meat smokers

[Normand]

anybody smoke meats?

electric smoker?

propane smoker?

charcol smoker?

beef? pork? poultry? fish?

[roygpa]

I use an electric of the Big Chief variety, and have smoked steelhead, chickens, pheasants. I buy the chips at local sporting goods store as I am hestitant to use chainsaw chips considering that are probably contaminated wit the chain lubricating oil.

Roy

[Mark k]

I have a charcoal one by Brinkman, use Maple, Apple, and Pecan wood chunks that I cut myself. Have cooked Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Beef , Venison, Catfish, Carp, Trout, Salmon, Striped Bass.

[dudley]

A cider block tower and fire box connected with about 4 feet of aluminum duct
Wood fired of course
Turkeys and duck so far, whole pork shoulder next
It's still a work in progress

[Greybeard]

I used to have a Brinkman I got at Wally World probably 20 years ago for less than $20. It worked but wasn't very well made and regulating temperature was a challenge but could be done. It eventually wore out and I replaced it with a Weber Smokey Mountain - usually referred to as the bullet because of it's shape. It was $150 delivered from Amazon when I bought it a few years ago. It is well made and will last for my lifetime. Temperature control is still the trick but it is easier to accomplish and rock steady if it isn't windy out.

There are several styles of smoker and you need to figure out if you want a wet smoker or dry (the Brinkman and the Weber are wet smokers which means there's a pan of water keeping the smoky internal environment moist). Size is another consideration. Both of these are charcoal smokers, which I prefer but I have had good smoked meats off an electric smoker, too.

The Brinkman's I see at Home Depot look a lot nicer than the cheap thing I bought. They cost a lot more too (but less than a Weber bullet). I suspect they're like a lot of things in life - you get what you pay for.

Mostly I do pork (shoulders aka Boston Butts and ribs) but I've done beef, chicken, fish, and cheese. You need low heat and short times for smoking cheese but it sure is a delicacy. Fish are tricky in my opinion. My father-in-law could smoke fish but I think it was in his genes - he was from Wisconsin and I'm pretty sure had gills somewhere. I'm still learning to smoke fish but I'm pretty good at creating fish leather.<g> Not to brag but my pulled pork and baby back ribs are generally considered pretty good eats by most folks but I've had plenty of practice.

What are you looking at doing with your smoker?

[kglissmeyer]

I have a charcoal one by Brinkman, use Maple, Apple, and Pecan wood chunks that I cut myself. Have cooked Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Bee , Venison, Catfish, Carp, Trout, Salmon, Striped Bass.

Mark, what does smoked 'Bee' taste like and how many to make a meal?

Kelly.

[Lake Erie High Ball]

I love to smoke on my Webber. I use charcoal. I have smoked pork, standing rib roast, and chicken and smoked a turkey breast this past Thanks Giving. A big help that I have is a wireless thermometer. You almost can't screw up if you use one.

[Mark k]

I never could spell, Thanks Kelly

[onemorecast]

I use a large egg-shaped ceramic smoker. Not a BGE, but similar although it is larger and heavier. This thing is pretty versatile, giving you the able to smoke without water while keeping meat very moist as well as bake in it, as well as sear at high temps when necessary.

I've never made a bad piece of meat on it. It handles everything from pulled pork to meatloaf. I even made my own ham in it once by brining a fresh picnic ham and smoking it overnight at the lowest fire I could maintain.

I like to use natural lump charcoal - the best I can find lately is Royal Oak. Smoking wood is either chunks or shredded apple, alder, pecan, hickory, cherry, etc.

[alra195]

Norman,

I love to smoke Pork Shoulders, Ribs, Turkey and Fish. Great alternate hobby. I use a propane unit manufactured by a comany called the Great Smoley Mountain Outdoor Smoker. It's a large unit capable of holding eight full slabs of ribs. Got it on sale at Bass Pro for $150. Easy to use and maintaines temps well.