Buz’s Pit Guide: Egg-Shaped Pits

We welcome to the scene bullet or egg-shaped pits!  These pits offer a great, alternative way to smoke barbecue if you don’t have one of these smokers. Whether you are a novice at smoking or a pit-master, these guys are easy to use and affordable too.

Pros:

These guys are also known as water smokers.  They stand vertically, with a grate at the bottom for the fire.  There is a water pan to regulate heat and humidity; it includes one or more racks for food.

Cons:

The biggest drawback to this shape of smokers is that a lot of them are too narrow to fit a full slab of ribs or a whole brisket on the shelf. You can cut the meat in half, which is not always a satisfactory solution. There are a few manufacturers that build a jumbo model in response to that.

If you don’t want to cut your meat in half then purchase rib racks. Weber makes a very good set of rib racks.

The inexpensive pits of this design group are made of thin, non-insulated steel which allows for rapid loss of temperature and therefore fluctuations in cooking temperature and an increased use of fuel.

The more expensive insulated ceramic cookers have overcome this problem. The cooking temperature and smoke control in these units is very precise. They are typically fired by gas, electricity or charcoal.

Where to buy:

Despite the unusual shape, egg-shaped pits work just as well as any other smoker. If you aren’t planning on smoking a lot of meat or a large meal, this pit is for you.

The pit gives charcoal nice insulation, high efficiency and can hold temperatures very well.

If you are interested in an egg-shaped pit, most of the time you can be directly from the retailer’s website such as Weber. However, you can also find them on other websites other than the retailers and in stores as well.

There are some stores in the U.S. that deal strictly with grilling and barbecue equipment. If you’re just starting out, it would be best to talk to someone in person before making a purchase.  If you are looking to purchase locally, take a look at Hearth & Home Shoppe of Mechanicsville’s products online or in store.

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