What smoker to get started with?

[Guy Gregory]

I don’t know why the text didn’t come through, but I use a weber kettle (charcoal) equipped with a pig boss fan and a fireboard controller. Makes great food, keeps temps pretty constant as you can see above, my pork butt on Christmas. Check out alternative and newer setups on amazingribs.com,

Easy as pellet stoves, real pit flavor.

 

[Kilchis]

You might visit the Smoking Meat Forums website for lots of discussions re various smokers. Be careful though. The site is a black hole that can suck you in and eventually spit you out into a Georgia pecan grove.

 

[flybill]

I will eventually get a Smoker Vault, or something like that, but for now I use this:
Amazon product ASIN B01J6OY6DM
And will pick this up soon, to use on my existing grill:
Amazon product ASIN B06ZZRR7XD
I want to be able to do some cold smoking, so will get the Smoker tube.

 

[Mossback]

I use a Bradley, and have for 15 years now.
Produces a superior product due to the ability to control the temp in the smoker box.

 

[Paige]

Been using a Green Mountain(like a tregar but built better) for almost 2 yrs, super easy to use and smokes very well and tons of smoke flavor.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

I like simple. I like complicated and time consuming stuff to do. I have owned several inexpensive Brinkman water smokers. I also have a stainless sealable tray i can use inside on the stove for light smoking various accoutrements.

I primarily marinate and smoke birds and fatty brisket. I also occasionally cold smoke on the kitchen stove - garlic cloves romaine . But not too often. My marinades are fun to create. Turkeys are marinated overnight. I use vine maple hickoryand cherry. Not a mesquite user. I have a couple smoker boxes and cylinders but usually with the water smoker being indirect heat in the bottom i will soak my chunks and drain and put in the coals about 1/3 to half the cooking time. I do not smoke beef or pork I generally choose cuts to sear hot and fast to rare or med rare . I like a squeeze of citrus and seasoned garlic butter. I can a lot so I have a large array of curried pickled garden stuff and sauces i make. Like painting i like to mix a culinary palette of fresh and dried herbs as well as sweet, acidic and savory elements.

 

[Gary Knowels]

I bought an Oklahoma Joe Bronco as my first foray into smoking me. It definitely has limitations, but I really like it. If you are down with a barrel style smoker, I recommend it. I have smoked pork butt, spare ribs, back ribs, brisket (pastrami), beef short ribs, turkey, and chicken in it.

There is a definite art to loading the charcoal basket to obtain a consistent burn. I like to use big lump charcoal with chunks of apple and cherry wood (free, local tree trimmings). Doing this I've maintained 250 degrees for up to 13 hours with damper adjusts about every 90 minutes.

 

[Tombraider]

I use 40" masterbuilt electric. did a turkey last weekend 15lb. 5 hrs.

 

[Triggw]

... I don't smoke things overnight because yeah, you would have to get up and check it periodically.

I don't smoke things overnight, because I'd have every bear within 10 miles on my porch. And that's a lot of bears where I live.

 

[Hillbilly Redneck]

I don't do a lot of smoking but I have a couple of smoker boxes I use in my four burner Weber. I like this one because it sits perfectly on top of the flavor bar.

Amazon product ASIN B092HF3WRD

 

[Matt B]

I don't do a lot of smoking but I have a couple of smoker boxes I use in my four burner Weber. I like this one because it sits perfectly on top of the flavor bar.

Amazon product ASIN B092HF3WRD

Oh cool. Of course that exists! I’ve been using foil packs but I like that.

 

[ifsteve]

Camp Chef Woodwind pellet grill. Awesome and easy to use. And it absolutely will get you good smokey flavor!!

 

[Josh]

Camp Chef Woodwind pellet grill. Awesome and easy to use. And it absolutely will get you good smokey flavor!!

Been using a Green Mountain(like a tregar but built better) for almost 2 yrs, super easy to use and smokes very well and ton

So what do the two of you think accounts for the "pellet means not much smoke" opinions out there? Bad technique? Pellet brand quality? Varying opinion on what "a lot of smoke flavor" means?

 

[Tombraider]

Watch Meat Church Video's. They work Great and I wish I had a place for one. Is you area going to be covered Josh ?

 

[Merle]

I have the Smoke Vault like Evan. Propane burner with a tray above that you can load with pellets, chips or chunks.

It's good, but I do struggle with getting it to maintain a set temperature; it seems to be a slow roller coaster of either steadily creeping up or cooling down. I just can't get it to just stay put at the magic 225 F temp. Going to larger chunks instead of pellets or chips seemed to help, but I still have to constantly monitor the chamber temp using a wireless Redi-Check thermometer system. Any advice Evan?

-andy

 

[Paige]

So what do the two of you think accounts for the "pellet means not much smoke" opinions out there? Bad technique? Pellet brand quality? Varying opinion on what "a lot of smoke flavor" means?

Good question, but not sure I could answer. All the smoking videos I have seen all say you dont want billowing smoke pouring out. It should be a light blueish smoke and that is what mine generates, the more heat(mine will go up to 500°) there is definitely more smoke but still in the good category.

 

[Clean Willy]

Have owned a Weber Kettle for many years and stumbled across this method a while ago. They say it can go for 12 hours but I've only ever done six. Works great and it's free. Which is nice.

 

[Phish Whisperer]

As part of motivating me to redo our yard/patio area, I'm thinking of getting a smoker, or at least something that I can smoke meat with. Mostly thinking of brisket/rib type stuff. but I could also see doing fish or chicken. Bonus points for needing minimal tending. It's not that I won't put the effort in. It's more that if there is a way to avoid getting up every hour at night to check a brisket, I'd prefer that.

I know that pellet smokers have the reputation for being the easiest to wrangle. But I also hear that you don't get much of that "smoke" flavor to foods cooked in them. Which seems like it defeats the point. A wood fired stick/offset smoker seems pretty classic. But also tough to find something at a decent price that isn't a cheap POS and requires the most attention. Char-Grill has some awesome looking auto temp charcoal options. But Reddit chatter seems to indicate a decent chunk of QC issues (though a lot of love from people who don't have issues). The Weber smokey mountain seems to get a lot of love and there seem to be options to help with automated temp control? And of course I know thatmany people have smoked lots of meat on the old standby Weber Kettle. I'm sure there are many others out there.

Who has thoughts?

check the Oklahoma Joe for good price and great performance. I think Lowes has them.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

I have been using a Brinkman water smoker…30 years .. owned 4. Fancy hardwood Charcoal. Marinate 6 hrs to overnight. Have used a stovetop smoker as well. It is a tray with cover you place hardwood dust in… for light smokind of romaine or thin sliced fish or meats.. fun diversion.

 

[chief]

I am a fan of water smokers too. Probably blasphemous amoung the hard core crowd, but pretty hard to screw up something that steams and smokes at the same time. Our Thanksgiving Turkey comes out perfect every year…… pretty good for ribs and game birds too. Probably more of a cooker than a true smoker.