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Oklahoma Joe's

KingTM

All Big 10
5 Year Member
I have an opportunity to buy a brand new Oklahoma Joe Bandera smoker for $165. Anybody have experience with this particular smoker?
 
I have an opportunity to buy a brand new Oklahoma Joe Bandera smoker for $165. Anybody have experience with this particular smoker?

Never seen or used one but did look up some info on it. looks like a great price especially new. I would be a bit concerned with heat variance from rack to rack but for that price i am sure you could figure that out in time. Also keep in mind (not sure where you live) but wind and cold will be a factor on a tall side load.
 
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Never seen or used one but did look up some info on it. looks like a great price especially new. I would be a bit concerned with heat variance from rack to rack but for that price i am sure you could figure that out in time. Also keep in mind (not sure where you live) but wind and cold will be a factor on a tall side load.
Yeah, I think I'm gonna hold off a bit longer. I'm hoping to get started on finishing my basement soon and, if I can swing it, I'd like to build in an outdoor kitchen kind of deal on my patio that would include a smoker when I do it. In the meantime, I've been making some killer BBQ on my Weber kettle with the snake method, albeit in smaller quantities.
 
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Bought a Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn Combo about a year ago and just can't figure out how to control the heat on the smoker side. I've had multiple outside issues that have effected things (distractions like a runaway dog, kid in a car accident, ran out of texasing wood, etc.) but yesterday was no distractions and I still kept getting spikes over 300. Ribs turned out OK, but would have been much better at a lower heat. I'm guessing the smoker box chamber is just too small, but can't rule out user error. Anyone else use one of these?
 



Bought a Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn Combo about a year ago and just can't figure out how to control the heat on the smoker side. I've had multiple outside issues that have effected things (distractions like a runaway dog, kid in a car accident, ran out of texasing wood, etc.) but yesterday was no distractions and I still kept getting spikes over 300. Ribs turned out OK, but would have been much better at a lower heat. I'm guessing the smoker box chamber is just too small, but can't rule out user error. Anyone else use one of these?

I had a smoker similar to this years ago and could never get it to cook at desired temp. That said i am of very little help on this one.
 
Bought a Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn Combo about a year ago and just can't figure out how to control the heat on the smoker side. I've had multiple outside issues that have effected things (distractions like a runaway dog, kid in a car accident, ran out of texasing wood, etc.) but yesterday was no distractions and I still kept getting spikes over 300. Ribs turned out OK, but would have been much better at a lower heat. I'm guessing the smoker box chamber is just too small, but can't rule out user error. Anyone else use one of these?

I think a lot of it is trial and error. Getting the initial fire the right size so you aren't starting off too hot, and then adjusting the vents until the temp stabilizes. I have a Kamodo Joe where the fire is directly below the racks, and I was having issues with the fire whenever I would cook something fatty. Now I pretty much have it down, but I still watch it the first hour or so.
 
I think a lot of it is trial and error. Getting the initial fire the right size so you aren't starting off too hot, and then adjusting the vents until the temp stabilizes. I have a Kamodo Joe where the fire is directly below the racks, and I was having issues with the fire whenever I would cook something fatty. Now I pretty much have it down, but I still watch it the first hour or so.

I've almost run the course with 'trial and error', so I'm not sure there isn't another issue. I'll keep trying...because even the 'failures' still taste pretty damned good and I will typically beat my head against a wall until I lose consciousness or the wall goes down.

I've got a Kamodo Joe as well and had some of the same issues until I figured it out. Only took a couple of tries and I had it down. I guess that's what I get for buying something with 'Oklahoma' in it's brand name.
 
I've almost run the course with 'trial and error', so I'm not sure there isn't another issue. I'll keep trying...because even the 'failures' still taste pretty damned good and I will typically beat my head against a wall until I lose consciousness or the wall goes down.

I've got a Kamodo Joe as well and had some of the same issues until I figured it out. Only took a couple of tries and I had it down. I guess that's what I get for buying something with 'Oklahoma' in it's brand name.

Ha ha. Look at it this way, at least you didn't start a ridiculously large fire in your smoker like I did. I actually had to use a fire extinguisher to put it out. That made me a little gun shy for a few months.
 



Ha ha. Look at it this way, at least you didn't start a ridiculously large fire in your smoker like I did. I actually had to use a fire extinguisher to put it out. That made me a little gun shy for a few months.

I actually lived that one. My first side fire box smoker was a crappy, Walmart turd I bought in South Texas when I was down there for a project. I didn't care if it lasted more than the 10 months I had left on the job and just wanted to try one of these things. Everything was fine the first few times out, but I got a little rambunctious with the fire and ended up getting the fire box so hot it split right at the weld...which was strategically located on the underside in the center of the fire box. That's when I bought my first Oklahoma Joe's. Loved that thing. Made it through three more projects over three different states until some heartless dick stole it out of my back yard in Richmond. It's replacement is decent from a quality standpoint, but that old smoker was a beast.
 
I actually lived that one. My first side fire box smoker was a crappy, Walmart turd I bought in South Texas when I was down there for a project. I didn't care if it lasted more than the 10 months I had left on the job and just wanted to try one of these things. Everything was fine the first few times out, but I got a little rambunctious with the fire and ended up getting the fire box so hot it split right at the weld...which was strategically located on the underside in the center of the fire box. That's when I bought my first Oklahoma Joe's. Loved that thing. Made it through three more projects over three different states until some heartless dick stole it out of my back yard in Richmond. It's replacement is decent from a quality standpoint, but that old smoker was a beast.

I had gotten a little slack with cleaning the Komodo so there was a lot of grease build up on the ceramic heat shield. That day I was putting on 2 shoulders, and I had a big fire going. It was really windy, and I put the shoulders on and went back inside. About 10 minutes later, I noticed way too much smoke coming from the smoker and checked on it. The entire inside of the Kamodo, including the dome, was engulfed in flame. I took off the shoulders to save them, and was going to try to let the fire burn out, but the temp was over 800 at that point. I had to use the fire extinguisher. Needless to say, I do a much better job of cleaning it now.
 
I had gotten a little slack with cleaning the Komodo so there was a lot of grease build up on the ceramic heat shield. That day I was putting on 2 shoulders, and I had a big fire going. It was really windy, and I put the shoulders on and went back inside. About 10 minutes later, I noticed way too much smoke coming from the smoker and checked on it. The entire inside of the Kamodo, including the dome, was engulfed in flame. I took off the shoulders to save them, and was going to try to let the fire burn out, but the temp was over 800 at that point. I had to use the fire extinguisher. Needless to say, I do a much better job of cleaning it now.

Three Mile Island kind of meltdown if you'd have nodded off on the couch. Nice save.
 



Three Mile Island kind of meltdown if you'd have nodded off on the couch. Nice save.

My laziness actually paid off. Normally I would have put my smoker in the backyard, but because that damn Kamodo is so heavy, I didn't feel like moving it so I keep it in the garage and then wheel it out in the driveway. If that thing had been on my deck or anywhere near my house, there would have been major problems. Now, whenever it's really windy, I stay out there until I know the temp has stabilized.
 

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