I'm glad you mentioned elevation because it's something most people would never even consider but it most definitely makes a difference. In my experience anything 4,000 feet and above grilling can be a pain in the butt if say you accidentally add a few too many briquettes in versus more at sea level where it just doesn't matter at all. More O2 always equals more fire!
Great looking Tri-tip, and I'm gonna have to call Amber and get one of those on the way. Looks more versatile than the PBC and lots more fun on a camping trip or the beach! Cheers brother Greg!!!
I've been using a UDS, Ugly Drum Smoker, made from a 55 gallon drum. Once the temps are stable, 10 to 15 hour burn. Lid and grates, from a Weber Kettle. steve
So glad you made this video Greg. I just heard about the Badger this week and you showed it's features off so well. The tri tip came out perfect. I've had the Pit Barrel cooker for 6 years and love it. After seeing your video on their website back then I had to get one and am so glad I have it still today. Cheers Bud and have a great week!
Have had my PBC doe about the same amount of time and my tri tip is the best thing I make on it! I do wish the PBC would have 2 places to put the rack.
Seems to be a less costly Weber Smokey Mountain. I have an 18" WSM and love it but I would have considered this as an alternative. I love having the locks on each section and the fact that the top section covers the middle section, keeping water out. I'm a bit concerned about the 16" diameter. I have to do brisket yoga to get a brisket on my WSM. I know it can be hung but it does concern me. Otherwise it looks amazing.
Yes, I understand "Brisket Yoga!" LOL! I'll run this like a PBC with brisket. I'll hang it, for the first part of the cook, then use the grate if I wrap it. By then, the brisket will be much smaller.
Great vid. This thing really caught my attention. Amazon is the sole distributor, and they're saying "currently unavailable". Hope that changes, preferably right after my birthday month social security check comes in 😂
Wow! I’m subscribed to so many BBQ channels, and yet somehow I hadn’t seen yours until now! Great video, you’ve got a new subscriber! I have been eyeing a PBC for about a year now, and just haven’t pulled the trigger due to being undecided on the size. I do a lot of quicker smokes (pork tenderloin, reverse sear steak, etc.) so I was leaning toward the 14” PBC just because I didn’t want to waste a lot of charcoal. But this middle sized 16” that you can shut the dampers down looks fantastic! I’m sold! I’m assuming you get a commission on the Amazon link? I want to give you credit because I’d never heard of this company before!
A lot of people are really excited about this Badger Barrel. I have a BHC and from what I'm seeing, I prefer the BHC design a little more. Mostly the ease of access to the charcoal basket. I like the idea of being able to clip the main part of the barrel to the base, but how hot do they get if you need to open them up to tend to your coals? I will say that the Badger Barrel has some nice features that the BHC lacks, like the adjustable dampers at the top. However, I prefer the placement of the ventilation on the BHC due to them being located on the barrel itself rather than the lid. It gives me a place to run my temp gauges into the barrel so that its not in the way when I have to take the lid off to tend to the meat. I also think the Badger is a bit more sleek looking. I'm still really interested in the Badger. I'd love to try it. I wish they offered in in different sizes though, like Barrel House did.
@@usa91787I have a Barrel House Cooker which is the design is based on since they acquired the BHC company. I have to tend to my charcoal basket or add briquettes after several hours of cooking, so I’m thinking I should expect the same thing from this Badger Barrel if I were to use it.
Was very excited till I saw the size. I love my PBC. This does look like a PBC on steroids. Cool idea Noah. PS I’m sure I’ll own one. Lol. Great review Greg. Love you channel.
That look like a pretty cool cooker Greg! Didn't know you're in San Diego! Another CA grilller!!! 😃 I'm in the Modesto, CA area...gotta check out this Badger!!!
That fire basket really needs a handle like the PBC. I'll still have to get me one. Maybe I can resist the urge until they think about that little upgrade. LOL
Great job on the video and this is probably a great cooker if you can tolerate how it looks. The original PBC is much more beautiful in my opinion. I haw a 22 inch WSM and I love it but I have to admit that I wish I had a smaller cooker as well. And I have been looking at the PBC jr and the 14 inch WSM for a while. Both cookers could definitely do the wast majority of the cooks I do and save me a significant amount of charcoal. And they are both so cute 😊 BBQ love from Sweden 🇸🇪 🇺🇸
Awesome video Greg! This Badger Barrel I believe is very identical with a few changes to a barrel I had a few years ago called The Barrelhouse Cooker. I loved that barrel. I gave it away and moved up to an Oklahoma Joe Bronco Pro and I wish I had not done that because between the two I felt the Barrelhouse Cooker performed better. From what I heard, Pit Barrel Cooker bought out Barrelhouse Cooker a couple years ago so that could be why there are so many similarities between the two. Just curious but out of all your cookers, which do you like the best or have the most fun cooking with? I currently have a Kamado Joe Big Joe 2 and a Bronco Pro. Hoping to get a Sunterra Santa Maria with brazero like you got later this year but a hard pill to swallow at about $5k to $6k but looks fun to cook on.
Everyone will be different but from making drum smokers to buying them the quality is so cheap PBC barrel is better material.. I would definitely not recommend this and PBC definitely didn't like my criticism
They redesigned the Barrel House Cooker which I always thought was a better designed vertical cooker. I'm on the fence about this. I love my BHC but now can't buy parts for it.
@@ri067953 Yeah I have a Barrelhouse and it's excellent. Without question a better design and I wonder why he waited so long after buying the company to build something like this.
@@adamcoe I'm not sure but the marketing for this cooker seems to be a bit ofna departure for Noah and team. They seem to be targeting the extreme right for some reason which seems a bit odd.
You didn't show the transfer from PBC-mode to hibachi-mode. Since you already started cooking the tri-tip, I imagine that is something about which you have to be very careful as it must be hot. Also, when you first introduced it, I didn't guess hibachi mode. I thought they may have introduced a system to easily add more coals during a long cook. Love my PBX and PBC, but sometimes lump lasting times are inconsistent for me. A full basket rarely lasts more than 5.5 hours so I have to take the meat off to replenish more coals. I don't think I could justify another cooker, but that functionality would be a game changer for me. Thanks for the video.
16 inch seems a little small. Would also like to see heavy duty latches. Thing looks awesome but the little wire latches seem to make it look cheap. Might grab one just because I feel bad whenever I fire up the pit barrel I feel the need to cook 8 racks of ribs. This one might be good for smaller cooks.
Sup Greg, looks like solid barrel smoker, great price, important breaks down, great cook on the tri tip. Going to show brother, he has some homemade in back of yard, you'd be amazed what 'redneck' designs are with barrels and even oil tanks in north east lol, many years ago they couldn't give barrels or tanks away.. now cheaper to buy new lol. I've been trying steaks when cooked right just get full fast gumming it lol. This grill cuz price might sell big, cheap $199 barrel smokers sell fast but don't last. Great to see ya bro, awesome video, tyvm tc 🍔🥩
I think a more in line comparison would be the OK Joe's Bronco (my barrel smoker of choice) as they are close in price, and this design replicates the Bronco's ability to be used as a grill (through the Badger is smaller). To me, the Badger seems flimsy and rather cheaply made, much thinner metal. I've seen similar type smokers on line with seemingly similar build quality , but much cheaper in price. I doubt 3 of these weigh what a Bronco does. I think a 2nd grate would be more beneficial than that ring contraption. I do like the design of the grill conversion on this one as opposed to how you have to set up the grill function on the Bronco, but then again I got the Bronco to smoke with and not grill with, and it excells at smoking. I don't see this thing being capable of holding a long smoking session, maybe 5, 6 hours tops? 12-14 hours on the Bronco smoking 225-250 range. In conclusion...ehhhh, not super impressed at first impression. But, I've been wrong before.
I own a Pit Barrel, so comparing to that the "hibachi" mode looks like a real nice addition. I suppose it would also make it easier to add wood/charcoal part way into a cook, too. On the downside, this looks a little fiddly and too narrow for cooking multiple pork shoulders or a full packer. I went and peaked at their website, but left confused if they're selling a smoker or just branding.
There are some things I like here but I cook pretty much anything I want on my PBC. Two things I did with it were to use a nut and bolt that are the same diameter as the rebar for when I'm using the grate. Same temp control, better food access. And if I want to turn it into a grill I put a 14"clay garden pot upside down in the PBC and set the coal basket on top of that. Gets the coals about 6" from the grate. I two zone cook by only filling half the basket using the basket handle as the guide. I've cut and bent some aluminum to just hang on the basket handle for a better divider. Sort of like a Slow n Sear. So I can cook a couple of steaks on the indirect side and then jusy rotate the grate to the direct side to sear. The PBC is as versatile as you make it. None of those things required a modification to the PBC.
No, the charcoal is sitting on a grate with a decent gap between it and the bottom of the charcoal. Plus, the air is coming up through that dome thing in the center of the basket. I can't see that ever getting plugged.
I like everything about it except the lower vent tab. Clumsy me would kick that a lot. I spose It could be positioned so as to keep it to an absolute minimum. A rotary dial would be preferred for me.
Sorry I'm new to this type of outdoor cooking. Is all the time, effort and cost of these types of cookers, that much better than BBQing on my regular Napoleon bbq?
@@Matthew-hi5ud So, I owned a Prestige 500 a few years ago. People tend to call every outdoor cooker a "BBQ." Your Napoleon is actually a grill, not a BBQ. BBQ is cooking low and slow with indirect heat, whereas grilling is cooking hot over direct heat. Now, you can shut down half of your burners, toss in a wood chip box, and cook using indirect heat on your Napoleon, but you won't get the same results as if you were cooking using charcoal or wood. Napoleon sells (or at least used to sell) a charcoal tray, so you can cook using charcoal instead of the burners. The problem is that there is no damper control on the Napoleon, so you only have a little control over the burning charcoal. Regarding the "time," the whole point of BBQ is to take a piece of tough meat and (through low heat and time) convert the collagen into gelatin which results in very tender meat. On top of that, you have that wonderful smoked flavor as well.
Thank you for taking the time to explain the differences between them both! I do remember the sales guy calling the Prestige a grill. So that makes sense. So would the Badger be a toned down, entry level "Green egg"?
Seems like a deal. Perhaps better for younger folks with good backs given the height, though you did mention you can put it on a table. My problem with your cook, you certainly used an internal probe. Perfect! But why not have a probe on the rack to get a better idea of internal temperatures if the cooker? And for super long cooks, a good indication when temperatures drop, you are running low in fuel. I just think for serious cooks it’s better to have some baseline temps and consistency to not only replicate cooks , and to take notes, but in this world having a better sense of just how long your cooks will take. I do realize at this price point, the majority of folks might not care for more info, but elevating your game in an outside cooker, is more than a satisfying hobby, you can educate others, too.Cheers!
This cooker was created by the same people that brought us the Pit Barrel Cooker. The concept of the PBC was to have air flow figured out in design so the user does not have to make damper adjustments during the cook, this same mindset went into The Badger Barrel. So, in order to put their vision of how this cooker is to be used to the test, no pit thermometer was used, or needed.
@@BallisticBBQ it is the red oak, it grows sparsely here. A lot of White Oak, but doesn't have the same flavor. I got spoiled living nextdoor to Santa Maria.
Whenever you get a brand-new cooker, it's a good idea to fire it up with no food inside to get rid of any contaminants left over from the manufacturing.
They created this as a separate brand, so it makes sense that it doesn't look like a PBC. They also acquired BHC Company, so it makes sense that it also resembles that cooker as well.
Built in thermometers are useless anyway, they are never ever accurate. An electronic thermometer is really the only choice if you're looking for anything close to accurate.
Just because a bunch of people buy them doesn't mean they work well. Most thermometers attached to grills and smokers are off by as much as 40 degrees.
So he finally adds the very necessary features of the Barrelhouse Cooker, but then puts in a cheap, borderline entry level cooker. Ehhh....I mean it doesn't look like it's gonna fall apart next week or anything, but those latches seem super cheap, and high temp paint vs porcelain coating is clearly a cost cutting measure. Also the 16" diameter does limit your options a little, though if you're only cooking for say, 4 people or less you're probably fine. I think if I had 250 bucks, I'd probably just save up a little more and buy something that is gonna last a little longer. On the downside, the website is cringey as hell, seems to be like a giggly schoolgirl about hinting at the F word, and spells out none too subtly that there are certain people they would prefer not buy their product. My favorite part by far is right in the middle of their little screed about "fear mongering and extremist agendas," they make it a point to tell you that they want to "give customers a chance to sidestep corporate greed." Available *exclusively* from Amazon. So Noah, you want people to "call it like it is, don't apologize or pull punches?" Cool. Your website sounds like it was written by a 14 year old homophobe who watches nothing but wrestling, truck commercials, and Fox News, your new grill looks boring at best and likely overpriced given it's probable longevity, and nobody that includes the term "fear mongering and extremist views" in the description of a product designed to make dinner is interested in common sense. You sound like an incredible dick and no one should give you their money. That what you were looking for? Let the thumbs down of the ignorant rain down upon me
@scott729 I have the weber 14, 18, and 22 wsm smokers all with hanging racks. Weber 18 and 22 kettles with sns toys. Weber gas and charcoal go anywhere grills. I'm set with my current lineup lol. The badger just seems cheap.
@@BrokeGuyBBQ Perfect. I have a Weber 22" Kettle, of course, a BGE L, an offset stick burner, a PitBoss pellet smoker/ grill and a Blackstone Adventure... Oh, and a Weber Smokey Joe... Also do a lot of tripod over the flame cooking... wife is sick of it (so many grills), lol.
Too small for me. I guess when you win that lawsuit against the barrelhouse cooker and have to make due with vacuum cleaner parts this is what you get. Their marketing on that page is also so cringey. Noah and Amber really surprised me with that.
The diameter if this cooker is 16", by the way! I forgot to add this to this info!
I'm glad you mentioned elevation because it's something most people would never even consider but it most definitely makes a difference. In my experience anything 4,000 feet and above grilling can be a pain in the butt if say you accidentally add a few too many briquettes in versus more at sea level where it just doesn't matter at all. More O2 always equals more fire!
Great looking Tri-tip, and I'm gonna have to call Amber and get one of those on the way. Looks more versatile than the PBC and lots more fun on a camping trip or the beach! Cheers brother Greg!!!
Exactly Troy! Cheers, Brother!
That tri tip looked amazing Greg! Cheers!
Thank you, Rus!
Very cool package. I'd get one if there were like a 22" version but this would be great for camping
I've been using a UDS, Ugly Drum Smoker, made from a 55 gallon drum.
Once the temps are stable, 10 to 15 hour burn. Lid and grates, from a Weber
Kettle.
steve
So glad you made this video Greg. I just heard about the Badger this week and you showed it's features off so well. The tri tip came out perfect. I've had the Pit Barrel cooker for 6 years and love it. After seeing your video on their website back then I had to get one and am so glad I have it still today. Cheers Bud and have a great week!
Thanks for watching Brother-Rob! Can't wait to see what you do with that Badger!
Have had my PBC doe about the same amount of time and my tri tip is the best thing I make on it! I do wish the PBC would have 2 places to put the rack.
A pretty impressive cooker. The tri-tip looks amazing. Cheers, Greg! 👍🏻👍🏻✌️
Thanks 👍
Hibachi mode is sweet! I used to throw 3 or 4 splits of oak. down the the PBC.
Can't wait to actually see a PBC vs Badger head-to-head battle!
Good call for another video!
Pretty cool set up!!
Amazing cook on this incredible new BBQ! Thanks for sharing, brother!
Thanks for watching Brian!
I've always been a barrel fan,and the tri tip...Mouth Watering.
Thank you, Greg!
Can you do a side-by-side PBC BB cook, greg?
This is an awesome lil cooker
to me this solves the 1 problem I had with the pbc - not being able to conserve charcoal. Cheers Greg!
Seems to be a less costly Weber Smokey Mountain. I have an 18" WSM and love it but I would have considered this as an alternative. I love having the locks on each section and the fact that the top section covers the middle section, keeping water out. I'm a bit concerned about the 16" diameter. I have to do brisket yoga to get a brisket on my WSM. I know it can be hung but it does concern me. Otherwise it looks amazing.
Yes, I understand "Brisket Yoga!" LOL! I'll run this like a PBC with brisket. I'll hang it, for the first part of the cook, then use the grate if I wrap it. By then, the brisket will be much smaller.
Can get a solid used wsm for 100 bucks easy. Doubt youll find any used badgers on the market any time soon
Thats a dope lookin lil smoker there my guy 😉👌! Great episode 🤙🏼
Thank you, Mike!
Thanks for the review, Greg. It's like a stretched WSM
Neat cooker! I can think of a couple people who might need one for a Christmas present this year.
Good Call!
Great vid. This thing really caught my attention. Amazon is the sole distributor, and they're saying "currently unavailable". Hope that changes, preferably right after my birthday month social security check comes in 😂
“Cheers, Amber and Noah” lol you can never have too many bottle openers.
LOL!
Cool smoker Greg, thanks for the review! I see my collection growing 😄
Thanks for watching, Brother-Gary! Blessings to you and Heather.
😊
Wow! I’m subscribed to so many BBQ channels, and yet somehow I hadn’t seen yours until now! Great video, you’ve got a new subscriber! I have been eyeing a PBC for about a year now, and just haven’t pulled the trigger due to being undecided on the size. I do a lot of quicker smokes (pork tenderloin, reverse sear steak, etc.) so I was leaning toward the 14” PBC just because I didn’t want to waste a lot of charcoal. But this middle sized 16” that you can shut the dampers down looks fantastic! I’m sold! I’m assuming you get a commission on the Amazon link? I want to give you credit because I’d never heard of this company before!
A lot of people are really excited about this Badger Barrel. I have a BHC and from what I'm seeing, I prefer the BHC design a little more. Mostly the ease of access to the charcoal basket. I like the idea of being able to clip the main part of the barrel to the base, but how hot do they get if you need to open them up to tend to your coals? I will say that the Badger Barrel has some nice features that the BHC lacks, like the adjustable dampers at the top. However, I prefer the placement of the ventilation on the BHC due to them being located on the barrel itself rather than the lid. It gives me a place to run my temp gauges into the barrel so that its not in the way when I have to take the lid off to tend to the meat. I also think the Badger is a bit more sleek looking. I'm still really interested in the Badger. I'd love to try it. I wish they offered in in different sizes though, like Barrel House did.
If it's the same concept as the PBC you don't need to tend to coals like you would an offset cooker to maintain your temperature.
@@usa91787I have a Barrel House Cooker which is the design is based on since they acquired the BHC company. I have to tend to my charcoal basket or add briquettes after several hours of cooking, so I’m thinking I should expect the same thing from this Badger Barrel if I were to use it.
Man you always make me hungry 😂
Think I’m getting one, as a huge fan of what was the Barrel House Cooker.
A deal at $250, even after adding a $50 gauge on the lid! LOL!
Looks good!! delizioso
We just received our Badger Barrel. We are very excited to cook on it. 🎉
And you got a hat!!!!! I guess I don't rate!
Was very excited till I saw the size. I love my PBC. This does look like a PBC on steroids. Cool idea Noah. PS I’m sure I’ll own one. Lol. Great review Greg. Love you channel.
Med-Rare, the way it should be!
That look like a pretty cool cooker Greg! Didn't know you're in San Diego! Another CA grilller!!! 😃 I'm in the Modesto, CA area...gotta check out this Badger!!!
So many great people in the Central Valley.
I'll be ordering one for my B-Day!
I HAVE A PIT BARREL COOKER LOVE THESE IMPROVEMENTS
Cheers, David!
Great video
That fire basket really needs a handle like the PBC. I'll still have to get me one. Maybe I can resist the urge until they think about that little upgrade. LOL
This is pretty cool. Very portable and I like the hibachi style. It would be very cool if there were a 22" diameter model.
Steaks🥩looks Delicious😋👍👍
Great job on the video and this is probably a great cooker if you can tolerate how it looks. The original PBC is much more beautiful in my opinion.
I haw a 22 inch WSM and I love it but I have to admit that I wish I had a smaller cooker as well. And I have been looking at the PBC jr and the 14 inch WSM for a while. Both cookers could definitely do the wast majority of the cooks I do and save me a significant amount of charcoal. And they are both so cute 😊
BBQ love from Sweden 🇸🇪 🇺🇸
Greg, you could easily take that bottom section into the mountains, try out some new flies, and maybe even grill up a couple trout for lunch.
100%!
Awesome video Greg! This Badger Barrel I believe is very identical with a few changes to a barrel I had a few years ago called The Barrelhouse Cooker. I loved that barrel. I gave it away and moved up to an Oklahoma Joe Bronco Pro and I wish I had not done that because between the two I felt the Barrelhouse Cooker performed better. From what I heard, Pit Barrel Cooker bought out Barrelhouse Cooker a couple years ago so that could be why there are so many similarities between the two. Just curious but out of all your cookers, which do you like the best or have the most fun cooking with? I currently have a Kamado Joe Big Joe 2 and a Bronco Pro. Hoping to get a Sunterra Santa Maria with brazero like you got later this year but a hard pill to swallow at about $5k to $6k but looks fun to cook on.
You need to cut out the bottom and make a basket and the door for easy putting and refueling for an easy access and charge a little more.
Cool cooker Greg. Does the lid fit in ‘Hibachi mode’?
…. Ok nevahmind just hit the 11 minute mark! 😅 The Lid Fits!
Nice price. I'll wait for more vids b4 buying, however
Just ordered mine be here Friday
Everyone will be different but from making drum smokers to buying them the quality is so cheap PBC barrel is better material.. I would definitely not recommend this and PBC definitely didn't like my criticism
Nice versatile pit!!
It sure is!
Looks like a very good value.
I think so too!
They redesigned the Barrel House Cooker which I always thought was a better designed vertical cooker. I'm on the fence about this. I love my BHC but now can't buy parts for it.
I will agree the BHC was a better design and better smoker but I'm going to give this a try just ordered it
PBC acquired BHC, so makes since.
Agreed and it kinda irks me that PBC is now offering this. I would have bought the Barrel House over the PBC to begin with.
@@ri067953 Yeah I have a Barrelhouse and it's excellent. Without question a better design and I wonder why he waited so long after buying the company to build something like this.
@@adamcoe I'm not sure but the marketing for this cooker seems to be a bit ofna departure for Noah and team. They seem to be targeting the extreme right for some reason which seems a bit odd.
If a person were to add a thermometer what would you suggest?
Looks like PBC took the best features of the Barrel House Cooker and incorporated into this. I’m glad they are doing it.
Me too Big Lew. And remember, (I'm sure you know) PBC acquired BHC. Cheers, brother!
@@BallisticBBQ of course I knew that, and they sold them for a time. Now with this Badger, I know why they discontinued the BHC.
Everything except the porcelain coating. The paint on this looks ok but I'd be interested to see how long one of these lasts.
You didn't show the transfer from PBC-mode to hibachi-mode. Since you already started cooking the tri-tip, I imagine that is something about which you have to be very careful as it must be hot.
Also, when you first introduced it, I didn't guess hibachi mode. I thought they may have introduced a system to easily add more coals during a long cook. Love my PBX and PBC, but sometimes lump lasting times are inconsistent for me. A full basket rarely lasts more than 5.5 hours so I have to take the meat off to replenish more coals. I don't think I could justify another cooker, but that functionality would be a game changer for me. Thanks for the video.
I just unlatched and lifted. The latches were not too hot and the cool touch handles made it easy to lift the upper section off. Thanks, Brian!
So, what do you like better? You didn't say in the video.
16 inch seems a little small. Would also like to see heavy duty latches. Thing looks awesome but the little wire latches seem to make it look cheap.
Might grab one just because I feel bad whenever I fire up the pit barrel I feel the need to cook 8 racks of ribs.
This one might be good for smaller cooks.
I own a classic and a jr pbc.
Their website sucks! Cool looking little cooker tho
You could get 2 of these for about the same price as one 22” Weber Smoky Mountain.
Exactly!
True but the Weber is going to last longer without question. These look OK but they are definitely made on the cheap.
My thoughts are it looks cool and needs a thermometer.
We'll see how it does with longer cooks.
What’s the diameter? Will this fit Santa Maria attachments that are on the market for Weber and SnS grills?
16" Diameter. Forgot to put that in the video! Thanks! Weber and SnS are both 22"
That tri tip was fucking perfect!
Thank you.
Sup Greg, looks like solid barrel smoker, great price, important breaks down, great cook on the tri tip. Going to show brother, he has some homemade in back of yard, you'd be amazed what 'redneck' designs are with barrels and even oil tanks in north east lol, many years ago they couldn't give barrels or tanks away.. now cheaper to buy new lol. I've been trying steaks when cooked right just get full fast gumming it lol. This grill cuz price might sell big, cheap $199 barrel smokers sell fast but don't last. Great to see ya bro, awesome video, tyvm tc 🍔🥩
Seems like the metal is thinner than the PBC. Anyone know?
Super thin...very cheap material
@@n8wrly thanks for confirming
I think a more in line comparison would be the OK Joe's Bronco (my barrel smoker of choice) as they are close in price, and this design replicates the Bronco's ability to be used as a grill (through the Badger is smaller). To me, the Badger seems flimsy and rather cheaply made, much thinner metal. I've seen similar type smokers on line with seemingly similar build quality , but much cheaper in price. I doubt 3 of these weigh what a Bronco does. I think a 2nd grate would be more beneficial than that ring contraption. I do like the design of the grill conversion on this one as opposed to how you have to set up the grill function on the Bronco, but then again I got the Bronco to smoke with and not grill with, and it excells at smoking. I don't see this thing being capable of holding a long smoking session, maybe 5, 6 hours tops? 12-14 hours on the Bronco smoking 225-250 range.
In conclusion...ehhhh, not super impressed at first impression. But, I've been wrong before.
No brisket on this one...but everything else is good! Bronco holds the heat much longer
I just bought the PBC… I should, probably, have bought this one…
Your PBC will last you a lifetime.
This reminds me of the Barrel House Smoker, that has been discontinued.
Yes. PBC acquired the BHC company a while back. So, some of the features on the Badger are from BHC.
Once I got the PBX I don’t use anything else.. my poor PB Classic is just collecting dust
Even though I have this new cooker, my PB Classic will still get a lot of love here. I don't have the PBX, but I know it's an amazing cooker!
Pit Barrel bought BarrelHouse Cooker. This is the BarrelHouse Cooker redesigned.
Do some hanging ribs on that pls.
NGL ... The price point is VERY attractive. This is so close to "ask forgiveness" pricing lol
I own a Pit Barrel, so comparing to that the "hibachi" mode looks like a real nice addition. I suppose it would also make it easier to add wood/charcoal part way into a cook, too. On the downside, this looks a little fiddly and too narrow for cooking multiple pork shoulders or a full packer. I went and peaked at their website, but left confused if they're selling a smoker or just branding.
The branding and communication on the website is a massive turn off.
Thanks you for watching, I do plan on doing some "traditional" PBC type cooks on this, so hopefully I'll get some of your (and my) questions answered.
They were trying to match the tone of the "Honey Badger" video from a long time ago.
There are some things I like here but I cook pretty much anything I want on my PBC.
Two things I did with it were to use a nut and bolt that are the same diameter as the rebar for when I'm using the grate. Same temp control, better food access.
And if I want to turn it into a grill I put a 14"clay garden pot upside down in the PBC and set the coal basket on top of that. Gets the coals about 6" from the grate.
I two zone cook by only filling half the basket using the basket handle as the guide. I've cut and bent some aluminum to just hang on the basket handle for a better divider. Sort of like a Slow n Sear.
So I can cook a couple of steaks on the indirect side and then jusy rotate the grate to the direct side to sear.
The PBC is as versatile as you make it.
None of those things required a modification to the PBC.
Is it possible for the ash to snuff out the flame?
No, the charcoal is sitting on a grate with a decent gap between it and the bottom of the charcoal. Plus, the air is coming up through that dome thing in the center of the basket. I can't see that ever getting plugged.
I like everything about it except the lower vent tab. Clumsy me would kick that a lot. I spose It could be positioned so as to keep it to an absolute minimum. A rotary dial would be preferred for me.
Yeah, and I can't see (me at least) walking close enough to it to make contact.
@@BallisticBBQ Yeah, but people at 10 000 ft will be much more likely to.
@@victorbitter583 True... I'll give you that one!
What temp were you running during that cook, Greg? TKS
There's no thermometer, but I'm guessing 275 or so?
Just ordered one. For those on the fence, it’s currently $199 on Amazon.
You are correct! Love my PBC however it’s just the wife & I so the size was not a deal breaker for me. Purchased a Badger today
07/2024 its $179.00 on amazon
Two levels are good for jerky.
Sorry I'm new to this type of outdoor cooking. Is all the time, effort and cost of these types of cookers, that much better than BBQing on my regular Napoleon bbq?
In order to answer your question, I would need to know what Napoleon you are cooking on? If it is gas, then there is a huge difference.
@@BallisticBBQ I have a Napoleon Prestige 500 on propane. Thanks for the reply!
@@Matthew-hi5ud So, I owned a Prestige 500 a few years ago. People tend to call every outdoor cooker a "BBQ." Your Napoleon is actually a grill, not a BBQ. BBQ is cooking low and slow with indirect heat, whereas grilling is cooking hot over direct heat. Now, you can shut down half of your burners, toss in a wood chip box, and cook using indirect heat on your Napoleon, but you won't get the same results as if you were cooking using charcoal or wood. Napoleon sells (or at least used to sell) a charcoal tray, so you can cook using charcoal instead of the burners. The problem is that there is no damper control on the Napoleon, so you only have a little control over the burning charcoal. Regarding the "time," the whole point of BBQ is to take a piece of tough meat and (through low heat and time) convert the collagen into gelatin which results in very tender meat. On top of that, you have that wonderful smoked flavor as well.
Thank you for taking the time to explain the differences between them both! I do remember the sales guy calling the Prestige a grill. So that makes sense.
So would the Badger be a toned down, entry level "Green egg"?
@@Matthew-hi5ud I think the best comparison would be the Weber Smokey Mountain or WSM.
Seems like a deal. Perhaps better for younger folks with good backs given the height, though you did mention you can put it on a table.
My problem with your cook, you certainly used an internal probe. Perfect! But why not have a probe on the rack to get a better idea of internal temperatures if the cooker? And for super long cooks, a good indication when temperatures drop, you are running low in fuel. I just think for serious cooks it’s better to have some baseline temps and consistency to not only replicate cooks , and to take notes, but in this world having a better sense of just how long your cooks will take. I do realize at this price point, the majority of folks might not care for more info, but elevating your game in an outside cooker, is more than a satisfying hobby, you can educate others, too.Cheers!
This cooker was created by the same people that brought us the Pit Barrel Cooker. The concept of the PBC was to have air flow figured out in design so the user does not have to make damper adjustments during the cook, this same mindset went into The Badger Barrel. So, in order to put their vision of how this cooker is to be used to the test, no pit thermometer was used, or needed.
Does that come with the chimney?
It doesn’t
Popdaddy and his valet, Pitmaster T are both full of hateration that you have this first.
Does it hold temp decent? Looks thin
it gets the job done for daily family use...no brisket on here tho
😋steak
Wait.. smoked but no wood? Charcoal only? Maybe I missed.
You didn't miss anything. Rendezvous in Memphis does charcoal only.
I miss my red oak cooked tri tip.
Why can't you do that now? Trouble finding tri tip or red oak?
@@BallisticBBQ it is the red oak, it grows sparsely here. A lot of White Oak, but doesn't have the same flavor. I got spoiled living nextdoor to Santa Maria.
These filters are a trip. Sooner or later the guy is gonna see the real you.
Not sure what you're talking about.
Does the 'California' model of the Badger cooker come with the Bill Gates modification so you can grill up some bugs?
What does “burn it in “mean”?
Whenever you get a brand-new cooker, it's a good idea to fire it up with no food inside to get rid of any contaminants left over from the manufacturing.
Thank you sir!!
I like it, but the tone of their site, not so much.
Looks more like the BHC than the PBC.
They created this as a separate brand, so it makes sense that it doesn't look like a PBC. They also acquired BHC Company, so it makes sense that it also resembles that cooker as well.
Hey there, you live in California, S.D. area, and you use CHARCOAL? Heck I thought that was already "ILLEGAL" in the state of Kalifornia?
Not yet! But it won't shock me if that happens!!! Where I live in SD County is pretty good-to-go, however. Not all of CA is crazy.
$300 and no temp gage😅
Built in thermometers are useless anyway, they are never ever accurate. An electronic thermometer is really the only choice if you're looking for anything close to accurate.
@@adamcoe ok course they work, that's why Amazon has sold 500+ new start bbq thermometers in the last 30 days.
Just because a bunch of people buy them doesn't mean they work well.
Most thermometers attached to grills and smokers are off by as much as 40 degrees.
Those things are garbage anyway
So he finally adds the very necessary features of the Barrelhouse Cooker, but then puts in a cheap, borderline entry level cooker. Ehhh....I mean it doesn't look like it's gonna fall apart next week or anything, but those latches seem super cheap, and high temp paint vs porcelain coating is clearly a cost cutting measure. Also the 16" diameter does limit your options a little, though if you're only cooking for say, 4 people or less you're probably fine. I think if I had 250 bucks, I'd probably just save up a little more and buy something that is gonna last a little longer.
On the downside, the website is cringey as hell, seems to be like a giggly schoolgirl about hinting at the F word, and spells out none too subtly that there are certain people they would prefer not buy their product. My favorite part by far is right in the middle of their little screed about "fear mongering and extremist agendas," they make it a point to tell you that they want to "give customers a chance to sidestep corporate greed."
Available *exclusively* from Amazon.
So Noah, you want people to "call it like it is, don't apologize or pull punches?" Cool. Your website sounds like it was written by a 14 year old homophobe who watches nothing but wrestling, truck commercials, and Fox News, your new grill looks boring at best and likely overpriced given it's probable longevity, and nobody that includes the term "fear mongering and extremist views" in the description of a product designed to make dinner is interested in common sense. You sound like an incredible dick and no one should give you their money. That what you were looking for?
Let the thumbs down of the ignorant rain down upon me
I think its to much work
How's that?
16 inch barrel is awfully small
Not going to last. Sorry, but it is made cheaply imo.
@scott729 I have the weber 14, 18, and 22 wsm smokers all with hanging racks. Weber 18 and 22 kettles with sns toys. Weber gas and charcoal go anywhere grills. I'm set with my current lineup lol. The badger just seems cheap.
@@BrokeGuyBBQ Perfect. I have a Weber 22" Kettle, of course, a BGE L, an offset stick burner, a PitBoss pellet smoker/ grill and a Blackstone Adventure... Oh, and a Weber Smokey Joe... Also do a lot of tripod over the flame cooking... wife is sick of it (so many grills), lol.
Junk
You're a great cook, but this looks very cheaply made and I imagine 3 or 4 of those latches will be broken in a year
We'll see how long it holds up. I'll be putting it through its paces, so circle back!
Too small for me. I guess when you win that lawsuit against the barrelhouse cooker and have to make due with vacuum cleaner parts this is what you get. Their marketing on that page is also so cringey. Noah and Amber really surprised me with that.
You eat raw meat… 🤮
Medium rare... The standard at pretty much all of the fine chop-houses in the world. Anything over medium is ruined.
Garbage, why? Because it's mechanical vice digital? I'll bet if it hooked up to your phone you would be all over it. Like a rat on a Cheeto.
Greg, was that a Negro Modelo that you opened? Nice demo!
Oh, Yeah!