We’ve had dozens of cookers of the years and here are the ones we use at home. See the Resources section for purchasing information. If you buy a grill (such as a Weber, Primo, Hasty Bake, or PK Grill) to do double-duty as a smoker, make sure it has a hinged grate to make it easier to add coals and wood during cooking. For a selection of our favorite pits for cooking whole hog, see page 323.
Ole Hickory Ace MM The MM stands for Mike Mills, and this model is a premium piece of equipment for the super enthusiast. A home or competition version of the large cookers we use in our restaurants, this charcoal- and wood-burning insulated cooker has a built-in fan system. With 19.51 square feet of cooking space, it is so well insulated that it will hold a specified temperature for up to 6 hours. It’s designed to not go above 275°.
Cowboy Cauldron These impressive cauldrons also double as fire pits and really look great in your backyard. Designed for live-fire cooking, you can smoke on these simply by using a lid from a kettle cooker.
Primo Kamado Ceramic cookers are available at varying price points and quality. We particularly like the Primo because its oval shape offers more usable cooking area than a round cooker. Primo uses the highest grade of ceramic available and their cookers offer superior heat, moisture retention, and temperature control. These lifetime pieces of equipment are low maintenance, and they’re made to live outdoors.
Weber Summit Charcoal Series This new model has all the bells and whistles. There’s a firing mechanism so you don’t have to use a charcoal chimney, an adjustable hinged grate, and all sorts of extras. The real selling point is that it’s insulated with air, so you can take the heat down much more easily than you can with any other cooker.
Red Box Smoker Small and affordable, this insulated, double-walled, reverse-flow smoker is perfect for the terrace or deck of an apartment or as an addition to your cooker arsenal. Don’t let the size fool you, though. The three racks can accommodate four slabs of ribs, two small brisket flats, two Boston butts, or three split chickens.
Pit Barrel Cooker Affordable and easy to use, this 30-gallon drum cooks consistently good barbecue via the hanging method. The meat is suspended in the center of the heat, allowing even cooking and a smoky fog created by the juices that drip directly on the coals. A grate attachment lets you cook steaks and burgers. The barrel is coated with porcelain enamel to make it durable and weather resistant.