Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Thinking about getting in the smoker game. A friend of mine made my wife and I some really great smoked chicken a couple weeks ago...and would like to explore it myself! I was at Home Depot and looked around at them quickly in passing...but was pretty lost. No idea what to look for.
Anyone have any recommendations? Tips on things to look for? Must haves? Things to avoid?
Thinking a small vertical design for easy storage in the dead of winter, either propane or electric for simplicity. Would naturally prefer not to spend a ton, but don't mind paying a little more for quality over the cheapest available junk. I expect it'll see pretty light use in general...not going to be out there smoking piles of meat every day...but a treat to have every now and then.
I already have a nice propane Weber grill, so don't need anything that's 2-in-1. I also have a cool bluetooth meat thermometer that I got last summer for $20 or whatever on Amazon...it works wonderfully for the grill and should work great with the smoker too.
Would appreciate any opinions!
Anyone have any recommendations? Tips on things to look for? Must haves? Things to avoid?
Thinking a small vertical design for easy storage in the dead of winter, either propane or electric for simplicity. Would naturally prefer not to spend a ton, but don't mind paying a little more for quality over the cheapest available junk. I expect it'll see pretty light use in general...not going to be out there smoking piles of meat every day...but a treat to have every now and then.
I already have a nice propane Weber grill, so don't need anything that's 2-in-1. I also have a cool bluetooth meat thermometer that I got last summer for $20 or whatever on Amazon...it works wonderfully for the grill and should work great with the smoker too.
Would appreciate any opinions!
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
You can't go wrong with a Cookshack smoker.
https://cookshack.com
Quality is very high. These are much better products than what you will find in the box stores.
It's nice to have a digital temp setting and probe. Ability to hold meat at a low temp once cooked would be good as well.
BBQ connoisseurs will want you to go with a wood smoker, but for regular use, an electric does great. No babysitting is needed. Clean up is also easy. Units are small for storage and easily wheeled around.
Only issue is these may be out of your price range. But I say go for it, since you will use it more than you think you will. It's not like a treadmill that will gather dust, and it should last forever.
I also have a nice Weber propane grill, but since adding the Cookshack, I find that I'm using the grill less and smoker more. I also have smoked things like steaks and chops, then finished them on the grill.
There was a fairly recent thread on this topic that covered smokers in detail.
https://cookshack.com
Quality is very high. These are much better products than what you will find in the box stores.
It's nice to have a digital temp setting and probe. Ability to hold meat at a low temp once cooked would be good as well.
BBQ connoisseurs will want you to go with a wood smoker, but for regular use, an electric does great. No babysitting is needed. Clean up is also easy. Units are small for storage and easily wheeled around.
Only issue is these may be out of your price range. But I say go for it, since you will use it more than you think you will. It's not like a treadmill that will gather dust, and it should last forever.
I also have a nice Weber propane grill, but since adding the Cookshack, I find that I'm using the grill less and smoker more. I also have smoked things like steaks and chops, then finished them on the grill.
There was a fairly recent thread on this topic that covered smokers in detail.
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
If you’re looking for cheap electric, we get good results from a $75 Little Chief that we got a Fred Meyer years ago. Smoking doesn’t take a lot of technology. There’s an episode of Good Eats from years back where Alton Brown smoked a salmon with a cardboard box and an electric hot plate.
Our neighbor modified her little chief into a cold smoker by getting two of them and connecting them with a piece of dryer vent hose. I think a small fan was also involved. It was pretty Rube Goldberg, but it did work, and she got fabulous results.
If you want to spend more money than that, someone else will need to comment.
Our neighbor modified her little chief into a cold smoker by getting two of them and connecting them with a piece of dryer vent hose. I think a small fan was also involved. It was pretty Rube Goldberg, but it did work, and she got fabulous results.
If you want to spend more money than that, someone else will need to comment.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I strongly recommend the Oklahoma Joe Bronco Drum ($299) though often on sale for $250. Built like a tank and very well designed.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Weber 18 inch Smoky Mountain bullet smoker equipped with a Flame Boss wi-fi pit controller (has fan for pinpoint temp control) and meat probe. You get amazing performance and ease without much effort or cost.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Can't go wrong with a Traeger wood pellet smoker which you can set and forget when it comes to temperature and fire management. Don't run out of pellets during a long brisket smoke!guitarguy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:05 pm Thinking about getting in the smoker game. A friend of mine made my wife and I some really great smoked chicken a couple weeks ago...and would like to explore it myself! I was at Home Depot and looked around at them quickly in passing...but was pretty lost. No idea what to look for.
Anyone have any recommendations? Tips on things to look for? Must haves? Things to avoid?
Thinking a small vertical design for easy storage in the dead of winter, either propane or electric for simplicity. Would naturally prefer not to spend a ton, but don't mind paying a little more for quality over the cheapest available junk. I expect it'll see pretty light use in general...not going to be out there smoking piles of meat every day...but a treat to have every now and then.
I already have a nice propane Weber grill, so don't need anything that's 2-in-1. I also have a cool bluetooth meat thermometer that I got last summer for $20 or whatever on Amazon...it works wonderfully for the grill and should work great with the smoker too.
Would appreciate any opinions!
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
RecTeq RT-700 pellet grill/smoker.
We had a Big Green Egg for over a decade and switched to the RecTeq 2 years ago. Love it!
We had a Big Green Egg for over a decade and switched to the RecTeq 2 years ago. Love it!
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I've been amazed by the effectiveness of a "smoke tube" for wood pellets combined with a gas grill (as recommended by someone here several years ago). Less than $20 and no storage issue. Certainly not a versatile as a true smoker for things like brisket, but I've gotten to be very happy with my ribs using it (3-2-1 method, three hours in smoke, two hours in low oven, 1 hour back on grill with some sauce). In the smoking phase, I usually lightly cover the ribs and smoke tube with aluminum foil to hold the smoke in more since the grill is not as tightly closed as a smoker.
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
What's your budget? I love my Memphis since it does it all but it's not cheap. Check out Amazingribs.com for reviews and more. Not affiliated.
Never let a little bit of money get in the way of a real good time.
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
If money is no object: https://www.k-rigg.com/
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I bought a Traeger Timberline 850 just before Thanksgiving last fall......love the thing! I did a spatchcock turkey for the family.....was fabulous! The smoked flavor was outstanding.
Features I like about the Timberline:
1). Wifi control......I can pretty much control the entire smoking process with my smart phone.....easy and enjoyable!
2). "Super Smoke" feature......pretty much eliminates the need for smoke tubes. I do use a smoke tube when smoking salmon fillets because I like a real deep smoke flavor for the salmon.
3). Set it and forget it.....yup...that pretty much sums it up
4). Fully insulated.... so for guys like me that live in the frozen tundra area (Wisconsin)..... can use it year around w/o any issues.
5). Easy to clean. Convenient access to inside fire pit, etc. I clean mine before each cook. I've read where some folks get grease fires...that usually happens with a grease built up.....not for me!
There are a lot of good brands out there. I chose the Traeger because I have a few friends that have one (some have serveral!)....and there is a local dealer nearby. They assembled and delivered it......and took my old Charbroil gas grill to the trash.
Good luck! I find it to be a very enjoyable method of cooking.....and I'm just getting started!
Features I like about the Timberline:
1). Wifi control......I can pretty much control the entire smoking process with my smart phone.....easy and enjoyable!
2). "Super Smoke" feature......pretty much eliminates the need for smoke tubes. I do use a smoke tube when smoking salmon fillets because I like a real deep smoke flavor for the salmon.
3). Set it and forget it.....yup...that pretty much sums it up
4). Fully insulated.... so for guys like me that live in the frozen tundra area (Wisconsin)..... can use it year around w/o any issues.
5). Easy to clean. Convenient access to inside fire pit, etc. I clean mine before each cook. I've read where some folks get grease fires...that usually happens with a grease built up.....not for me!
There are a lot of good brands out there. I chose the Traeger because I have a few friends that have one (some have serveral!)....and there is a local dealer nearby. They assembled and delivered it......and took my old Charbroil gas grill to the trash.
Good luck! I find it to be a very enjoyable method of cooking.....and I'm just getting started!
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Depends on what you want to spend. I have a Yoder YS 640. Previously a traeger. The Yoder is a tank and does everything.. It will last 3x as long as the traeger
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Why don’t you simply ask your friend what they use and if he recommends it to you? They obviously know what they are doing.
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I enjoy managing the fire and temp manually, to me that’s part of the fun and the majority of the skill. Many just want to eat the results.
What do you want?
If you think you will enjoy managing the fire, experimenting with different lump charcoals and maybe some hard woods then the Weber Smokey Mountain is a great smoker to learn on. It holds temp well, easy to manage temp with the butterfly vents and can be loaded with sufficient amount of fuel to sustain a long burn.
If you just want the results; get an auger driven smoker with a thermostat...Treagers are great.
Here is a great site and member forum for BBQ that focuses on the Weber Smokey Mountain; although members have a variety of smokers.
https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/
Last, smokers are easily found on Craigslist as many get into it and then lose the passion after a season or two.
What do you want?
If you think you will enjoy managing the fire, experimenting with different lump charcoals and maybe some hard woods then the Weber Smokey Mountain is a great smoker to learn on. It holds temp well, easy to manage temp with the butterfly vents and can be loaded with sufficient amount of fuel to sustain a long burn.
If you just want the results; get an auger driven smoker with a thermostat...Treagers are great.
Here is a great site and member forum for BBQ that focuses on the Weber Smokey Mountain; although members have a variety of smokers.
https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/
Last, smokers are easily found on Craigslist as many get into it and then lose the passion after a season or two.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
What do you want to smoke? Long cooks like brisket? I use my kettle for ribs, pork butts & whole chickens. Can also do burgers, dogs, sausages & such. Very versatile, and about $100 bucks. I have no need to spend extra for 13 hours cooks. I can easily keep my kettle at 225° for hours. Don't out punt your coverage.
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Check out craigslist or Facebook marketplace. Always someone looking to upgrade and it is a good spot to find something to get started on. I have done both electric and propane and have had success with both. My son graduated last year from HS and I did 50 lbs of pork butts on a small, propane smoker that I spread out over 2 days. I bought it used off of Craigslist and it had a lot of life in it yet and the burner was in good shape. Find something to cut your teeth on and then if you get into it, you can upgrade yourself.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I have owned a Camp Chef Smoke Pro DLX for the last 4 years or so. It is a pellet smoker. They now come with wifi controllers. While it does not provide quite the smoke flavor of a traditional stick burner, it does just enough for my family's needs. It is truly a fill the hopper full of pellets, set & forget smoker. It is kind of a messy cleaning process, but I'm kind of OCD about that.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
We have an Xl big green egg, really enjoy the versatility of the egg.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Wow, thanks for all the responses everyone! I've got some things to look through!!
We're only a family of 2 adults and 1 toddler currently, but I really like the idea of throwing something a little larger on there (like a brisket or whole chicken) that would suffice for a few meals, and doing some meal prep with it. We also like to entertain and cook for family and friends.
There seem to be some pretty basic propane ones for a couple hundred bucks that might be a good fit for me to get started. We always have a spare propane tank floating around so that would be easy to setup. This is the type my buddy uses...anyone else in the propane camp?
I was hoping to stay in the $300 ish range...but seeing some of these options...I'm wondering if that's feasible!
Sure! Chicken, chops, whatever! I like the idea of getting it going in the morning and letting it slow cook all day! Yay meat. haha.
We're only a family of 2 adults and 1 toddler currently, but I really like the idea of throwing something a little larger on there (like a brisket or whole chicken) that would suffice for a few meals, and doing some meal prep with it. We also like to entertain and cook for family and friends.
I hadn't thought a lot about this...but I'd probably be more in the camp of "set it and forget it" so that I can have it going all day while busy doing other things around the house, or working. Is there a LOT of oversight required with one like the Smokey Mountain? The price isn't too terrible, but would not want to get frustrated by constantly having to tinker with the adjustment, watch the temp like a hawk to make sure I don't screw up and ruin the food, have a lengthly setup process to get it lit and heated up, etc.DoubleComma wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:10 pm I enjoy managing the fire and temp manually, to me that’s part of the fun and the majority of the skill. Many just want to eat the results.
What do you want?
If you think you will enjoy managing the fire, experimenting with different lump charcoals and maybe some hard woods then the Weber Smokey Mountain is a great smoker to learn on. It holds temp well, easy to manage temp with the butterfly vents and can be loaded with sufficient amount of fuel to sustain a long burn.
If you just want the results; get an auger driven smoker with a thermostat...Treagers are great.
There seem to be some pretty basic propane ones for a couple hundred bucks that might be a good fit for me to get started. We always have a spare propane tank floating around so that would be easy to setup. This is the type my buddy uses...anyone else in the propane camp?
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
+1 I have owned an RT-380 for 3 plus years which has been great and just bought a RecTec Bullseye to replace an 11 year old Big Steel Keg (BGE knockoff) that finally died. For ease of use and consistent temps it is hard to beat a pellet smoker.
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I got this Camp Chef propane smoker about 6 years ago. I've been very happy with it. They also make one a little narrower for $50 cheaper.guitarguy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:34 pm Wow, thanks for all the responses everyone! I've got some things to look through!!
I was hoping to stay in the $300 ish range...but seeing some of these options...I'm wondering if that's feasible!
Sure! Chicken, chops, whatever! I like the idea of getting it going in the morning and letting it slow cook all day! Yay meat. haha.
We're only a family of 2 adults and 1 toddler currently, but I really like the idea of throwing something a little larger on there (like a brisket or whole chicken) that would suffice for a few meals, and doing some meal prep with it. We also like to entertain and cook for family and friends.
I hadn't thought a lot about this...but I'd probably be more in the camp of "set it and forget it" so that I can have it going all day while busy doing other things around the house, or working. Is there a LOT of oversight required with one like the Smokey Mountain? The price isn't too terrible, but would not want to get frustrated by constantly having to tinker with the adjustment, watch the temp like a hawk to make sure I don't screw up and ruin the food, have a lengthly setup process to get it lit and heated up, etc.DoubleComma wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:10 pm I enjoy managing the fire and temp manually, to me that’s part of the fun and the majority of the skill. Many just want to eat the results.
What do you want?
If you think you will enjoy managing the fire, experimenting with different lump charcoals and maybe some hard woods then the Weber Smokey Mountain is a great smoker to learn on. It holds temp well, easy to manage temp with the butterfly vents and can be loaded with sufficient amount of fuel to sustain a long burn.
If you just want the results; get an auger driven smoker with a thermostat...Treagers are great.
There seem to be some pretty basic propane ones for a couple hundred bucks that might be a good fit for me to get started. We always have a spare propane tank floating around so that would be easy to setup. This is the type my buddy uses...anyone else in the propane camp?
https://www.campchef.com/smokers-grills ... lt-24.html
It is not completely fiddle free. Set up and clean up are easy. Getting the temperature to hold properly is dependent upon ambient temperature, wind, rain, etc. Sometimes it hits the mark early and holds it for most of the process; other times it takes several trips outside to adjust the temperature gauge to get it to settle within the desired range. Having wireless temperature probes is practically essential.
I settled on propane for a couple of reasons. I did not want the muss and fuss of charcoal. My grill and smoker also sit on an uncovered patio, so running an extension cord would mean leaving the cord in the elements if it happened to be raining when I wanted to smoke. I have kept a cover on this smoker when not in use and the smoker has held up remarkably well. A propane smoker seemed to fit my lazy lifestyle perfectly.
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Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Just eliminate propane from consideration all together. The process of burning propane emits water vapor in cooking chamber and messes with humidity. Plus, if you going to think about propane then just use your oven.guitarguy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:34 pm Wow, thanks for all the responses everyone! I've got some things to look through!!
I was hoping to stay in the $300 ish range...but seeing some of these options...I'm wondering if that's feasible!
Sure! Chicken, chops, whatever! I like the idea of getting it going in the morning and letting it slow cook all day! Yay meat. haha.
We're only a family of 2 adults and 1 toddler currently, but I really like the idea of throwing something a little larger on there (like a brisket or whole chicken) that would suffice for a few meals, and doing some meal prep with it. We also like to entertain and cook for family and friends.
I hadn't thought a lot about this...but I'd probably be more in the camp of "set it and forget it" so that I can have it going all day while busy doing other things around the house, or working. Is there a LOT of oversight required with one like the Smokey Mountain? The price isn't too terrible, but would not want to get frustrated by constantly having to tinker with the adjustment, watch the temp like a hawk to make sure I don't screw up and ruin the food, have a lengthly setup process to get it lit and heated up, etc.DoubleComma wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:10 pm I enjoy managing the fire and temp manually, to me that’s part of the fun and the majority of the skill. Many just want to eat the results.
What do you want?
If you think you will enjoy managing the fire, experimenting with different lump charcoals and maybe some hard woods then the Weber Smokey Mountain is a great smoker to learn on. It holds temp well, easy to manage temp with the butterfly vents and can be loaded with sufficient amount of fuel to sustain a long burn.
If you just want the results; get an auger driven smoker with a thermostat...Treagers are great.
There seem to be some pretty basic propane ones for a couple hundred bucks that might be a good fit for me to get started. We always have a spare propane tank floating around so that would be easy to setup. This is the type my buddy uses...anyone else in the propane camp?
WSM take a couple cooks to learn the nuance of the smoker, but once you get a handle on it its can be pretty much an autopilot system. On any smoker when you start to vary to fuel type (lump charcoal, traditional and the various mfgs of each) you will change how the cooker needs to have the vents set and cook time.
Besides spending a couple hours on virtual weber bullet reading their forums, if you go this route get a 18" or 22" WSM, a dual probe remote thermometer and stay consistent with the type of fuel use. Recommend Kingsford Comp to start - long burns with little ash production. The dual probe is so you can see the cooking chamber temp independent of the analog therm on the cooker and the other is to measure the meat temp.
Starting with bone in pork butt is the easiest place to start. Very forgiving meat.
On my 22" WSM I can start in the late evening, say 9pm, have the temp stable by 10:00, but in brisket or pork butt and not have to mess with it again till 7a-9a in the morning. At that point I frequently add a little more fuel and can easily get it to go till noon....or when the meat is done.
From easiest to hardest, in my opinion, Pork Butt, Ribs, Brisket, Thighs, Tri-tip --- in fact on the last two I think they are both 100x better in an open pit Santa Maria grill vs a smoker. Also, its big step from Ribs to Brisket, mainly because the flat and point cook very independent of each other. Its why burnt ends were invented.
I can't say it enough, spend some time on Virtual Weber Bullet. Great community. Lots of advise...for all types of cookers even though they are Weber fans.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
This is what I use.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments ... lsrc=aw.ds
Cheap, easy, does the job.
Best website: https://amazingribs.com/
https://www.acehardware.com/departments ... lsrc=aw.ds
Cheap, easy, does the job.
Best website: https://amazingribs.com/
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Take a look at Basspro, electric grills. They are in the $300 range, have the features of a meat probe, app that allows you to change temp or monitor while out and about, to hold at a temp, add chips easily, etc. If just starting out, no need to spend a lot, though there are those who will suggest it. When first looking at non-electric smokers at Home Depot, for example, two people came up and said that $5,000 was a reasonable price to pay. Of course the World BBQ Championship is in my area. If you think there are some who love to talk wine, cars, etc., you ain't seen nothing until you begin to talk with BBQ zealots. You can learn a lot and ignore a lot. Basically, temperature control and good meat are keys. Other than that, you can buy, make your own rub, use various types of wood for smoking, etc. It's limitless. Frankly, if you really like BBQ, you will find that the cost of going to a favorite spot is much easier than doing your own. The fun is with experimenting and spending time, often with others while you smoke meat, shoot the bull and drink a little beer.
Tim
Tim
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I recommend a Yoder Smoker pellet grill. They are built much much better than Trager or other non-USA built brands. Mine weighs about 500 lbs and rolls on 10" tires
Their entry model is the YS480s ($1799 +shipping): https://www.yodersmokers.com/pellet/the ... let-grill/
All you need to do is follow the recipe, keep the hopper full of pellets (easy), and control/watch the cook on your phone/tablet.
Their entry model is the YS480s ($1799 +shipping): https://www.yodersmokers.com/pellet/the ... let-grill/
All you need to do is follow the recipe, keep the hopper full of pellets (easy), and control/watch the cook on your phone/tablet.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
There is always a debate between the pelleteers (Traeger etc) and chunkers (Weber/OK Joe/...). Personally, I prefer the simplest possible smoker and I often do a finish wood. It just depends on how involved you want to get. I've built a simple addition to my OK Joe for low temp smoking (cheese/salmon/nuts/...) and often dual smoke using it.
Personally again, I see zero use for wifi or extraneous gadgets other than a decent temp gauge - I've been happy with the thermopro tp08s.
Personally again, I see zero use for wifi or extraneous gadgets other than a decent temp gauge - I've been happy with the thermopro tp08s.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Pit Barrell Cooker. I have others, but this is what I use. https://pitbarrelcooker.com/
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Great post.DoubleComma wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 4:17 pmJust eliminate propane from consideration all together. The process of burning propane emits water vapor in cooking chamber and messes with humidity. Plus, if you going to think about propane then just use your oven.guitarguy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:34 pm Wow, thanks for all the responses everyone! I've got some things to look through!!
I was hoping to stay in the $300 ish range...but seeing some of these options...I'm wondering if that's feasible!
Sure! Chicken, chops, whatever! I like the idea of getting it going in the morning and letting it slow cook all day! Yay meat. haha.
We're only a family of 2 adults and 1 toddler currently, but I really like the idea of throwing something a little larger on there (like a brisket or whole chicken) that would suffice for a few meals, and doing some meal prep with it. We also like to entertain and cook for family and friends.
I hadn't thought a lot about this...but I'd probably be more in the camp of "set it and forget it" so that I can have it going all day while busy doing other things around the house, or working. Is there a LOT of oversight required with one like the Smokey Mountain? The price isn't too terrible, but would not want to get frustrated by constantly having to tinker with the adjustment, watch the temp like a hawk to make sure I don't screw up and ruin the food, have a lengthly setup process to get it lit and heated up, etc.DoubleComma wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:10 pm I enjoy managing the fire and temp manually, to me that’s part of the fun and the majority of the skill. Many just want to eat the results.
What do you want?
If you think you will enjoy managing the fire, experimenting with different lump charcoals and maybe some hard woods then the Weber Smokey Mountain is a great smoker to learn on. It holds temp well, easy to manage temp with the butterfly vents and can be loaded with sufficient amount of fuel to sustain a long burn.
If you just want the results; get an auger driven smoker with a thermostat...Treagers are great.
There seem to be some pretty basic propane ones for a couple hundred bucks that might be a good fit for me to get started. We always have a spare propane tank floating around so that would be easy to setup. This is the type my buddy uses...anyone else in the propane camp?
WSM take a couple cooks to learn the nuance of the smoker, but once you get a handle on it its can be pretty much an autopilot system. On any smoker when you start to vary to fuel type (lump charcoal, traditional and the various mfgs of each) you will change how the cooker needs to have the vents set and cook time.
Besides spending a couple hours on virtual weber bullet reading their forums, if you go this route get a 18" or 22" WSM, a dual probe remote thermometer and stay consistent with the type of fuel use. Recommend Kingsford Comp to start - long burns with little ash production. The dual probe is so you can see the cooking chamber temp independent of the analog therm on the cooker and the other is to measure the meat temp.
Starting with bone in pork butt is the easiest place to start. Very forgiving meat.
On my 22" WSM I can start in the late evening, say 9pm, have the temp stable by 10:00, but in brisket or pork butt and not have to mess with it again till 7a-9a in the morning. At that point I frequently add a little more fuel and can easily get it to go till noon....or when the meat is done.
From easiest to hardest, in my opinion, Pork Butt, Ribs, Brisket, Thighs, Tri-tip --- in fact on the last two I think they are both 100x better in an open pit Santa Maria grill vs a smoker. Also, its big step from Ribs to Brisket, mainly because the flat and point cook very independent of each other. Its why burnt ends were invented.
I can't say it enough, spend some time on Virtual Weber Bullet. Great community. Lots of advise...for all types of cookers even though they are Weber fans.
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round. |
Nobody told me there'd be days like these.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I love smoke meat, and I was ‘gifted’ a small Weber smoker a few years back. The end product is typically pretty darn good, but man it’s a pain to smoke. Cleaning, getting it up to temp, adding wood and charcoal every 1-2 hours, keeping it at temp, hoping you get past the stall period before dinner, then giving up and throwing it in the oven for the last hour
I would start on something in your price range, and see how you like it. If I had a larger outdoor area, I’d probably upgrade to something that is more insulated, and easier to manage.
I would start on something in your price range, and see how you like it. If I had a larger outdoor area, I’d probably upgrade to something that is more insulated, and easier to manage.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
Ive had the Weber Smokey Mountain for 7-8 years and love it. I just bought a regular ol Weber kettle 26 inch and have started using it to smoke most of my meats with the exception of very large pieces like brisket.
Cost wise I think you could go the route of a Weber kettle 22 inch and use the snake method and you would be et up great plus you can still grill like normal using charcoal if you like. You can find the Weber 22 inch for like 99 bucks most the times and factbook market place always has them for less than 50 bucks and they last for years and year with no worries of rust if left outside like most gas grills or electric smokers.
Re: Smoker recommendations? Meat, not Marlboro.
I currently have 2 Traegers. A 3 year old Pro 22 and a 20 year old BBQ075. I came from a Yoder which I am glad I moved away from (issues support couldn't solve, the quality seemed inconsistent a short in the electronics caught it and my gazebo on fire). I know others with them and they enjoy them, YMMV.
My Pro22 has been stellar and I have made some amazing cooks. I bought the old BBQ075 because, while the 22 is great, I quickly realized that with friends over I wanted a larger grill. At the time we didn't have the budget for the Pro34 (just like the 22, but bigger). I have had it about 6 months).
The fact that the BBQ075 is still smoking away is pretty amazing (it is an American made model, Traeger sold company in 2006). The quality of both is very, very nice.
Good luck on your quest!
Russ
My Pro22 has been stellar and I have made some amazing cooks. I bought the old BBQ075 because, while the 22 is great, I quickly realized that with friends over I wanted a larger grill. At the time we didn't have the budget for the Pro34 (just like the 22, but bigger). I have had it about 6 months).
The fact that the BBQ075 is still smoking away is pretty amazing (it is an American made model, Traeger sold company in 2006). The quality of both is very, very nice.
Good luck on your quest!
Russ