PG1000 or SM066 and TEC G-Sport FR ?

So, you conflicted.

Will you only be grilling? At the end of your statement you added brisket, so that's smoking.

Can't grill on a 66

You CAN smoke and grill on a 1000

Not sure you can smoke on a TEC.

The #1 question I ask is what exactly do you want to cook and in what capacity.

Oh, interesting handle, the calculator? I've used one since 1981 or so, have one still at the house.

Yes, best calculator ever made (except the HP-41CX, of course).

Just to be clear, it's a choice of the PG1000 or the COMBINATION of the SM066 and TEC G-Sport grill (smoke in the SM066, grill on the TEC).

I like SIMPLE (and less fuss), which is another reason I'm leaning towards the SM)66 and TEC.

I'm trying to read between the lines on what it is exactly that you want. From what I'm reading the pg1000 will do everything you want and more. How far is the patio door from your cooking area. You can always get a fan to redirect the smoke. I own a Amerique, gas grill and now as of about 2 weeks a pg500. I really don't think the gasser will get used anymore in fact it needs about 300 worth of repairs that I'm in no hurry to do.

Added expense may be a factor.
For example if you smoke a brisket in the pg1000 for 14 hrs you may use around 10 to 12 lbs of pellets @ 75 cents a pound. The 66 would use 2 to 6 ounces of wood chunks at the cost of -- well its so damn cheap that I've never tried to figure it out.

I love my Amerique and really love my new pg500.
The gasser I may fix eventually for pool parties to cook hot dogs for the kids.

If you like bbq I really don't think you can go wrong with either decision. Maybe try and find some people close to check out their CS unit.

Good luck in your decision.

The door to the kitchen/breakfast area would be about 13' from the center of the grill.

I guess the biggest advantage I see to the PG1000 is that I could quickly move a steak from the direct (sear) area to an indirect area to continue cooking. I prefer my steaks somewhere close to medium well (maybe a hair closer to medium than that). I'm not sure how fast the TEC grill would cool off to a lower temperature once the steaks are seared.

The main advantages I see to the AmeriQue and TEC is the higher temperature of the TEC for searing and the (probably?) more moist smoking results out of the AmeriQue smoker. Also, cleanup (of both the grill and smoker) seem easier with the combo.

Cooking costs (excluding buying the grills) would be cheaper with the combo, as well, though that's not a huge concern to me.

Nice choice to have. I'm leaning towards your thoughts. You could grill and smoke at the same time with the Amerique and the TEC. IE smoke salmon and grill steaks (surf and turf).

You know there is another option other than the gas grill. I hope Smokin doesn't put me in the dog house for this, but have you looked at/considered a ceramic cooker such as the Big Green Egg? I have a cookshack for smoking and now 3 eggs for doing everything else. With the egg you can grill, smoke, bake. The sky is the limit and also the BGE has a great support forum (two in fact) similar to this one.

Just another option. Jer

In all honesty and don't mean to offend, I don't see putting high dollar into cooking steaks to medium well so any higher temp grill (the FE or the TEC) would put a char on it.

No matter what you do, the tenderness is a function of the finishing temp. I've cooked a lot of steaks and trying to keep a medium well steak tender/juicy is difficult on a perfect day. Sure it can be done, but it's more a function of the marbling and the type/cut of meat.

Searing WILL reduce the moisture. Do some reading on reverse sear when you cook it to temp and only sear the outside at the end. There are a number of people that smoke first then sear. I don't smoke mine, just grill, but to MR.

Nope, Jerin, you're not banned we fans of lots of different smokers and the Egg is a great one. Nothing you said an Egg can do, the FEPG can also do it.

Smokin,

So true about the FEPG doing all a ceramic cooker can do.

Even though I could smoke in my BGE, I prefer to leave that job up to my Cookshack 040. Nothing like the "set it and forget it" as far as temp control and consistancy of product. I will some day do a brisket and a butt in my EGG just to prove I can do it, but I will never give up my Cookshack.

Beside if I did that then I wouldn't have a reason to continue enjoying this forum.

Jer