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Out of all the major grill and smoker brands, Oklahoma Joe’s has some of the coolest products. It feels like they just know exactly who they are and who buys their products.
Their customer base loves fire, smoke and barbecue, so they keep delivering unique cookers to satisfy that. Take a look at what they’ve released the past couple years to add to their line-up that includes offset smokers.
They released an open barrel cooker, and a unique charcoal grill and smoker made for even heating. They also released the Tahoma, which is a digitally controlled charcoal grill and smoker. All products that deliver great barbecue and are simply fun to use.
To add to their one-of-a-kind product line-up, they’ve released a new version of the Bronco Drum Smoker & Grill. Not only does it have upgrades from the previous Bronco, it has features that you won’t find on any other drum smokers.
Features and Specs
- Retail price of $399 – check price at Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Oklahoma Joe’s
- 284 square inches of space on the cooking grates
- Includes a rib hanger kit for cooking full racks of ribs and other meat
- Holds 8 lbs of charcoal and wood for 14+ hours of smoking time
- Has two side shelves for food prep
- The two large wheels make it easy to move the cooker around
- Built in temperature gauge to help dial in the temperature
Advantages of the New Bronco
Drum smokers are still a pretty niche area of outdoor cooking. While anybody that’s into competitive barbecue knows all about them, they haven’t made their way to the mainstream backyard cooks.
People that have a drum smoker love them for how easily they keep temperature, the extra flavor from drippings hitting the heat source, the levels of smoke they produce, the amount of food you can fit with hanging, and how they seem to cook great barbecue quicker. Even though they have many advantages, it can be hard for people to move away from traditional cookers they’re used to and try something new.
The Bronco is a solid smoker for anybody, but its price point makes it a great entry into the drum cooking world. It’s a little smaller than the original Bronco, with that though it also has a number of new conveniences.
Many drum smokers on the market are just a drum barrel and that’s it. The Bronco has side shelves to give you a place to put things while cooking, and wheels to make it so you don’t throw your back out moving around a steel barrel.
In addition to hanging lots of meat, there’s also hangers for tools on the side shelves. That’s another little convenience that you don’t really find on other drum smokers.
One feature that is really innovative is there is a fuel access door on the side. This gives you easy access to add more fuel without having to move your food or cooking grates. To lock in all the smoke on the fuel door and the hinged lid, the new Bronco is gasketed around both openings.
Conclusion
The new Bronco is another great example of what sets Oklahoma Joe’s apart from other brands. It brings modern conveniences to a pretty rustic category of cookers. On top of that, it has new features to give a better cooking experience. If you’re already a drum cooker pro, or you’re looking to up your barbecue game, the Bronco is a perfect addition to any backyard.