Teach me how to barbecue in my backyard

Get a propane grill to pop your cherry.

do not start with an offset smoker like that.

If you're looking to get into smoking meats, buy a weber kettle and graduate from there.

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I would suggest getting a charcoal pit to start.

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I went through multiple Old Smokeys over about a 10 year period until a bought an OK Joe's offset that looks like the one in that picture. They're awesome.

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You can do the same with a propane pit if you don't want to learn how to use charcoal

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But it won't smell and taste as good.

Listen to mouth. A weber kettle is a very versatile pit and very reasonable on cost. It also is super durable and doesn't rust easy. You can grill or smoke on a weber kettle. If you find that you like smoking on it, but want to get the best quality smoked meat, then spend some money and graduate to a good quality stick burner like the one in your picture.

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this is what I was looking for but didn't know how to find it. A lot of options out there.

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A weber kettle is what you need, baw.



You can probably find one on FB marketplace for a reasonable amount of $.

Cant go wrong with a Weber Kettle, you can use lump charcoal and seer some steaks in 5 minutes or get some regular briquettes, set up a snake method and smoke a brisket for 12 hours or more. Check FB Marketplace, people sell them often.

First you put the cheese on your raw burger...

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A weber kettle is a very versatile pit and very reasonable on cost. It also is super durable and doesn't rust easy.

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It has moving parts exposed to the charcoal ash and it is just a matter of time before those parts don't move anymore. That part is a PITA and impedes the function of the kettle. That said, I still use mine for ribs, even without control of the air flow and it is still a good place to start, with the following considerations:

Do you barbecue, smoke, or grill? I mostly grill. The Weber Kettle can do it, but there are better grills. How many people do you cook for? I am usually cooking for two. The kettle is not the best for that.

For grilling, I use a PK Grill that can do just about everything, though it is definitely better for some things. It is more expensive but would be a good starting point. I still have my father's 50 year old + PK. I use the Weber for ribs and sometimes chicken because I am usually cooking more food when I do those. I smoke large cuts like boston butt and brisket on the big green egg. I don't like the egg for anything else.

Most of the food I cook is grilled. That is rapidly cooked over intense heat, like a burger, steak, or pork chop. The PK is great for that. The Weber can do it. The egg ruins it. For BBQ, which is technically between grilling and smoking (some of each) it's either Weber or PK depending on how much meat I have to cook. Egg is only for smoking, and there are definitely lower cost options that will get the job done just as well. Some others use their egg for everything and are happy with it, so YMMV.

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If you're looking to get into smoking meats, buy a weber kettle and graduate from there.

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This. The kettle can do everything. If you can smoke with a kettle, then an offset will be easier.

Make sure you get a grill for the type of cooking you want to do. If you mainly like burgers and steaks, an offset is not for you. If you mostly want to smoke ribs, pork butt, and briskets, then an offset or Kamado may be what you should look at. I would still start with a kettle, so you don't waste a lot of money and decide you don't enjoy spending hours tied to the grill while cooking a brisket. If you want easier smoking, a pellet grill might be your best bet.

Get used to cooking with different methods - indirect/direct heat, low and slow/hot and fast, and with/without smoke. Play around with different types of charcoal - briquets or lump. Try different types of meat - learn which ones can be grilled and which ones need to be barbequed.

You can do it all on the Weber without investing a ton of money, although a Weber can get expensive if you start getting addicted to the accessories, like pizza oven attachments, grill-grates, temperature control units, etc.

After using a kettle for a while, you may decide you want an offset smoker, kamado, or pellet grill. You can still use the kettle to do other things the offset doesn't do well, and for smaller cooks.

I would advise is that you be careful when selecting a grill - bigger is not always better. If you get a large offset, you could end up wasting a lot of fuel if you are only cooking for 2-3 people.

If you do get a kettle or charcoal grill, invest in a charcoal chimney. Never use lighter fluid. A set of spring loaded tongs (or 2 or 3) are a must.

I have a Treager 575 Pro and love it, you can do just about anything on it. I have had it for 6 or 7 years, cook on it often and have never had a problem.