My Thoughts on the Old Country BBQ Pits Insulated Offset Smoker Generation 2 Brazos

Old Country BBQ Pits has come out with a new smoker - their Insulated Offset Smoker. It has a lot of new features for the company. Hear my thoughts on whether these upgrades over their Brazos smoker make the cut.
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[@andrewknaff9220]

The point about bbq needing to be inefficient is such a good point. There is absolutely nothing efficient about low smoking a brisket for 12+ hours. It’s all about the results though, efficiency be damned.

[@thelog86]

It definately needs to be efficient. Makes a big difference. I have a few smokers and it takes twice as much fuel to smoke a 12 hr brisket on my non efficient smoker as it does on my efficient smoker. And also on an efficien smoker when your done smoking an efficient smoker will put the fire out when u close down the vents and save your fuel for your next swssion. A non inefficient smoker will continue to slowly burn tour fuel after you close your vents. And a non efficient is harder to control the temp because it has air leaks

[@smokescouts]

The insulated firebox is an interesting topic and not too much information out there on it, and conflicting at that, so thank you for discussing it! I've heard a few say that an insulated firebox on pits smaller than 250 can create an "oven" effect, or essentially you only can burn smaller splits/less wood. On my 1975 I can burn some big fires compared to the snippets I've seen of 94 gallon pits with fully insulated fireboxes using much smaller fires (not confirmed but just the glimpses I've seen). -Moberg used to build a backyard pit with fully insulated fireboxes - hard to dispute his building techniques and his pit's performance. -I know Primitive recommends a semi-insulated firebox, not fully insulated, on their 250s in warmer states. -I noticed in Franklin's PBS pit building video he stressed semi-insulated for even his bigger pits, not fully insulated. It's hard to say if there's an advantage to building a bigger fire, perhaps more flavor? When I run my pit with a bigger fire/slower draft the food tastes much better.

[@SmokeMasterD]

Always good to hear from you, and as always, very knowledgeable input 🙂

[@enyceofnyc]

This review is so spot on!

[@zionsgateranch]

I love my BRAZO! Just did a video on it other day. I’m hoping to get one of these soon. Pretty cool smoker. Thx for the video

[@bfann732]

👍another great analysis by the master D man!😀

[@trito408]

The Workhorse 1957 Offset Pit starts at $2,700 without shipping. On top of that it is a few months back ordered. The G2 is $1,800 with free shipping. The real difference is probably $1,000-1,200, quite significant if you ask me.

[@SmokeMasterD]

Workhorse raised their prices, which certainly has shifted these dynamics some.

[@holtstevens]

Thanks for the video. I think insulated fire box is a plus but its nice to see your review. The Workhourse 1957 has had a huge price jump and is now Starting at $2,997.00 on 4/5/24. BTW I am from the Camel city and that is a cool T-shirt.

[@thelog86]

As far as the insulated box, thats when the skill of running a smoker comes into play. You have to learn how to adjust your airflow, thats what controls the heat. With an insulated box you wouldnt have to open vents as far so the more air the faster the wood will burn. Insulated is definately better, you will use less fuel to get the same heat and a longer burn time

[@SmokeMasterD]

One question I have heard on this subject is whether less fuel means less smoke. I wonder what sort of scientific test might be able to answer that question.

[@gregory2709]

Agreed, anyone should spend the extra $300 for the 1957. It's not even a close call.

[@koryweaver5868]

Love your videos. Any thought of doing one between lone star elpatron and one of the arizona grills.

[@SmokeMasterD]

Thanks. I am hoping to get the El Patron in an episode soon. Don't know about Arizona grills.

[@thefiremansmokehouse4811]

I believe Blue Smoke Smokers are up on the list also their price. Should compare them and 1975

[@RaistlinMPP]

I don't own a Workhorse Pit to compare them more closely but I love my BSS. With the starting price of BBS going up, for the first time in 3 years, to $2100 it would actually be a $2600 smoker if you upgraded to match the 1975. At that point the BBS is almost $200 less and the lead time is about 98 days instead of 195 with the Workhorse. The biggest difference would be the stack. Workhorse is taller and narrower. The shorter stack was one reason I went with BSS as it fit my carport better if rain starts during a smoke.

[@lamarwilliams185]

They might run a bunch of sales. It is a step up from gen 1. It wasn’t a leap. They sure did leap on price. LOL

[@user_01986]

Had it been the same Brazos door, it would have been a leap and the price would be a great bargain. The door on this new one kills it for me.

[@brewpilot8958]

I have a Brazos, I would not pay the extra $600 for the few updates they made, at that price point, it’s no longer a budget smoker

[@zionsgateranch]

Good point the Brazos is awesome. I just made a video other day on mine check it out 😎👌

[@russellridge8623]

Jambo pits all have insulated fire boxes. Good as anyone’s. Goldee’s BBQ new smoker has no collection chamber at stack. They are #1 in Texas and that’s how they designed it. People worry to much about the pit and not enough on their abilities. Like golfers buying endless new sets of sticks and never taking a lesson. Chris Lilly said it best. Pits, pellet smoker, 10 cinder blocks and few pieces of barn tin, or a hole in the ground. I’ll out cook you because I’ve done it 30+ yrs.

[@RaistlinMPP]

In my opinion the OC Insulated Smoker's biggest plus is availability in the big box stores. This smoker, talking about the dimensions, feels like a cheap offset smoker that has all the mods added to it from the factory and 1/4" steel which is huge. I am sure it is great but by the time you are spending nearly $1900 there are other options for slightly more that would give you a more useful smoker. The extra cooking space of a 48x24 offset will keep that smoker in your yard much longer than a 36x18 offset unless you want that high end offset but truly don't have the space to store one.

[@cbaur88]

I can't see any negatives about having an insulated firebox besides maybe having to burn smaller splits which essentially is saving you wood. Not having to tend to it so often, maintaining temps, getting the next split to catch fire sooner, is really what we are all after IMO. Problem with so many of the no frills smokers that many fabricators make is the shipping. If you live close by, good for you but for anyone in the northeast your looking at min $500 - $1000 in shipping so that $2k no frills smoker just became almost $3k.

[@SmokeMasterD]

True about the shipping. The not tending as often for insulated fireboxes isn't true, though (unless you want wild temp swings). You just have to use smaller splits, which may mean more work on your end breaking the wood down. But, if wood is scarce, it could be worth your while

[@cbaur88]

@@SmokeMasterD I have to disagree, much more efficient over all. Hotter longer, more coals, easier restarts etc.

[@lakerschargers1]

The negative is less smoke flavor from burning a cleaner fire. Less smoke= Less flavor. Might as well get a pellet smoker if you want high efficiency.

[@cbaur88]

@@lakerschargers1 Just inaccurate and simple not true comparing to a pellet smoker. You will always get a better smoke flavor regardless burning a clean fire. I can alway burn greener wood and adjust my smoker. If you know how to run an offset it’s not a problem!

[@lakerschargers1]

@@cbaur88 Yes, I exaggerated but the closer you get to 100% efficiency, the less smoke flavor you will get. 100% efficiency is impossible but that would be zero smoke theoretically. Check out SmokerBuilder. He engineered an offset that was overly efficient and it put out no smoke flavor. I can find it for you if interested.

[@billyharris7426]

With the price point the Franklin and bbq quys are same size but a whopping 5000$ metal isn’t cheap this is a bargain for what you get not the best but worth the price

[@SmokeMasterD]

Agree to disagree. I would take the DLX and do a stack extension over this smoker. Even better for the money and just plain better.

[@rooster-zg4oo]

Good video but it’s pronounced braz-us…

[@SmokeMasterD]

Yeah. And I should know that by now. Not sure why the wrong pronunciation is so ingrained in me