is shady. 

Little things like that ultimately soured me on their brand, so they won't be getting my business. 

If they are Amish, they may not have known what was being said on an internet BBQ forum.

They moderate their own BBQ forum so that's not the case at all. They actively delete threads dedicated to the issues. 

thetrim

I was in Orlando today with some time to kill and stopped into an Academy to take a looksee at the Pecos offset.  It's a nice one.  The Brazos is a touch bigger, but for $600 more, I'd just stay with the Pecos. 

We don't have an Academy close, so I'll have to figure out a way to get it home from there.

Hook_emHornsfan_74

I bought my first real smoker from Academy.  Oklahoma Joes.  Taught myself how to use it.  Absolutely loved it until SWMBO asked me to sell it when we got the XL BGE.  Still miss it.

SonVolt

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

I bought my first real smoker from Academy.  Oklahoma Joes.  Taught myself how to use it.  Absolutely loved it until SWMBO asked me to sell it when we got the XL BGE.  Still miss it.

Same, except mine was a New Braunfells I picked up at Walmart in the early 2000s. 

lousubcap

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

I bought my first real smoker from Academy.  Oklahoma Joes.  Taught myself how to use it.  Absolutely loved it until SWMBO asked me to sell it when we got the XL BGE.  Still miss it.

@Hook_emHornsfan_74 You obviously recognize right answer when told.  I was not put in that position when the stick-burner arrived or it would have been "a hill to die on."  You should go back out and get another one since you are well aware of the differences and benefits.  Rambling on a Friday...  FWIW-

Hook_emHornsfan_74

lousubcap said:

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

I bought my first real smoker from Academy.  Oklahoma Joes.  Taught myself how to use it.  Absolutely loved it until SWMBO asked me to sell it when we got the XL BGE.  Still miss it.

@Hook_emHornsfan_74 You obviously recognize right answer when told.  I was not put in that position when the stick-burner arrived or it would have been "a hill to die on."  You should go back out and get another one since you are well aware of the differences and benefits.  Rambling on a Friday...  FWIW-

I have been thinking about it lately actually.  Don't see the difference in her bringing home shopping bags or boxes in the mail.  Who am I fooling.  Huge difference.  lol

thetrim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApKcRHXALxg

billt01

Hotch said:

I get a great smoke flavor on my 24x42 Shirley. I think it has to do with actually cooking with live fire what wood you use and at what level of seasoning it has. I use pecan mostly and it is well seasoned. I get great color by the 3rd hour in at 275. I also use post oak and cherry. The cherry is well seasoned and I get great smoke and fruity flavor from it.
I start my Shirley with a good bed of lump or briquettes to get it up to temp and the iron warm. Then sticks every 40-45 minutes, depending on the size. 
The difference in the flavor profile of a live fire cook and my large BGE is very noticeable. I have tried many ways to cook big proteins on my BGE and have not yet hit the flavor profile of my Shirley. @SGH explained to me quite awhile back about live fire cooking and airflow. That sent me on my quest for an offset and I have never looked back!

all this, but the no sleep took its toll on me....

WeberWho

billt01 said:

Hotch said:

I get a great smoke flavor on my 24x42 Shirley. I think it has to do with actually cooking with live fire what wood you use and at what level of seasoning it has. I use pecan mostly and it is well seasoned. I get great color by the 3rd hour in at 275. I also use post oak and cherry. The cherry is well seasoned and I get great smoke and fruity flavor from it.
I start my Shirley with a good bed of lump or briquettes to get it up to temp and the iron warm. Then sticks every 40-45 minutes, depending on the size. 
The difference in the flavor profile of a live fire cook and my large BGE is very noticeable. I have tried many ways to cook big proteins on my BGE and have not yet hit the flavor profile of my Shirley. @SGH explained to me quite awhile back about live fire cooking and airflow. That sent me on my quest for an offset and I have never looked back!

all this, but the no sleep took its toll on me....

I could see that. Those long nights get long. Fortunately most of my cooks are done by afternoon/evening. The previous owner said the sweet spot is 300/325 degrees. Which cuts down on the overall time. You can get a brisket done by dinner if you start early in the morning. Pork butts aren't that fun. Those will keep you up. 6 or less goes into the BGE for overnighters. If you have the time to feed it sticks overnights aren't all that frequent so far. 

With that being said, I wouldn't say no if someone wanted to give me a big insulated vertical smoker! I think that would be a perfect combination with a stick burner. 

Hotch

I have learned a routine so I can sleep. Similar to when I cook on my BGE. With my Shirley having a sweet spot of 285-325, I get it setup and ready to go the afternoon before I cook. I'll light it around 5:00 am or 5:30 am. Usually takes around 45 minutes to heat up the steel and settle in. So I start cooking around 6:30 am. Ribs are off around noon and butts are done around 4:00 pm along with briskets between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm. This all depends on two things.
1. The weight of the protein
2. How many adult  beverages may have been served

thetrim

Hey @Hotch Did you post a pic of your Shirley?  I've seen pics of food on it, but I can't recall a picture of your entire unit in all it's glory.  Could you (re)post a pic of it when you can?

Many thanks.  All you Shirley guys make be envious.  Luckily, on this first Friday of Lent, I don't remember a Commandment that said, "Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's Shirley offset smoker"

byrne092

WeberWho said:

You would think they would only take big orders but that's not the case at all. I've seen fire pits, grills, and smaller patio smokers from them. They make smaller versions of the Patio Smoker for the St. Louis BBQ Store. 

https://www.stlbbqstore.com/search.php?Search=&search_query=Shirley

Yep, they sell out/get claimed almost instantly too!

thetrim

Is that the same one Hotch has???

flexfusion

Hotch do you know the race car driver who drives the 17 Roush Mustang on the NASCAR circuit?  Prosper is a very small town so you must know him.  

WeberWho

flexfusion said:

Hotch do you know the race car driver who drives the 17 Roush Mustang on the NASCAR circuit?  Prosper is a very small town so you must know him.  

@Hotch

JJensen

Can I ask where you got the bride and groom shakers at?

WeberWho

JJensen said:

Can I ask where you got the bride and groom shakers at?

They were BGE Christmas ornaments that my wife made into a bride and goom for our wedding cake toppers. We aren't cake people. We actually forgot about purchasing a wedding cake until the morning of the wedding. We did rootbeer floats for dessert. So the wedding cake was off to the side. Just so we could both slice into something for a picture otherwise it was rootbeer floats. 

My wife wanted those cake toppers in the picture with the rest of the eggs. Not my idea....

Hotch

flexfusion said:

Hotch do you know the race car driver who drives the 17 Roush Mustang on the NASCAR circuit?  Prosper is a very small town so you must know him.  

No I don't.
With 20,000+ people living here now, I'm at about 100 so far!

speed51133

who is Shirley????

Hotch

Looks like he got his start driving the Legends Cars at Texas Motor Speedway.
Won over 100 races!

JethroBodeen

Nice rig! I love my stick burner and would part with an egg or two first...

flexfusion

Hutch the driver from your home town is Chris Buescher.  He drives the #17 Ford Mustang for Jack Roush on the NASCAR circuit.