British BBQ Society Forums

Hi Keith,

Yes good point about the pictures, no idea why it decided to cut off the last bit but anyway not too important.
So you are getting a Pro Q Excel 20 as we speak (in the mail)? I certainly agree with you about the brand name of Weber. A few summers ago I worked in a garden centre selling BBQ's and the Weber's finish was much nicer then other brands. I feel I need to actually see a Pro Q Excel 20 and a Weber together. Does anyobdy know of any BBQ shops in the Hertfordshire area? I can go visit the one in Southampton as my aunt lives there but just in case I wonder if there are any near me.

The extra functionality of the Excel with its extra stacking units, handles, locking stackers (knowing my luck!!) and temperature eyelets will all come in very useful and the Weber is slightly bigger smoking area wise and the build quality will undoubtedly be better but it is more expensive.

There is a great BBQ shop on the A1 on the way to Bedfordshire (Bedfordshire BBQ would you believe?) but they don't do smokers as such. They are very knowledgeable about grilling and are my "local" stockist for heatbeads, but I've seen VERY little regarding smokers in their shop. The only time I've seen smokers in action to compare them was at Rudgewick, and I dare say the next time I find them both at the same place will be the next comp we visit.
I daresay that if you were to PM the other contributers who have used both you could, maybe, possibly, eventually arrange to meet and ply them with alcohol/coffee and pick their brains. I suppose that it all depends if you are looking for home/domestic use (taking the smoker on holiday etc), competition or commercial "I love to stay up at nights AND WAKE UP EARLY" type people (no offense ladies & gents). Where are you based re your query about Herts?

I'm not sure about the WSM being bigger, bear in mind the Excel has two stackers and can, money proivided, be extended by purchasing extra stacker units.

Hi Keith,

Yes thats a good idea on both fronts. I live in Watford, Hertfordshire. I really am looking more and more towards the Excel but I have now realised that Pro Q make a stacker unit for the WSM so that would be an option, an expensive one.

Just to clear something up, the Excel has two grill grates as standard along with the hanging hooks from the lid yes?
Are you saying that the WSM only have one grill grate or does it has two as well?


Thanks to all

Ok Ive found the answer, yes it has two grill gates as I thought. The WSM can be a 22.5 inch or 57cm diameter smoker whereas the Excel 20 is 20 inches across, 50cm

I own an Excel 20, with 3 stackers (although I seldom use all 3), and I love it for all the reasons stated by Dr. Al. Having temperature probe eyelets at each level is wonderful, and the stackers make everything so much easier than with a WSM. I have done 4 pork butts of about 8 pounds each, using 2 stackers. When the ones on the lower level were close to being done, I rotated the stackers to get the upper ones closer to the heat (the top stacker is 10 to 20 degrees F cooler than the bottom stacker). Just switching stackers is so easy. With the WSM, you have to remove the top grill and set it aside somewhere, then reach down to lift the lower grill out, set it down somewhere, then put the first one on the bottom and the second one on the top. You lose all your heat and letting so much air to the coals can produce a huge temperature spike.

The WSM is stingier with charcoal, but I can still get almost 7 hours of constant temperatures on the Excel 20.

This is all good information guys and following a reply to my email from Ian at ProQ I think I am ready to order a brand new Excel 20. Thanks for all your advice/opinions guys. I will post up pictures of it when it arrives along with the first food to be cooked on it, 2.5kg slab of Meaty Ribs!!

Alex

Hi Doc,

I sure will have lots of the questions. I just love the idea of setting up the smoker on a weekend morning, doing some other things and then coming back to it around lunch time and having delicious food all ready and waiting.

Here is my first question.

How often should I check the temperature gauge when smoking ribs if I want to smoke then for 6 hours at 225 a good idea?
I take it the answer to the above varies a lot depending on what your cooking but lets say ribs for now.
Can anyone give me a list of what to do for the perfect ribs? I heard spraying with apple juice helps every hour or so?
As as aside I am sure this has been covered many a time but I can't figure out the search on this forum?? It keeps saying my words are too common ??

Just my two'penneth...

What I do is :

Night before cooking I remove the membrane from the ribs, apply the rub, wrap them in clingfilm and then into the fridge.

On the day of cooking I get the ribs out of the fridge and leave them to come to room temp for an hour or so.

Light the smoker (Pro Q E20) and get it to around 200°F add the wood and once a nice smoke is going put the ribs on the smoker.

Leave for three hours, adding more lit charcoal and/or wood to keep at about 200°F

After three hours I take the ribs off and wrap them in foil with a little BBQ sauce made from apple juice, cider vinegar and the rub

Then it's back onto the smoker at about 200°F for another two hours, again adding lit charcoal if needed.

After two hours I take the ribs out of the foil and mix in the BBQ sauce and juices from the foil into some shop bought (I like the Newmans brand) BBQ sauce.

The ribs then go back onto the smoker at about 200°F (if it's hotter it doesn't really matter) without the foil and I baste them every 15 mins or so with the BBQ sauce for an hour.
(Adding lit charcoal and wood if needed)

After this last hour I take them, slice them and serve them.

That's my 3-2-1 process.

Daft question No. 1 of a series of at least 50+. When you take your ribs off to foil them, how long do they stay off the heat?
I also take it you don't subscribe to the Minion method (not that I know much about that..........yet)

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your help and advice. I ordered the Excel 20 from forfoodsmokers as they seemed to have the best price and they included a free stainless steel smoking box and two bags of wood chips, hopefully it will arrive today .

I will post up when I have some more questions.