Ready to buy my first smoker

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ptownhorn

1,000+ Posts
The Link

This is what I have in mind. Mind you I have never smoked any meat before so I figured this unit would be a good starting point.

Thoughts?
 
I don't think there really is anything wrong with the concept, but that one does look a bit cheesy. There are plenty of people that make their own using old refrigerators and coils. The plastics have always given me concerns, though. I have personally used very old fridges found on deer leases and burned them out with really hot mesquite fires and then used them as either grills when laid down on their back or a smoker when upright.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, but I really am set on an electric smoker. I just figured I would be able to keep a consistant heat that way. I don't want to have to walk out there every 20 minutes.

anybody ever use these electric units before? Is it considered cheating in the smoking community?
 
My best advice is to always start out with a WSM. Great smoker/ great results/ easy to learn/ use. WSM will also do some great grilling in a pinch.

Even though their price has gone way up- they're still a deal. If you eventually outgrow it- you've learned quite a bit- and then have a backup/ portable unit you can take with you to the lease/ camping/ etc.

And- once you get a weber fired up/ temperature stablized (20-40 minutes)- you need very little user input--- amazing how steady these will run.
 
Luke Duke: What modifications ($20-$30) need to be done to the Char-Broil model in your last post?

I ask because I have a similar model, and with a digital thermometer it has worked well for me with ribs and brisket. But, always looking to improve if I can. Thanks in advance.
 
The mods are generally to lower the thermometer to grate level or you can use a second thermometer.

The second is to add ducting to the smoke stack down to near the grate level to retain more smoke at the cooking level. I found this unnecessary on the cheaper model I have as it leaks around the edges so much all I do is close the vent entirely.

The third mod is to install a baffle where the smoke enters the cooking area. A stainless plate (cookie sheet) can do the trick of distributing the smoke and heat more evenly. I tend to use just 2/3rds of the grate area further from the box to avoid burning meat or overcooking sections, but if you want to use the full surface available this mod helps a lot.

Charcoal Briquette cookers will sometimes make a basket out of expanded sheet metal. To smoke correctly you should use small split wood pieces, so to me this mod is a waste of time. I will leave that to the damn Yankees who don't know better.
 
ptownhorn- I have 1 of these Brinkmann Electric Smoker.

It's serviceable and does alright holding a temp at 220-230 as long as it's not too cold or in a strong wind.

The electric element gets really hot and burns though even drenched chunks of wood a little too quickly IMO. I added extra large lava rocks to it a few years ago and that helped that problem some.

Also, I've taken the top off the electric base, built a charcoal/wood fire in a washtub and used it that way w/ excellent results.

For roughly a C-note, it's a good smoker all things considered.
 
Many thanks to RayDog and Luke. I'm definitely gonna look into those and use most to help "perfect the art". Again thanks!
 
Thanks Dallas Cowpoke.

I may have to reconsider this purchase now. I live in Kansas City and it gets pretty cold in the winter. Sounds like this smoker wont get hot enough.
 
The electric brinkmann aka El Cheapo Brinkmann (ECB) I have holds temp just fine as long as it is not 30 degrees outside. You can leave it and mow the yard or head to the hardware store for hours.

You can also make a UDS(ugly drum smoker) from a 55 gallon barrel and parts from an old Weber grill.

Here's my UDS.
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Great UDS!
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Do WSM's ever go on sale?

I'm thinking of buying an 18 1/2 inch WSM and bringing it back down to Argentina so that I can occasionally have beef in a different style from beef+salt+flame=asado.

I would be looking at purchasing at the end of the summer. Do these things ever go on sale? Or do they keep their price year round?
 
I just am not big on the vertical units and the inherent cleanup fo the water pans after each use. Usually you will graduate in a year or two to a "man size" pit, where yes... you have to use charcoal or cut wood.

the check it every two hours is a fallacy, if you know what you are doing. I did a 14 pork shoulder in about 10 hours on a crappy smoker without a side box, and without a temperature gauge in New Braunfels that kicked ***. I did go out about every two hours to put some apple juice on the pork, but the fire I never messed with after I dumped the initial probably 12 pounds of charcoal into the single barrel pit. Only learning to cook on a real pit allowed me do be able to do this. Basically IMHO you are just delaying the inevitable going electric, and you are not developing any "skill" that will carry over in the future.

For the same amount of money I would buy one of the rigs below-
basic Hondo smoker $149.00 at academy and add $25 thermometer
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or if you want to do a lot of sausage or feel the vertical stack a necessity then go with this one- but you still have the water pan cleanup which I despise- New Braunsfels Bandera Smoker $299 + $25 for thermometer
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I hope I don't sound too preachy, it's just that I went the small vertical smoker route for the first couple years and regretted simply not just taking the plunge and getting a real pit. In my experience I didn't feel like I had to monitor the larger pit more once I got the hang of it. Plus I simply like being able to put a crap pile of stuff on there and feed a small army if necessary. I also tend to use my smoker a LOT where I sear over the direct flame and move off to indirect for finishing for leaner cuts of meat, or chicken and burgers.

Anyhow again I hope I am not coming across as condescending!!! Just trying to relay my experience in that you are going to eventually end up with a bigger pit anyhow, and my personally regretting not making the move at the outset. I sort of felt like I was starting over when I moved up, as far as controlling the heat by instinct (with the help of the thremometer to make sue the instict wasn't all screwed up). Anyhow FWIW.

It's a man's duty to provide his family with superior wood fired meat products.... especially if you are a Texan. There is something different about managing the fire and the smoke... as opposed to... "let me plug in the smoker..."
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I inherited my dads old Brinkman Electric smoker recenly. This past Saturday I used it for the first time to do two beer can chickens. Good Lord did they turn out great. The most tender moist chicken I've ever had. I actually got too much smoke (if there is such a thing?) on the chickens. It was my first time to use the pit and I added wood when I did not see smoke coming out. Next time I'll know to add wood at the start and that is sufficient for the chickens. I'll try a brisket and ribs next.
 
It appears that Weber Smokey Mountains DO GO ON SALE!!!

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Amazon has the NEW 18 1/2 in Weber Smokey Mountain (721001) on Sale for $259 and it's eligible for FREE SHIPPING!!
The Link

I might buy one tomorrow.

-Nap
 
I ordered one of these today:
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Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-1/2-Inch Smoker

...and it's being sent to my parents' house. Now, when I'm in the States, there shall be a whole lot of smokin' goin' on!!

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I now have a few questions:

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Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter ~$19


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Weber 6406 Rib Rack ~$12


Are there other things that would be recommended for a starter kit?

Are there cheaper places to get these things or should I just go ahead and order them from Amazon so that there's no tax to be paid and free slowboat shipping? (with a purchase over $25.)

Thanks
 
The Link
Try Academy for the chimney starter, the have them for $15 in the store. That's were I got mine. Also purchase the Brinkman coal pan, it is twice as deep as the Weber water pan. It will keep you from having to refill your water pan on long smokes.
 
Thanks Dudehere.I'd never seen an Academy in Dallas, but it turns out that there's one just a couple of miles from my parent's house.

ALSO, what do people use for GLOVES?

I showed what was ordered above, but I've seen some description of a cement worker's glove (super thick rubber) being used to grab a brisket and flip it. (Why would someone flip a brisket?)

Is this necessary?
What do other people use?

Thanks for the info.
 
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