OT: Oklahoma Joe Bronco

EzraBrooks

I have been watching BBQ USA on food network and have noticed many of the competitors they talk to at the KCBS contests use drum smokers. I haven't bought a new toy in a while so started looking around and the Oklahoma Joe Bronco caught my eye. Anybody have any experience with one? I'd like a cooker that can produce a better smoke flavor than the egg but not as big and high maintenance as an offset. Will something like this fit the bill or should I keep looking?

Canugghead

Ask @littlerascal56 ?

lousubcap

I acquired one in Dec 2021 (sold my Pit Barrel Cooker). 

What follows are some insights I gained from a forum member who had one.

"A question about the permatex install:  From the below I gather that you just layered a small amount on the seam of the upper and lower barrel sections after you assembled them??
Also a thin layer before bolting up the air duct flanges?'

The above was driven by the below-
"I put some of the high heat (Ron’s) Permatex on the bottom & top air vent flanges, and around the seam (inside the drum), so it’s very airtight.  I ran top vent 100% open, and bottom vent on 1- which is about 1/4” open."

When I assembled it, I spread it on the top & bottom 3 hole flange where the air enters & leaves.  Tighten bolts, and wipe away what squeezes out.  I spread it on the inside flange where top & bottom drum come together, and around the bolts and smoothed off with my finger.  There was no smoke (or grease) leakage after a day of cooking.  Some people may unbolt and separate those drums, and permatex.  I don’t see that as necessary, as the inside flange was easier to do."

And here is my initial cook duration observation and it is still accurate today:

"My low&slow experience (granted first one) with the Bronco and a brisket.    Today I decided to see how long it would run at around 250*F with the outdoor ambient temp around 41*F.  Full load of briquettes.  Temperature control is easy and solid.  Dialed it in-at the 7.5 hour mark it was struggling to maintain temp with both the intake and exhaust wide open.    I had to pull the guts and reload to continue the cook.
Clearly well short of the advertised cook duration.  Used the normal Kingsford charcoal. "

No experience with other drum smokers but it does a nice job as a charcoal burner.  You will not get the smoke profile (even close) like a stick burner but as you note, much less maintenance both during and after the cook.

Since you have the itch, there are other (likely more $$) drum smokers out there but for the price point the Bronco is a good buy.  Hope this helps.

EzraBrooks

Thanks @lousubcap. Do you get better flavor than the egg or is the end product similar? Hard to justify if it is similar.

lousubcap

I would definitely go with similar although flavour (nod) is subjective.  I get that you are looking for more smoke.   You can load more wood chunks in a BGE (I'm talking LBGE here) than the Bronco and still get extended duration cook times.

It does have more real estate when you use the hooks which is why I initially had the pit barrel then flipped to the Bronco  where I could control the temperature and use the hooks.

Hopefully others will be along but I also have a stick burner and unless you go down that rabbit hole you are not gonna find any other cooker to replicate that flavour (nod) profile. 

Should you have further questions, please fire away. 

billt01

if you don't like sleep or have a lot of time to waste..go with a Lang 36 or 48D..one of the best stick burners in the southeast..and you can always road trip to Nahunta, Ga for the pilgrimage..

you can also look at Black Warrior out of Alabama...they have a very decent stick burner as well..