Smoker Recommendations

[TheDarkSide]

"In spring a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of..."

SMOKIN' MEAT!!

I've never done any smoking before and would like input on a good smoker for the beginner. (i.e. something that doesn't cost the same as my mortgage payment ). I know Weber makes a couple, and I love my Weber grill.

I'm going to have to go back and listen to Homer's shows...everytime I listen to them, my stomach growls.

Thanks 's

[Elbone]

If you've already got a Weber kettle, It can easily be set up to smoke. Set up properly, mine can hold 225F for more than 8 hours till I have to add more charcoal. Unless you plan on doing lots of smoking, I don't think you need a separate smoker. Give me a few minutes to work on some pictures for you.

[PhillyBrewer]

I'm a beginner smoker myself. I have a propane GOSM.



Experienced smokers may scoff at propane, but it's simple and I feel it's easy to maintain temps. Especially with one of these:



When I was researching it before I got a smoker, it seemed like fussing with the coals would be annoying. YMMV.

[TheDarkSide]

If you've already got a Weber kettle, It can easily be set up to smoke. Set up properly, mine can hold 225F for more than 8 hours till I have to add more charcoal. Unless you plan on doing lots of smoking, I don't think you need a separate smoker. Give me a few minutes to work on some pictures for you.

My Weber grill is propane fired.

[Elbone]

If you've already got a Weber kettle, It can easily be set up to smoke. Set up properly, mine can hold 225F for more than 8 hours till I have to add more charcoal. Unless you plan on doing lots of smoking, I don't think you need a separate smoker. Give me a few minutes to work on some pictures for you.

My Weber grill is propane fired.

Well shit. I worked all this up, so I'm posting it anyway! Maybe somebody with a Weber Kettle will find it helpful.

Smoking is great fun. It's easy to start a smoke and an all-grain brew session at the same time and baby-sit both in an afternoon. Here's what I do:

1. cover the fire grate 2/3 with heavy-duty aluminum foil

2. wrap 2 clean bricks with foil and line them up as shown creating a barrier between the fire and the smoke chamber.

3. Place a disposable drip pan on the foiled half of the fire grate.

4. To build your fire you're going to use the "minion method" Fill the fire box full with charcoal. Use an "all hardwood" briquette here like Cowboy or Kingsford "Competition" brand. Sam's Choice from WalMart is good too. DON'T USE REGULAR KINGSFORD! Intersperse some smoke wood chips throughout the charcoal briquettes. Take six to eight briquettes from the very middle and get them going in a chimney or with a blowtorch or whatever. put them back in the middle of the firebox. The fire will slowly spread, maintaining temps and releasing smoke throughout the cook.

5.Put your food grate on the kettle and place the meat over the drip pan and a pan of water over the fire. The water pan will help to maintain steady temps for you. check it and re-fill it (with boiling water if possible) when it boils dry. I use a short-stemmed thermometer through one of the vent holes in the lid to monitor temperature. You adjust the temperature of the smoker by adjusting the inlet and outlet vents. You just have to figure it out with experience. You should be able to go 6 or 8 hours before needing to add more charcoal.



Good luck!

[Bugeater]

I don't really have to make a decision about what smoker to buy. Being a professional cook, we already have an electric smoker at work that I can use for my own cooking anytime I want. Will hold about 20 pounds of brisket, ribs, wild turkeys, etc.

Simple to use and the stuff tastes great and I didn't have to pay for it.

Wayne

[Hoppy Mad]

Hey Elbone,

Thanks for the details.
I recently swapped a case of beer for a webber and don't mind a bit of smoked meat.
Can you give me an idea of your favourite smoked meat and what you do to it?

It is getting cooler here and I might get the BBQ going this weekend.

Thanks Brendan

[Elbone]

Hey Elbone,

Thanks for the details.
I recently swapped a case of beer for a webber and don't mind a bit of smoked meat.
Can you give me an idea of your favourite smoked meat and what you do to it?

It is getting cooler here and I might get the BBQ going this weekend.

Thanks Brendan

The classic cut for BBQ in my part of the world is pork shoulder (called pork butt or Boston butt around here). I just set up my 22" Weber Kettle as shown above, season the shoulder generously with salt and pepper and leave it on the smoker, keeping the temp in the smoker as close to 225F as I can by adjusting the vents, until the internal temperature of the meat is around 200F. At this temp, the meat literally falls apart as all the connective tissue is broken down into gelatin. Hickory is the smoke wood of choice here. Someone once told me that meat gets all the smoke it's going to get in the first 5 or 6 hours, and I believe it. So when pressed for time, I'll start after work, go for 6 hours with smoke at 225 - 250, then wrap tightly in double foil, and put it in a 200F degree oven until I get up the next morning. That way the meat gets to 200F and stays there. While still hot, shred the meat, discarding the fat, and put on buns with a dill pickle slice for a classic "pulled-pork" sandwich. I like a Carolina-style sauce made with vinegar, hot peppers and just a little ketchup. Not too sweet.

Beef Brisket works wonderfully as well with this method. I've also successfully smoked prime ribs, beef chuck, turkeys and chickens.

http://www.smoking-meat.com is a great resource for technique and recipes. He'll try to sell you his "secret recipes" but there's plenty of good, free info there as well.

Post pics of your smoke and let us know how it turned out!

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