Old Country Pits Pecos Review

[@AntsBBQCookout]

So stoked to get as much experience as possible on this offset! Next week I will share my first cook, so stay tuned! Sorry for the shaky freehand shots, hope I didn't give anyone motion sickness 😓 I'll make sure to use the tripod more in the future. Also, make sure to check out Fikscue, Joe's Smokehouse, and RaleighSmoke in the description for more info on the old country pits smokers and mods!

[@brettmanley4944]

Your channel shows the “fails” and you recognize what you did wrong, or would do better. That helps all of us. Great presentation and production. Keep smoking’!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you very much for the kind words 🙏 just want to encourage others to go out and make mistakes, so we can all learn from each other 😂

[@BackyardWarrior]

I used to own a Pecos before the workhorse pits …it produces some great 🍖 ..congratulations my man 👍👍👍you clearly did your homework …I think fikscue has the best videos on how to modify a Pecos..

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Glad to hear your approval on it too! Yeah he's great, and seems really chill. Always appreciate you, brother 🙏

[@johnshultz9557]

@@AntsBBQCookout did you eventually either remove or cut back the baffle plate. I saw Raleigh smokes video of the baffle plate removal

[@gtsbarbecueandcuisine4837]

Brother you obviously did your research. I agree this is probably a great way to start. I just got my first offset a year ago and have learned a ton. All your mods are right on. Get ready to spend some “quality” time managing the fire but that is quite cathartic for me. I have done cooks for 100 people twice and buckle up for time management but the results are worth it. You have an awesome channel with top notch production value and I can tell by your enthusiasm you will do well. Thanks for sharing your journey and I’m looking forward to seeing your first gig.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Had my first cook last weekend and it was a lot of fun! I'm excited to keep learning and getting better and sharing my journey here on YT. I hope I can do some more catering events like you in the future, so I can make some money on the side! I always appreciate your kind words and look forward to your next cook 😄

[@pound4poundbeast]

Great video. I've had my pecos for about 3 months and I'm completely satisfied!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you! I'm loving it so far!

[@localunion874]

Congratulations I've been enjoying my pecos for a couple months now. Love it

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you! And thanks for sharing, I'm glad I pulled the trigger and finally got one 😁

[@TheDrunkenBBQ]

I use my offset smoker a lot in my video’s. These cookers are great.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Awesome! I'm excited to cook on it!

[@RaleighSmoke]

Nice video! I think you’re fine with the gasket. You may want to look into the $25 cast iron joint I put in my Pecos firebox. Honestly, I say, put in a few cooks and see what you want to change to improve your cooks. That’ll give you a good base to work with. And since your father-in-law can weld, you should definitely (when you’re ready) go all out an mod it - collector, stack extension and all! 🍻 P.S. You seem to be a natural at putting yourself out there on KZbin. Nice job!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you for all the tips! Your video sold me on getting this cooker and I'm loving it so far! Appreciate the kind words, brother 🙏 Take care and looking forward to your next video!

[@BackyardSmoke614]

Off sets are fun. I love my Oklahoma Joe Highland. It took some practice but ones you get used to a offset your gonna love the taste.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Yeah! Had my first cook last weekend and it was a blast. Like having a campfire in a little box

[@GM-vy1wy]

Ant, bro! I'm super excited about your offset! You're going to love it. There's something about controlling a live fire, and getting clean smoke with an offset that is way more rewarding in bbq. Me personally, I run mine with the fire box door wide open, and stack damper open and just control my temp with the size of the splits I use. I like to burn smaller splits and put them on more frequently. I find it's easier for me to get clean smoke than way too. I can't wait to see your briskets on the thing!...Congrats!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Brooo!! You're back haha was worried about you, haven't heard from you in a while. Hope all has been well! Thanks for the advice! In the coming videos I will definitely be asking a lot of questions so all advice is more than welcome :) gotta wait until next month for brisket though, prices are insane, but I'm hoping Thanksgiving week the market will be all turkey and I can swoop in on brisket when the price drops. But I cant wait for my first brisket on this thing either!

[@GM-vy1wy]

@@AntsBBQCookout I know what you mean about the prices. I bought 2 prime briskets at Costco last week...200 bucks! Man, smoking a big ol turkey on an offset is the best. You'll love it! Yeah, for some reason KZbin hasn't been sending me notifications for your videos. I looked up your channel earlier to see if you had made any new videos. I'm still subscribed, but I missed the last couple videos...idk. I like the all the brands of smokers your saving for. But, I can say this for sure...if I had an extra 4 grand in my pocket I'd get a Mill Scale lol.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

@@GM-vy1wy interesting.. well glad to see you here again! haha yeah, brother. That millscale is something else 😍

[@theviper6602]

On the heat baffle just drill some holes. It's quick and simple. That baffle is also a part of the structure to keep the cooking barrel from warping being that close to the fire box

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thanks for the tip! I actually ended up taking off the baffle and have been loving how it runs. Can def see it compromising the longevity like you said though.

[@delnorteoficial]

Looking to buy this smoker in the next couple of weeks, great video my friend!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you, hope you like it! I've been having a blast on it 😁

[@rob3i813]

Man I'm looking to get this pit, definitely subscribing to follow you on your journey with this pit!!!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you, I'm loving this pit so far! First cook video will be out tomorrow at 4pm cst 😀

[@calebburdette3222]

Keep up the good work sir I see that you are recognizing the fails and what you can do better that my friend is a good KZbinrs especially someone in the smoking meat industry keep it up

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thanks for the kind words, Caleb!

[@bertdigity]

I debated subscribing at first because I’m subscriber 421 haha. Great vids Ant keep leveling up

[@AntsBBQCookout]

No worries, I took a screenshot before you subscribed 😂 thank you for the sub 🙏

[@805BBQJUNKIE]

Congrats on your smoker now Hurry up and smoke something on it lol my brother I can't wait for your next video

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Haha coming soon bro! Made some country style ribs and the video will be up next week 🤩

[@805BBQJUNKIE]

@@AntsBBQCookout THAT'S RIGHT WERE ARE YOU LOCATED AT MAYBE WE CAN GET TOGETHER AT COOK SOMETHING

[@AntsBBQCookout]

@@805BBQJUNKIE I'm in middle TN, you live in the south?

[@805BBQJUNKIE]

Lol I thought you were closer than that hopefully in the future

[@AntsBBQCookout]

@@805BBQJUNKIE ah I see, yeah bro I used to live in SOCAL but moved to TN in the summer.

[@GaryORiveraSr]

@Ant I'm so with you about a future offset. Originally I wanted a lone star offset smoker but now I'm leaning towards a workhorse 1975 ( I love the raw patina look). Mill scale looks dope also. One of my 6 cookers is my Oklahoma Joe highland offset. The old country Pecos or brazos would be an upgrade but why do that when I got bigger plans for the future?

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Haha we are in the exact same boat, and I agree, just save up for a custom pit. OK joe is a great budget offset too! I think the best value backyard custom pit is the workhorse 1975 (in terms of cost) but that mill scale 94 gallon is gorgeous 😍 hope we can both continue and save up and get our dream cookers in the near future! Take care!

[@fikscue]

Holy smokes! Thanks for the mention, Ant! Wished I knew earlier. Love the video and how well you flow. Just subbed. Did you end up taking the catering gig? Will be checking out your other vids. Keep up the great job my man.. 👊🏼

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you, brother, for the info that helped me decide on buying this thing! Appreciate the sub and kind words 🙏and looking forward to your next upload 😁 well as of now, I have been booked for the beginning of April, so lots of time to practice haha

[@randyhogan3071]

Line the bottom with a long piece of aluminum foil to help with clean up. Bottom line is this. Use smaller splits, like 6" x2" max and plan on tending that fire like every 10 mins. That will keep your temps down. you will figure it out and you might not ever need a mill scale once you do. Have fun!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thanks so much for sharing the knowledge! Had my first cook last weekend and all of this would have been super helpful 😂 going to apply a lot of it to my next cook tho!

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Btw, how do you get your splits that size?

[@randyhogan3071]

@@AntsBBQCookout I have a splitting maul to get the larger splits thin enough, like 2" or so. I cut those pieces down to the 6" length with a regular construction type power saw. You could use a chainsaw to cut them to length but the power saw is easier. I've also seen guys use a mitre saw as well. Also saw a tool that was more like jaws that could cut a smaller split to length. I also have a hatchet and a heavier hammer that I use if I need to split the 6" long pieces even smaller. Stand the 6" split on end, place the hatchet on it and hit it with the hammer. Pretty controlled and accurate that way vs swinging at it with just the hatchet.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

@@randyhogan3071 thank you so much!

[@2005Pilot]

@@AntsBBQCookout or get a Kindling Cracker for splitting down easily and safe!

[@wadeenglish8658]

This sucker grills great also. I line the bottom of the meat chamber with 'HEAVY THICK TIN FOIL" from Sams Club or COSTOS. Light it up and let the air flow from the firebox do it's thing. It does grill good enough so don't worry about it. After I'm done cooking,grilling. I I remove the Foil and 'Bingo" you have a clean bottom smoker. Mine still looks like new as I always line the chamber with foil. Sometimes it's good to be lazy.😴😴😴

[@grilldschigit]

Hello from Germany🤝👍🔥🔥🔥.Cool🔥🔥🔥👍. Ps. Do you often cook in the Dutch Oven? If yes, then I have a lot of good recipes for Dutch Oven (the German way) 🥘🔥🔥🔥😋👍. Greetings Waldi🤜🤛

[@AntsBBQCookout]

thanks for stopping by. No, I do not use a dutch oven, but maybe in the future :) take care!

[@grilldschigit]

@@AntsBBQCookout 🤝🍻👍

[@rgriffith2006]

I looked a Oklahoma Joe's this weekend. Fit and finish was terrible. Temperature guage was canted on ALL of them at Academy. Old Country just seems legit and OJs just seem cheap.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Yeah haven't heard many good things about the OKJ highlander. But academy increased its price by about $100 making the pecos $500. So of course, it makes the value you get from the pecos not nearly as good as it used to be. Might be worth to just save up for a brazos. Also, I recently heard about the chargriller grand champ xd. It seems solid for the price.

[@rgriffith2006]

@@AntsBBQCookout I had a cheap Chargiller gas grill that was AWESOME. Temp control was exceptional. Money's not an issue but I'm skeptical on how much I'd use it. I get half-beefs for the family and end up with briskets, etc. Who knows, maybe a new hobby!

[@__-ul7cc]

Does any one know if the Brazos or Pecos are packaged in a box? Or they are sold already completely assembled? I ask because I want to buy one of them (I haven't decided which one yet) but don't have a pickup, so if it is packaged will be easy to transport in a car with rear seats folded.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

it's completely assembled, the whole thing comes welded together in one piece not bolted. I think your going to need a truck or pull a trailer because of the smoke stack.

[@allcapsboy9139]

LOTS OF PRAYERS BEING OFFERED UP TO THE BBQ gODS

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Hahahhaa Jeff, pls

[@Samthewolf1010]

Good video mate. Earned a sub.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed 🙏

[@BK33REVIEWS]

How much are these pits

[@ignoranceisnotatrend4669]

I have the pecos and my question is, how would you position 2 briskets on it

[@AntsBBQCookout]

i took out the baffle plate in mine, so I would probably buy one of those $20 standing racks they make for pellet grills and just cook them on top of each other.

[@ignoranceisnotatrend4669]

@@AntsBBQCookout that's a good idea, I just now googled and saw what it looked like,so you would keep one brisket on the pecos grate and place another one on top of the standing rack,but is it bad for the fat drippings to get on another piece of meat 🤔

[@AntsBBQCookout]

@@ignoranceisnotatrend4669 its not ideal, but you could put a chunk of wood under the bottom brisket so the drippings would slide off and not ruin the bark.

[@ignoranceisnotatrend4669]

@@AntsBBQCookout a chunk of wood to tilt the bottom brisket. My concern was health wise. Or do you mean completely on the bottom brisket, that sounds unsanitary. Let me know your opinion.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

@@ignoranceisnotatrend4669 if that seems unsanitary you could also ball up a piece of foil and do the same thing to put under the brisket.

[@mr.authentech7267]

Ur prooo

[@AntsBBQCookout]

I'm noob, but thank you 🙏

[@deathofcayde-6968]

The Pecos always comes with flaws. You didn't look at Char-Griller Grand Champ XD Series offset smoker. Much better than the Pecos.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

I checked it out, stack pipe looks wider than the OK joe which is great. Stack placement not optimal and not a big fan of the bolted parts (smoke leakage), but seems like a solid budget option overall. You should post a video reviewing it and argue why it's better than the pecos. I think people would appreciate that review.

[@deathofcayde-6968]

@@AntsBBQCookout the Stack is at grate level. It's right in between both grates. It doesn't look centered from the outside but it's definitely at grate level. Check out my opening video at Boomer BBQ. I did a video about it once I put it together. Plus. I put gasket between the firebox and the cook chamber before I bolted it and I heat siliconed the seams in the throat. There is no smoke or heat loss there. It's also better than the Pecos. More cooking space, comes with a thermometer and pre placed holes for two more. It's 12.5 gauge steel all the way around. The Pecos body is only 14 gauge with 11 gauge doors. And the Pecos is notorious for coming with flaws such as leaky seams, doors that are not properly aligned and the like. I'm in the review Contest and you will see the comparisons once Jeremy displays it. You didn't look at my videos because I also reviewed it on this channel as well.

[@AntsBBQCookout]

@@deathofcayde-6968 like i said, it's a solid budget option. cant go wrong with either (based on the specs you listed). if you know what you're doing with either the pecos or the char griller offset, you're gonna make some great bbq. Your argument holds a lot more weight now that OCP has increased the price of the Pecos by about 25%. at $399, imo the Pecos was the king of budget offsets. But at it's current $500 price point, you can definitely make a great argument for the Chargriller or even the ok joe highlander. But i'm loving my Pecos, and I've never cooked on the Chargriller offset, so all I can do is speculate.

[@deathofcayde-6968]

@@AntsBBQCookout oh believe me I wanted it. I even learned how to weld so I could fix any problems it came with but when I was going to order it, they jacked up the delivery cost to 271and the Pecos to 449 and I wanted the cover as well. The entire bill would have been over 800 dollars. I paid just under 600 for the Grand Champ and Home Depot delivered it for free. I'm not saying the Pecos is a bad smoker but I've read about too many being delivered with flaws and if I'm gonna spend money on shipping, it better damn well come in perfect condition. The Grand Champ did. So are you keeping the Pecos now that you have the 250?

[@AntsBBQCookout]

Well welding is a great skill to have especially for a bbq enthusiast, so it's not a complete waste. Oh man, shipping costs included it's not even worth considering. I'm in the south, so Academys are everywhere. I just went down and picked out the best one they had. No I'm keeping it for now. It's good when I need one brisket and its good to have the versatility of many cookers for my channel. I might hit up the builder who made my 250 in the near future to build me a 120. If I do that, then yeah I'll prob just give away my pecos to family member or something.