ProQ Excel First Look

[urbangriller]

Hi Glen,

The Excel is bigger (20 inch) than the 18 inch WSM available here (the ProQ Frontier model is the same size) and I think more versatile, with stackers, hanging rail and eyelets fot probes etc. And it will be cheaper! However, I don't think any brand will be more efficiant than another, the basic idea is the same at the end of the day. Fuel capacity, water pan placement and capacity, those sort of things are different and that's down to design, the ProQ is a newer design and has more innovation.

Cheers
Chris

[bbqmad]

Hey Chris

See now that is tempting too, I dont need another Q..........Or do i ..........The Clan is getting smaller yet i want more cooking tools .

I am thinking spring getting another choice between

(1) New Hark Off-Set

(2) Big Steel Keg

(3) And now Pro Q



Glen

[urbangriller]

Hey Glen....you forgot option 4....All three!

Everybody needs another Q or Two!


Chris

[urbangriller]

And here is what was left in the morning:





Looks like the last couple in the run collapsed!

Cheers
Chris

[urbangriller]

The second Test Cook.

I thought I'd go one step further and do a test with the ProQ loaded up a bit.





Same thing, I lit 15 beads in a chimney and started the fuse with ten beads once they were lit.



Then Set up the ProQ with the water pan, added 9 litres of Hot water, then a simulated Brisket (cold) and on the next layer, simulated ribs using cold water.





Half an hour after closing the lid and the Temperature has settled:



It's 5pm (an hour after the start) and the ambient temp is falling, it's 16C at the moment.



A quick look at the fire!



Two hours from the start (and the light is fading):



The Temp of the simulated ribs is good, I'm happy with that given the temp of the ProQ.



Three hours from the start, it's dark now and the ambient is down to 6C.



I'm happy with this as there are a lot of things I cook at this kind of temperature! But I will do another couple of tests looking for the more standard BBQ temperatures of 100°C (215°F) and 160°C (325°F).

Cheers
Chris

[Livewire]

Chris

That is NOT galvanised wire you are using as the inner cage is it

Or just for testing

Glenn

[AzJohnnyC]

You don't need the simulations, my results attest to the ability of the Pro Q. Last contest, I cooked ask four competition meats on my two Excel 20s (chicken, ribs, pulled pork, and brisket) and out of 79 teams, took home 14th in brisket and 7th in pork. That was with three stackers on each. Loaded them up with lump charcoal, using the minion method, and they stayed rocking steady all night. I added a bit to each in the morning, as I had brisket on one and pork on the other, to cook my shorter meats, and the temp held steady as always. They take a couple cooks to get them dialed in, but once you figure them out (like any cooker), they become a trusty workhouse.

[urbangriller]

Chris

That is NOT galvanised wire you are using as the inner cage is it

Or just for testing

Glenn

Yes Glenn, Galvanised ...but not eating anything yet! Just having a play!

Cheers
Chris

[DrSweetsmoke]

As you all know I love my ProQ's and wouldn't be without them in fact I have used them for nearly every competition and even for catering when I first started out prior to building the Meat Beast.

Chris I enjoyed the test and it shows just how well these units run.

They are very functional, here I'm doing salmon using only one stacker and the rig is sat on a table top.

[skuzy]

just saw these in person at BBQ Galore.... this would have been a very easy choice if i didnt go down the kamado option..

[mortal]

I noticed when I got mine that the eyelets are below the grill, which makes it impossible to measure the meats temperature. Are they there to just measure the general temperature and not meat temperature?

[Nath]

I noticed when I got mine that the eyelets are below the grill, which makes it impossible to measure the meats temperature. Are they there to just measure the general temperature and not meat temperature?

More designed for probe thermometers that you leave in the meat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mortal]

I noticed when I got mine that the eyelets are below the grill, which makes it impossible to measure the meats temperature. Are they there to just measure the general temperature and not meat temperature?

More designed for probe thermometers that you leave in the meat.

So what probe thermometers will actually fit? I doubt very many. it's in a very bad position IMO.

[Gumb]

Not really, they save you having to take the probe out to remove the lid by being where they are.

[mortal]

Not really, they save you having to take the probe out to remove the lid by being where they are.

Sorry, I don't think you understand me.

They are underneath each grill, which makes it near impossible to stick into a lump of meat.

I've got a gasmate wireless thermometer (where the probe is a good half a foot), I'm wondering if any will actually be able to make it through to stick it into a piece of meat if it has to make it halfway in and then up (since eyelet is an inch below the grill).