Bull for two

Chef Paulo

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12
Grill(s) owned
  1. Bull
Have a Stampede with competition cart on order. Still have unresolved thoughts about that versus the Bull. Price is a wash.

Mostly cook for wife and high school daughter but sometimes for bigger groups. Did three butts for a friends Christmas party. All of which would have fit on the Stampede.

I’m really an Egg guy. The purpose of the Rec Tec is then just to use for convenience. And as such, I understand I may use it more and the Egg less. Do others like me ever think it’s kind of a hassle to heat up that whole big Bull for two chicken thighs? Because I am not sure if I would really ever need the additional space of the Bull.
 
There's just 2 of us at my house. I got the Bull without reservation. If heating it up and burning a lot of pellets is a concern, you still have the Egg. A Rectec is more efficient, IMO, than other brands made from mild steel, since stainless steel has a much lower thermal conductivity. You can also seal it up and get a blanket for it, if you want to further reduce the pellet consumption.
But, my opinion is that my Bull will never replace certain other grills for specific cooks. I can't envision doing my steaks on the Rectec vs my komado with a raised charcoal basket and some mesquite wood.
 
We each carry our own bias when addressing this kind of question. I can make an argument for either the Bull or Stampede, even though I have the 590. Given the way you framed your query I would remind that the Bull is only 6 inches longer than the Stampede at the grate (same depth). Interior volume is proportionally similar, so while the Bull is in fact larger, it's not as much larger as seems to be popular belief.

Like you and Roanie, I also have a Kamado, and a gasser, and a charcoal grill, and...…..I'm a gizmoholic, I likes my toys. Last night we did steak and potato for dinner, just two of us. I did the steaks on the charcoal grill because it's faster than the RT and can be adjusted for searing at the move of a lever. I roasted the spuds in the Stampede though...…..just because I could...........
 
For me, I do occasional large groups, either for my work (as of today, former work), or friend's/extended family parties. So, the size of the Bull was the minimum for me. I actually was going through your dilemma, except it was Bull vs. BFG. I went with the Bull because of your concerns about heating up the BFG for a small meal. But even for us two, I never smoke a single meal's worth. Grill a single meal's worth, yes, and I have plenty of other grill types to choose from. In the end, you have to decide on it based on your situation. I don't think you'll be disappointed either way.
 
Answered my own question. Stampede was coming Monday. Kept bothering me that I might one day wish I had more room. May want to put a couple pans of something on and have room for meat too. Switched my order. Just figured with the price being about the same I my as well get the bigger one and not have any regrets.
 
Anybody ever wish they had gotten a smaller grill?
Absolutely. Some of us allow ourselves to be conditioned to want that which we don't have. We go for a larger item, then we ponder the smaller version. We go smaller, then we imagine what we could do with the larger unit. At the end of the day, you won't be able to tell me what unit to buy any more than I can tell you what to eat for dinner tonight. ?
 
You could get away with a BGE and a 590. I wouldn't chance it though.

I have a Kamado Joe, a RT-700 and a Bullseye. I haven't used the KJ but once last year for nostalgia sakes. It wasn't pleasant using it like I remembered. The Bullseye will run circles around a KJ, and will out smoke it as well when adding wood chucks to the pit.

I just like the ability to add more to the RT-700 to save on pellets. I will typically cook two or three butts at a time. I'll be freezing them in sealed vacuum bags anyways for quick meals later on. I also like that I can move a whole packer around much easier or have grill grates on one side and a mat on the other for meats and veggies cooking at once.

I also like that the RT-700 has a stainless steel chamber and thicker steel verses the 590.

Would I cook two thighs on a RT-700, why not, but no not with having a Bullseye I wouldn't, but I certainly would if that's all I had. It really doesn't burn many pellets per hour in the summer heat.
 
We each carry our own bias when addressing this kind of question. I can make an argument for either the Bull or Stampede, even though I have the 590. Given the way you framed your query I would remind that the Bull is only 6 inches longer than the Stampede at the grate (same depth). Interior volume is proportionally similar, so while the Bull is in fact larger, it's not as much larger as seems to be popular belief.

Like you and Roanie, I also have a Kamado, and a gasser, and a charcoal grill, and...…..I'm a gizmoholic, I likes my toys. Last night we did steak and potato for dinner, just two of us. I did the steaks on the charcoal grill because it's faster than the RT and can be adjusted for searing at the move of a lever. I roasted the spuds in the Stampede though...…..just because I could...........

Agree with the above. I own a Stampede and a Kamado Joe as well as a couple of Webers, Smokey Mountains and Kettles.

I won't hesitate to use them all at the same time if I need to cook multiple foods at different temps.

This is why the Bull wouldn't work for me over the Stampede. For the extra 6 inches of width the Bull offers over my Stampede, it's simply too easy for me to fire up either one of my Kettles, WSMs or my Kamado Joe and get considerably more than an additional 6 inches of cooking space.

If I have ribs or brisket smoking on the Stampede during the same time that I need to start grilling wings, or cooking plank salmon, etc., then again, where does the extra 6 inches space of the Bull help me? I'm smoking at 225-250°. I'm grilling those wings at 400°. I'm cooking the plank salmon in the 300-350° range. 6 inches more of space heated to 225-250° isn't going to help me in the above example.

If I need room for one more pork butt or one more brisket (or even four more butts or two more full packer briskets in the case of my 22in WSM) for an overnight smoke, well then my WSM or my Kamado Joe is definitely capable of handing that one extra butt or one extra brisket. The temps won't be quite as rock solid on them as on my Stampede. But the smoke profile from those cookers will tend towards stronger. The result will be a good one. Everything is a trade off of some kind or another.
 
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I went with the Bull, but I am sure I would have been happy with the 590. It was not just he size, I liked the larger hopper and that it was in the back. I also liked the more traditional smoke stack, not sure why...
 
I really like the style of the Stampede drum. I prefer it over the round shape of the Bull. Even better would be a more squared off upper part of the drum to allow for a full depth upper shelf.
 
Anybody ever wish they had gotten a smaller grill?
I have a Rec Tec Bull RT-700 and it's essentially just the two of us. My wife and I as my kids are still pretty small and don't eat much.

Never have I been at the grill and said to myself "man I wish this thing was smaller". The RT-700 pellet grill has been a PERFECT fit for my family. It's also nice having the extra room when we have others over and end up cooking several rib eyes, tomahawks, ribs, or even a turkey.
 
Well, I have a 36" Blackstone and never have I wished it were smaller even though I rarely use all the space available. So, I thought, same thing here. Something else I have thought of is that if I cook pizza on my Egg, it is one at a time. Pretty sure on the Bull, I could do two. That is kind of a game changer.
 
Have a Stampede with competition cart on order. Still have unresolved thoughts about that versus the Bull. Price is a wash.

Mostly cook for wife and high school daughter but sometimes for bigger groups. Did three butts for a friends Christmas party. All of which would have fit on the Stampede.

I’m really an Egg guy. The purpose of the Rec Tec is then just to use for convenience. And as such, I understand I may use it more and the Egg less. Do others like me ever think it’s kind of a hassle to heat up that whole big Bull for two chicken thighs? Because I am not sure if I would really ever need the additional space of the Bull.
You will find you use the RectEc more and more for smoking and the egg for steaks and such. I sold my egg as I am lazy and hated the cleanout problems. I went back to my hibachi for steaks and other grilling. The egg will grill and smoke but the grill size and clean out issue turned me off. I will say a ribeye on the egg is still far and away the best steak you'll ever eat! As for heat up times the egg takes time also.
 

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