Are you a smoker?

[Bill Leonard]

No, not the cigarette kind, but the meat kind. I am in the market for a smoker, primarily to smoke fish, but, who knows, a pork rump or beef brisket may find its way onto the grill as well.
Anyone have any recommendations? Or any good "secret" sauces you use!

[David Nelson1]

I have had a quite a few smokers. Each design has pros and cons. I have a small Brinkman made from 1/4 cold rolled steel with a welded fire box off to the side. I do everything from cold smoking cheese, turkeys, and sausage to brisket, pork roast, whole chickens etc. It can also be used as a grill either directly in the fire box or in the main area of the smoker. Now the three piece stack able smokers are good for direct heat and smoke @ the same time aka BBQ. Most also have a pan to add water so the meat doesn't dry out to quickly. This type of smoker is good for small cuts of meat that don't require more than 8 hours worth of tending. Any more time than it starts to be a problem due to the ash and cinders vs airflow.

If you will only use the smoke a few times a year I would recomend the stackable type. Year round get the large unit and a cover. I have both but only use the small one for standing rib roast!

Looks if Brinkmann no longer is making them out of heavy steel. http://www.brinkmann.net/products/ou...nd_grills.aspx

[Dave Gaul]

This is going to me one of my near future projects!

Oops, can't post a link to another blog/forum, but google "Little Blue Egg Smoker" and you will find some ideas for diy!

If I was going to by one, I'd probably get the Weber Smoker, unless I had an extra grand laying around for a Big Green Egg!

[David Nelson1]

To me those eggs are direct heat so its the same as BBQ not smoking. I have heard that they heat very well and can actually sear steaks. I understand this is splitting hairs and I'm not looking to start a big ruckus over what is and what isn't smoking, but there really is a difference in technique and equipment. Now the Weber can be adapted to direct heat or indirect heat, smoke/no smoke, searing or slowcooking. It's a great grill as long as you get one with enough area to move your wood/ coals around.

[BOB OLINGER]

I have an Oklahoma Joes with offset fire box and a New Brunfelds with fire pan on bottom, water pan next, then 2-3 racks. Both work. For beginners, I'd recommend like a Brinkman or similar brand, with propane element on the bottom, next the water pan, then one rack. There are likely other brands that do the same. For example, I bought a Cabelas off Craigslist for our son for about $50. I've seen them cheaper, depends on condition and situation. So, check out Craigs list.

[Gary Hodgin]

I took up smoking yesterday. Got a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker at HD. I'm looking for suggestions also. Lots of stuff on the internet and videos on you tube.

[David Warkentin]

Just get a green egg and be happy. Be sure to get the plate setter as that is what makes it into an indirect smoker. A little lump charcoal will go a long ways. They work great!

[Eric DeSilva]

I love my Cookshack. I used to have a cheaper one, but this thing blows it away in terms of ease of use, quality of the temperature control, build quality.

http://store.cookshack.com/p-347-mod...tte-elite.aspx

[Michael James]

Yes, get a brinkman water smoker (electric) smoke the meat hard for 2hrs, then wrap airtight in foil. Transfer to granny approved roaster, or oven, and let it cook at 200 degrees for aobut 4 hours. Brisket, Pork, ribs, split bird. Sausage goes 1 hr straght to the table. Call it cheating if you must but it's as good as anything out there. Ultimately, you realise the smoke is a conidment. Hickory is my choice, unless I can find apple cheap.
mj

[David Hostetler]

I have a New Braunfels Smoker Bandera Smoker that has seen a LOT of use. I am having some difficulty with the in door shutters after all these years. I have a BIL that owns a body shop that I am going to see if he can make me a new shutter insert.

Being a Texan, Sauces are not the secret, but rather rubs and injections. And secret is the key word here. Sorry, but I figure I won't give them up until I come up with something better. Competition reasons... I can give you some prep tips though...

#1. Trim off as MUCH fat as you can, while leaving a SMALL amount of fat on the top side of briskets. You want a LITTLE bit of fat to keep things moist, but you don't want it fatty... For health AND flavor reasons.
#2. Tenderizing is key.
#3. Marinades not only add flavor, but acidic marinading ingredients such as citrus juices help tenderize. Don't overdo it. Fork tender is one thing, falling apart so much you can't pick up your meat with a fork is annoying. (been there, done that).
#4. MANY small injections are far better for distributing flavor and moisture than a few large ones. I like to space mine between 1" and 1.5" apart...
#5. Garlic and onion are best when fresh. Use garlic and onion salts and powders sparingly, instead opting for fresh pressed / minced.
#6. Learn your smoker. Most of them have high points, and low points. There typically will be online forums for smokers with tips and techniques to get the most out of your model. Don't be afraid to try out other users modifications as long as they aren't permanent additions. For example. My Bandera has a fire brick lined fire box as well as the bottom of the smoke chamber, a door gasket, a heat baffle, and several thermometers. I get MUCH more even, and constant heat, I lose far less smoke before the chimney, and can monitor conditions FAR better than stock.

[Bill Rogers]

Buy a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker and don't look back. They are built far better than the Brinkman products and they will save you a lot of money when compared to the Green Eggs. Here is a good website that should be off use to all smoking addicts: virtualweberbullet.com.

Bill

[Belinda Barfield]

No recommendations on a smoker, just a tip I learned a few years ago. I went to a get together and three groups were smoking. One was in charge of butts, one ribs, and one chicken. The guy smoking the ribs cooks in competitions all the time and frequently wins. Every so often - I don't rememer how often - he removed the ribs from the smoker (one of those tall ones with multiple racks) spritzed them with apple juice, and put them back in the smoker. Those were some mighty fine ribs!

[Neal Clayton]

google 'cajun microwave'.

pretty simple to build from some throw away lumber, an old pot, and some scrap metal. you can build them as large or as small as you like.

[Greg Portland]

Buy a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker and don't look back.

+1. This or a home-built vertical smoker is IMO the best way to get started. Traeger's pellet BBQs are probably the easiest to use but you're limited to burning their pellets + the units aren't cheap. Tips:

- Virtual Webber Bullet has a whole batch of beginner tips (for any smoker)
- Start with pork butt, they are almost impossible to screw up.
- Brisket is one of the harder meats to smoke well
- Smoke absorption & smoke ring formation occurs in a certain temperature window. After that you can ramp up your temps or finish in an oven.
- Long smokes will dry out the meat. After the smoke has been absorbed be sure to do something to keep it moist (spritz, foil w. some liquid, etc.).
- On large meat don't be afraid of using a potent rub
- For rub recipes I start with 1/3 salt, 1/3 sugar, and 1/3 spices. I prefer natural or turbinado sugar because it doesn't burn as easily (but brown sugar is fine). For the spices garlic, black pepper, onion, and cayenne pepper are in almost all of my rubs (along with other stuff). Steven Raichlen has a rubs & sauces book that will give you a starting point for emulating different region's flavors (Memphis, TX, Carolinas, etc.).

[Scott T Smith]

Bill, I don't know what your budget is, but one of the very best smoker/cookers in the US is made not too far away from you just west of Brunswick, GA in Nahunta. http://langbbqsmokers.com/

Lang Smokers are used by a lot of folks at BBQ competitions.