Hello Everyone

[stick burner]

Found your forum a couple of weeks ago and really enjoy it. I love to burn wood in heating stoves and enjoy the comfort and visual view, cook bbq with wood, split wood, the independence from corporate America...you name it. I am in the process of buying a wood insert. Considered the 5100i by Quadra Fire, but really like the 4100i the best. My only concern is the reviews on this stove (4100i). Some are very good and and a couple are not so good. I know that everyone has a different opinion on most everything, but I'm a little concerned. Seems the negative reports were more about the draw than anything else. Could it be that these folks didn't install them correctly or using wood a little green? I honestly wonder. Anyway, I'm not new to wood burning. Have a bbq joint here and have been in this business and same location for 33 years. My pits are strictly wood fired. I installed an Earth Stove insert in the fireplace at my previous house, but replaced it with a Fisher Grandma Bear. That was many years ago. The Fisher was a great stove. Anyway, the fireplace is placed almost dead center of the house we live in now, and, of course, has an inside chimney. The stove will be used more for area heating rather than whole house. The room it will be in is about 350 sq. ft. and is fairly open to the rest of the area that we want to heat. Total area heating space is about 1150 sq. ft. Total sq. ft. of house is about 2800, however, I don't need to heat it all. But it would be nice if the stove would travel down the hall way to a couple of the bedrooms (I can keep the others rooms closed). That would amount to about 1700 sq/ft. maximum that I would like (not have) to heat. Would appreciate any help and what you think about my situation. Don't know if many folks are active on this forum this time of year! Oh, I really like the Hamption hi300 but can find NO INFORMATION on this insert. Nothing about the minimum depth of fireplace, or dimension's of this stove. They seem to only publish btu's, etc. The nearest dealer was a blow out...they couldn't find anything in their literature...told me to call back Monday. Don't think so. I know tha's had to believe, but true. Thanks to all for reading my post. BTW, the climate is fairly mild here compared to most of you. Couple of snows per winter with the average low during the deep winter of about 25 degrees. It can get colder, but not many days.

Stick

 

[begreen]

Welcome stick burner. Where do you hail from? There are some good reports on the Hampton on this forum. Do a search on Hampton and I think you will find several. You can find the manual for the stove with the specifics you are looking for at: http://www.hampton-fire.com/TechDocuments/Manuals/index.php

 

[littlesmokey]

So, tell us about what your burning and cooking first, We can get an idea of what your needs are and how we can help you. Your location will help also, cause if your recipe is good enough, we may stop in for a sample :roll: These guys are going to ask a lot of technical stuff, but I'm more interested in what you're cooking.

Somewhere in that last paragraph are some truths, if you can sort it out, you are good. Welcome, and with a little more information we will be able to help. Have you ever cooked Basque sausage?

 

[stick burner]

BeGreen, I'm located in Carlsbad New Mexico. How dumb, sorry I didn't state that in my first post. However, I was born and raised in Louisiana. Thanks for the info. on Hampton. Had gone to that site, but didn't look hard enough for the details, I guess. LittleSmokey, I cook with Pecan wood. Lots of it around here...climate supports it very well and a great smoking wood. I cook brisket, pork butt, turkey, ham, sausage, St. Louis cut ribs, and chicken at my restaurant. Sell over 2,500lbs. a week . My pits are a J&R 700 Oyler, and a J&R 250 Smoke Master. No, never smoked Basque sausage. Mostly Kielbasa. Will use seasoned Pecan wood in my insert, along with a little Juniper to kick start it. I'm usually up and gone way before the sun comes up to fire the pits, but am taking tomorrow off, so I'm up late tonight playing. Have two assistant pit masters besides me. One has been with me for over 15 years and is really good. The other one is pretty good, but I'm still working with him on ribs. He'll get there, it just takes a lot of time to learn this art and do it to perfection day in a day out. Got some good green Hickory wood from one of my cooking buds in North Carolina. Sent it to me in the mail (about 50 lbs. ). Might cook a couple of tri-tips in one of my home pits tomorrow and use that good ol' hickory for the smoke. Dat be real good man! Really want to get my insert soon and beat the "fall rush". Think this is a good time to buy one and get it installed.

Stick Burner

 

[keyman512us]

BeGreen, I'm located in Carlsbad New Mexico. How dumb, sorry I didn't state that in my first post. However, I was born and raised in Louisiana. Thanks for the info. on Hampton. Had gone to that site, but didn't look hard enough for the details, I guess. LittleSmokey, I cook with Pecan wood. Lots of it around here...climate supports it very well and a great smoking wood. I cook brisket, pork butt, turkey, ham, sausage, St. Louis cut ribs, and chicken at my restaurant. Sell over 2,500lbs. a week . My pits are a J&R 700 Oyler, and a J&R 250 Smoke Master. No, never smoked Basque sausage. Mostly Kielbasa. Will use seasoned Pecan wood in my insert, along with a little Juniper to kick start it. I'm usually up and gone way before the sun comes up to fire the pits, but am taking tomorrow off, so I'm up late tonight playing. Have two assistant pit masters besides me. One has been with me for over 15 years and is really good. The other one is pretty good, but I'm still working with him on ribs. He'll get there, it just takes a lot of time to learn this art and do it to perfection day in a day out. Got some good green Hickory wood from one of my cooking buds in North Carolina. Sent it to me in the mail (about 50 lbs. ). Might cook a couple of tri-tips in one of my home pits tomorrow and use that good ol' hickory for the smoke. Dat be real good man! Really want to get my insert soon and beat the "fall rush". Think this is a good time to buy one and get it installed.

Stick Burner

Welcome to the forum stick burner...

Glad to see someone "from a different locale joining in the forum".

Wanna trade some bats for some firewood??? lol J/k... Bet in your locale mosquitos aren't much of a problem (or any other flying insects for that matter)...lol

 

[elkimmeg]

Welcome to the hearth First order of business is the actuall location of the stove. Just as important is the venting system, the engine that power the stove
We need some of your plans concerning the chimney and drafting.

Regency who manufactures Hampton is a quality manufacturer in fact one of the gold sponsors of the site. The Hampton is a very attractive insert and also very well made.

Quadra-fire is also a quality manufacturer. I think you sumized it right Newbie not understanding how to run their stove correctly Using lless than dry wood or poor installation like a direct connection and no damper plate will equate to poor preformance.

IF your final choice is between a Quad and a Hampton, You should come out a winner no matter what stove you end up with. IF it turns out to be the Hampton make sure you purchase the flue collar adapter. IF your flue is a tight fit for getting a 6" liner The Hampton does spec using either a 6" line( Full length liners) or 5.5" Another thing to consider the Hampton also requires 18" hearth requirements in front of the loading door. The quad I believe is only 16"

Lots of planning Knowing as much as you can so there will not be unsuspected suprises. Down load the manuals read them then examine the actual location the insert is going to be installed

If you do not understand or run into a problem then post here someone will help you figure it out

 

[jtp10181]

We install a lot of the Quadrafire inserts (all models) it seems the only complaints I have gotten are from people not using it correctly. One person was trying to use wet sticks he found in the yard for kindling and basically making a smoke bomb. Another had burned wet wood and wet chunks of pine 6x6 all winter and his cap was totally plugged full of creosote.

 

[stick burner]

Welcome to the hearth First order of business is the actuall location of the stove. Just as important is the venting system, the engine that power the stove
We need some of your plans concerning the chimney and drafting.

Regency who manufactures Hampton is a quality manufacturer in fact one of the gold sponsors of the site. The Hampton is a very attractive insert and also very well made.

Quadra-fire is also a quality manufacturer. I think you sumized it right Newbie not understanding how to run their stove correctly Using lless than dry wood or poor installation like a direct connection and no damper plate will equate to poor preformance.

IF your final choice is between a Quad and a Hampton, You should come out a winner no matter what stove you end up with. IF it turns out to be the Hampton make sure you purchase the flue collar adapter. IF your flue is a tight fit for getting a 6" liner The Hampton does spec using either a 6" line( Full length liners) or 5.5" Another thing to consider the Hampton also requires 18" hearth requirements in front of the loading door. The quad I believe is only 16"

Lots of planning Knowing as much as you can so there will not be unsuspected suprises. Down load the manuals read them then examine the actual location the insert is going to be installed

If you do not understand or run into a problem then post here someone will help you figure it out

Elk,
Location of stove is in the den, which if fairly open on each end and goes to the rest of the living area at one end and to the hall way to the bedrooms on the other end. It's a ranch style home with good windows and insulations. Matter of fact, house has 2x6 studing, not 2x4. Home is not new...built around 1980, but in great shape. Den is nearly dead center of home...front to back, side to side. Couldn't ask for a better location. I am not going to install stove. Will have dealer do that and they seem to know what they are talking about. HOWEVER, would like your opinion on how to set it up. The chimney is lava rock.
Fireplace opening is 48w, 24d, 26t. Inside dimentions of chimney stack is about 12x12". Not sure on that, but it is plenty big. New stove stack will run about 18ft in height from new stove connect to top of existiting lava rock chimney. Damper in fireplace is a problem...only about 5" wide when fully opened. Dealer said they would cut it out.

Still not sure on which stove I'll get. The Quad dealer seems a lot more informative than the Hampton, unfortunately. Might try the other Hampton dealerthat is about 150 miles away before all this is over. You know how this stove shopping goes! I'm driving the wife crazy. Got to get back to cooking that good ol' bbq...time for another log or two in the fire. I'm at the joint and Sunday is a busy day. Think we feed half this town.

Stickburner

 

[stick burner]

We install a lot of the Quadrafire inserts (all models) it seems the only complaints I have gotten are from people not using it correctly. One person was trying to use wet sticks he found in the yard for kindling and basically making a smoke bomb. Another had burned wet wood and wet chunks of pine 6x6 all winter and his cap was totally plugged full of creosote.

JTP
Totally agree with what you said. Now I'm thinking of moving on up from the 4100i to the 5100i if I get a Quadra. What ya think?
Back to the pit.

Stickburner

 

[jtp10181]

I don't have my own wood unit, and I'm not a sales person. I can't do much for helping you decide unless you have technical questions. I am the guy that goes out after they plug their chimney full of creosote and have to try to explain why thier supposed "seasoned" wood is not dry enough.

All I know is the 5100 has a bigger box and you can put out more heat with it.

 

[restorer]

BeGreen, I'm located in Carlsbad New Mexico. How dumb, sorry I didn't state that in my first post. However, I was born and raised in Louisiana. Thanks for the info. on Hampton. Had gone to that site, but didn't look hard enough for the details, I guess. LittleSmokey, I cook with Pecan wood. Lots of it around here...climate supports it very well and a great smoking wood. I cook brisket, pork butt, turkey, ham, sausage, St. Louis cut ribs, and chicken at my restaurant. Sell over 2,500lbs. a week . My pits are a J&R 700 Oyler, and a J&R 250 Smoke Master. No, never smoked Basque sausage. Mostly Kielbasa. Will use seasoned Pecan wood in my insert, along with a little Juniper to kick start it. I'm usually up and gone way before the sun comes up to fire the pits, but am taking tomorrow off, so I'm up late tonight playing. Have two assistant pit masters besides me. One has been with me for over 15 years and is really good. The other one is pretty good, but I'm still working with him on ribs. He'll get there, it just takes a lot of time to learn this art and do it to perfection day in a day out. Got some good green Hickory wood from one of my cooking buds in North Carolina. Sent it to me in the mail (about 50 lbs. ). Might cook a couple of tri-tips in one of my home pits tomorrow and use that good ol' hickory for the smoke. Dat be real good man! Really want to get my insert soon and beat the "fall rush". Think this is a good time to buy one and get it installed.

Stick Burner

Welcome to the forum stick burner...

Glad to see someone "from a different locale joining in the forum".

Wanna trade some bats for some firewood??? lol J/k... Bet in your locale mosquitos aren't much of a problem (or any other flying insects for that matter)...lol

Keyman:
We have more from the mountains of New Mexico than Utah, and maybe Colorado, are you bucking for the tri-tip recipe?

 

[stick burner]

Uncle Rich,

It seems that Keyman was more interested in trading bats for firewood than anything else. Dat ain't no big deal...shore can do dat. Just take a few dozen bats (remember, day kinda skinny), sear' em off till kinda brown, cook wid beef broth till kinda tenda, den add some of dem sweet tater, sweet onion, chilpotle peppers, maybe a liddle bell pepper and cherly and cook a liddle mor. Pour over homemade cornbrean. Now you got a real southern louisiana/new mexico suppa. To keep this stove related, make sure you cook dem bats in a large cast iron pot on a wood burning stove set to low/medium heat. You might hafe to add a difusser under dat pot...one or two tiles dat you saved from your new tile floor your wife made you install works good. UUMM...in stead of cornbread, some of dat sticky rice from louisian works really good too. You fix dat up real good and dat woman you live wid might be purty good to you when dat sun goes down. Dat for sure!

Stickburner

 

[restorer]

Uncle Rich,

It seems that Keyman was more interested in trading bats for firewood than anything else. Dat ain't no big deal...shore can do dat. Just take a few dozen bats (remember, day kinda skinny), sear' em off till kinda brown, cook wid beef broth till kinda tenda, den add some of dem sweet tater, sweet onion, chilpotle peppers, maybe a liddle bell pepper and cherly and cook a liddle mor. Pour over homemade cornbrean. Now you got a real southern louisian/new mexico suppa. To keep this stove related, make sure you cook dem bats in a large cast iron pot on a wood burning stove set to low/medium heat. You might hafe to add a difusser under dat pot...one or two tiles dat you saved from your new tile floor your wife made you install works good. UUMM...in stead of cornbread, some of dat sticky rice from louisian works really good too. You fix dat up real good and dat woman you live wid might be purty good to you when dat sun goes down. Dat for sure!

Stickburner

OK Stick, you got me sucked in. I used to sense BBQ's, I took a vacation to Texas and found a place in the middle of nowhere that had the best chicken I have ever had. Had corn bread to, regular and family. Family had pepper and garlic, cooked in cast iron skillets and they'd brown it, if you wanted.

Went to grad school at ASU in Tempe, Az. Found a place on county line that I swear I could smell six blocks away...... The meat was good, but he made the best slaw I have ever eaten, better than York, PA farmers market, or Batavia , New York's craut fest. Then I did business in San Mateo, Ca. a town that shuts down at 8:00pm, but the trade show ended at 9:00. Found a place that was a hole in the wall, had lunch three days in a row and got to know the owner. Asked how many customers he'd need to have to stay open to feed us. Being a Creole, he spoke your written. So, For two years we let him know when we would be there and there were twenty to fifty diners. He made things California didn't understand.... Had the best red beans and rice, ever so hot we each got a pitcher of beer to cool the fire. First time I had deep fried sweet potato in a hot pepper corn batter with a buttermilk sauce, I can't describe.

So, I'm warning you, I may have to make a road trip if you tease the tastes enough.

By the way, the best Mexican food I have ever had was in a small town in Central New York. They came to build a Miller Brewery as a brew master, from Central Mexico. Her daily's came by plane from Albuquerque and her meat came locally. Organic dairy and the absolute best goat cheese I have ever had.


Ina's is gone, she passed ten years ago, and I have sought out her progeny. Not yet.


So to bring this all back to the hearth. Wood is used to bring pleasure, not just to heat. We smoke meat in closed stoves across America, some do open flame smoking, like in the long lodges cooking salmon and ling code on cedar boards in Oregon, Washington, and Western Canada. They weren't cooked as some kind of exotic method, but as the day to day technique or a specialty/ceremonial process. Next time you go to your local taco stand and ask for a burrito, ask them to burn the torritias and see what happens

 

[littlesmokey]

U.UMMHHH. I'm ready for a road trip. Meet you at the truck stop, I'll drive

 

[GVA]

Uncle Rich,

It seems that Keyman was more interested in trading bats for firewood than anything else. Dat ain't no big deal...shore can do dat. Just take a few dozen bats (remember, day kinda skinny), sear' em off till kinda brown, cook wid beef broth till kinda tenda, den add some of dem sweet tater, sweet onion, chilpotle peppers, maybe a liddle bell pepper and cherly and cook a liddle mor. Pour over homemade cornbrean. Now you got a real southern louisian/new mexico suppa. To keep this stove related, make sure you cook dem bats in a large cast iron pot on a wood burning stove set to low/medium heat. You might hafe to add a difusser under dat pot...one or two tiles dat you saved from your new tile floor your wife made you install works good. UUMM...in stead of cornbread, some of dat sticky rice from louisian works really good too. You fix dat up real good and dat woman you live wid might be purty good to you when dat sun goes down. Dat for sure!

Stickburner

I'm sure you originally being from weezyanna you know how to cook some Blackened Gator....MMMMMMMMMM
Hey the rest of you don't knock it till you've tried it

 

[littlesmokey]

Uncle Rich,

It seems that Keyman was more interested in trading bats for firewood than anything else. Dat ain't no big deal...shore can do dat. Just take a few dozen bats (remember, day kinda skinny), sear' em off till kinda brown, cook wid beef broth till kinda tenda, den add some of dem sweet tater, sweet onion, chilpotle peppers, maybe a liddle bell pepper and cherly and cook a liddle mor. Pour over homemade cornbrean. Now you got a real southern louisian/new mexico suppa. To keep this stove related, make sure you cook dem bats in a large cast iron pot on a wood burning stove set to low/medium heat. You might hafe to add a difusser under dat pot...one or two tiles dat you saved from your new tile floor your wife made you install works good. UUMM...in stead of cornbread, some of dat sticky rice from louisian works really good too. You fix dat up real good and dat woman you live wid might be purty good to you when dat sun goes down. Dat for sure!

Stickburner

I'm sure you originally being from weezyanna you know how to cook some Blackened Gator....MMMMMMMMMM
Hey the rest of you don't knock it till you've tried it

Word has it, sort of like rattle snake, but saltier. Is that true? Personally don't eat meat that starts out at room temperature.

 

[stick burner]

Uncle Rich,

It seems that Keyman was more interested in trading bats for firewood than anything else. Dat ain't no big deal...shore can do dat. Just take a few dozen bats (remember, day kinda skinny), sear' em off till kinda brown, cook wid beef broth till kinda tenda, den add some of dem sweet tater, sweet onion, chilpotle peppers, maybe a liddle bell pepper and cherly and cook a liddle mor. Pour over homemade cornbrean. Now you got a real southern louisian/new mexico suppa. To keep this stove related, make sure you cook dem bats in a large cast iron pot on a wood burning stove set to low/medium heat. You might hafe to add a difusser under dat pot...one or two tiles dat you saved from your new tile floor your wife made you install works good. UUMM...in stead of cornbread, some of dat sticky rice from louisian works really good too. You fix dat up real good and dat woman you live wid might be purty good to you when dat sun goes down. Dat for sure!

Stickburner

OK Stick, you got me sucked in. I used to sense BBQ's, I took a vacation to Texas and found a place in the middle of nowhere that had the best chicken I have ever had. Had corn bread to, regular and family. Family had pepper and garlic, cooked in cast iron skillets and they'd brown it, if you wanted.

Went to grad school at ASU in Tempe, Az. Found a place on county line that I swear I could smell six blocks away...... The meat was good, but he made the best slaw I have ever eaten, better than York, PA farmers market, or Batavia , New York's craut fest. Then I did business in San Mateo, Ca. a town that shuts down at 8:00pm, but the trade show ended at 9:00. Found a place that was a hole in the wall, had lunch three days in a row and got to know the owner. Asked how many customers he'd need to have to stay open to feed us. Being a Creole, he spoke your written. So, For two years we let him know when we would be there and there were twenty to fifty diners. He made things California didn't understand.... Had the best red beans and rice, ever so hot we each got a pitcher of beer to cool the fire. First time I had deep fried sweet potato in a hot pepper corn batter with a buttermilk sauce, I can't describe.

So, I'm warning you, I may have to make a road trip if you tease the tastes enough.

By the way, the best Mexican food I have ever had was in a small town in Central New York. They came to build a Miller Brewery as a brew master, from Central Mexico. Her daily's came by plane from Albuquerque and her meat came locally. Organic dairy and the absolute best goat cheese I have ever had.


Ina's is gone, she passed ten years ago, and I have sought out her progeny. Not yet.


So to bring this all back to the hearth. Wood is used to bring pleasure, not just to heat. We smoke meat in closed stoves across America, some do open flame smoking, like in the long lodges cooking salmon and ling code on cedar boards in Oregon, Washington, and Western Canada. They weren't cooked as some kind of exotic method, but as the day to day technique or a specialty/ceremonial process. Next time you go to your local taco stand and ask for a burrito, ask them to burn the torritias and see what happens

Uncle Rich,
I'd be happy to fix you up with some really good food and you sure won't leave hungry. Come see me...I'd love to have you visit. I've helped people from all over the U.S., a couple from South America & one from Canada (Jim Beauchamp) learn the "true" art of bbq. I was going to be on Food TV (Bobby Flay BBQ America) a couple of years ago, but they pulled out at the last minute....long story but will tell you if this forum will allow it. In addition to pit bbq, I fix some mean Cajun food along with just plain ol' southern cooking (comfort food). Have a dedicated cast iron skillet that I make my buttermilk cornbread in. Nothing else is made in it. God help the person that ever messes with that skillet.

Not trying to brag, but since we are talking about food, look up my name on Yahoo search. Just punch in" Danny Gaulden". Guess I will come up on the other search engines too, I use Yahoo. I also have a web-site for bbq cooks. It's "dannysbbq.com. " If you're cooking bbq, think my site will help you. Spent many, many a year learning what I can tell you in a few minutes of reading. Man, if they only had the internet when I first started out in bbq as a young buck. What a blessing to Newbies.

Got to talk stoves here or BeGreen will kick me off! Am having a really hard time deciding on an insert. Sure that happens with a bunch of us when it comes to buying a new stove. At this time, the Quadra folks are more informative, knowledgeable, and friendly, but sure want to look at a hi300 Hampton. The closest Hamtpon dealer was in Hobbs, NM, and they knew nothing about nothing. Might call the dealer in Ruidoso, NM. Think they might be a lot more reputably since they are in the mountains where the air is cool and one sells a lot of stoves. Either way I'm sure either one will be a great choice.

Got to go eat my supper now. All the family has eaten except me. Made fried pork chops, fried squash with onions and green chilies, navy beans with ham hocks, buttermilk cornbread, and sliced up a couple of good fresh tomatoes and a Texas sweet onion. Bet dem beans would have tasted betta if cooked slow on an ol' wood stove top. Ah yea!

Ol' Stickburner

P.S. You're in SLC right? Got a friend there that has a bbq joint. You need to stop by and eat with him. His name is "T". Tell him his is good, but you ate with this redneck cajun in Carlsbad that was better. He'll go crazy. The name of his joint is Q4U.

 

[restorer]

Stick:
I will reply to you all later, but I have been to QforU a lot, but they have move or something, and I can't find them. I always ask for sauce on the side, because they are generous. May need to change the Fall travel schedule, know of any exotic wood dealers your way? Not to burn, but to turn........Good grief what an internet site

 

[webbie]

RE: Stove Reviews and Draft.....

It is very possible that certain stoves require a stronger chimney to function properly. This brings us back to EPA and other tests which are NOT done with regular firewood as you might use. So what works in the lab is not always right for your home.

In the reviews and ratings section, people are reporting their overall experience, which includes chimney, wood, dealer, manufacturer and model.

As Elk mentions, the venting system is perhaps the most important part of an installation. Some things cannot be helped, others can. Here is a good article on the house pressure situations which can affect stove operation....a bit long and technical, but worth reading.

http://www.rcs-web.com/howto/howto_fireplaces.html

 

[stick burner]

RE: Stove Reviews and Draft.....

It is very possible that certain stoves require a stronger chimney to function properly. This brings us back to EPA and other tests which are NOT done with regular firewood as you might use. So what works in the lab is not always right for your home.

In the reviews and ratings section, people are reporting their overall experience, which includes chimney, wood, dealer, manufacturer and model.

As Elk mentions, the venting system is perhaps the most important part of an installation. Some things cannot be helped, others can. Here is a good article on the house pressure situations which can affect stove operation....a bit long and technical, but worth reading.

http://www.rcs-web.com/howto/howto_fireplaces.html

Thanks Craig. I think I'm in really good shape for the venting system. Nice to know!

Stickburner

 

[jpl1nh]

Alright, I'm hungry and this thread ain't helpin. My philosophy is that if someone els ate it, liked it, and lived! I'll try it. Bout the only things I've eaten that I didn't particularly care for were monkey brains, steak tartar, turnips by themselves, and old liver. Oh yeah, this is a stove forum...mmmm! Gotta go cook some bluefish.

 

[littlesmokey]

Well, I am so intrigued by the smokers. I didn't realize they were manufacturers, thought they were all custom made. Do you smoke first and then sauce at service, or are you a marinater, seasoner/rub, and let the juices run? I really love the flavor of slow cooked, naturally flavored food. You are so close to the best peppers in the world, and some of the new/old organic onions, too bad Garlic doesn't grow in the dry heat. Pecan says you are Louisiana based or Georgia, but you seem to care by tending your fire.

To you who belly ache about having to tweak your stove, think about doing it full time. When I lived in Syracuse, New York a Cajun transplant neighbor would fire up his stove on Saturdays during the Summer to earn a few extra bucks. You could smell it for blocks. I used to take the morning coffee and a ten dollar bill over and tell him I'd be back at six. I never knew what he'd fix, but it didn't matter. I'd make slaw, do some potato wedges and even some sweet potatoes. I'd find some local sweet corn, get a sourdough loaf from the local baker and ask friends to bring some great drinks and be at the house no later than 6:30. What a meal. Once I got 10 lbs of stuffed pork chops you could cut with a spoon.

He moved, I moved and now he's in Minnesota and I'm in Idaho.

 

[BrotherBart]

Ok, now y'all done gone talkin Acadian food and causin me to whomp up one a dem Cajun food stories.

I visited one of our petrochemical plants for a week down on the Gulf Coast one time. A highly liked employee was in the hospital and the majority Cajun population at the plant had a big eating blow-out planned for his first day back at work. He was delayed getting out of the hospital and they went right on without him and it was like they never noticed the guest of honor wasn't there.

The important thing was the food and the party. He was just the excuse.

I qarontee.

 

[stick burner]

Well, I am so intrigued by the smokers. I didn't realize they were manufacturers, thought they were all custom made. Do you smoke first and then sauce at service, or are you a marinater, seasoner/rub, and let the juices run? I really love the flavor of slow cooked, naturally flavored food. You are so close to the best peppers in the world, and some of the new/old organic onions, too bad Garlic doesn't grow in the dry heat. Pecan says you are Louisiana based or Georgia, but you seem to care by tending your fire.

To you who belly ache about having to tweak your stove, think about doing it full time. When I lived in Syracuse, New York a Cajun transplant neighbor would fire up his stove on Saturdays during the Summer to earn a few extra bucks. You could smell it for blocks. I used to take the morning coffee and a ten dollar bill over and tell him I'd be back at six. I never knew what he'd fix, but it didn't matter. I'd make slaw, do some potato wedges and even some sweet potatoes. I'd find some local sweet corn, get a sourdough loaf from the local baker and ask friends to bring some great drinks and be at the house no later than 6:30. What a meal. Once I got 10 lbs of stuffed pork chops you could cut with a spoon.

He moved, I moved and now he's in Minnesota and I'm in Idaho.

LittleSmokey,
There are probably many more bbq pit makers out there than stove makers! It's unbelieable how far the art of bbq has come in the past few years. Yes, I smoke my meats for many hours (brisket the longest...12 hours or so). We hand rub the meat the night before, then cook the next morning. We chunk logs all day long. No sauce on my meat, or marinade. Good real pit bbq stands up deliciously own its own. We bring our special made sauce to your table in a squirt bottle, and you sauce it if you like it. Hey, I just ordered my stove! Will post about it in a little while. See ya.

Stickburner