SI vs Traeger vs Keg - Round One Results are IN!!

[RG]

 

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[BedouinBob]

Can't wait.... 

[NDKoze]

Sounds like fun! I will be looking forward to seeing the results.

[Barrel99]

Can I buy tickets online?

[RG]

I posted this on the Keg Forum too. The boys over there are already smelling victory, lol. I am open minded enough to try new things. I told them the results just might surprise them

Of course, if I choose the SI#3 or the Traeger, they're going to say it was rigged, hahaha.

I don't belong to a Traeger forum at all, so it's just SI and Keg forums that will be privy to this.

It'll be a blind taste test and I actually am going to post pictures showing the food and I'll comment on the texture and moisture and I actually am going to have a poll, both here and at the Keg forum to allow votes on appearance (since y'all can't taste it).

Should be fun. It won't be this weekend but it will be coming sooner rather than later. Stay tuned!!

[RG]

Can I buy tickets online?

You're close enough to come see it live

[RG]

I'll tell you something, gentlemen. I've just learned a lot from my cohorts over at the Keg forum! They don't like this contest at all! You would think that I've just insulted their mama!

They are so close minded that I don't even think I'll clue them in as to the outcome of this little test. I love ALL of my cookers and since I have them, why not test them? Sometimes one thing cooks better than another. Nothing wrong with that. The homerism over there is too much for me and I own TWO kegs, lol. I am a Moderator and an Admin for that site, like DM is here. I am embarrassed by their behavior.

[NDKoze]

If I had the dough, I would have a whole deck full of different smokers and grills. My guess is that it could be a pretty close competition as I am sure both will put out some pretty good food.

This would be a great one to have some video of the results. We can't taste it but sometimes pictures don't do justice verses seeing video.

Electric smokers often get a bad rap from the purists because we don't have to go through the work that they do with their smokers so they think we are cheating.

My brother is a pure Weber Charcoal grill guy and thinks grilling with propane is sacrilege. But I have both (Weber Genesis and Weber Smokey Joe) and there are pros and cons to each. In a perfect world, the charcoal may get the edge in a lot of ways. But the ease of propane and the ability to really crank the heat is hard to deny. I have put out some pretty darn good food on my Genesis as well as my Smokey Joe.

On with the contest!!!

What are you going to be smoking?

[RG]

I do believe it's going to butts, my good man!

[RG]

All kidding aside, blinders off here for a second. I don't want to insult anybody and hurt their feelings. I also DON'T want to come on to a new board where people are of the like mind and sharing their love of cooking in their SI smokers and make it seem like I am promoting another company's wares. I think that's my mistake that I made over on the Keg forum. They are passionate about their kegs as am I. This honestly came from a good place, not meant to promote one and make the others look inferior.

The Keg and Traeger both do things that the SI can't. What they have in common is that ALL can smoke. I just wanted to test that portion of them vs. another type of smoker since I happen to have them to test. Lump Charcoal vs. Pellet vs. Electric. An unbiased review with family and friends being the judge.

With that said, accept my apologies if it seemed if I were here to promote Traegers or Kegs. That was not my goal in the slightest.

[jcboxlot]

If cost of the unit is a column in the testing/results, you wont even need to do the test.  SI wins.

[DivotMaker]

All in, Jason!!  Lovin' the competition!  The units we're competing against are very good, in their own right.  Even though I bleed SI red, I am certainly not close-minded enough to believe that we have the ultimate, one-and-only, smoker on the planet.  I believe it absolutely makes the best Q, with the least amount of "human intervention," but that doesn't mean the others don't make incredible Q.  I think the difference is primarily in how much time one wants to spend tending the smoker, and providing that human intervention (i.e., foiling, mopping, opening/closing dampers, rotating, spritzing, etc., etc., etc...).  Personally, I don't have the time nor the inclination to tend a smoker for 12+ hours!

Good luck with your challenge, and I really look forward to the results!  Too bad some of your folks don't feel the same!

[Barrel99]

+1 Tony. It's that Lazy Q that sets us apart.

[RG]

All in, Jason!!  Lovin' the competition!  The units we're competing against are very good, in their own right.  Even though I bleed SI red, I am certainly not close-minded enough to believe that we have the ultimate, one-and-only, smoker on the planet.  I believe it absolutely makes the best Q, with the least amount of "human intervention," but that doesn't mean the others don't make incredible Q.  I think the difference is primarily in how much time one wants to spend tending the smoker, and providing that human intervention (i.e., foiling, mopping, opening/closing dampers, rotating, spritzing, etc., etc., etc...).  Personally, I don't have the time nor the inclination to tend a smoker for 12+ hours!

Good luck with your challenge, and I really look forward to the results!  Too bad some of your folks don't feel the same!

Tony, it may surprise you but I don't tend any of my cookers. The Keg is controlled by an Auber ATC (automatic temperature controller) so I do just like the SI, put my food on and walk away until it's done. The only difference is I have to light my fire and put my wood on the lump.

The Traeger is the same way, load it with pellets, set my temp on the digital controller and put the food on and go to sleep until it's done.

The SI does have the least human interaction as you say, but the others are still pretty darn easy

If cost of the unit is a column in the testing/results, you wont even need to do the test.  SI wins.

Actually, the SI is my second most expensive smoker. Including shipping (which I will because it still was an expense associated with buying it) it was only $60.00 cheaper than my first keg (accounting for the tax I paid on the keg as well). Now that I think about it, even with NOT including shipping it's still my second most expensive smoker! The Traeger I bought new in box for $250.00 even, the BSK 2000 I bought gently used (the kid cooked on it 4 times, all steaks) for $340.00.

Even a new Traeger Jr. at retail can be bought cheaper than an SI, except maybe a SI#1.

Just stating the facts, not meant as an argument

Happy to see your results. May want to use some pinking salt in the brine for the electric. Otherwise it will be a dead give-away with no smoke ring for a blind test.

If it's blind, they won't see the lack of a smoke ring right? lol
Way ahead of you Walt, there's some sitting on my front porch from UPS, thanks for the reminder!

[BedouinBob]

Let the games begin! Any result that comes out can't be bad. After all, it's all Q!