Buying a Smoker?

[MountainHunter]

I want to get in to smoking meat and fish. What smokers does everyone like and why?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have a propane and like it. I bought a propane becasue I wanted to be able to use it remote and at camp. (no electricity there) BUT. if I bought one to use at home I would get an electric. A friend has one and , while it takes a bit longer to heat up I think it maintains a lower temp better than my propane. Mine goes higher ans gets there faster and even can smoke and maintain temps in the winter....but I like his better.

Mine is the smoke house brand sold in Gander.Mtn.

[Pav2704]

I bought a charcoal smoker from home depot years ago. Its a brinkman I think and it cost about $50. The smell and flavor that the charcoal grills give is unbelievable!!! For the price, it cant be beat. If you want to spend some money you can get the "Green Egg". Both are excellent, but for the difference in price I would definately go with the brinkman from home depot.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I bought one this year, and got one of the electronic electric cabinet smokers. I got the best deal on the Cajun Injector brand. You basically just turn it on, set the temp and timer, pop the wood chips or pellets in and let it rip. Like Culver said, it takes a bit longer to warm up than a propane, which is the only down side. I highly recommend the smoker I got.

Which ever one you get, make sure its double walled insulated, it holds the temp alot better if its rainy, cold or windy out.

[MountainHunter]

Thank you! I have been reading up on them and have been going back and forth between ease of use, flavor and expense.

The Weber smokers (charcoal) get great reviews. The smaller of their two models is $300 and I would probably prefer to have the larger model at $400. Flavor is supposed to be unbelievable,ease of use is supposed to be quite good but it is not a set it and forget it kind of deal.

The electric smokers appeal to me, because they are pretty much a set it and forget it situation. My brother has one that he has never used and I have a friend that has one that he has never used. Maybe I will see if they have an interest in selling to me.

I am torn with the models that use charcoal though. It just seems like the flavor would be better.

[G-Man]

buy the biggest you can afford, i use an electric big chief and am quite happy with it, wood and charcoal are ok but you need to be there to monitor temp. when doing a whole turkey wrapped in bacon and glazed with honey i want to start it night before, and wake up and have it done in time for lunch. I use apple wood for smoking the flavor is all there and no mess to clean up.. dump the chip pan and done!

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have an offset charcoal/wood smoker as well. Well, as of tonight I will have had one (buyer is picking it up after work). I honestly didnt notice that much of a flavor difference, except that I had more issues with creosote with the offset, which sucks, because that stuff ruins the flavor of the meat completely. In addition to that, I just got tired of taking hours out of my day to babysit the smoker, it just wasnt worth it to me. Just my experience though.

[adkbuck]

I have a Big Chief smoker and its a real nice little smoker. Very inexpensive as well. I have smoked salmon, venison sausage and smoked kielbasa and they all came out great. I have smoked up to about 35 or 40 pounds of salmon at a time. Does well.

[MountainHunter]

I am definitely looking for simple and fool proof. I am starting to lean toward an Electric one. Have any of you guys done ribs or pork butt's? I wonder if you would slather those things in an electric smoker the same way you would in a charcoal one?

I appreciate everyones input!

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have done both in mine, I dont mop them as often in the electric. The only thing with ribs, is you have to cut the rack in half to fit it in the smoker.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

and with ribs....peel the membrane off the inside of the rib cage. it acts like a barrier and resists the smoke gettign to the meat.

I am done turkey breasts. salmon and trout, venison hid quarters, pork butts and ribs, beef tenderloin, chicken halves. Gettign ready to do snack sticks after memorial day.

[SteveB]

Tough to beat an electric for ease of use and flavor for low temp cooking - most limit out about 275 deg, but is is a very consistent temp. The Cookshack's are top of the line for both control and insulation. Insulation cuts power consumption way down and makes it far easier to use year round. I had an upper end gas smoker and would get an entry level elec before doing gas again.

These days I use a pellet burning smoker/grill exclusively. Smokes great as low as 180 deg, but will go to 500+ for the best steak you ever had.

[WNYBuckHunter]

gettign ready to do snack sticks after memorial day.

Finally? Lol

[ants]

I use an old weber charcoal/wood that works awsome. You have to be there to moniter the temp. but you can leave it for a little while at least. I think I paid 40 or 50 bucks for it a while back. Works real good. The more modern ones do too, just depends on what you want to spend.....But yeah the constant temp. ones are easier to use. Good luck.....

[MountainHunter]

Thanks! I see possibly getting two. An electric one initially and a charcoal one in the future.

[adkbuck]

I have a friend that does a lot of pork butts and ribs and swears by the Weber Performer charcoal fired grill. He is able to control temperature with it very well.

[Pav2704]

Here's a pic of the venison ribs that I am smoking this morning.

[nyantler]

Found this bad boy pic on line the other day... now thats a smoker! ... or a locomotive.. not really sure

[Kot2B]

As a culinary grad I'd like to share my two cents. Typically charcoal is harder to start off with and requires more attention but usually with the extra attention you don't over cook it so it ends up being juicy. I have a weber that I cook smaller cuts of meat in. Now, I also own a cookshack electric smoker. I use this for big cuts of meat because I can set the temp and come back in 10 hours because I never have to worry about the electric burner going out. I use saw dust instead of chips, more surface area and gives a bit more smoke but thats a personal preference. The weber is cheaper initial investment and gives a great flavor but if you are ready to do larger cuts time to invest in a cookshack cabinet.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Scot, what did you end up getting?

[Terry]

Here's a pic of the venison ribs that I am smoking this morning.

They look fantastic!

[gfdeputy2]

Charcoal IMO is the best flavor but hardest to control heat I have a masterbuilt barrel smoker have tried electric,& propane but they just don't taste the same

[Geno C]

i have a smaller one with an external fire box i bought from walmart... its good and its fun learning on. i hear good things about the electric ones, my dad has one and loves it.