Aaron Franklin - anti-Webber?

[MrHoss]

Just goes to show that even smart folks sometimes say bloody stupid things.

[1buckie]

Just goes to show that even smart folks sometimes say bloody stupid things.

I'd think more along the lines of "uninformed"......instead of stupid !!!!!

[Hogsy]

I am currently using my Weber Performer and some hot lump to burn my Aaron Franklin book.


Winz

Quote of the week! Lol

[Winz]

I am currently using my Weber Performer and some hot lump to burn my Aaron Franklin book.
Winz

I am just really bummed that I bought the IPAD version of his book instead of the hardcopy.  Oh well...


Winz

[pbe gummi bear]

I am currently using my Weber Performer and some hot lump to burn my Aaron Franklin book.
Winz

I am just really bummed that I bought the IPAD version of his book instead of the hardcopy.  Oh well...


Winz

Bonus points if you burn the ipad.

Great post, @Jammato! Having fun with your Weber and the versatility of the kettle are two of the most important things you mentioned in your post. Taste and fun are both important to me while bbq'ing.

[OGlenn]

I am currently using my Weber Performer and some hot lump to burn my Aaron Franklin book.
Winz

I am just really bummed that I bought the IPAD version of his book instead of the hardcopy.  Oh well...


Winz

Had my best laugh of the day with that post!

[toolhead]

 Having visited a few of the ceramic kamado grill makers and talking with a few reps...one rep said it best....these are all good grills...not one is bad..the questions is service and what brand you want to have on your deck...
personally i want them all on my pavers...except bge...

i did recently pickup a ceramic kamado ..ill be curious on how she fires up a cook

[Lumpy Coal]

Having visited a few of the ceramic kamado grill makers and talking with a few reps...one rep said it best....these are all good grills...not one is bad..the questions is service and what brand you want to have on your deck...
personally i want them all on my pavers...except bge...

i did recently pickup a ceramic kamado ..ill be curious on how she fires up a cook

Curious, why no BGE and which kamado did you get?  How'd you like it compared to a kettle?  Been debating about getting either a BGE or a Kamado Joe. 

[LaTuFu]

Now don't shoot the messenger, but I can see what he's saying in context.

How often do you hear about a kettle or WSM that's "out of round"? The metal on a kettle is noticibly thinner than your typical decent offset smoker. It is also has much thinner walls than the kamado smokers. I don't knock him for that observation, but what he should have mentioned was that the Weber is also porcelain enameled which allows it to retail heat far better than your standard flimsy metal Big Box retail store grill which isn't coated in any way.

I'm definitely not shooting the messenger, but you're comparing apples and oranges to a degree.

I get what he's saying, but he's giving perspective with the luxury of being able to use whatever equipment he likes, and comparing the equipment to the commercial rigs he uses on a daily basis.  There's a big difference between a commercial rig and even a BGE.

Most of the time when you see or hear about a kettle being out of round, its because a kettle has been mistreated.  It was bought and used by your average homeowner for $100 (or less).  Left outside in the elements year round, used to cook burgers and dogs until it rusted out and was thrown away.  What percentage of kettles have actually been owned and cared for like members here would?  Or a professional like Aaron Franklin would care for his commercial equip?  And for that matter--how many kettles out there spent a lifetime of burger N dog duty.  Never doing anything other than grilling.  No indirect cooking, smoking, rotisseries, etc.

When you're talking about the equipment, it really does depend on the budget involved.  Average Joe who leaves his grill outside year round is rarely going to drop $1000 on a gas grill, let alone a BGE.  So if he's going smoker, the uninformed/uneducated buyers will usually buy the cheap flimsy COS (cheap offset smokers) that the Big Box stores sell.  Those things rust out even faster left out in the elements, and we all know they're notoriously bad cookers without a lot of help. 

Most people really aren't aware that a kettle is a perfectly adequate smoker/grill/bbq for the vast majority of average joes out there.  When I first started learning how to smoke/bbq years ago, I didn't know either.  I went out and bought the ECB to learn how to smoke, and I already owned a Weber Kettle at the time. 

So yeah, the Weber may seem flimsy to some, but I can understand that, given how many beaten up old kettles are out there.  But as we all know, they're head and shoulders above any of their competitors in the same price range for performance and flexibility. 

[Idahawk]

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/bbq-with-franklin-season-1-episode-4-the-pits/


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[LaTuFu]

In episode 8 competition, there are a couple of cameo appearances of kettles.

[swamprb]

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/bbq-with-franklin-season-1-episode-4-the-pits/


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If you watch this episode, he shows his disdain for the waterpan of the WSM.

He's just a stickburning type of guy and thats his pit of choice.

They certainly aren't for everyone. I had a Bandera and NB Silver Smoker with mods and I'm just not that into babysitting. My teammates have trailer offsets (Klose, Peoria & a Lang) and I cooked with Sugar's BBQ (BBQ Pitmasters) with her Lang and R&O, and while I feel confident working around them, I'm just not that attracted to them. As close as I get is using my Backwoods.

I once attended a BBQ Class hosted by David Klose.

There were a couple of folks that were getting their Klose pits fine tuned, but he acknowledged that while he would love to sell you one of his pits he was genuinely interested in all the different styles of cookers at the event, and his mantra was "its all about family, friends and BBQ!" 

The common theme I hear from Aaron Franklin is "you can do what you want -its all good"

[Craig]

I'm just anti-weBBer...

[LaTuFu]

If I was cooking for the number of people that these guys cook for, I am certain I would want a rig like Franklin makes in one episode.

But since I cook for the family, I'm quite happy with my kettle.