# Oklahoma Joe Smoker



## bigwheel (Jul 3, 2009)

Had an old chum who used to have one which he hauled around to cookoffs on a special basket looking deal affixed to the bumper of his 5th Wheeler travel trailer. They will bust a gut trying to load and unload it. In fact think I'm still down in the back on that deal. Wouldn't recommend it real highly. Suffers from the same set of problemos as most other small storebought offsets such as no baffling twixt the firebox and cookchamber..just a big hole which tend to grill the meat sideways with the radiant heat..got to keep swapping the meat around to make it cook evenly blah blah blah. The man tole you the best pit to get which is a Weber Smokey Mountain. Now if it was me I would make Dad start out with an ECB (El Cheapo Brinkmann water smoker). Everybody should pay their dues by learning to cook on one of them thangs first. Commonly available at Wally World for under 50 bucks. If you really want to get fancy get the Gourmet model. Much easier to use. Use the money you save to buy meat and copious amounts of the devil's urine. A person can't make good bbq unless they are real drunk. 

bigwheel


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## Captain Morgan (Jul 3, 2009)

I'm on my way to making good barbecue!


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## Jack W. (Jul 3, 2009)

Sounds like you are looking at an OK Joe Longhorn.  Nice cooker.  If its in good shape $400 is a fair price.  It should have casters on the non firebox side.  They are heavy, but  built to last.  OK Joe is no longer in business.  They sold to Brinkmann.  Look for the new model at Hawgeyes and compare.  I believe that the Yoder company also makes a comparable product.

Good Q!

Jack


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## bigwheel (Jul 3, 2009)

Well as with most bbq type folks I have known you aint really looking for advice but rather confirmation of whut you have decided to do anyway. I made a big mistake early on in that is somebody want me to taste their stuff I would be brutaly honest and if it taste like *hit I would tell em about it. Learnt quick they was not looking for abjective opinyawns but rather a slap on the buttocks for how good they was at cooking their *hitty bbq. I had one fella named Doug Ritter who got down on his hands and knees and begged me to tell him the truth. He been cooking some mighty fine grub ever since. Why you want folks to lie to you? I don't understand that part. If my stuff aint good I want to know it. Why you insist on being contrary. Is it a prideful type deal? If so..Vesa mi coola. 

bigwheel


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## monty3777 (Jul 3, 2009)

Roger, at Horizon Smokers, was one of the fabricators at Oklahoma Joe's. Hawgeyes is where I bought my Horizon. 

Couldn't disagree with bigwheel more about starting with a piece of crap like a Brinkmann. Sure, if you are really strapped for cash a cheap smoker is better than nothing. However, the money you will waste making bad BBQ on a crappy pit would be better spent on saving for a nicer pit. Also, I can imagine the number of folks who have given up on traditional BBQ because the couldn't control the heat on one of those Brinkmann pieces of trash. If you want capacity buy one of the bigger WSMs. For $400 you can buy a WSM that will cook a whole load of meat!

O.K., back to my Jack and Coke!


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## DATsBBQ (Jul 4, 2009)

fuzzywombat0 said:
			
		

> Well, the problem is that *we need to be able to cook massive amounts of food from time to time.*  We have a basic idea on how to smoke (having done just about 10 briskets, and 15 rack of ribs)  I don't really mind moving the meat around.



Is it safe to say that after 10 briskets and 15 racks of ribs that y'all might still be a little wet behind the ears? If you need cook massive amount of food from time to time, moving stuff around the cooker is work that you don't need to be doing. Time is money and the time spent jocking briskets or ribs around is time that could be spent doing something else.

Now old Jeff has a point about paying your dues. You can't run with the big dawgs if you pee like a puppy. So you want to skip puppyhood. OK by me, just be sure you can pass the test when it comes. Some can, most can't. Here's your crib sheet:

Buy an ECB on EBay for a buck, cook something on it, put a notch in your belt and move on. That a way ol' Jeff can't rag on ya and Monty can't fault ya too much for wasting a sawback. 

The smart caterers are going with a FEC or FatzBoy pellet cookers. Fill the hopper with pellets, set the temp like an oven and go do other things. 

Yeah, those offsets look cool. Real old school Q. But someone has to baby sit those babies, feeding them every hour and burping them now and again not to mention changing the diapers (grease bucket).

Best of luck to you.


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## bigwheel (Jul 4, 2009)

Well see this thread started as a total fabrication. Now the boy/girl has climbed the ladder up to needing copious amounts of the foul tasting stuff. The only answer I can see to the problemo is to come take proud ownership of my pit Fred which (would adopt him out to the right family). He can do 33 briskets (ten pound average per each) and the 400 bucks will make a nice down payment on the final cost. In fact I send the person over to see my banker prob won't need no down stroke not counting hickeys..dings and boo boos on the old credit repoat gizmo. Heck I might even co-sign on the deal who knows? For an additional 5 K I will even throw in a fully equpped Roach Coach and mobile saugage and chow chow factory. Kindly let me know. I can have it in New England by daylight it you let me know purty quick. Thanks.

bigwheel


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## 007bond-jb (Jul 4, 2009)

I got one & hardly use it anymore. Its a pain to make hold a steady temp.
 All good advice from the guys above too. Buy a WSM instead


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## Captain Morgan (Jul 4, 2009)

Jack W has an OKie Joe, maybe he'll stop by.


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## Jack W. (Jul 4, 2009)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> Jack W has an OKie Joe, maybe he'll stop by.



I've been here.  See above.  I wouldn't trade my Joe for too many other pits.  But, I like to cook BBQ not put meat on a smoker and do the list my wife has planned.   :roll: I enjoy staying up all night, tending a pit, drinking a beer or two.  I'll sleep plenty when I'm dead!   

Good Q!

Jack


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## Gunnagitcha (Jul 4, 2009)

*76' model*



			
				007bond-jb said:
			
		

> I got one & hardly use it anymore. Its a pain to make hold a steady temp.
> All good advice from the guys above too. Buy a WSM instead



JB, How much charcoal you think you have saved over the years using ole 76 compared to using a side by side?

I know I'm gettin a Pro Q when there back in stock. I'm done using 15 pounds of fuel for a cook.


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