If You’re Lookin’ You ain’t Cookin’

Troy Smith loves to cook. So much so, he has his own channel on YouTube all about his cooking adventures. So when it became clear he needed a quality barbecue pit to add to his cooking gear, he really did his research.

Yoder is the only company that has a lifetime warranty against rust-through on the offset smokers. And the turnaround time is only 6 to 8 weeks. Between the warranty and quick delivery, and on top of the manufacturing quality, Troy was sold on Yoder. His Wichita offset smoker was delivered April 18, 2014, just three days after the manufacture date. And it arrived fully loaded.

The Loaded Wichita has several features that most people order with their offset grills. These include: cooking door counterweight, heat management plate and 2nd level slide-out shelf. Troy’s Wichita also came with a charcoal grate in the cooking chamber along with two probe ports at the end of the chamber. He also added a propane log starter and the Wichita cover. Finally, Troy added “Yoder Smoker” metal plate welded between the legs at the smokestack end so everyone would know this was the real deal.

Troy uses his backyard grill a lot. Between March and November he cooks about five to ten days out of the month if not more. During the winter months, he cooks on it once or twice a month. “My YouTube fans really enjoy watching me cook on my Wichita,” says Troy.

“Ole Wichita sure can cook up some mighty fine BBQ!”

Troy says his best cook involved a wrap test of USDA prime briskets from famed Lobel’s of New York. Around 5 am Troy loaded up the Wichita with pecan wood and prepped the briskets with a simple Texas rub of salt and pepper. Once the Wichita was at the right temperature, he put each of the three briskets on and waited for his friends (from YouTube) to arrive. “The smell of smoke and the briskets wafting through the air was intoxicating,” said Troy.

When the briskets hit the stall, he left one as it was and wrapped the other two. One was wrapped in butcher paper, the other in foil. Troy pulled the brisket off when the internal temp was 198° Farenheit or when it felt tender to the touch. He let the brisket rest for two to three hours then everyone tasted the briskets on camera and gave their opinions as to flavor, bark, texture and tenderness of the meat. Each was outstanding in it’s own way. And being able to share this cook with his YouTube friends made it all the more special.

The secret to cooking on a Yoder Smoker? Troy says the key to excellent barbecue is knowing your pit.

“It will take you five to six cooks to learn your pit and get it to do what you want it to,” he says, “but once you learn your pit, you will be impressing friends and family with that fine tasting BBQ only a Yoder Smoker can make.”

Why an offset instead of a pellet grill?

“Pellet grills are fantastic for those who don’t have the time, or desire, to tend a fire on an offset during a long cook or for those wanting to step up their game from a gas or charcoal grill,” Troy explains

Troy said that every type of grill has its place and each is great for what they are capable of doing. In his opinion, Troy says that pellet grills don’t give you nearly the same “smokehouse” flavor in the meat that the Yoder offset pits will generate. That’s why Troy cooks with the Wichita offset grill.

If you’ve been looking for the perfect smoker for your home, Troy would tell you, if you’re lookin’ you ain’t cookin!
So give us a call and let us help you choose the perfect cooker.