No, don't voluntarily complicate your life.

I say go for it! Elery likes his electric smoker, and a charcoal smoker takes more "tending" than an electric one, but for occasional use it would be fine, I think.

Annie

LOL Ruthanna!

Annie - Evidently I linked the wrong one. The one I was looking at looks the same but is electric.

Here is a link that might be useful: Try again

This post was edited by foodonastump on Tue, Aug 20, 13 at 20:40

What kind of grill do you have?

Have you tried to smoke in it?

dcarch

Elery has both, his "Personal Kitchen" charcoal grill works fine as a smoker, but takes more tending. His electric smoker is easy enough for me to use it without getting frustrated, but can't be used for cold smoking, which the charcoal ones can.

Dcarch is right, though, if you can use your grill as a smoker, and you only want to smoke something occasionally, then you might want to check out the catalog closely and see if there is something else you might want more.

Don't let your kids see the catalog, though, they're going to want the X-Box or something, LOL.

Annie

I have a similar one... a $60 Charbroil, used occasionally. Even though my pig-raising, hard core smoking friend scoffs at it, electric works for me and that Charbroil made some of the best smoked turkey I've ever had.

We wound up with a larger Masterbuilt because we started doing our own bacon. I use it way more than I thought I would. I've never tried smoking on my (el cheapo gas) grill, but either would be a good place to start. If that's the best thing in the catalog, I'd go for it.

I have a gas grill, haven't given a whole lot of effort to smoking on that. Although a couple weeks ago I did buy some chips, could not keep them smoldering without the help of my acetylene torch every few minutes, which of course did no good for maintaining temp so I didn't do it too often. I don't even remember what I was cooking but it ended up being a complete waste of effort. Couldn't taste a bit of smoke.

I suppose this all sounds like user error, but somehow I figured an electric smoker would make it all easier. Would it?

We lost our Masterbuilt electric smoker to Sandy. We did use it but the smoker was not one of the things we chose to replace after the storm. Can't say we missed it this season. Guess it might have been a novelty that we are just fine without. :) Congratulations on the award! DS recently won one of those but he got an all expense paid, one week trip to Hawaii for the entire family traveling first-class. I think you work for the wrong company. lol

/tricia

"----Although a couple weeks ago I did buy some chips, could not keep them smoldering without the help of my acetylene torch every few minutes, ---"

Try wrapping the chips in foil with a few holes on top of the charcoal.

But if you like smoked salmon, smoked cheese, smoked salt, smoked paprika, smoked butter, etc. then you need a real smoker to do cold smoking.

dcarch

Tricia - I'm a little surprised to hear that, I thought you were big into the bacon and all. I guess that was during your novelty phase? As for your son, that's a nice award!

Dcarch - I'll try the holes in foil thing. Like I said it's a gas grill, but I really should be able to get it to work somehow.

Yeah, something like Sandy made us really take stock and make decisions on what was important to our life style. The smoker didn't make the list. We can buy perfectly good smoked meats for the small amount two people consume. It was fun for a couple years though.

Jim's in sales. He made President's Club. He slept the entire trip. :(

/tricia

The Brinkman non-elec was our first smoker. We still have it and use it rarely now. (in the basement of vacation home). Yard sale purchase years ago. Check for end of summer sales at a local hardware. Our side firebox smoker was purchased that way. We use wood fired because we have lots of that cut ourselves. We soak fruit wood chunks for the smoke.
If electric is what you want, maybe look at the standing door style as is about the same cash.
We have smoked 5 small chickens in the Brinkman with great success. 3 on top grate and 2 below. Handy to have a bag of natural charcoal chunks if cooler weather or windy.

We only smoke when all day gardening or yard work projects as it does need tending. Elec would make that less so i imagine.
Originally we bought a book years before the internet...now you can get info by just reading one of the 'smokin' joe' forums as many exist. (the mens love their fire, lol)

If you end up with one we, and others here, can guide you through success.

I am going to add my 2 cents. My brother has an inexpensive propane tall square smoker. He uses it a lot.

I have the round green one from Cabella's. It was used once last year, and so far once this year. One, because it's the two of us, and it seems a waste to smoke a small amount, so when I use it, I fill it.

If I buy another one, it will be like my brother's. Square and tall. Why? Because you can actually fit more in it! I can only do 2 racks of ribs. DB can do about 4.

On mine, it's difficult to add to the wood chips later in the smoking when they've all burned down. Water pan is hard to get a hold of to put in and take out, so I fill it with a pitcher, but get black hands trying to take it out to clean.

On the square one, the trays slide out easily for the water and chips.

Ours are both propane models. I can buy one like DB's at Walmart for $150. As summer stuff goes on clearance, I can get it for about $100.

Which ever one you get, enjoy it!

Tami

Like sleevendog, we have the charcoal version of Brinkmann's and it fits a lot! The first time we used it we did a pork roast, a beef brisket, and two chickens. lol! IF the electric version can produce the good flavor, I'd go for it -- but I don't know if that's the case. The charcoal version is a bit of a PITA to attend... trying to add more coals and woodchips, for example, but you figure it out. For us, the biggest problem with the charcoal version is that it must be used on a wind-free day or in a very protected location so that the desired temp will be maintained.

Whatever you choose to get, it should be a good toy for yourself. Congrats on getting some recognition at work!

I've had both electric and charcoal Brinkmann smokers. The charcoal is fussier to tend, but yields a somewhat smokier product.

The electric one, though, is really handy for cookouts where you'll have several people over. I've put six chickens in one and plug it in about 4 to 6 hours before mealtime. The advantage is that you are making some really tasty food that doesn't require last minute attention. Season the birds, get them started, and you essentially leave it alone until dinner, just checking the water pan every now and then. (In fact, the less you open the smoker, the better. If you take off the lid to look at the progress, it takes 15 minutes or so to get back up to temp). Since you don't have to pay attention to the main course, you can spend your time doing more important things like icing down the beer, and frequently tasting to make sure the beer is properly iced. (Hey--that's important.)

The electric ones do need a lot of current, and won't work well on thin extension cords. Works best if you can locate the smoker near an outlet.

Recommended accessories: a rib rack allows you to utilize the space more efficiently. Likewise, vertical chicken roaster racks are handy to fit more chickens in the space. I've used ones similar to the one at the link with good results; with six of these, you can easily fit six fat chickens in the smoker.

And, smoked birds freeze well. Put the cooled bird in a gallon ziplock bag, suck out as much air as you can with a straw, and seal it. Freeze, and when you want to eat it put the bag in the microwave, throw a few ounces of water or white wine in the bird's cavity, and nuke it till thawed and warm.

Here is a link that might be useful: vertical chicken roaster rack

I love my electric smoker . I don;t use it that much but when I do it is always such a hit.

To tell you the truth the thing I liked about it most was the first three years of playing and experimenting...it was a fabulous diversion.

Now I generally just use it for WOW factor when having people over. Hardly anybody here has one so it's always a curiosity.

Last week I served company pulled pork and they flipped...nothing like it on a BBQ.

Smoked ribs on the menu for company this week as well as some smoked trout...

I love it , use it not so much as I used to, and if anything happened to it would buy another electric smoker...I think of it as another "tool"

FOAS, if you have a smoker, you would be smoking like crazy these few days.

Shoprite supermarket this week:

Pork shoulder $0.79 a lb.

Ribs $1.79 a lb.

Chicken leg/thigh $0.77 a lb.

dcarch

Thanks for all the responses. I'll give it some more thought but it doesn't sound like anyone is warning that it's no good, so that's a start. I've got no deadline to decide so we'll see. I know I'll have a million questions if and when I get it

Sharon, Elery agrees, he'd replace his electric smoker promptly if anything happened to it. He uses it a lot and tomorrow is going to smoke some scotch eggs, some more Armadillo eggs (sausage wrapped around cream cheese and jalapenos), a "fattie", which is a meatloaf made of beef and sausage, stuffed with cheese and Canadian bacon and spinach, then wrapped in a bacon weave. Yeah.....

Oh, and some poblano peppers stuffed with something or another I haven't dreamed up yet.

Annie

A year ago last Christmas I got the Brinkman charcoal smoker for less than $40 at WalMart. It can be converted to electric, but don't know if I want to do that.

By the way, all the bacon at the grocery today was just a tad under $6 whether it was a pound or 12 ounces.

This post was edited by bcskye on Wed, Aug 21, 13 at 23:13

Any recs for a Smoking 101 book? Something basic that will talk about how much wood to use and for how long. This might sound odd coming from someone interested in a smoker, but I often don't like a super smokey flavor. For instance last summer my neighbor and I both happened to make pulled pork at the same time and I preferred my oven roasted over his smoked because his was too smokey for my taste, so I'd like to know how to control that.

Madonna - Are you posting those bacon prices as a good deal? Here on Long Island $6/lb is the regular price for Boars Head, most regular national brands my target is $3-4/lb on sale. Anything higher would be for a premium label.

Years ago, when we acquired our barrel smoker with the side firebox, we had an enormous 4th of july party and did a mixed grill smoke. Chickens, ribs, rabbit, salmon, sausages, pork.
All needing different smoking times. Such a hit. But very smokey. Fine with all the cold and vinegary 'sides' everyone brought. Fresh corn, etc.
For a recent long road trip we cut down the smoke by alot. One chicken we split flat on foil, then parchment, a big bed of wild thyme and lemon, then topped loosely with foil. Still smokey by cooking covered, then a bit of time without foil at the end. The pork tips i wrapped tight in parchment foil with a dry rub. They braised in their juices for a few hours, then opened slightly and were very smokey by just having a small opening. Total time for the pork was maybe 9-10 hours. One chicken was just tossed on whole. Made stock for soup and chicken salad. Froze a bit of the meat for fall soups.
So, yes, you can control the smoke.
For ribs, we sometimes start them in the oven tightly wrapped with a dry rub to braise. Then off to the smoker with the foil open a bit. Finished on the grill, out of their foil packet, near a higher heat. Moist, fall off the bone, a bit of smoke with a grilled crust. yum

FOAS, as it turned out, there are so many smokers on this forum, I am sure the varied combined experience from everyone can probably get you thru the initial learning curve.

As I remember, Shambo also got a smoker recently and has been very happy that she did.

dcarch

FOAS Smoke and Spice is a really good basic book. I use mine all the time.

"Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing " Is an excellent book but also includes lots of salting and curing, sausage making and the like as well as smoking. Great book but not a starter book.

Here is a link that might be useful: Smoke and Spice

FOAS, actually I was complaining about the $6 per pound or 12 ounce bacons being high. I keep visioning the pictures of Annie's bacon that she cured and smoked and put on GW a while back. Oh, that looked truly decadent!
That prompted me to get "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing". Unfortunately, because of some bad health problems that we've experienced this past year and a half, I haven't used it yet, but will soon.

Went on ebay this evening and found several copies of Smoke and Spice up for auction. One was just $5.00, but it had a bid on it and I was afraid it might be FOAS so I bought another one. It is normally one expensive book.

If it's free and you've won it, I would totally take it! I have an electric pellet smoker which I absolutely LOVE. I don't use it as much as some people, but I do love it when I use it. It's easy, fairly consistent, and doesn't need constant tending too.

bcskye, another good source for used books is addall.com

It's a meta-search engine that checks the inventories of several online book stores.

As of just now, they had 3 copies of Smoke and Spice for under $5--and that's including shipping!

Here is a link that might be useful: addall

I smoke pork butts occasionally and they turn out great on my gas grill. The soaked chips are placed in foil below the grates but on the bars ( I have a weber) and the grill does maintain low temps nicely- 250- so the meat turns out perfect after 15 hours or so. I also do mops and rubs, etc.

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. And Madonna, that was so kind of you not to want to compete against me on that auction - but it was not I!

I think my first step wil be to play a bit more with my grill - also a Weber - and see where that leads me.

Bumblebeez (or anyone else) the directions I've seen for a gas grill say to get the chips smoldering over high heat then turn the heat down. Is that what you do? About how much chips do you use for a pork butt? All at once or replenish?

Well, I usually do several butts at one time, some for the freezer, never just one. And for that I would use about a gallon of chips, or 2 bags, and I do not start off at a high heat. They get going after a while fine. I don't replenish either.
I only open the grill lid a few times over the course of the day. Maybe once every 3-4 hours.

FOAS, I should have checked with you before I bid on the "Buy It Now" book. I paid twice as much + for the 2013 copy and this evening I got a message that they had run out of stock and refunded my payment. The auction on the $5.00 copy ended before that. I'd still not bid against you if I thought it was one of my GW brothers or sisters. I will find another eventually.

Arley, I went to addall and the lowest price they had was $34.19, don't remember the shipping on it. Maybe I did something wrong. Like I told FOAS, I will find another at a low price eventually and I don't mind waiting. I do have the other top notch book and its not like its urgent.

FOAS, which grill do you have? Post a picture, may be that would help for me to suggest a way for you to do some smoking.

BTW, it is true that for most smokers, it needs some attention to tend the fire and smoke for long low smokes.

There are ways to make it easier, such as using a separate smoke generator.

With my home-made setup, I just finished smoking a 10-lb pork shoulder [ $0.79 a lb, :-) ], 24 hours of smoke, 0 adjustments was needed the entire 24 hour.

dcarch

Weber Genesis - 3 burners running long way. The small foil is where I placed the chips, on top of the "flavorizer bars." (Probably didn't use near enough but the instrux on the chips said a handful.)

I'd be very interested in your crazy setup!

This post was edited by foodonastump on Sat, Aug 24, 13 at 10:55

I have an old gas grill that I never use but keep on hand in case of extended power outages, such as after an earthquake. I tried smoking in it using wood chips and was never happy with the results. We have a Masterbuilt electric smoker and use it at least twice a month - mostly to smoke boneless turkey breast, sausage, and chicken. I never buy smoked turkey, now that I can smoke my own. The electric is extremely easy to use and comes with an instruction book that has been all we needed, in terms of a smoker cookbook. I would definitely replace this smoker if it got destroyed or broke down. We also smoke in the Big Green Egg, but that requires a lot of attention and cooks at a higher temperature.

Lars

FOAS, the Brinkman Electric smoker works great. That is the one that I had when we lived in northern Ontario. I used it mostly for smoking whole turkey breasts and baby back ribs.

It is the one that I would buy again.

Ann

OK, FOAS, check out the following link. There are a couple of pellet smoke generators which can go in your grill and give you decent smoked food.

dcarch

Here is a link that might be useful: A-maze-N

double post deleted

double post deleted

dcarch

dcarch

Here is a link that might be useful: A-maze-N

This post was edited by dcarch on Sat, Aug 24, 13 at 14:35