Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Vs Highland: Choose the Best Oklahoma Joe

Are you a newbie smoker or a BBQ veteran looking for a large smoker grill for a big family or crowd? If so, this guide has got you covered.

There are two fantastic grill options you can choose from, namely the  Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Vs Highland smoker grill.

With an Oklahoma Joe Longhorn or Highland, you will enjoy a massive cooking space, sturdy construction, and ease of use, all at an affordable price.

In this review, we will be looking at the features of each of the two Oklahoma Joe smoker versions and how they compare to help you choose between them.

Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Review

If you are looking for a bbq smoker with mega cooking space, look no further than the Oklahoma Joe longhorn smoker!

Some of the popular longhorn classic models that you will come across in the bbq market today include the reverse flow version and the three-in-one Char-broil LLC grill and smoker.

Let's now see the unique features of one of the Oklahoma Joe longhorn versions, the reverse flow version.

oklahoma joe longhorn vs highland

Cooking space

The longhorn reverse flow offset smoker has a massive cooking space of 1060 square inches; this is enough space to grill, BBQ, broil, roast, and bake for a large family or party.

Can you guess how many chickens you can cook in there at a go? You got it right! Five whole chickens! 

Also, you can cook a large number of sausages, hamburger patties, and other food chunks in this smoker grill

Heavy cooking lid

The Oklahoma joe longhorn reverse flow has a steel cooking chamber lid that locks in the smokey flavor. Also, there is a separate door for the hopper, which allows you to add pellets without interfering with the cooking temperature.

oklahoma Joe Longhorn dimensions

Temperature controls

This Joe smoker has a grate on the fuel box to lower or increase the temperature in the entire cooking chamber.

In addition, the longhorn reverse flow offset smoker has a built-in temperature probe to provide you with accurate temperature readings of your cook. 

This way, you will have peace of mind knowing that your food is cooking at the right temperature, and you won't have uncooked or burnt food.

Portability 

This charcoal grill's sturdy construction features large wheels that help you move the smoker to whichever location you wish to cook from. 

Also, the cart has a premium shelf where you can place your BBQ utensils, food, wood pellets, and other supplies.


Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Massive cooking space
  • Separate firebox
  • Easy temperature controls
  • Durable steel construction
  • Portable

Cons

  • Challenging to clean this large-capacity smoker
  • Need some assembly

Oklahoma Joe's Highland Review

The Highland grills come in two versions: offset and reverse flow smokers. But how will you differentiate between these two versions?

The highland offset cooker is more of a traditional grill. This cooker features two main parts: the firebox and the cooking chamber. So, fire and heat move from the firebox into the smoking chamber and exit through the chimney.

On the other hand, the highland reverse smoker has four baffle plates sitting under the cooking grates. Also, the reverse smoker has two cooking areas: the main cooking space and the fuel box.

Let's now take an in-depth look at the features of the Oklahoma Joe's Highland Reverse smoker:

oklahoma joe highland accessories

Cooking space and performance

The highland reverse smoker boasts 900 square inches of cooking space (619 square inches in the main cooking space and 281 square inches in the fuel box chamber).

Another notable feature of the Oklahoma Joe's highland reverse flow smoker is its four removable baffle plates. The removable baffles distribute heat and smoke to ensure food is cooking evenly in the cooking chamber.

Also, the baffle plates maintain a consistent temperature in the cooking chamber; you won't have to worry about a poorly cooked meal.

Construction and durability

The highland reverse cooker can withstand all weather conditions.

Also, this grill features a heavy-duty steel body and porcelain-coated cooking grates, which are easy to clean and maintain.

In addition, the highland reverse has a front and side shelf for your food preparations and placing your cooked food. Also, there is more storage space at the bottom of this cooker to hold your cooking supplies.

original oklahoma joe smoker

Ease of use

One cool feature of the Highland Reverse cooker is that you can easily convert it into the original version by changing the smokestack locations.

Other impressive features of this grill include a removable ash bin which is easy to clean and adjustable dampers on the vertical chimney for heat controls.

So, whether it's Oklahoma Joe's seasoning time or you want to make a nice barbeque, the highland reverse smoker promises not to trouble you!

Accessible and multifunctional firebox

The highland reverse charcoal smoker comes with an easy-to-access fuel box. Therefore, you won't tamper with the temperature in the cooking chamber whenever you are adding fuel to the firebox.

Also, you can cook in the firebox, especially those smaller food sizes.


Oklahoma Joe's Highland Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Easy temperature monitoring using the inbuilt temperature probe
  • Advanced damper on the chimney to control heat and smoke
  • Cool to touch handles
  • Readily available Oklahoma Joe Highland accessories
  • Direct grilling and barbeque smoking options

Cons

  • Bulkiest smoker
  • Heat can escape if the lid is not firmly shut

Comparing Highland and Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker Grills

Properties

Oklahoma Joe Highland reverse flow smoker

Oklahoma Joe Longhorn reverse flow smoker

Total cooking space

900 square inches

1,060 square inches

Four baffles

Yes

Yes

Removable baffles

Yes

Yes

Construction

Steel body and porcelain enameled grates

Steel body and porcelain enameled grates

Cool-to-touch handles

Yes

Yes

Weight

180.80 lbs.

226.00 lbs.

Price

FAQs

1. Who owns Oklahoma Joe smoker grills?

Joe Davidson was the founder of the Oklahoma Joe smoker grills. However, Char-broil bought the company from Joe in 1998 and has continuously revolutionized the products.

2. Is a reverse flow smoker grill worth it?

Whether you will be using the Oklahoma Joe longhorn reverse flow or the highland reverse smokers, your food will be evenly cooked. 

The reverse cooking system maintains an even distribution of heat in the cooking chamber to ensure there are no overcooked or undercooked food parts.

3. How do I control the temperature in my reverse flow smoker?

Open the dampers to allow air inflow if the fire is going out. Also, you can add more wood or charcoal to increase the temperature in the cooking chamber.

In addition, you can close the dampers to lower the heat in your smoker. 

4. Will you need a water pan when cooking in a reverse flow smoker?

You won't need a water pan when smoking food in a reverse flow smoker since the food will not be sitting directly on the fire.


Conclusion

This far, I know that you can quickly tell the main difference between Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Vs Highland; Oklahoma Joe Longhorn has a larger cooking space than the highland smoker.

Thus, the number of people you serve will dictate your choice between the two smokers.

But when it comes to performance, both smoker grill versions bring out the same great results. So, you can surprise your friends or family with nicely grilled chicken breasts, beef ribs, pork shoulder, hamburgers, and other foods.


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