What to buy?

[Forkin Pork]

Cook Shack or Backwoods? ... Cook Shack or Backwoods?

For those who cater, do I go with Backwoods "Fat Boy or Cook Shack Fast Eddie FEC100 for twice as much?

Hell, you don't have to cater, just anyone who may know a thing or two.

[Kloset BBQR]

They are both good but very different cookers. I have both the Fatboy and the FEC 100. The Fatboy is a charcoal/water smoker whereas the FEC-100 is a pellet smoker. You'll probably get a better smoke flavor, if that is what you are looking for from the Fatboy but the FEC-100 has more capacity. They are really hard to compare, not much alike a all. Let me know if you have any questions about either. Equip the Fatboy with a DigiQ 2 and you can turn it into a set it and forget it type smoker as well although it does require a little more hands on than the FEC -100.

[bigwheel]

Well if I was really wanting to grow up to be a legal catering dude..I take the Cookshack hands down if the only choices available are those mentioned. Person get serious will need a Southern Pride, Ole Hickory or a Big Oyler electrified or not. That is whut them who does it for a living uses. Hope this helps. Now I pick the Cook Shack out of the bunch mentioned cuz legal caterers dont do much onsite cooking and when they do it most time aint legal. So a person could purty well forget about dragging it around with em I think. It gonna require to keep the cooker and cook on it indoors or at least in a screened house..with a solid roof. it gonna have to be SS or glass just about everywhere in order to placate the health goons..washable and able to be disinfected blah blah blah. Cook Shack be much mo able to fill all them bills I think. If you to impress the guests and smell up the atmosphere buy and old cheap offset to drag around. Cook the meat at the commercial kitchen and just use the creosote factory to keep it hot etc.

bigwheel

[Forkin Pork]

Thanks for the input. I've been researching all the models and manufacturer you all mentioned, so I know which ones you are all talkin about.
My favorites are FEC100, the Fatboy and the backwoods.
I'm looking for a great level on consistency, set it and forget it operations, combined with capacity and at this point I guess cookshack is in the lead. But that may all change soon because as of Monday I will start making calls to the dealers.

I sure do love trailer mods and playing with the fire, but I can do that in my back yard with my three homemade mods. This new one is for consistent quality in larger volumes.

[Kloset BBQR]

If you want volume, the Fatboy is not for you. It's barely big enough to handle all four categories at a comp although Podge won the 2007 Jack Daniels contest cooking everything on one Fatboy. You might want to consider the FEC 300 or 500 if your looking at catering for larger numbers.

[Forkin Pork]

What I hoping to use for is #1 ME!
Second gonna use for some catering nothing huge. The specs for the FEC100 seem to suggest 17 butts at a time, more then enough.
Third time I plan to use it for is competition., (watch out boys!) Again the specs for the FEC seem to show a weight that can be manage from time to time.

I also really like Meadow creek TS250 w/ chicken BBQ installed, saw one at a comp, nice peice of equipment, but not a set it and forget it, I guess.

[bigwheel]

Well see thats how cornfusion gets started. You said you wanted a pit for catering now you have decided you gonna be a comp cook too. You can forget a cookshack for comp. cuz it aint legal since it heats using electric. Might be some yankee cookoff which would allow it but none around here. I heard of one where it legal to use gas grills...propane lazy Q's..etc. might get a long extension cord and see if they let you compete in that one

bigwheel

[Greg Rempe]

I think you've talked yourself in to the Cookshack...now go to www.wolferub.com and get the best deal on the internet for one!

[swampsauce]

I wouldnt trade my fe for anything!

[bigwheel]

Well like my neighbor pal's step Daddy was fond of saying..Yall are sillier than a tree full of assholes. He was from Stamford. They catch catfish so big out of Stamford Lake they cut steaks off their lips. That Jeannie C. Rieilly Country ya know? Or at least it close..she is from Anson. She got her cherry popped at Stamford..or so the story goes. Those towns sorta adjoin each other by about 30 miles or so. They measure the drive in how many 6 packs in that part of the world. It one 6 pack and a stop to jurinate tween the two towns..or used to be anyway. Who knows since the new GPS stuff got invented.

bigwheel

[Bbq Bubba]

Originally Posted by bigwheel

Well see thats how cornfusion gets started. You said you wanted a pit for catering now you have decided you gonna be a comp cook too. You can forget a cookshack for comp. cuz it aint legal since it heats using electric. Might be some yankee cookoff which would allow it but none around here. I heard of one where it legal to use gas grills...propane lazy Q's..etc. might get a long extension cord and see if they let you compete in that one

bigwheel

Where is it illegal to cook with a FE???

[bigwheel]

Well I was referring to the electric heated Cookshacks. If that Fe model is a pellet muncher which I think it must be or you wouldn't be naggin about it... should be ok. When I get pellets on the brain I think of Traegers for some reason.

bigwheel

Originally Posted by Bbq Bubba

Where is it illegal to cook with a FE???