Biloxi Offset BBQ Pit Barrel Smoker

I read all of the reviews before buying this smoker and they proved really helpful. Where people stated that it leaked smoke, I simply bought some high temperature felt gasket and put it around the parts that I was attaching and the doors. This worked a treat and the leakage of smoke was minimal.I was also nervous about the instructions being in German. This proved nothing to worry about as the diagram was very clear and it went together easily. The only issue I had was cutting a finger when I picked up on section of the smoker as the edges were sharp.Once together I spent some time admiring my workmanship, and then got to work. The smoking process takes a bit of time to get used to and internet research paid off in abundance, as did researching recipes for rubs and bbq sauce.As long as you research, the only way you can go wrong is to over cook the meat. I would also recommend purchasing a charcoal chimney to get some more coals going before you put them on (putting fresh coals straight on gives the meat a charcoal taste - researched on the net :o) )Once the temp dropped I chucked some more coals on and repeated the process every 2 hours.If you want a smoker and don't want to spend a fortune, this is the smoker for you. I can't recommend it highly enough.Remember though, do your homework!!One final comment before you get bored. Invest in some foil trays and put them at the bottom of the smoker in both sections. One will catch the ash, the others will catch the fat whilst allowing you to put some water in them to put some moisture back in to the meats.

Second time I’ve bought this, great bit of kit. Last one lasted 10 years but decided it had its day.Only issue second time round was a couple of screws and a bolt missing. Could do with the customer services number for replacements as the missus kindly binned the instructions for me 👍

This is a great 'first timer' smoker for those venturing out into the world of BBQ and smoking.I first saw this product on sale in Homebase but they only had the display model left. After checking online, I saw it was cheaper on Amazon and ordered it here.The construction of the BBQ is fairly solid. It's a lot more robust than some of the other offset smokers I've seen (such as the Landmann offset smoker at a similar price - although the design looks very similar).It does require to people to assemble as it's a little bit awkward to build, but with a friend, mine was fully assembled in 45 mins.There's a handy shelf on the front and despite the smokers weight, it's quite easy to manoeuvre around with the side handle.The smoking/cooking chamber itself is a good size. There was plenty of width/length space for a water pan, a large joint of meat and still space left!If you are planning on smoking huge joints of meat (we did a 5kg pork shoulder), it may be worth removing the warming shelf in the smoking chamber - it was about 2cm too low and was pushing on our pork!Quality wise, it's ok - whilst it's heavy and the build feels solid, after a couple of uses, I have noticed some of the paint peeling or bubbling on the bottom of the firebox (so I gave it a quick coat of oil which should help keep it rust free once it has been 'baked' on when cooking). However, for £75, if it lasts three years (which it will do easily), it's a bargain. I think next summer I will give it a top up coat on the exterior of high temperature paint.You may see a beige coloured Tepro cover in the "Bought with this item" section on Amazon - I recommend you buy it! One brief stint of rain and the small hinges on top of the firebox were showing small spots of orange rust (I cleaned and oiled it and it's fine now).Tepro recommenedA few tips for those who have bought (or are planning to buy this smoker):- do not expect to build and begin instantly. Once your smoker is assembled, you will need to season it for around 3 hours by coating the inside with cooking oil and then getting some lumpwood/briquettes going in the firebox (the temperature and full instructions for seasoning are included with this smoker). This will help increase the life of your smoker.- If you are struggling to get the temperature up for a slightly faster/hotter cook, leave the door on the side of the firebox ajar about 1cm (be careful to ensure your charcoal is not resting against it and doesn't fall out).- get a digital thermometer. My first experience smoking a pork shoulder, my friend brought around his digital probe thermometer (Therm-Pro TP20 - amazing, I think it's my next purchase) and mounted one probe to the inside of the smoking chamber next to the meat joint and one inside the pork shoulder. The chamber thermometer was reading very different to the lid thermometer in the smoker, which shows temperature inside the chamber varies.Overall, a great buy and at this price, you really can't go wrong!

I've used this across three summers and it is still going strong. 24-hour brisket on it is incredible. It holds a temperature fairly well and is very fuel-efficient. Lumpwood charcoal and the occasional bit of oak or cherry will keep it at a steady 225F if you slowly open up the intake and exhaust every hour or 90 minutes - that will last around 6 hours without needing more charcoal. The paint over the fire box of course disappeared fairly quickly. I just use the drippings that come out the bottom to protect the metal against rust once or twice a year. It is fairly small - if a whole brisket is on, there isn't room for much else beyond some sausages. I also use it for Christmas dinner - pigs in blankets and the like - as it functions well as a normal oven if you open up the vents. In fact, it can reach temperatures far in excess of a domestic oven, if you wish. It leaked a little smoke at first, but of course the creosote that builds up from smoking works as a sealing mechanism soon enough. This is not for people who expect perfection, but it works well as a simple tool for someone who'd like to smoke meat.