What smoker to get started with?

[Divad]

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

I really dig the covering you built over the smoker, looks great

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

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.
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I have fun withthe marinades never a formula

 

[Matt B]

I used my Weber propane grill to successfully smoke a pink salmon yesterday. It doesn't taste as smoky as what comes out of my actual smoker (all analog offset firebox barrel smoker) but it is still damn good, and tastes and smells like smoked salmon. It's a good method for when I'm just doing one fish at a time, not production smoking. It was a pretty big pink.

First I heated the grill up with all three burners and cleaned it. Then I made a foil pack of soaked pecan chips that was burner-sized, and poked a few holes in the top of it, slid the grill grate over, and put the wood chip foil pack on the "flavorizer bar" that goes over the burner. Slid the grill grate back on, turned the two right burners off, and cleaned the grill with oil. I also put some bigger wood chips and smaller chunks right on the grill grate on that side, also one of these wood-dust pucks I picked up a while back. I mostly kept the one burner on low or medium but I played with it a bit, depending on grill temp. Most of that wood stuff caught on fire at one point but I just blew it out and then it was smoking nicely. Temps were between 200 and 230 according to the grill top thermometer. I pulled the salmon when it was between 120 and 135. Good stuff.

 

[underachiever]

On the off chance OP hasn't sorted out his smoker situation, my rec would be for the Weber Smokey Mountain. I've been using the 18.5" version for the last five years and have been tickled pink with the results and ease of use. I recently got a thermometer setup that integrates with a fan and it feels like cheating. Two weeks ago I did a 15hr brisket cook and never had to fool with the smoker to keep the temp dialed. I've got 20lbs of pork belly brining at the moment that will be bacon in 7-10 days.

My first smoker was a cheap Chargriller offset. I was able to turn out some pretty good barbecue with it but it was much more finicky and required pretty consistent babysitting.

 

[Merle]

I really dig the covering you built over the smoker, looks great

Thanks Divad - it was a fun project. I was trying to match the architecture/style of the house we had just moved into.

Unfortunately it took a glancing blow from a tall fir tree in a wind storm a few years ago which broke off the fascia board and knocked the whole structure off kilter. I managed to straighten it back up best I could and use Simpson straps and angles to shore up the post to rafter connections but it’s not perfect anymore.

Andy

 

[Bagman]

I smoked up a salmon yesterday on my Weber first time using pecan wood, haven’t tried it yet but I’m sure it will be good.