OT- for anyone thinking about getting a stick burner...OT

lousubcap · January 2017

If anyone here is thinking about getting a stick burner, I will offer that is a totally different animal. The BGE is an air-flow driven machine so the amount of oxygen feeding the fire is restricted to control fire volume and temperature. Stick burners run with essentially full on air-flow and manage the quantity of burning wood to control temperature. In my brief experience, the larger the cooking chamber the easier it is to maintain a relatively constant temperature. I base the preceding on the relatively small rig that I have which has a low margin for wood feeding error.
If you are wanting to play with and tend the fire then by all means go for it. Your smokey sweat shirt will definitely become even more enhanced. Time to throw on more wood.

Focker · January 2017

I agree cap, playing with fire, is rewarding.
Caught myself several times this weekend, enjoying the smell of burning cherry wood. A different animal for sure.
Any pics of your pit, or today's cook?

JohnnyTarheel · January 2017

Still like my old cheap Chargriller when I want to smell good wood smoke....

bhedges1987 · January 2017

Focker said:

I agree cap, playing with fire, is rewarding.
Caught myself several times this weekend, enjoying the smell of burning cherry wood. A different animal for sure.
Any pics of your pit, or today's cook?

You don't understand how good cherry wood smells until you are actually burning it in a stick burner!! SO GOOD. So does pecan.

bhedges1987 · January 2017

How are you liking the lang? Mine loved to run at 275-300. Extremely steady temps for not even being good at it.

lousubcap · January 2017

I did post a pic several months ago when running the initial seasoning process- but haven't (and won't) since as it is outside my parameters for the cooking aspect of the forum. My wood supplier is primarily cherry and that was today's cook. Hoping for some pecan in the late spring.
Edit: I am definitely having fun trying to dial the wood feed and the cook temps. I find it is quite sensitive to the fire volume but that's as I figured with the size of the cook chamber. Definitely lends itself to the supervisory beverages. Thanks for asking.

Focker · January 2017

bhedges1987 said:

Focker said:

I agree cap, playing with fire, is rewarding.
Caught myself several times this weekend, enjoying the smell of burning cherry wood. A different animal for sure.
Any pics of your pit, or today's cook?

You don't understand how good cherry wood smells until you are actually burning it in a stick burner!! SO GOOD. So does pecan.

The apple and mulberry I have in the pile sits around and collects bugs. Will be hard to try hickory or oak from my wood guys this season. Cherry is my go to, hands down....intoxicating.

Focker · January 2017

lousubcap said:

I did post a pic several months ago when running the initial seasoning process- but haven't (and won't) since as it is outside my parameters for the cooking aspect of the forum. My wood supplier is primarily cherry and that was today's cook. Hoping for some pecan in the late spring.
Edit: I am definitely having fun trying to dial the wood feed and the cook temps. I find it is quite sensitive to the fire volume but that's as I figured with the size of the cook chamber. Definitely lends itself to the supervisory beverages. Thanks for asking.

Pecan would be legit. If I were down south, mesquite would be worth a look too. Kind of nice, how the harsher woods are fair game, with a bigger fire.

caliking · January 2017

I LOVE wood smoked 'que. There's a stick burner shaped hole in my heart, but I've chosen to hold off on filling it for a while. Life is busy with a wee one running around, and I don't have the luxury of tending a fire for long periods right now.

I've eyed the dishwasher/Karubecue longingly, but... must... resist...

SoCalTim · January 2017

I want a Lang. While I absolutely love my Egg (s), the best Q I ever had came off a stick burner. For the life of me, as hard as I've tried I just can't duplicate the stick burner Q on an egg. I'm also thinking about a KBQ also.

YukonRon · January 2017

I got a deal with a truckload of Michigan cherry a couple years ago. It was stored indoors, harvested live, split in perfect sections for pit Q. I wanted to give it to my BIL for his cooker.
My Beautiful Wife and I left for the weekend to have some fun together in Nashville.
When we got back, it was all gone.
Our children said they and their friends loved the smell of that wood, and could we get more?

SmokeyPitt · January 2017

One other thing that gives me pause about stick burners is the cost of friggin firewood in my area. I imagine it might cost $20-$30 to cook some butts or brisket if I couldn't find a better source. Although I have never run a stick burner so I'm not sure exactly how much it burns.

YukonRon · January 2017

I get that the stick burners are the epitome for the serious Q cookers. I have had food off their rigs, and enjoyed immensely. However, for me, friends and family, my egg turns out pretty darn good food too. I am not ready to step up just yet, until I master these cooks. Still learning and experimenting.
Maybe one day. I will let 'Cap take the lead, figure it out, then learn from the master.

RedSkip · January 2017

YukonRon said:

I got a deal with a truckload of Michigan cherry a couple years ago. It was stored indoors, harvested live, split in perfect sections for pit Q. I wanted to give it to my BIL for his cooker.
My Beautiful Wife and I left for the weekend to have some fun together in Nashville.
When we got back, it was all gone.
Our children said they and their friends loved the smell of that wood, and could we get more?

@YukonRon Not sure if I'd be upset or not, but it does hurt to know it's all gone!

YukonRon · January 2017

RedSkip said:

YukonRon said:

I got a deal with a truckload of Michigan cherry a couple years ago. It was stored indoors, harvested live, split in perfect sections for pit Q. I wanted to give it to my BIL for his cooker.
My Beautiful Wife and I left for the weekend to have some fun together in Nashville.
When we got back, it was all gone.
Our children said they and their friends loved the smell of that wood, and could we get more?

@YukonRon Not sure if I'd be upset or not, but it does hurt to know it's all gone!

I love our children, but at that moment, it was just a tiny bit less. But, hey, it was going to be a gift anyway, and they did not know. I was more mad at myself. If I do not think, I can't expect them to do it for me.
Neighbors were amazed at the bonfire though, we were told.

lousubcap · January 2017

@SmokeyPitt - you may want to stop at a local Q place and ask where they source their wood. I got a lead via that route. I paid $100 for a rick of cherry delivered. Eyeballing, I have gone thru somewhere around 35-40% of it with around 10 cooks or so-about $4/cook is close enough for me. FWIW-

Hotch · January 2017

I was looking a cabinet style like @SGH 's Vault.
But now I have seen my future and it has a Shirley Fab 24x42 Straight back w/warmer on a trailer on the horizon!

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

I would love to have on some day but I don't have a reliable wood source that I trust.

bhedges1987 · January 2017

Yeah I got mine off craigslist. Paid $100 for true 1/2 cord of cherry, which is a TON of wood. You would need a log splitter or something though to make smaller sizes.

pgprescott · January 2017

You can burn charcoal too, or combination can't you?

bhedges1987 · January 2017

pgprescott said:

You can burn charcoal too, or combination can't you?

Ya either. I start with coal to get a nice bed. Switch to wood when I put the food on and stick with wood the rest of the cook.

2 pieces of pecan to every piece of cherry is where it's at!

Focker · January 2017

You would be surprised what is out there, when you start looking for it.
Yeah, CL is good. Found some apple cheap. Missed out on a free pear tree by hours.

Also scored an epic hookup through the local fireplace business. Owner encouraged me to bring my bigger boxed Chevy on the next run, same price. Good guys, they even stacked it nice in the truck, and wanted to keep going to pile it up

Focker · January 2017

pgprescott said:

You can burn charcoal too, or combination can't you?

KBQ starts with a chimney of lump. I add meat when I know the embers are wood.

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

You have a Coexist bumper sticker?

Thatgrimguy · January 2017

Sticks are really fun. Flavor is better for a lot more work. Most won't appreciate or notice though.

rifrench · January 2017

Will wild cherry wood work as well? I have white and red oak on my place, as well as hickory and wild cherry. Too bad bad locust and sweet gum are no good, plenty of that, too. KBQ in near future!

bhedges1987 · January 2017

rifrench said:

Will wild cherry wood work as well? I have white and red oak on my place, as well as hickory and wild cherry. Too bad bad locust and sweet gum are no good, plenty of that, too. KBQ in near future!

Wild cherry is great!

bhedges1987 · January 2017

rifrench said:

Will wild cherry wood work as well? I have white and red oak on my place, as well as hickory and wild cherry. Too bad bad locust and sweet gum are no good, plenty of that, too. KBQ in near future!

Not a big fan of red or white oak. Red oak reminds me of camp fires and white oak is so subtle. Hickory and wild cherry will do fine!

DaveRichardson · January 2017

After seeing "The Grocery Cart" on here from @thatgrimguy, I'm in the boat with @Hotch and am in for a Shirley. I'm a few years out from placing my order......

Down here in GA, there's pecan all over. I get pieces for my pulled pork smokes from a friend down the road a few miles that still has his family pecan business; they are having to cull branches all the time. Some of their trees are massive; I drool every time I see them!

Focker · January 2017

rifrench said:

Will wild cherry wood work as well? I have white and red oak on my place, as well as hickory and wild cherry. Too bad bad locust and sweet gum are no good, plenty of that, too. KBQ in near future!

Yes, it smells wonderful. That is what's in the truck.

Focker · January 2017

SaintJohnsEgger said:

You have a Coexist bumper sticker?

Yes.

OT- for anyone thinking about getting a stick burner...OT

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