View Full Version : Time to get a smoker...
...but there are so many types and brands to choose from.
We have a charcoal grill, we have a propane grill. The photos I've seen on this forum of the delicious smoked meats make me want to make this a part of our household.
What do you advise? Which brands are your favorites? Which is better: propane, charcoal, electric?
Any helpful tips or tricks?
Thanks in advance for your help!
www.thesmokering.com a great BBQ resource.
GilpinGuy
06-07-2013, 23:47
www.thesmokering.com (http://www.thesmokering.com) a great BBQ resource.
Yeah, this is a GREAT source of info.
What kind is like asking what kind of rifle to buy. We all have our preferences. IMHO, charcoal/wood is the best way to go, but it involves a bit of work. I happen to love the "work".
You can also go propane, where you actually smoke with wood chips instead of burning big chunks of wood. I have one of these, it works great and I use it the most because it's convenient. Mine is a Kingfisher Kountry Kookers model. It was $600 or so about 15 years ago and has worked great every time.
Electric? Please.... [facepalm] I can't imagine using one, but maybe they work well. Just doesn't seen right to BBQ with electric though IMHO.
My brother uses a cheapo Home Depot wood burning smoker (maybe $120) and seems to make some great BBQ. That might be a way to go to see if you're into it.
build your own! that's what real men do!
going to try a 50 gal drum version first, then probably find a 200-300 gal propane tank and make one out of that for a trailer version
This brand is on my shortlist to get...made in Colorado...veteran owned
http://pitbarrelcooker.com/
theGinsue
06-08-2013, 01:13
I'd like to get a propane smoker for ease of use and consistent temps (and portability to hunting camp). That said, I have/use, & I have always preferred, the side-box type of smoker for charcoal/wood/chips (here's an example (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Char-Broil-American-Gourmet-Charcoal-Smoker/13056699) of a cheap one that will work fine, especially for beginning). Any time you smoke with heat directly under the items being smoked, you're cooking the meat/food as much as you are smoking it. With the side-box style you get the smoke across the food but less of the direct heat to cause it to "cook".
I strongly advise staying away from the types that use the wood "biscuits". Last I saw, a box of biscuits cost about $20 and you typically go through 3 boxes to smoke a brisket. Wood pellets are good for any style but are made especially for electric auto-feeding smokers where you plug in and can almost walk away until the food is smoked. The pellets aren't as pricey as the biscuits, but they're not as cheap as the wood chunks/chips.
You can end up spending thousands of dollars on high-end smokers, but my brother had a cheap Brinkman barrel smoker from WalMart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Brinkmann-Smoke-N-Grill-Charcoal-Smoker/876295?_mm=) that he smoked a whitetail deer tenderloin on that I loved (and I usually dislike deer meat). I recommend starting with something inexpensive and easy until you get a feel for it. By then you'll have a better idea of what you like, dislike, can't live without. Inevitably you'll want a BIGGER smoker to be able to do a brisket & ribs at the same time.
For the actual execution of smoking...
As a Missouri boy, raised on smoked BBQ, I love hickory smoked meats, but you have to add in some cherry or apple (or other fruit) wood too or the hickory will impart too much bitterness. I use approx 1/3 fruit wood to 2/3 hickory. Using oak adds a nice mellow flavoring too.
While I haven't participated in some time, I'm a member at: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/. Which is another great resource.
build your own! that's what real men do!
Um, you missed your gender mark on this comment with TheGrey....she's a lady.
Trout Hunter
06-08-2013, 07:09
Get a treager. That is if you re all about ease and more ainto eating good meat over the whole smoking process. They make it so an idiot can produce great smoked meat.
I have an offset wood smoker. May try Home Depot they have a bad habit of letting their leftover grills and smokers sit out in the seasonal area all winter. I found one with some rust on it and haggled the manager to half price.
I've got a Big Green Egg- Use as a smoker or BBQ
Takes lump charcoal
IMO- the best BBQ/smoker I've ever owned
Not cheap...Lehers fireplace and some Ace Hardware carry them
Get a treager. That is if you re all about ease and more ainto eating good meat over the whole smoking process. They make it so an idiot can produce great smoked meat.
^^^THIS!
I have the Lil' Tex Elite and absolutely love it. The same unit can smoke or grill without the worry of flare ups. I drive my neighbors crazy when I'm cooking on the Traeger. The aroma is heavenly. I'm thinking of doing some baby backs on hickory this weekend. They're the best we've ever had.
I still have some leftover brisket in the freezer.
The turkey we did on the Traeger for Thanksgiving using apple wood was absolutely amazing. I just set the temp like you do on an oven and got awesome results.
http://www.traegergrills.com/why/versatility (http://www.traegergrills.com/)
blacklabel
06-08-2013, 08:01
I've got an El Cheapo Brinkman that I did some modifications to so that it would be easier to manage the fire and have an actual temp rather than cool, warm and hot on a shitty gauge. It puts out great pulled pork and fatties. I'm looking to find a side box smoker that won't need as much tending as this little abomination does but for $50 it's hard to complain too much.
It looks similar to this.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ECvYryGo2pg/RgMqItkDRqI/AAAAAAAAAC0/wnBFWXyoXUE/s320/ECB010.jpg
ANADRILL
06-08-2013, 08:26
second the green egg, thing is freaking bad ass
^^^THIS!
I have the Lil' Tex Elite and absolutely love it. The same unit can smoke or grill without the worry of flare ups. I drive my neighbors crazy when I'm cooking on the Traeger. The aroma is heavenly. I'm thinking of doing some baby backs on hickory this weekend. They're the best we've ever had.
I still have some leftover brisket in the freezer.
The turkey we did on the Traeger for Thanksgiving using apple wood was absolutely amazing. I just set the temp like you do on an oven and got awesome results.
http://www.traegergrills.com/why/versatility (http://www.traegergrills.com/)
Another +1 for a Traeger. If you are looking just to feed the family and a few guest you don't need a huge smoker. They are truly set and forget, all you have to do is keep it full of pellets and there are about a dozen different woods to choose from.
electronman1729
06-08-2013, 09:51
I bought a green mountain grill from Rocky Mountain stove in lakewood. I liked it better than a treager since the metal was a bit thicker and the temperature setting were in 5 degree increments compared to 25 degrees with the treager.
http://greenmountaingrills.com/products/grills/daniel-boone/29407
crashdown
06-08-2013, 10:13
I have a Kamado Joe. Better build quality and features than Big Green Egg.
Guess it is made by a guy who left BGE to go build a better smoker.
I wish I could use it to its full potential, but its been awesome.
http://www.kamadojoe.com/index.php
Thanks for the resource links, and all the suggestions! I am looking into all the options (except for the Big Green Egg- what the hell, is it made of gold?!) but am keeping all advice topmost in my mind. There's a LOT of information in those links.
I won't attempt to build a smoker until I know what I'm doing- I think the neighbors would appreciate that. ;)
I noticed the price of pork is starting to go up at Sam's Club. Booooo.
Rooskibar03
06-08-2013, 10:55
This brand is on my shortlist to get...made in Colorado...veteran owned
http://pitbarrelcooker.com/
I like the look, and the price, of this. Minimal investment and easy to store. Will have to check it out
Get a Traeger and never look back.
I have a Traeger Jr. Right now and have been quite surprised at how much I've been able to cook on it. With that being said I'm looking to upgrade my Jr. To a Lil Tex. If you decide to go Traeger I'd be happy to make you a deal on my Jr. My Jr. Has had the crappy temp control knob swapped out for a digital control like you find on the Lil tex and up models.
Once you start smoking you'll be shocked at how hard it is to find good barbecue anywhere but your backyard. I now smoke everything including pizzas and Thanksgiving Turkeys.
Can you regular grill on these smokers?
Love my treager my 13 year old will smoke sausages while were at work, super easy to use. I have a barrel smoker as well with a side fire box, but that only comes out when we are going for volume.
They have a fathers day special going right now let you split it into 3 payments, free ship they cover tax and throw in a free cover.
http://www.traegergrills.com/shop/deals
Can you regular grill on these smokers?
I can with my Traeger grill. Set to max it registers 500 degrees on the thermostat.
I have a family chicken marinade that tastes wonderful, but it flares up something terrible on my Weber Master Touch with skin on chicken. My last batch I made on the Traeger and it was absolutely amazing with no flare ups plus the added flavor of a wood fire.
Sometimes Costco has Traeger road shows with lower prices.
Speaking of Sam's Club pork, that's where I get my pork loin ribs, 3 racks to a cryovac package. Excellent quality. I use the 3-2-1 method for my baby backs.
Never understood BGE pricing. The stands also looked very cheesy to me. Saw a Kamodo being sold at Costco in WA state and it looked like a very high quality product at a much more reasonable price.
Oh and burgers smoked on the traeger are amazing
I would love to try a Traeger.
How about the Alton Brown terracotta smoker?
Myspace vids don't imbed.
http://www.myspace.com/video/keith/alton-brown-39-s-pulled-pork-made-with-clay-pot-smoker/103721759
I would love to try a Traeger.
I can loan you mine for a weekend if you want to give it a shot.
My suggestion, for the easiest smoker setup, is to pick up a Masterbuilt Digital electric smoker from Bass Pro, and to order a A-Maze-N Pelet Smoker (AMNPS) to provide your smoke inside. I turn on my smoker around 10 PM, and set it to 220 degrees. Put a nice rub on an 8 pound pork shoulder (or two!) and load them into the smoker. This is when you light your AMNPS so it can put out a nice amount of smoke for the next 11 hours. That's it. Go to bed, and don't think about it again until lunch or dinner time the next day, when it will be ready to eat (200F). If you want to hold it hot, for a later dinner time, wrap it in foil, and put it back into the smoker set at 150 degrees until you are ready to pull it. It's just stupidly easy to make great BBQ every-single-time. The AMNPS can use whatever hardwood pellets you like, and works great with Traeger's. Complete setup could run you $250ish.
http://www.basspro.com/Masterbuilt-30-Elite-Digital-Electric-Smoker/product/1210270941325/
http://www.masterbuilt.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/2/0/20070213.jpg
http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNPS5X8
http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/cehyv.sntrd/v/vspfiles/photos/AMNPS5X8-2.jpg
So a lot of you really like those pellet smokers, huh? I've often wondered about them and used to lust for one, but never really knew much about them so I moved on to the cheaper options. I'm all about easy, hassle free, and great results though. May have to go have a looky.
mine you plug in load the hopper turn on to 350 for 5 mins, then set to desired temp. Afterwards let it cool down take out the grate, heat plate and vacuum up the ash cup and done.
Growing up, we used an old military field cooker. Pretty much the outer shell of the one below.
The fire was a mix of charcoal and hardwood. Above that was a pan of water that steamed the meat. There was room for three shelves in the upper section.
http://www.buyingsurplus.com/field_stove/3.JPG
I use and love my Weber Smokey Mountain - so much that I bought the other size and have two of them going at once now. There's a great website virtualweberbullet.com (http://www.virtualweberbullet.com) for tips and recipes too.
Propane may be ok if you want to go that route, but I love charcoal/wood chunks. I second the idea of using hickory and apple or some other fruit wood as a first timer for ribs, etc.
So a lot of you really like those pellet smokers, huh? I've often wondered about them and used to lust for one, but never really knew much about them so I moved on to the cheaper options. I'm all about easy, hassle free, and great results though. May have to go have a looky.
Once you become a pellet head there's no turning back. Why go through all the hassle of maintaining an old school wood burning smoker when you do not have to? The Traeger smokes meat just as well if not better than an old school smoker due to the fact that you do not have to constantly monitor the temperature.
Thought about one of these for my weber performer
http://www.americansundancer.com/index.html
ANADRILL
06-08-2013, 19:42
just downed a bunch of home brew, ate some baby backs from the green egg, all is perfect at my place....
Aloha_Shooter
06-08-2013, 20:01
How about the Alton Brown terracotta smoker?
+1 for the Alton Brown smoker ... Jump to about the 10 min mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CtJ7nkslBv8#t=54 1s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2sf59wvGbc
jerrymrc
06-08-2013, 20:19
Growing up, we used an old military field cooker. Pretty much the outer shell of the one below.
Glad you said that because that M2 burner on the bottom was well known for blowing up. We used them for the old field sterilizers.
Blockhead
06-08-2013, 22:34
Another vote for Traeger. I've had one for years and love it. Well worth the money
After reading this thread, yesterday, I started googling different smokers.
THANX GREY!!! [Rant2]
I've always wanted to build my own but since I still don't have one, this might be a sign that it's time to look at production smokers. A $1000 plus smoker is not in the near future.
The Char-Griller Smokin' Outlaw Charcoal Grill looks interesting. Comes in at under $300. Ample grill surface and a large fire box. Adding some propane burners to the left side would take care of the everyday grilling.
For those who can't leave well enough alone, here is a 20 page thread of mods to the smoker.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/58778/char-griller-smokin-pro-with-firebox-mods
http://static2.ivgstores.com/prodimages-cdls/CGL/P19053-T0-W960-H900-Bcr-1224.jpg
I had one, they work well if you go through and seal the air leaks, and the heat baffle mod
The first smoker I built was an Alton Brown style terracotta pot smoker. I killed a couple of different electric burners before I found one that would hold up to any significant use. One important tip is to make sure you put a heavy pan directly on the burner, preferably cast iron, so that it doesn't just burn itself out. It was never big enough or reliable enough to justify the cost of building it. It sucked checking it in the morning, and finding out that it had died sometime in the night, and my brisket was now garbage.
dodgefreak8
06-09-2013, 20:55
Look Into MAK grills. Traegers are junk made in china. Mak Grills are 100% American made and the features are outstanding. They get hotter than traeger, re-light if they go out, have a cool down period and are extremely programmable. They have thicker metal and a powder coating that withstands hotter temps. They also have a great warranty! Some awesome accessories as well like flame zones etc.
I had one, they work well if you go through and seal the air leaks, and the heat baffle mod
Living in bear country and a wind tunnel, latches on the lid would be the first mod.
Mmm. Enjoyed some homemade baby backs tonight. Thanks for the idea, guys!
Whistler
06-09-2013, 23:22
If you have the patience for it nothing beats a traditional offset stick burner. Have a friend who recently opened a BBQ place in Greeley, cook for him my spare time to help him out. I cooked 15 pork butts, 11 briskets, dozens of spares, babybacks, chickens and sausage this past Friday evening. Some of you may have sampled it at the Harley dealership Saturday. Best of luck on your quest, PM with questions (don't want to come across as advertising - for him or me).
btw- here's a link to another great BBQ site http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/index.php
I'm at the Costco at Park Meadows. They have the Vision Grills Kamado Phase 2 for $569.99. Comes with stand with locking casters, 2 side tables, and cover. Looks nicer than the BGE to me.
Looks like this except the stand is stainless;
http://www.visiongrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/b-series2.png
http://www.visiongrills.com/grills/classic-b-series/
Sent from my tactical android.
blacklabel
06-10-2013, 18:54
If you have the patience for it nothing beats a traditional offset stick burner. Have a friend who recently opened a BBQ place in Greeley, cook for him my spare time to help him out. I cooked 15 pork butts, 11 briskets, dozens of spares, babybacks, chickens and sausage this past Friday evening. Some of you may have sampled it at the Harley dealership Saturday. Best of luck on your quest, PM with questions (don't want to come across as advertising - for him or me).
btw- here's a link to another great BBQ site http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/index.php
Peace Pit?
Higher-quality smokers are expensive! I'm going to have to do some serious research.
Thanks for the tips and links!
Do you find the insulation (or lack thereof) to be a factor in smoking meats?
This is mine: Stainless Steel Premium 7-in-1 Smoker/Cooker http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-Cabin/Food-Processing/Smokers-Accessories%7C/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104582880/Cabelas-Premium-Stainless-Steel-7-in-1-CookerSmoker/732396.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN %3D1101300%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd732396&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd732396%3Bcat104582880
http://images.cabelas.com/is/image/cabelas/s7_512660_999_01?rgn=0,0,907,1464&scl=3.8526315789473684&fmt=jpeg&id=23oPHz5AJ6ELC3xMDlD-DS
Craig's List special: it works good, I only use the charcoal, I think retail is too much and I would not pay for stainless. Use it a few times and then it gets dirty. A nice feature is that you can take it apart and adjust the racks while cooking, unlike the brinkman, which my neighbor uses.
The cabelas smoker is a pain to add charcoal and wood to though.
Trout Hunter
06-10-2013, 20:05
After reading this thread, yesterday, I started googling different smokers.
THANX GREY!!! [Rant2]
I've always wanted to build my own but since I still don't have one, this might be a sign that it's time to look at production smokers. A $1000 plus smoker is not in the near future.
The Char-Griller Smokin' Outlaw Charcoal Grill looks interesting. Comes in at under $300. Ample grill surface and a large fire box. Adding some propane burners to the left side would take care of the everyday grilling.
For those who can't leave well enough alone, here is a 20 page thread of mods to the smoker.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/58778/char-griller-smokin-pro-with-firebox-mods
http://static2.ivgstores.com/prodimages-cdls/CGL/P19053-T0-W960-H900-Bcr-1224.jpg
Look into that same company. They make a dual setup with a gas grill on the left side with a sep. gas burner to boil on, then on the right it has a charcoal grill that you can attach a smoke box to. I have one so I can use the gas for quick meals and charcoal when I want to do some good steaks.
Higher-quality smokers are expensive! I'm going to have to do some serious research.
Thanks for the tips and links!
Do you find the insulation (or lack thereof) to be a factor in smoking meats?
I got this one at Bass pro Shops for ~$170 or so, on sale. I liked this model because there's a separate door for accessing the fire, wood pan and water pan. I built the wood cabinet to get it up to an easier working height for me, to keep the wind away from the burner flame, and to make it mobile so I can roll it around on the patio. Works pretty damn good IMO, I haven't killed anybody yet. Propane, obviously.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/cooking/DSC_0181.jpg
It holds a decent load.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/cooking/DSC_0178.jpg
rondog, I'm impressed! I'd never considered a mobile cabinet. That's a very good idea.
Whistler
06-10-2013, 22:10
Peace Pit?
Used to be, Whistle Blowers now, different management and recipes/methods.
Lowes carries the Char-Griller. I have had mine for 4 years now...works great. I have the $299 model with gas grill on the left...charcoal grill/smoke body on the right...I added the $70 side firebox for true smoking pleasure. Also has a gas burner on the far left that you place a charcoal chimney over and use gas to start the charcoal. Best value out there, and wood from the firewood place on Iliff between Quebec and Parker is dirt cheap compared to the bagged chunks you buy.
I just left Park Meadows mall and they now have a Traeger store in the mall. It's a kiosk right in front of JC Penny's on the second floor.
Traeger has now improved their EZ pay plan and will let you EZ pay up to 5 payments instead of 3.
I went to their store because they carry pellets for a pretty reasonable price, if you buy 5 bags they'll give you the 6th for free. My wife doesn't know it yet but a Lil Tex Elite is going to be on my doorstep in a few days. :) they threw in a cover, 6 bags of pellets and several cook books so I couldn't refuse. They also have a $75 rebate on them right now.
Nice. You'll have fun with it. 6 bags of pellets would last me a little bit.
If they want guys to know about it, why would they put the shop in Pork Meadows Mall? Guys don't graze shop. We do some intelligence to find our quarry, we pull the trigger, and then head back to the house. Their limited market are guys trapped in the mall with their women looking for an oasis in the desert.
theGinsue
06-23-2013, 15:02
My suggestion, for the easiest smoker setup, is to pick up a Masterbuilt Digital electric smoker from Bass Pro, and to order a A-Maze-N Pelet Smoker (AMNPS) to provide your smoke inside. I turn on my smoker around 10 PM, and set it to 220 degrees. Put a nice rub on an 8 pound pork shoulder (or two!) and load them into the smoker. This is when you light your AMNPS so it can put out a nice amount of smoke for the next 11 hours. That's it. Go to bed, and don't think about it again until lunch or dinner time the next day, when it will be ready to eat (200F). If you want to hold it hot, for a later dinner time, wrap it in foil, and put it back into the smoker set at 150 degrees until you are ready to pull it. It's just stupidly easy to make great BBQ every-single-time. The AMNPS can use whatever hardwood pellets you like, and works great with Traeger's. Complete setup could run you $250ish.
http://www.basspro.com/Masterbuilt-30-Elite-Digital-Electric-Smoker/product/1210270941325/
http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNPS5X8
http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/cehyv.sntrd/v/vspfiles/photos/AMNPS5X8-2.jpg
This post has had me intrigued since it was made and I've been doing a lot of looking online because of it. While I love my
(BTW: Bass Pro has this model smoker on sale (http://www.basspro.com/Masterbuilt-30-Elite-Digital-Electric-Smoker/product/1210270941325/) right now for $199.97 - $40 off regular price). The 30" Masterbuilt @ Cabela's comes with a meat probe, but is almost 100 sq inches smaller.
My question to Parf: Looking at the interior pics of this smoker, where do you put that AMNPS? Can you post a pic of how you have it installed/placed? Without the AMNPS, how long do the pellets last before needing to add more in this 30" Masterbuilt?
I just left Park Meadows mall and they now have a Traeger store in the mall. It's a kiosk right in front of JC Penny's on the second floor.
Traeger has now improved their EZ pay plan and will let you EZ pay up to 5 payments instead of 3.
I went to their store because they carry pellets for a pretty reasonable price, if you buy 5 bags they'll give you the 6th for free. My wife doesn't know it yet but a Lil Tex Elite is going to be on my doorstep in a few days. :) they threw in a cover, 6 bags of pellets and several cook books so I couldn't refuse. They also have a $75 rebate on them right now.
Nice! I'm selling my offset and going with a pellet.
Nice! I'm selling my offset and going with a pellet.
This is my second one. I have a Traeger Jr. now and it's been great. I am hoping my wife wont make me sell the Jr. I think having 2 smokers would be pretty nice since you can have 2 smokes with two different types of wood going at the same time.
Nice. You'll have fun with it. 6 bags of pellets would last me a little bit.
If they want guys to know about it, why would they put the shop in Pork Meadows Mall? Guys don't graze shop. We do some intelligence to find our quarry, we pull the trigger, and then head back to the house. Their limited market are guys trapped in the mall with their women looking for an oasis in the desert.
Park Meadows is one of the busiest malls in America so it's a pretty good location for them. The sales woman told me they sell several grills every day.
This is my second one. I have a Traeger Jr. now and it's been great. I am hoping my wife wont make me sell the Jr. I think having 2 smokers would be pretty nice since you can have 2 smokes with two different types of wood going at the same time.
Makes sense to me! A lot of people love their Traegers and I came close but after a lot of research I'll most likely be going with a GMG.
This post has had me intrigued since it was made and I've been doing a lot of looking online because of it. While I love my
(BTW: Bass Pro has this model smoker on sale (http://www.basspro.com/Masterbuilt-30-Elite-Digital-Electric-Smoker/product/1210270941325/) right now for $199.97 - $40 off regular price). The 30" Masterbuilt @ Cabela's comes with a meat probe, but is almost 100 sq inches smaller.
My question to Parf: Looking at the interior pics of this smoker, where do you put that AMNPS? Can you post a pic of how you have it installed/placed? Without the AMNPS, how long do the pellets last before needing to add more in this 30" Masterbuilt?
Ginsue, it goes inside the smoker, and rests on the rails coming off the side of the built in smoke box.
http://cdn.smokingmeatforums.com/c/c1/c15088e8_MES302.jpeg
It is really not very big, but puts out a great amount of smoke inside the MES. It will run for as long as I want it to overnight, putting out a nice thin blue smoke.
With the built in chip loader, I had to add more chips or pellets every hour and a half, and sometimes it didn't want to make smoke for me. It worked better if you preheated the whole unit to 275 degrees at the beginning, but it really was pretty lame overall.
The AMNPS turns a stupidly easy to use smoker that makes "meh" BBQ into a very good smoker. It's really set it and forget it until it's time to eat.
When you use the AMNPS, halfway open the inside chip tray, and the outside chip loader for increased airflow, and leave the top vent fully open. Works for me all 4 seasons here in Lakewood, you just need to know a simple trick to get the MES to kick on when the outside temps are below 32F.
theGinsue
06-29-2013, 19:34
Thanks for the info (and pic, as I need all of the help I can get) Parf.
Yesterday I pulled the trigger & picked up the 40" MES from Sam's Club ($299..ouch, but it was $ my company paid me for per diem for the training class I attended - and the smoker was something my wife wanted me to get). Going to order a cover for it as well as an AMNPS. I need to learn this "trick to get the MES to kick on when the outside temps are below 32F".
Today, I stopped by Sportsman's Warehouse and picked up a 20lb bag of Traeger hickory pellets, a 5lb bag of another brand of Apple pellets, and a small bag of Maple chips. I always temper hickory with a fruit wood to prevent hte bitter flavor pure hickory would create.
I also picked up another rib rack. I'll be smoking ribs and a chicken for the 4th of July.
How easy are those pellet smokers to clean? That's the one thing I don't like about my cabinet unit, I hate to clean that nasty motherhumper out.
theGinsue
06-29-2013, 20:21
According to the YouTube videos I watched, the chip bins are nothing more than pouring out the ash and the tray pulls out the front. The rest of the unit...well, like yours. Several videos recommended lining the drip deflector and tray, etc. with foil to simplify cleaning.
Rondog - I'm already using your cart in my head as a template for something to build for myself to protect from wind & to lift it up.
I need to learn this "trick to get the MES to kick on when the outside temps are below 32F".
Look for a smooth metal "stud" sticking out of the inside back wall of the smoker. That is the temperature probe. I don't know if they have updated the software since they made mine, but when the probe was registering 32 degrees or less, the control unit would error out with a divide by zero error. The easiest solution is to take a hot and wet washcloth, and hang it from the end of the probe. Then you turn the unit on and it will heat up. Just take the washcloth out after the unit hits 100 degrees or so.
People were doing stupid things to try and fix this, like removing the control unit and bringing it inside, or bringing the whole cabinet inside to warm it up. They all assumed that the cold weather was bad for the electronics, but that is just not the case.
How easy are those pellet smokers to clean? That's the one thing I don't like about my cabinet unit, I hate to clean that nasty motherhumper out.
A Traeger is as simple as pulling the drip tray and vacuuming out the ash. I cover the drip tray in foil and change the foil with each use. Cleanup takes less than 5 minutes.
theGinsue
06-30-2013, 20:04
Anyone here with an electric MES ever have flare ups? I've had 2 so far and they scared the holy shot right out of me. They act like a propane flare up and come with a loud whooshing sound and flame throughout the inside of the MES. The first one even warped the door & pushed it out from around the window frame a bit.
I've got the drip deflector and everything else in place, but still, WHOOSH!
Ideas?
A Traeger is as simple as pulling the drip tray and vacuuming out the ash. I cover the drip tray in foil and change the foil with each use. Cleanup takes less than 5 minutes.
I do something similar but I use heavy duty foil and only replace the foil as needed.
enthusiast
06-30-2013, 23:15
If anyone is looking to get the Masterbuilt propane two door smoker it is on sale at Bass Pro for $149. I was able to get Home Depot to price match it and get another 10% off as well. [Flower]
Anyone here with an electric MES ever have flare ups? I've had 2 so far and they scared the holy shot right out of me. They act like a propane flare up and come with a loud whooshing sound and flame throughout the inside of the MES. The first one even warped the door & pushed it out from around the window frame a bit.
I've got the drip deflector and everything else in place, but still, WHOOSH!
Ideas?
Man, that does not seem right. I've never had any kind of flare up. It's grease in the drip/water pan that is catching on fire? That has never happened to me, but we don't have the exact same unit. I have a smaller 30" without any windows. How does the grease get into the enclosed chip box to come in contact with the electric element? Or was it dripping onto the pellet smoker box?
Masterbuilt is very good about their customer service, and would probably be willing to ship you out a new door under warranty, if you tell them that it started to pop out while you were using it.
I'm looking at a vertical propane smoker, maybe like this one http://www.basspro.com/Masterbuilt-Extra-Wide-Propane-Smoker/product/10219561/?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT. Can the pellets for a Traeger be used instead of the chips on vertical styles? I'd also have to look for a cabinet as I like rondog's setup, but have no woodworking skills at all. Right now I have the Char Broil offset charcoal smoker, and it's OK, but as it's aged the temp control has been getting worse, so I'm trading out.
theGinsue
07-07-2013, 19:50
Dave - Yes, the smoker you're looking at will easily take the Traeger pellets. This "MES" we keep talking about is the Masterbuilt Electronic Smoker. Their electric & gas models are very similar in many ways - particularly the basic operation. Until I got this 40" MES, I had always just used wood chips/chunks in a horizontal offset unit like the one you're retiring. I'm finding these pellets much easier to deal with.
I know you didn't mention one, but in case you continue looking at other options, I would discourage buying a bisquette type of smoker as those bisquettes get pretty expensive and really increase the cost of smoking. With about 5 hours of smoker use this 4th of July, for 3 full racks of ribs & a whole chicken, I spent less than $5 for the pellets I used.
twitchyfinger
07-07-2013, 21:12
Well I had my mind set on Weber smokey mountain smoker until I started watching this thread. I have a question for you Traeger fans, how well do these pellet smokers do in high wind and especially cold temps like using in the winter time?
Blockhead
07-07-2013, 21:25
Get a treager. That is if you re all about ease and more ainto eating good meat over the whole smoking process. They make it so an idiot can produce great smoked meat.
I've had a Traeger for about 5 years and love it. Before that I used a very basic water smoker, but I got lazy and smarter.
Thanks Ginsue, I was glossing over the other posts and didn't make the connection between MES and Masterbuilt Electric Smoker for some reason. I can't really do electric on my back porch, but figured propane would be easier to maintain than charcoal, and I don't mind loading new wood or checking water levels since it gets me a peak at the meat real quick. The extra wide Masterbuilt one there at Bass Pro seems like it would handle the big sparerib racks and briskets easier.
colorider
07-07-2013, 22:29
In cold temps or high winds I toss a welding blanket over my traeger. Works great. Or a wool blanket from a military surplus shop.
theGinsue
07-07-2013, 22:34
Thanks Ginsue, I was glossing over the other posts and didn't make the connection between MES and Masterbuilt Electric Smoker for some reason. I can't really do electric on my back porch, but figured propane would be easier to maintain than charcoal, and I don't mind loading new wood or checking water levels since it gets me a peak at the meat real quick. The extra wide Masterbuilt one there at Bass Pro seems like it would handle the big sparerib racks and briskets easier.
Dave, I have a friend with that same propane smoker - he loves it. I think if you do decide to go with it you will be very pleased.
twitchyfinger
07-07-2013, 22:46
In cold temps or high winds I toss a welding blanket over my traeger. Works great. Or a wool blanket from a military surplus shop.
Thanks colorider that's a great idea! One of my biggest drawback to the WSM is it being a seasonal smoker. I have heard of people using hot water heater blankets on them in cold temps but that sounds dangerous me especially for an overnight cook. The More and more I learn about the Traeger the more I am liking it. Now I have to decide which model for a single guy, the Jr. or bigger?
Not to take away from the Traeger, but I feel there are better pellet grills/smokers for the money. You might look into a Green Mountain Grill or Louisiana Grill. Both are capable of low temp smoking and also hitting high temps for grilling/searing that the Traeger can't. Essentially a wood fired grill and smoker.
twitchyfinger
07-08-2013, 17:22
Not to take away from the Traeger, but I feel there are better pellet grills/smokers for the money. You might look into a Green Mountain Grill or Louisiana Grill. Both are capable of low temp smoking and also hitting high temps for grilling/searing that the Traeger can't. Essentially a wood fired grill and smoker.
Thanks Jmetz that was the piece of info/advice I needed to make my decision. Buy once dry once but probably ended up saving in the long run. Did some research and ended up with a GMG Daniel Boone! Did get to compare it side by side to the comparable Louisiana grill and while I liked the heavier gauge metal on the LG I did not like the rheostat type temp control nor the fact that it operates at a temp between 180-600 degrees and the GMG operates between 150-500 which I prefer due to some delicate fish and veggie dishes that I need closer to the 150 range. I also really like the auto detect "turbo" fan for cold temps and high wind. Can't wait to try it out and now i can start dreaming about someday being able to afford a fast Eddy cook shack!
Congrats! I'm after a GMG as well.
So I went ahead and grabbed one. Free shipping on orders over $100. I'm thinking about a wireless thermometer as the reviews on most cheaper smokers' temp gauge have been crap. Probably get the Grill Right one since it has better reviews over the net.
Made a whole brisket and 6 racks of pork loin ribs over the weekend on the Traeger. I even have leftovers. [Coffee]
So I went ahead and grabbed one. Free shipping on orders over $100. I'm thinking about a wireless thermometer as the reviews on most cheaper smokers' temp gauge have been crap. Probably get the Grill Right one since it has better reviews over the net.
I've got 5 different wireless thermometers and I have not had any luck with the wireless monitor on any of them. One of them is a Maverick which is supposed to be the best of the best and I don't use it at all because its a POS.
I've now gotten to the point that I have a pretty good idea of how much time it takes to cook something depending the meat and its weight so I just use one of these when I think it might be done http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001U59MDA/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1373343530&sr=1-7&pi=SL75
I know a lot of folks that swear by the thermapen but they cost $80+ the thermometer above gives you a solid temp in 10 seconds or less.
I already have probe thermometers, I am looking for one to monitor the air temp inside more accurately.
Damn, looks like I am ordering an MES and the AMNPS when I get paid next week. I really wanted to get a Big Green Egg and the DigiQ fan setup but for the price that will have to wait. Is anyone using a wired meat thermometer and air thermometer and running the wire through the door seal. The DigiQ (http://www.biggreenegg.com/eggcessories/bbq-guru/) regulates the temp of the Egg with an air probe and fan and monitors the temp of the meat to tell you when it is done and lower the temp. I would be looking to get as close to this with the MES as well. Also, does anyone have an awesome recipe for smoking a pork butt for pulled pork. I studied the first season of BBQ Pitmasters and have some ideas as far as rubs and injecting with apple juice but will be experimenting to get it right.
Looks like the MES is $200 at Sportmans and they are running a $20 off online coupon right now. Just ordered it.
twitchyfinger
07-09-2013, 13:57
A good write up on thermometers although after reading BigDee's post i'm not sure I want to trust any wireless thermometer.
http://www.amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/thermometer_buying_guide.html
Costco Park Meadows has their imitation Big Green Egg Style smoker marked down to $399. Not sure how many there are, looked like 2, or if at other locations.
Here is the link it has good reviews: Vision Grills Classic Kamado Charcoal Grill http://www.costco.com/.product.11760...uctsInCategory (http://www.costco.com/.product.11760270.html?cm_sp=RichRelevance-_-categorypageHorizontalTop-_-PopularProductsInCategory&cm_vc=categorypageHorizontalTop|PopularProductsInC ategory)
Also put it in Buyer Intel31601
Costco Park Meadows has their imitation Big Green Egg Style smoker marked down to $399. Not sure how many there are, looked like 2, or if at other locations.
Here is the link it has good reviews: Vision Grills Classic Kamado Charcoal Grill http://www.costco.com/.product.11760...uctsInCategory (http://www.costco.com/.product.11760270.html?cm_sp=RichRelevance-_-categorypageHorizontalTop-_-PopularProductsInCategory&cm_vc=categorypageHorizontalTop|PopularProductsInC ategory)
Also put it in Buyer Intel31601
The Kamado is actually a higher quality smoker than the Green Egg. If you're looking for an egg style smoker you're going to have a hard time beating that Costco deal.
I'm a little late in joining the party here but I enjoy using my Bradley Smoker. It is a puck type smoker and probably the most expensive for wood options but not terrible (kind of like the difference between reloading partitions vs. ballistic tips or shooting .380's instead of 9mm's and such). They have two basic models which are analog and digital and a couple of different sizes. They do pretty well at holding temps in the winter although they will struggle in the cold wind but do much better than the uninsulated steel gauge types. I cured that by using it in an outdoor storage bin that keeps the wind and snow/rain off. They also have a great forum with recepies and how to's that you can use with any type of smoker.
I also picked up a Traegar Jr. this winter but wanted it more for a grill. I really didn't care for it as a grill but it did do a great job at smoking a briskett this spring. Something about flames and grilling that I can't go without. Since I didn't care for it as a grill though, it's currently listed on CL so that I can finance a chainsaw that I'm looking at .
[pileoshit]
31611
I also picked up a Traegar Jr. this winter but wanted it more for a grill. I really didn't care for it as a grill but it did do a great job at smoking a briskett this spring. Something about flames and grilling that I can't go without. Since I didn't care for it as a grill though, it's currently listed on CL so that I can finance a chainsaw that I'm looking at .
The Traeger is just a smoker and doesn't get hot enough for grilling, thus your disappointment. If you want an all around pellet, it's a GMG, or Louisiana Grill in that range.
I can grill on my Traeger, and it does a great job on things like chicken with the skin on it that normally is an inferno over charcoal. It also smokes really well and bakes, etc. If I really want a fire so hot that it burns the hair off my hands and arms when I have to flip the meat, I have the Weber Master Touch for that.
If you can only have 1, you'll have to figure it out.
n8tive97
07-16-2013, 19:13
Get a treager. That is if you re all about ease and more ainto eating good meat over the whole smoking process. They make it so an idiot can produce great smoked meat.
+1 You can use it to grill steaks and burgers as well. Love it! Best food you will ever taste.
n8tive97
07-16-2013, 19:15
The Traeger is just a smoker and doesn't get hot enough for grilling, thus your disappointment. If you want an all around pellet, it's a GMG, or Louisiana Grill in that range.
We just grilled steaks and burgers on the Big Tex last week? Best burgers and steaks you will ever have!
I've done steaks on my Traeger and they've come out pretty good but I usually use the propane grill for steaks. A lot of the guys on the pellet forums talk about slow cooking steaks at 225 and claim they come out great, I may try that this weekend and will report back after I do.
johngraves2
07-16-2013, 19:19
Just listed a new one for sale: http://www.ar-15.co/threads/110743-Masterbuilt-Digital-Electric-Smoker
We just grilled steaks and burgers on the Big Tex last week? Best burgers and steaks you will ever have!
Hmm most of what I've read says they don't get hot enough to grill well.
n8tive97
07-16-2013, 19:50
Hmm most of what I've read says they don't get hot enough to grill well.
We turned the heat up all the way and kept the lid open until it stopped smoking. Put the steaks on and closed the lid. Half way through we turned down the heat, we worried they were cooking too fast.
Try it again, you will love them.
Here is a good smoking recipe.... enjoy: boneless chicken breast with the dry ranch powder on both sides, wrap it over a banana pepper, then wrap a piece of bacon around the whole thing, use a couple toothpicks to hold it all together and smoke.... damn good.
Went with Cookshack smoker and like it. Also made in Usa. Actually made when I ordered it.
colorider
07-16-2013, 22:36
I cook ribeyes on my traeger Jr all the time. Big ol thick suckers from Costco. I cook them at 160-180 till they get to about 120. Then I crank up the dial to 400 and watch closely till the center of the meat hits med rare. Then I take them off and let them sit for 10-15 min. The taste is incredible. I have also cooked prime ribs at 160-180 till med rare. Mmmmmmmmmmmm tasty.
Hamburgers cooked at the 220 temp for a while then at 350-400 till done are also really yummy. Slight wood flavor to them. If I need to do high heat searing and want the super grill marks I use my weber genesis. A great forum for the traeger is Pelletheads.com. Tons of very good information there.
One valuable thing I have learned about the traeger is the brand of pellets. The Traeger brand are actually my least favorite. Little flavor and don't burn hot. Last summer I got 3 huge bags of bear mountain pellets from costco. Burned thru them last summer and really liked them although they produce more ash. Not a big problem because I clean out my burnpot every cook. That is KEY. Really get good temp control and good smoke with a clean pot. If the pot fills up too much with ash, the smoke is very thin or non existant. Also the temps are all over the place. I just got a 50# bag of a special blend of pellets from cookingpellets.com. These are fantastic but were too expensive to buy again. Go to Pelletheads and start reading all you can. Vast information and all kind of needed to get the traeger to work its best. I go through about 100# of pellets a year on my Jr. I cook everything on it.
BPTactical
07-17-2013, 08:47
After reading this thread, yesterday, I started googling different smokers.
THANX GREY!!! [Rant2]
I've always wanted to build my own but since I still don't have one, this might be a sign that it's time to look at production smokers. A $1000 plus smoker is not in the near future.
The Char-Griller Smokin' Outlaw Charcoal Grill looks interesting. Comes in at under $300. Ample grill surface and a large fire box. Adding some propane burners to the left side would take care of the everyday grilling.
For those who can't leave well enough alone, here is a 20 page thread of mods to the smoker.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/58778/char-griller-smokin-pro-with-firebox-mods
http://static2.ivgstores.com/prodimages-cdls/CGL/P19053-T0-W960-H900-Bcr-1224.jpg
A bit late to the party buuuuuut.......we have the CharGriller Duo, very similar to the above but on the left is an additional section that is the gas grill. Great combination. Before I put the side firebox on smoking meat was a pain, I had to use 1/2 a roll of foil to try and channel the smoke. Temps were anywhere from 200-350-a mess.
Added the firebox, got some hi temp silicon and sealed it up. Smoked ribs and brisket for the 4th, temps stayed right at 225.
My MES and AMNPS showed up yesterday. I ran them through the cleaning process and am now ready to start smoking. Not sure what I am going to start with. Maybe some ribs. I really want to cook up a pork butt for pulled pork too. Guess it's time to start experimenting.
Test number one. 31701
Dont know why that pic came out sideways on my phone.
hghclsswhitetrsh
07-24-2013, 08:18
Found a traeger jr for $350 including shipping. Do I? Or do I not?
colorider
07-24-2013, 10:47
No. Go to Ruffs BBQ in Lakewood. The drive will be worth it. He will match Costco pricing at $300 and throw in some freebies as well. He also registers it and gives you all kinds of service if you get it from him. Will even come out to the house and service it in an emergency. He is the BBQ/smoker genius. Also a great guy.
Tell him you were looking to purchase at Costco but want to deal with a local business if possible. I actually returned my Costco purchased traeger and got one from Ruffs because of his price and service.
No. Go to Ruffs BBQ in Lakewood. The drive will be worth it. He will match Costco pricing at $300 and throw in some freebies as well. He also registers it and gives you all kinds of service if you get it from him. Will even come out to the house and service it in an emergency. He is the BBQ/smoker genius. Also a great guy.
Tell him you were looking to purchase at Costco but want to deal with a local business if possible. I actually returned my Costco purchased traeger and got one from Ruffs because of his price and service.
Also worth mentioning that the Jr. Doesn't come with a digital thermostat, one must be purchased separately for around $80.
I just got a Traeger Lil Texas Elite from my mom, was curious if it would be worth trading up to Texas Grill for $175 more. 1/3 more cooking space but almost twice the BTU. 20,0000 vs 38,0000 for the Tx Grill.
Thoughts?
I guess it depends on how often you're cooking for a small army. I have the optional rack and have easily done 6 racks of pork loin ribs in my Lil Tex Elite. Feeding 15 folks with grilled chicken is no problem, either. More BTU = More Fuel, so consider that as well.
Curious why the BTU increase were so much greater vs the size. Does it get hotter or greater range of temps or ????? Sounds like you are more than happy with your Elite and its been reliable which is a good sign. I heard Traeger was a great brand.
The larger grill would require more BTUs to give similar BTUs per cubic inch.
Love my Traeger.
Unless you plan to feed an army on a daily basis I would not upgrade to the Texas. More grill = more pellets burning. If you start smoking a lot you'll realize just how expensive those pellets can get.
Well then, that settles it. Thanks for the help gents. The SW guy said he did not have experience with smokers so he couldn't answer the question. I will assemble it today then.
Just follow the burn-in process and after the drip pan cools, cover it with heavy duty foil. Makes cleanup soooo much easier.
Bought a Traeger Texas today at Costco. I picked up some Apple and Mesquite pellets. Any recommendations on other pellets I should get?
I like oak for steaks and tri tip.
Where has TheGrey been lately?
I like oak for steaks and tri tip.
Great, thanks!
I like some hickory mixed in with apple for pork shoulders, and apple mixed in with the mesquite for briskets. Haven't used oak for anything but some fish, though I prefer cedar saw dust for that. Or wet planks on the grill.
We like apple wood with poultry and pork. I like to mix hickory & oak 50/50 for baby backs and brisket. I used some pecan recently and that worked out well. Alder is really popular for fish.
Experimentation is a lot of fun. [Wink]
Thanks guys, I appreciate all of the suggestions. I have a Tri-Tip I am going to try today with some Apple and Mesquite.
Let us know how it turns out.
colorider
01-05-2014, 16:58
For all you traeger owners using your smokers in the cold weather. Get one of these. http://store.cyberweld.com/panfelwelbla.html
greatly reduces the amount of pellets used as it keeps the heat in.
For pellets, I have decided the traeger brand is my least favorite. Cookingpellets.com has great stuff. BBQ'rs delight are also fantastic. Have had good luck with bear mountain as well and Costco used to have them.
For best results with any flavor, start your cooking with a clean firepot. The quality and quantity of smoke produced is greatly effected by the firepot. A pot full of ash causes poor smoke.
I have had my traeger for 3 years and have burned a LOT of pellets.
Finally pulled the trigger on the Pit Barrel Cooker....in between a grill and a smoker. Gets to temp quickly,holds it for a long time....chicken in two hours...moist...brisket tomorrow.
Aloha_Shooter
12-04-2014, 23:01
I just bought a GMG Davy Crockett. I had to think about it because it's relatively small (200 sq in) but it's a wood pellet and highly portable. At the end of the day, I figured I was better off smoking in smaller quantities anyway and this is something I can load in the truck and carry easily. I still want to build the Alton Brown-style terracotta smoker but this will get me going sooner with fewer excuses for delay ...
Great-Kazoo
12-04-2014, 23:16
We're on smoker #2. The spouse was iffy on getting the first one (cousin lives in a duplex with no room) till she started using it. We then sold the cousins traeger to another member and invested in this unit. The wife has declared it HERS. Turkey smoked sat (apple / hickory mix) was phenomenal .
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Camp-Chef-Pellet-Grill-and-Smoker/productDetail/Smokers-and-Wood-Chips/prod999901367282/cat101724
SW is running $50 off. it's as good as the traeger with some extra perks for the price point. We're using a HF welding blanket, that link looks like a good deal.
We build our own, bigger is the way to go as once you master smoking then you keep adding more. 2,3 turkeys, salmon, pork shoulders whole pigs, blah blah.
To Bear Arms
12-05-2014, 09:32
I just bought a GMG Davy Crockett. I had to think about it because it's relatively small (200 sq in) but it's a wood pellet and highly portable. At the end of the day, I figured I was better off smoking in smaller quantities anyway and this is something I can load in the truck and carry easily. I still want to build the Alton Brown-style terracotta smoker but this will get me going sooner with fewer excuses for delay ...
I used to be a dealer for GMG. I have a few left that I use on occasion and they work pretty good. That Davy Crockett is pretty bad ass! Did you get the WiFi one? I have moved up to a Klose Smoker and love it. Requires a lot more time and work though, But that is what beer is for!
For anybody interested I still have an in at GMG.
Bitter Clinger
12-05-2014, 09:51
My sisters and I bought my dad a masterbuilt propane smoker for Chistmas. I hope it's good because I can't wait for the tasty concoctions he can dream up on a grill, only smoked now when the donks play!
twitchyfinger
12-05-2014, 12:46
I used to be a dealer for GMG. I have a few left that I use on occasion and they work pretty good. That Davy Crockett is pretty bad ass!
Did you get the WiFi one? I have moved up to a Klose Smoker and love it. Requires a lot more time and work though, But that is what beer is for!
For anybody interested I still have an in at GMG.
Any chance of you getting a deal on the WiFi retrofit kit w/remote? Have a Daniel Boone I wouldn't mind upgrading but not at $189 + $10 shipping!
Aloha_Shooter
12-05-2014, 13:17
I used to be a dealer for GMG. I have a few left that I use on occasion and they work pretty good. That Davy Crockett is pretty bad ass! Did you get the WiFi one? I have moved up to a Klose Smoker and love it. Requires a lot more time and work though, But that is what beer is for!
For anybody interested I still have an in at GMG.
I thought about the Wifi after reading some reviews (my first reaction was, "really? Wifi to do SMOKING?!?!?!? WTF, is this some yuppy thing?") but the dealer didn't have any in stock and I wanted to use the smoker for our Troop Christmas party in a couple weeks so I took a non-Wifi one he had in stock.
The Davy Crockett seems a little small but at first but I think it's adequate until I start feeling like feeding the whole block. I may have to cut a rack of ribs in half to get it in there but that doesn't bother me.
Great-Kazoo
12-05-2014, 15:20
I thought about the Wifi after reading some reviews (my first reaction was, "really? Wifi to do SMOKING?!?!?!? WTF, is this some yuppy thing?") but the dealer didn't have any in stock and I wanted to use the smoker for our Troop Christmas party in a couple weeks so I took a non-Wifi one he had in stock.
The Davy Crockett seems a little small but at first but I think it's adequate until I start feeling like feeding the whole block. I may have to cut a rack of ribs in half to get it in there but that doesn't bother me.
we cook on off hours, or there's a line outside & the phone's a ringing. I just send pictures and tell them it was delicious. One does want to show off their culinary skills to amaze friends and influence enemies.
Aloha_Shooter
12-05-2014, 18:53
That's a ... smokin' deal!
(I had to!)
Did you replace the wife's Ranger with that 6 wheeled doohickey in the back there?
Oh SNAP! I was kidding and figured that was a picture from the seller's ad. I DID see the suburban. Nice trucks.
Great-Kazoo
12-05-2014, 20:07
I bet he did!
He was also sitting on HBar's lap. There was more than a smile "ear-ear"
Aloha_Shooter
12-07-2014, 16:53
Hmmm ... not a good sign. Inaugural smoke (1 rack of pork ribs and a tri-tip roast) and it quit about 3 hours in ... looks like the pellet feeder jammed up. I tried to clear the jam and relight but guess my dinner is going to be late.
I have to quit reading this thread. [Rant2]
I'm on the edge of buying a Smokey Mountain locker smoker. The propane/wood chip combo was interesting. Good reviews. Yada yada yada...
Now I check in and all is blown to Hell.
The GMG Daniel Boone pellet grill looks like it is now what I'm looking for. Smoker/grill combo with a short heat-up time. Good real estate, height, heat, etc. Doesn't require 100% attention. Needs bigger wheels though. Might be hitting up To Bear Arms in the not too distant future.
I still like smokers like HBAR's new ride.
I don't want to fill the yard with multiple implements of cookery. Well, I would like to but... [flamethrower]
http://greenmountaingrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DB_blk.jpg
Great-Kazoo
12-07-2014, 18:41
I have to quit reading this thread. [Rant2]
I'm on the edge of buying a Smokey Mountain locker smoker. The propane/wood chip combo was interesting. Good reviews. Yada yada yada...
Now I check in and all is blown to Hell.
The GMG Daniel Boone pellet grill looks like it is now what I'm looking for. Smoker/grill combo with a short heat-up time. Good real estate, height, heat, etc. Doesn't require 100% attention. Needs bigger wheels though. Might be hitting up To Bear Arms in the not too distant future.
I still like smokers like HBAR's new ride.
I don't want to fill the yard with multiple implements of cookery. Well, I would like to but... [flamethrower]
http://greenmountaingrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DB_blk.jpg
Looked at this unit BUT having the chimney on the side over the shelf , knocked it out of the picture.
We have this unit, as you can see they are still offering $50 OFF when you order on line. They drop ship to the closest SW in your area. it comes with the side shelf & temp probe.
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Camp-Chef-Pellet-Grill-and-Smoker/productDetail/Smokers-and-Wood-Chips/prod999901367282/cat101724
The wife bought me a Traeger as a surprise last month. Been using it three times a week. I cooked our Thanksgiving turkey in it, too. De-boned and brined it. Awesome!
Great-Kazoo
12-07-2014, 19:16
my smoker has 3 very large chicken breasts and a large roast in it right now. I am hoping its done here shortly. Been smoking since 1230 or so.
12:30 @ what temp? we run 350 - 425 for whole chickens, 325 for turkey.
Cabelas Branded Smokers Are Made By Camp Chef...All The Features Of Your Sub $800 Pellet Smokers For A Bit Less Coin....All Made In China At Tha Price Point Tho...
Looked at this unit BUT having the chimney on the side over the shelf , knocked it out of the picture.
We have this unit, as you can see they are still offering $50 OFF when you order on line. They drop ship to the closest SW in your area. it comes with the side shelf & temp probe.
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Camp-Chef-Pellet-Grill-and-Smoker/productDetail/Smokers-and-Wood-Chips/prod999901367282/cat101724
The chimney can always be re-directed. The heat shield redirects the heat.
Nothing is off the shelf at this point.
colorider
12-07-2014, 20:45
For those using traegers, you kinda have to tend to the pellet hopper when doing long smokes. The pellets will form a hole and not feed. The pellets form a funnel shape in the hopper and the auger no longer gets pellets. You have to move the pellets around to avoid the funnel effect. A way to minimize this is to keep the hopper as full as possible. I have had my traeger for over 3 years and love the thing. I fabbed up a hopper extention and sloped sides so I don't get the failure to feed pellet funnel anymore.
Great-Kazoo
12-07-2014, 21:14
about 250ish
You might end up with a drier chicken than usual. Bump it up to 325 min, next time. Whoel birds after tonights @ 325 will be done at 425 as a rfew recipes suggest. This way the skin isn't rubbery, bird isn't dry eyc.
For those using traegers, you kinda have to tend to the pellet hopper when doing long smokes. The pellets will form a hole and not feed. The pellets form a funnel shape in the hopper and the auger no longer gets pellets. You have to move the pellets around to avoid the funnel effect. A way to minimize this is to keep the hopper as full as possible. I have had my traeger for over 3 years and love the thing. I fabbed up a hopper extention and sloped sides so I don't get the failure to feed pellet funnel anymore.
We found once you do temps over 350, those pellets go fast. This new unit is a deeper hopper with shallower sides, so they drop fairly steady. Something to consider is adding a baffle to the hopper.
You might end up with a drier chicken than usual. Bump it up to 325 min, next time. Whoel birds after tonights @ 325 will be done at 425 as a rfew recipes suggest. This way the skin isn't rubbery, bird isn't dry eyc.
Learned the hard way with some chicken wings not to use lower temps. The meat wasn't dry, but the skin was so rubbery that even the grill on high had a hard time trying to crisp it. And my grill will bury the needles past 650.
Anyone who has done whole birds either turkey or chicken, is spatchcocking something you have tried or do you leave it as is? I thought maybe getting it flat and getting the rub under the skin and on the flattened inside areas would have an advantage, along with plenty of exposed meat to get smoke flavor into would help.
Great-Kazoo
12-07-2014, 23:13
Learned the hard way with some chicken wings not to use lower temps. The meat wasn't dry, but the skin was so rubbery that even the grill on high had a hard time trying to crisp it. And my grill will bury the needles past 650.
Anyone who has done whole birds either turkey or chicken, is spatchcocking something you have tried or do you leave it as is? I thought maybe getting it flat and getting the rub under the skin and on the flattened inside areas would have an advantage, along with plenty of exposed meat to get smoke flavor into would help.
not yet. do an olive oil rub . wrap tips of wings & legs with thick cut bacon, once bird has OO, use dry rub of choice. Also do a beer can bird. But use lemonage with few cloves of split garlic instead. Same OO / dry rub.
For breast & thigh OO & lemon juice mix soaking pics for 5 - 10 min tops. Then dry rub of choice. I downloaded a chicken & sausage gumbo recipe today. will post it once i figure what file it went to.
Haven't tried wrapping any birds with bacon, seems like a waste of bacon to me. I wrap the end pieces that burn with aluminum foil about half way through though. With beer can chicken I just go with a pale ale, some smashed cloves of garlic and rough chopped rosemary and thyme after rubbing the bird with canola oil then topped with salt and garlic powder. Gives a nice crispy skin with good seasoning.
Been a few years since I made gumbo, would love to see what you found.
Bringing this one back up.
Lots of "flavor" pellets around. What, if any, are closer to charcoal or low flavor?
Great-Kazoo
05-09-2015, 22:46
Bringing this one back up.
Lots of "flavor" pellets around. What, if any, are closer to charcoal or low flavor?
apple or hickory. Not over powering flavors , accent the meats (poultry, pork, lamb, mixed meats/brats) you know it was smoked. Good smoke ring yet not one of those things where the smoking diminished the flavor of the meal.
Aloha_Shooter
05-09-2015, 23:58
I like the GMG fruit wood pellets but their Gold mix is pretty good too. Good smoke rings but they complement the flavor of the meat rather than overpower it.
I'm gonna need some lessons on smoking meats. Tried a chuck roast with mesquite wood. Had it around 250 for 4 hours. Still raw in the middle, and way too much smoke flavor. This was in a charcoal grill/smoker.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x191/jmg8550/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-05/DSC_0016_zpsxywnhbd_edit_1431267261496_zpsk2d5hwt5 .jpg (http://s184.photobucket.com/user/jmg8550/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-05/DSC_0016_zpsxywnhbd_edit_1431267261496_zpsk2d5hwt5 .jpg.html)
The left side is propane, the right side is charcoal/wood.
Great-Kazoo
05-10-2015, 10:39
I'm gonna need some lessons on smoking meats. Tried a chuck roast with mesquite wood. Had it around 250 for 4 hours. Still raw in the middle, and way too much smoke flavor. This was in a charcoal grill/smoker.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x191/jmg8550/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-05/DSC_0016_zpsxywnhbd_edit_1431267261496_zpsk2d5hwt5 .jpg (http://s184.photobucket.com/user/jmg8550/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-05/DSC_0016_zpsxywnhbd_edit_1431267261496_zpsk2d5hwt5 .jpg.html)
The left side is propane, the right side is charcoal/wood.
4 hrs isn't close to time, depending on temp. You need to wrap a few bricks and place them around the base of the cooker. Too much smoke flavor is too much wood used. Try more charcoal and wood sparingly. The wood / smoke is secondary to maintaining heat with charcoal, propane or electric.
Grab one of these they are great and do not leave fibers over the grill like a fiberglass blanket would. I picked up the 3x3.
http://store.cyberweld.com/panfelwelbla.html
IF you had a wind break, the temp would maintain more consistent over the cook time. For the winter our's is on the deck and have a 8x6 canvas for wind break AND to minimize possible fire. The real reason i have it is to keep the spouses concerns about fire down, as the grill inst suggest a good 3' + from any combustible material, like a wood deck.
Since this thread is back up I have a question. Any of you guys have a Green Mountain Grill? I currently have a Traeger lil Tex and love it but I want to upgrade to a larger size. I have no problems with the Traeger but have ran into a few of these GMG's lately and I really like some of the features that they offer. Just wondering if anyone has one that could give some feed back.
I like the gmg stuff, but for the price the cabelas branded grills are made by camp chef....
Great-Kazoo
05-10-2015, 13:16
I like the gmg stuff, but for the price the cabelas branded grills are made by camp chef....
The camp chef has a few extras for $150 - 200 lower than a traeger. Check SW on line, they usually do a $50 off any item (excluding firearms) over $200. That brings the CC down after $$ They also do in store 5% discount for .mil prior & current + LE / FD
This is the one for the money.
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Camp-Chef-Pellet-Grill-and-Smoker/productDetail/Smokers-and-Wood-Chips/prod999901367282/cat101724
This is cheaper BUT doesn't have a "chimney" you can adjust for winter / summer cooking. It has a few vents cut in the back of the wall. So you're unable to restrict cold air coming in.
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/img/products/thumb/camp_chef_smokerpro_se_pellet_grill___smoker_35504 _2.jpg
SW is offering a free cover with the Traeger. Also check costco. Yes it's pricey, but comes with a 3 yr warranty, cover and storage cabinet. Actually a good deal, if you're wanting to step up.
http://www.costco.com/Traeger-Century-Wood-Pellet-Grill.product.100110121.html
I'm gonna need some lessons on smoking meats. Tried a chuck roast with mesquite wood. Had it around 250 for 4 hours. Still raw in the middle, and way too much smoke flavor.
Mesquite is one of the strongest woods for flavoring meat. If you're not careful, it can be downright bitter.
The other concern is that "smoking" is not necessarily "cooking" depending on temps.
I like apple wood for milder flavors. I also hear alder is a good subtle wood across the board, but I've not used it.
electronman1729
05-10-2015, 17:30
Since this thread is back up I have a question. Any of you guys have a Green Mountain Grill? I currently have a Traeger lil Tex and love it but I want to upgrade to a larger size. I have no problems with the Traeger but have ran into a few of these GMG's lately and I really like some of the features that they offer. Just wondering if anyone has one that could give some feed back.
The green mountain is great. I smoked a pork shoulder through the snow last night with no problems. The controller is way better. It is all digital with 5 degree increments. I believe a thicker gauge steel is used on the green mountain. Only down side it is a PIA to clean. I got mine at rocky mountain stove in Lakewood. There is also a great bbq shop in lakewood where i get all my pellets. Its called routts or something.
20th and Youngsfield. Great BBQ shop.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Great-Kazoo
05-10-2015, 19:43
The green mountain is great. I smoked a pork shoulder through the snow last night with no problems. The controller is way better. It is all digital with 5 degree increments. I believe a thicker gauge steel is used on the green mountain. Only down side it is a PIA to clean. I got mine at rocky mountain stove in Lakewood. There is also a great bbq shop in lakewood where i get all my pellets. Its called routts or something.
You clean your smoker;) outside the grill grates, drip pan and pellet area, That's seasoning.
The green mountain is great. I smoked a pork shoulder through the snow last night with no problems. The controller is way better. It is all digital with 5 degree increments. I believe a thicker gauge steel is used on the green mountain. Only down side it is a PIA to clean. I got mine at rocky mountain stove in Lakewood. There is also a great bbq shop in lakewood where i get all my pellets. Its called routts or something.
I like the 5 degree increment on the Green mountain vs. the 25 on the Traeger. The green mountain also comes with a remote and an option for wifi so it can be monitored and controlled while your not home. It also has a Blow down feature that sounds nice. I'm working in Fort Morgan for awhile so I'm gonna swing by a shop up here that sells them. Knowing me, I'll probably end up walking out with one then worry about selling the Traeger once I get home.
Aloha_Shooter
05-10-2015, 21:06
I have the GMG Davy Crockett. A bit small for most of you but it fits most of my needs and I like the fact I can take it camping or tailgating. The 5 degree increments and ability to run the auger/fan off 12V are really nice.
Cleaning, what's that?
electronman1729
05-10-2015, 21:36
You clean your smoker;) outside the grill grates, drip pan and pellet area, That's seasoning.
Mainly to clean the left over soot that ends up in the fire box area and any left over pellet dust that doesn't burn which collects under the grates
electronman1729
05-10-2015, 21:37
See my smoke from this weekend
https://www.ar-15.co/threads/136411-What-to-put-in-the-smoker-this-weekend/page14
Great-Kazoo
05-10-2015, 23:44
Mainly to clean the left over soot that ends up in the fire box area and any left over pellet dust that doesn't burn which collects under the grates
Oh the stuff my wife does;) Luckily we have a pellet dump / ash catch. Nice rub BTW on that pork.
Well my pick many moons ago was Cookshack Smokette. Bass-pro, Cabelas , and Sportsmans all carried this thing, but now Masterbuilt has taken over this spot. I call it my "Lazy Man Smoker" as it is electric and wood chunks. This is an amazing smoker with much more inhalation, but they priced themselves out of the market with the mine costing almost $700 now.
This is the one that I'm currently looking at. http://greenmountaingrills.com/products/grills/jim-bowie/. It's similar to my Traeger but with a few added features that I really like.
Great-Kazoo
05-11-2015, 08:50
This is the one that I'm currently looking at. http://greenmountaingrills.com/products/grills/jim-bowie/. It's similar to my Traeger but with a few added features that I really like.
Our CC has the shut down feature. Outside some ash in the grill it does a nice job, cool down time is much quicker. Originally it was purchased for me, however the spouse liked it so much it has become "Her Grill".
Jim has pretty much sold me on the Camp Chef. Think I'll pick one up in a few weeks when I get back from vacation.
buffalobo
05-11-2015, 12:53
Ran into a guy that has one of the Pit Barrel Cookers made by the guy out in Strasburg. Raved for long time about it.
A member here has raved about it as well.
Local vet manufactured at half the price of other recommendations.
We are leaning towards buying one.
Ran into a guy that has one of the Pit Barrel Cookers made by the guy out in Strasburg. Raved for long time about it.
A member here has raved about it as well.
Local vet manufactured at half the price of other recommendations.
We are leaning towards buying one.
More info? Website?
buffalobo
05-11-2015, 14:26
Web site.
http://pitbarrelcooker.com/about
Web site.
http://pitbarrelcooker.com/about
Thanks [Awesom]
buffalobo
05-11-2015, 14:37
I think it is TFOGGER that has one but have not found post yet. Maybe he will see this and chime in.
Great-Kazoo
05-11-2015, 14:53
Ran into a guy that has one of the Pit Barrel Cookers made by the guy out in Strasburg. Raved for long time about it.
A member here has raved about it as well.
Local vet manufactured at half the price of other recommendations.
We are leaning towards buying one.
The PBC has excellent reviews across the board. For us the ability to set it and forget it is why we went pellet smoker. The wood set ups are nice. However having to maintain it / wood & charcoal wise, for us was not on the table.
I love my pbc...it is pretty much a set it and forget it cooker....ribs are amazing in this thing, and brisket, and chicken, and baked potatoes, and pizza, and meatloaf, and you get the picture....
Great-Kazoo
05-11-2015, 20:01
I love my pbc...it is pretty much a set it and forget it cooker....ribs are amazing in this thing, and brisket, and chicken, and baked potatoes, and pizza, and meatloaf, and you get the picture....
Picture not loading
I'm a big fan of the PBC. I've been using mine for about a year now, and it's as close to idiot proof as anything can be. Pretty much anything I've put in it has come out amazing, from ribs to wings to prime rib to chuck roast. Especially good for cedar plank salmon, using alder ships for flavor. Ribs are dead simple, rub, hang for a couple of hours, glaze, be a hero.
buffalobo
05-12-2015, 04:42
I'm a big fan of the PBC. I've been using mine for about a year now, and it's as close to idiot proof as anything can be. Pretty much anything I've put in it has come out amazing, from ribs to wings to prime rib to chuck roast. Especially good for cedar plank salmon, using alder ships for flavor. Ribs are dead simple, rub, hang for a couple of hours, glaze, be a hero.
What kind of cook time do you get per load/batch of charcoal? No need to reload to finish?
A full basket of charcoal will get you 7-8 hrs with the lid closed. With the lid off for grilling it is considerably less.
Ribs are about a 3 to 4 hour cook. Not a true smoker, but amazing results in half the time....
I've never had to add charcoal to mine during a cook. Usually, a big roast will finish in 2-3 hours. You can control heat with airflow, both in and out.
9:30 this morning.
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411277952.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411277950.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411277951.jpg
Two pork bellies. One is a Peach, ginger, teriyaki brine. The second is my own dry rub.
See ya in about 4hrs.
What temp are you reaching for, Pook?
Great-Kazoo
05-21-2015, 11:57
9:30 this morning.
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411277952.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411277950.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411277951.jpg
Two pork bellies. One is a Peach, ginger, teriyaki brine. The second is my own dry rub.
See ya in about 4hrs.
Nice, where you get them ? AND any info on your cooking method.
Nice, where you get them ? AND any info on your cooking method.
The grocery store up here has them in 70lb boxes. I split a box with a local bacon maker.
This was the first smoke in the new smoker.
Traeger Hickory pellets.
4hrs @ 225˚.
They came out at 145˚.
I'll finish them in the oven for 2-3hrs @ 250˚.
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411281983.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411281982.jpg
The grocery store up here has them in 70lb boxes. I split a box with a local bacon maker.
This was the first smoke in the new smoker.
Traeger Hickory pellets.
4hrs @ 225˚.
They came out at 145˚.
I'll finish them in the oven for 2-3hrs @ 250˚.
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411281983.jpg
http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL594/13497691/24383796/411281982.jpg
Looks good.
Great-Kazoo
05-22-2015, 10:03
Nice smoke ring. I hear folks say you don't get a smoke ring when using pellet stoves. To date that has not been an issue for us.
Great-Kazoo
05-22-2015, 10:16
Smoke ring?
Yeah that discoloration around the outside area. Granted it's not a 4 -6 hour hard wood ring, but it's there. You must be one of those Colt fan boys too ;)
colorider
05-22-2015, 13:35
Stop using the traeger pellets and switch to cookingpellets.com brand. Their American hickory is 100% hickory. Traeger, not so much. You will be more than happy with the better flavor and better cooking temps.
Great-Kazoo
05-22-2015, 14:52
Stop using the traeger pellets and switch to cookingpellets.com brand. Their American hickory is 100% hickory. Traeger, not so much. You will be more than happy with the better flavor and better cooking temps.
Good tip. Been using what ever SW carries and traegar pellets from ACE when it's $10 off. From your link i see
http://the-water-shed.com http://sprinklerandpond.com
carries them locally
AND.. I like the watershed's home page / political leaning.
Thanks for the compliments. I'll be trying different pellets next time around.
Came home with 15lbs of pork butt yesterday. Might be smoking them and a couple of chickens later this week.
You guys who have an actual Traeger - how many have purchased it in the last 3-4 years? I'm being offered a Costco Traeger as partial compensation for some work I'm doing for someone - new as in I go pick it up at costco - guess they have Costco dollars or something. However, I've heard and read lots of horror stories about how Traeger switched from US to China manufacturing a few years ago and now they are nowhere as good as the old ones.
Supposedly there's a roadshow this weekend at the Sheridan location.
Part of me says grab it and try it out, and if I don't like it, I can always return it. I don't think there's a limit on returns for traegers at costco.
Great-Kazoo
07-18-2015, 08:12
You guys who have an actual Traeger - how many have purchased it in the last 3-4 years? I'm being offered a Costco Traeger as partial compensation for some work I'm doing for someone - new as in I go pick it up at costco - guess they have Costco dollars or something. However, I've heard and read lots of horror stories about how Traeger switched from US to China manufacturing a few years ago and now they are nowhere as good as the old ones.
Supposedly there's a roadshow this weekend at the Sheridan location.
Part of me says grab it and try it out, and if I don't like it, I can always return it. I don't think there's a limit on returns for traegers at costco.
They're all made in china, almost. Just a tad thinner metal. The digital controls look exactly the same as other mfg. IMO. Unless you're getting in to "professional smoking competitions" take it.
hollohas
05-20-2016, 18:33
Bringing this back.
Just picked up a GMG Daniel Boone. LOVE it!!!!
I got the model with the wifi. At first I wasn't going to but I liked the idea of setting up smoking profiles for different meats and having alerts. Plus, they had a father's day sale.
First meal was simply hamburgers but I have to say, this thing even grilled them well. Seared grill marks, slightly chard bits and all.
I have a couple pork shoulders to smoke for the weekend.
Going to get some good use out of this thing.
FYI: I have a Cookshack smoker and while others online have had great success with it, my cooking on it (besides a couple of times) has been kind of dry or tough doing things like ribs.
Well I finally bought some ribs and had a buddy that has been in some competitions come up and do them on my smoker. They turned out fine and probably would on anyones smoker, not just a Cookshack. So thought I would share what I documented (can't trust memory for stuff like this :)
Ribs - smoking
Set temp to 250
Chunk of Apple and Chunk of Pecan
Stuck dry rubbed ribs in at 150 at 11:05am
Took out wood at 1 hour
At 12:21 set temp to 225
Swabbed with apple juice at 1:24pm
At 2:10pm took out and put on foil and sprinkled apple juice on it and put some butter on top and agave then wrapped them and put them back in.
took out 4:40pm
Congrats! Pellet grills are a lot of tasty fun!
Great-Kazoo
05-20-2016, 20:24
FYI: I have a Cookshack smoker and while others online have had great success with it, my cooking on it (besides a couple of times) has been kind of dry or tough doing things like ribs.
Well I finally bought some ribs and had a buddy that has been in some competitions come up and do them on my smoker. They turned out fine and probably would on anyones smoker, not just a Cookshack. So thought I would share what I documented (can't trust memory for stuff like this :)
Ribs - smoking
Set temp to 250
Chunk of Apple and Chunk of Pecan
Stuck dry rubbed ribs in at 150 at 11:05am
Took out wood at 1 hour
At 12:21 set temp to 225
Swabbed with apple juice at 1:24pm
At 2:10pm took out and put on foil and sprinkled apple juice on it and put some butter on top and agave then wrapped them and put them back in.
took out 4:40pm
Next time reverse the cooking order. I do 2 smoke, 1-2 foil, 1 opened (if that) with (insert wet sauce of choice) Foil is with (insert liquid of choice) added. Opened still has liquid, but sauce added.
The "traditional" is called 3-2-1. i do 2-2ish-1 IMO the ribs dried out, before they had a chance to get off the ground.
http://barbecuebible.com/2015/01/20/3-2-1-method-ribs/
Bringing this back.
Just picked up a GMG Daniel Boone. LOVE it!!!!
I got the model with the wifi. At first I wasn't going to but I liked the idea of setting up smoking profiles for different meats and having alerts. Plus, they had a father's day sale.
First meal was simply hamburgers but I have to say, this thing even grilled them well. Seared grill marks, slightly chard bits and all.
I have a couple pork shoulders to smoke for the weekend.
Going to get some good use out of this thing.
I love my GMG. I didn't want the Wifi either but it was all they had. I now love it. Set a profile and walk away. I'm throwing 6 pork shoulders on this week for my daughter birthday party, then doing another 8 in a few weeks. That smoker destroys ribs, by the time the ribs are done you have to fish rib bones out from the bottom because they just fall out of the bottom of the meat. Enjoy it.
hollohas
05-21-2016, 22:06
Pork butt on to smoke for my chuch potluck tomorrow.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160522/f46c61d2785182884c9568a2d175b0da.jpg
Costco on 92nd had Traeger reps in to demo their product this weekend and even though we can't get one right now, my wife decided that it's going to be our Christmas present.
Loving my Traeger I bought from the road show. Been lots of fun learning this past few weeks!
Good tip. Been using what ever SW carries and traegar pellets from ACE when it's $10 off. From your link i see
http://the-water-shed.com http://sprinklerandpond.com
carries them locally
AND.. I like the watershed's home page / political leaning.
I started buying from the Water Shed about 8yrs ago when they were in Windsor. Dave is a pretty good guy, likes to visit, treats people very fair and always for popcorn to munch on.
They also carry Pacific Gourmet Pellets for $14.99/20# http://www.thewatershedinc.com/hardwood-smoking-pellets.htm , I can't see much of a difference in taste or pellet consumption. Sign up for a email blast with them and you'll see what special's they're running.
Great-Kazoo
05-23-2016, 18:28
I started buying from the Water Shed about 8yrs ago when they were in Windsor. Dave is a pretty good guy, likes to visit, treats people very fair and always for popcorn to munch on.
They also carry Pacific Gourmet Pellets for $14.99/20# http://www.thewatershedinc.com/hardwood-smoking-pellets.htm , I can't see much of a difference in taste or pellet consumption. Sign up for a email blast with them and you'll see what special's they're running.
Dave live about 4 blocks from me.
Dave live about 4 blocks from me.
He is a character........
Singlestack
05-24-2016, 06:54
I have a pretty new Lix Tex Pro Traeger bought 4 mos ago. Its been awesome and everything has worked as expected. FWIW, wife wanted this model; I wanted a GMG Boone. Since her Mom was paying for most of it, she got the trump vote.
StagLefty
05-24-2016, 11:26
Due to an upcoming birthday I decided to upgrade from my Brinkman mod smoker and ordered a Pit Barrel Cooker. Excited for it's arrival !!
Bought a pellet pooper this weekend, putting it together now so I can try it out tomorrow.
Doubt I'll give up my weber smokey mountain any time soon though - family might shoot me if I stopped making ribs on it, but I'm looking forward to trying out "the easy life" and this pellet craze.
Have fun with it! I really enjoy how easy they are to use.
I've heard more negative than positive things about the Traeger pellets so what pellets have you guys had better luck with in terms of low ash, big flavor, etc.?
Great-Kazoo
12-28-2016, 02:01
We've used traeger pellets, along with lumberjack, cooking pellets and something generic from SW. No issues with any of them. I do remove unused pellets after smoker cools down.
Just want to say that I HATE you guys. Came here to get advice on my 2nd AR build to spend some Xmas money (was thinking of a wood Boyd stock to go with FDE parts), then got sucked into this thread. After much research, it looks like I'm out $600 on a new CampChef DLX. Seems like the best deal is Outdoorcooking.com (free shipping, free cover, stainless upgrade). The next AR build will eventually happen but that fund just got diverted and good food wins out for the moment.
You won't regret it. I have an apple pie going in my GMG as I type this. :)
AaronRocha1
12-28-2016, 19:37
If anyone is looking for another type of pellet smoker, I just got a Rec Tec and I've never been happier. Check em out! Plus they look cool! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161229/1ef5bb6acc1e46649c5377532d8181c1.jpg
Best Ribs I've ever made and killer smoke ring! Set it and forget it...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Great-Kazoo
12-28-2016, 20:45
If anyone is looking for another type of pellet smoker, I just got a Rec Tec and I've never been happier. Check em out! Plus they look cool! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161229/1ef5bb6acc1e46649c5377532d8181c1.jpg
Best Ribs I've ever made and killer smoke ring! Set it and forget it...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We looked at one of them, nice unit. Especially the Horns for handles, just not a fan of side vents. If you have the paitence and room in the frige, try your hand at home made corned beef / pastrami. Oh Yeahhhhhhh
Enjoy the many years of smoke goodness. It's even better when the spouse gets involved
My turn.
I'm not going with a commercial version, but looking at an antique referigerator along with:
http://smokedaddyinc.com/pro-grill-hopper.html
Basically, I'm doing almost exactly this:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/132907/pellet-smoker-fridge-conversion
Any tips/tricks/suggestions before I start cutting stuff up?
Great-Kazoo
05-13-2017, 08:58
My turn.
I'm not going with a commercial version, but looking at an antique referigerator along with:
http://smokedaddyinc.com/pro-grill-hopper.html
Basically, I'm doing almost exactly this:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/132907/pellet-smoker-fridge-conversion
Any tips/tricks/suggestions before I start cutting stuff up?
Make your own grease / drip pan & drain. Unless you're going to power wash it after a few uses. You'll never get all the grease out of the drain and valve.
What is the measurement of the unit you're going with? I have a few stainless trays with holes in them. They might be something you can work with.
Make your own grease / drip pan & drain. Unless you're going to power wash it after a few uses. You'll never get all the grease out of the drain and valve.
What is the measurement of the unit you're going with? I have a few stainless trays with holes in them. They might be something you can work with.
Dont have the fridge yet, so not sure. Have an email out to a Craigslist ad, waiting for a response. I saw his ball valve drain idea, but thought it was prone to failure. I guess it would be handy for draining water after a wash, but chunks of coagulated chicken fat probably wouldn't go well.
I have one of the Brinkman smoke'n'grill things if someone wants it. It seems to have all parts. Previous homeowners left it and I'd prefer an electric.
Must pick up in COS and is free. Will post this in the giveaway section too.
We looked at one of them, nice unit. Especially the Horns for handles, just not a fan of side vents. If you have the paitence and room in the frige, try your hand at home made corned beef / pastrami. Oh Yeahhhhhhh
Enjoy the many years of smoke goodness. It's even better when the spouse gets involved
I don't have a pellet smoker, but I would love to learn how to make some home made pastrami. I do have a wood smoker.
If anyone is looking for another type of pellet smoker, I just got a Rec Tec and I've never been happier. Check em out! Plus they look cool! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161229/1ef5bb6acc1e46649c5377532d8181c1.jpg
Best Ribs I've ever made and killer smoke ring! Set it and forget it...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm happy with my Daniel Boone but sometimes I wish it had a hopper as big as the Rec Tec.
Great-Kazoo
05-13-2017, 20:32
I don't have a pellet smoker, but I would love to learn how to make some home made pastrami. I do have a wood smoker.
I'll dig the recipe out and try posting it. It's an extended process with brining. We get our spices from here
https://www.savoryspiceshop.com/
Here's one way. BUT.......... all the recipes i've seen call for (IMO) too much kosher salt. For a 3-4 lb flat i use approx 2/3 the called for amount. Smoking meats forum has a nice recipe. They also go in to depth for the how's and why of recipes.
www.smoking-meat.com (http://www.smoking-meat.com)
Tech Tip.... after removing brisket from brine, let it sit in water overnight. If you don't and smoke, or bake instead of boiling you'll spike your bl;ood pressure up a few points from the salt.
http://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/beef/smoked-cured-beef-pastrami
I do a corned beef, then add spices we like to the finished product
http://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/beef/corned-beef
Instead of weighing down the brisket. We seal it in a cut to length food sealing bag, something like this cut about 12" longer than the cut of brisket. If you have the storage space, buy this
http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/30-0011-k.html?utm_source=30-0011-k&utm_medium=shopping%2Bengine&utm_campaign=bingshopping
If not these work
http://www.foodsaver.com/food-storage-bags-and-containers/vacuum-seal-bags-and-rolls/11-inch-vacuum-sealer-rolls/foodsaver-11-x-16-portion-pouch-vacuum-seal-roll-2-pack/FSFSBF2626-002.html#start=3
Aloha_Shooter
05-13-2017, 23:01
I use Alton Brown's curing recipe for corned beef brisket and then smoke it instead of boiling it.
It's on....
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p302/mchl_wood/20170514_141706_zps4onzcdfk.jpg
Ordering the pellet burner, have to disassemble, knock out dents, and get some sheet cut for the door liner. (Anyone know someone that does sheet metal work?)
Bailey Guns
07-02-2019, 19:26
This thread has more lives than a cat!
We've been smoking on a MasterBuilt that we got at Sportsman's Warehouse and it's done a pretty good job. It just doesn't seem to produce enough smoke the way it's set up. So, after much searching and reading and comparing and waffling back and forth I finally pulled the trigger on a new Camp Chef Woodwind SG24 with Sidekick (https://www.campchef.com/woodwind/woodwind-grills/camp-chef-woodwind-sg-pellet-grill-with-sidekick.html). Wife and I each got a little bonus from work and we pooled our pennies...and it was on sale.
I deliver to a place in Lewiston that sells a metric butt-load of smokers from GMG, Traeger, Camp Chef, etc. Almost every time I'm there I see someone complaining about the newer made-in-China Traegers. That could be because they sell so many more than other brands...I don't know. But looking at the CC and Traeger side x side the CC seemed like a no-brainer. CC seems to match the Traeger, feature for feature, at several hundred dollars less. That was my perception, anyway. And one of the guys that work there say they have very few units returned for problems. Which I find odd because it's also made-in-China. But, he's a friend and I trust his advice. I also like all the little accessories you can place on the Sidekick.
Won't get a chance to use it til next week, though.
whitewalrus
07-02-2019, 19:34
I had recently bought a Traeger and had to return it. Would not work out of the box. Would just run the temp up to high no matter the setting. After wasting hours on the phone with their support and then having them ship me the wrong part for the grill, i just decided to take it back. Bought a Pit Boss and haven't looked back. Both are made in China of course. Kind of glad the Traeger didn't work out, saved a bunch of money that I can put towards pellets.
Aloha_Shooter
07-03-2019, 08:50
I still love my GMG Davey Crockett but sure wish it could do the prep of putting the initial load in the fire chamber automatically. I'd use it more often for even simple grilling if it did. I don't mind cleaning out the ashes separately, just don't like having to go through pulling everything out to load the chamber when all I want to do is grill a steak or two.
My dream grill would use wood pellets, fire up without having to pull everything out first, and hit peak temps of 750 or so.
Great-Kazoo
07-03-2019, 09:02
This thread has more lives than a cat!
We've been smoking on a MasterBuilt that we got at Sportsman's Warehouse and it's done a pretty good job. It just doesn't seem to produce enough smoke the way it's set up. So, after much searching and reading and comparing and waffling back and forth I finally pulled the trigger on a new Camp Chef Woodwind SG24 with Sidekick (https://www.campchef.com/woodwind/woodwind-grills/camp-chef-woodwind-sg-pellet-grill-with-sidekick.html). Wife and I each got a little bonus from work and we pooled our pennies...and it was on sale.
I deliver to a place in Lewiston that sells a metric butt-load of smokers from GMG, Traeger, Camp Chef, etc. Almost every time I'm there I see someone complaining about the newer made-in-China Traegers. That could be because they sell so many more than other brands...I don't know. But looking at the CC and Traeger side x side the CC seemed like a no-brainer. CC seems to match the Traeger, feature for feature, at several hundred dollars less. That was my perception, anyway. And one of the guys that work there say they have very few units returned for problems. Which I find odd because it's also made-in-China. But, he's a friend and I trust his advice. I also like all the little accessories you can place on the Sidekick.
Won't get a chance to use it til next week, though.
keep an eye on the temp probe and potential flame out issues, i've seen complaints about on a few CC forums. Other than that they work very well.
Does anyone here have an opinion on the Pit Boss line of smokers?
They seem pretty feature rich and built well for a reasonable price.
Looking at maybe the 8-in-1 Pro Series.
For those on a budget Sam’s is closing out master built pellet grills for $200.
whitewalrus
12-29-2019, 19:52
Does anyone here have an opinion on the Pit Boss line of smokers?
They seem pretty feature rich and built well for a reasonable price.
Looking at maybe the 8-in-1 Pro Series.
I have one and I like it. Know others with them as well who are satisfied with them.
Great-Kazoo
12-29-2019, 19:58
Does anyone here have an opinion on the Pit Boss line of smokers?
They seem pretty feature rich and built well for a reasonable price.
Looking at maybe the 8-in-1 Pro Series.
It's a well recommended smoker, on a few cooking forums i'm on.
Aloha_Shooter
12-29-2019, 21:30
For those on a budget Sam’s is closing out master built pellet grills for $200.
Thanks for posting that. I have a friend who was looking for a smoker to give her husband but had a limit of $200 due to unexpected expenses this year (including someone running a red light and totalling their car last week) so I was at a loss on what to recommend. Just sent her the link, chatted, and ordered it for pickup as soon as they get back in town.
Thanks for posting that. I have a friend who was looking for a smoker to give her husband but had a limit of $200 due to unexpected expenses this year (including someone running a red light and totalling their car last week) so I was at a loss on what to recommend. Just sent her the link, chatted, and ordered it for pickup as soon as they get back in town.
Nice. I’ve got something similar and have been very happy with it.
eddiememphis
12-30-2019, 10:28
I still love my GMG Davey Crockett but sure wish it could do the prep of putting the initial load in the fire chamber automatically. I'd use it more often for even simple grilling if it did. I don't mind cleaning out the ashes separately, just don't like having to go through pulling everything out to load the chamber when all I want to do is grill a steak or two.
My dream grill would use wood pellets, fire up without having to pull everything out first, and hit peak temps of 750 or so.
Six months too late on my part, but I have a Davy Crockett and all I do is push a button. It runs the auger, filling the fire pot then the igniter gets hot. I have never had a problem with it. In fact, I have a couple pounds of salmon going in it today.
Not sure why you would need to manually fill the pot. How old is your unit?
https://greenmountaingrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/GMG_Operating_Manual_Prime_WiFi.pdf
Re-read the manual. You shouldn't need to manually fill the fire pot every cook. Only if you run out of pellets.
Aloha_Shooter
12-30-2019, 10:36
Six months too late on my part, but I have a Davy Crockett and all I do is push a button. It runs the auger, filling the fire pot then the igniter gets hot. I have never had a problem with it. In fact, I have a couple pounds of salmon going in it today.
Not sure why you would need to manually fill the pot. How old is your unit?
About 5 years old. I hear the auger going when I press the start button but the instructions that came with the smoker specifically said to clean out the ashes and load the firebox manually before starting. I usually use it for smoking rather than grilling anyway so guess I never thought about deviating from the instructions.
eddiememphis
12-30-2019, 10:48
...the instructions that came with the smoker specifically said to clean out the ashes and load the firebox manually before starting.
They may have rewritten that. Going through my book and the online guides, I don't see that anywhere. Vacuum out the pot if the ash covers the igniter is all I see. I clean mine out before every cook, then press the button and go.
Try it, I bet it works fine for you.
I clean my Traeger a lot less frequently. Ash doesn't build up that quickly. I just turn it on at the smoke setting with the lid open and wait a few minutes until I hear the rumble of the pellets burning in the bowl. Close the lid and set to the desired temp.
eddiememphis
12-30-2019, 12:59
I clean my Traeger a lot less frequently. Ash doesn't build up that quickly.
GMG says vacuum out the fire box every 2-3 bags of pellets. I do it every time because I line the drip tray with foil and since I have it apart, might as well use my sweet little DeWalt cordless vacuum.
I have noticed a big difference in the amount of ash left between pellet brands. I tried Traeger and Pit Boss before settling on Lumberjack. The latter produces much less ash and more smoke flavor that the other two.
My wife discovered Gator Pit smokers out of TX. Commercial quality. Expensive but really nice. I traveled from CO to TX to pick mine up - about. 500 lbs! Love it. The one that they built for us is a smoker, propane grill, and huge burner with a stainless griddle that hinges down. A really Skookum unit.
Aloha_Shooter
01-02-2020, 09:31
GMG says vacuum out the fire box every 2-3 bags of pellets. I do it every time because I line the drip tray with foil and since I have it apart, might as well use my sweet little DeWalt cordless vacuum.
I have noticed a big difference in the amount of ash left between pellet brands. I tried Traeger and Pit Boss before settling on Lumberjack. The latter produces much less ash and more smoke flavor that the other two.
I seemed to remember being told to clean out every time I used it. It is much more convenient if the cleaning is every 2-3 bag of pellets. However often you clean it, just can't beat the combination of convenience and taste of a pellet smoker. I did a whole brisket (roughly 10 pounds -- smallest one available in the commissary) and 4 pounds of German sausage yesterday -- family polished off about 2/3 of the brisket and 1/2 the sausages.
I find I burn less pellets, temps are easier to maintain, and I can get higher temps for grilling if there's a little ash in the bottom. I also bought a pellet grill for convenience. Cleaning it after every use doesn't pull the convenience lever.
Made a whole packer brisket last Friday in the snow with the blanket on. I think I used fewer pellets than in normal weather.
It's a well recommended smoker, on a few cooking forums i'm on.
How are they for grilling? From what I see, a lot of the hardcore bbq guys don't care for using smokers because they don't get hot enough to get a good sear.
The Pit Boss does have a sliding cover that allows you to apply direct heat for searing, but I'm wondering how well it works, and what the pellet consumption looks like.
That's really the only thing that seems questionable, and why I like the Camp Chef setup with the propane-powered Sidekick.
Also, any idea on how it does for cold smoking? I'd like to try my hand at smoking fish and cheese, and based on what I'm seeing, a lot of smokers, even pellet smokers, aren't capable of doing those sorts of low temperatures.
Bailey Guns
01-02-2020, 14:03
...and why I like the Camp Chef setup with the propane-powered Sidekick.
The Sidekick burner is fantastic for steaks. And the pizza oven. I love that thing.
eddiememphis
01-02-2020, 14:55
Also, any idea on how it does for cold smoking? I'd like to try my hand at smoking fish and cheese, and based on what I'm seeing, a lot of smokers, even pellet smokers, aren't capable of doing those sorts of low temperatures.
Correct.
Cold smoking is usually considered anything under 100F. Most guys that do this use an external smoke generator or a pellet tube and the smoker is just a chamber. My GMG will run at 150F which isn't technically cold but I did a salmon this week and did cheese this summer with good results.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Q/i-5sDStXM/0/438399aa/M/Adjustments-M.jpg
The cheese was a bit tricky. I put a pan of ice on the grate, insulated by a couple wooden shims. The the cheese was on a grate on the ice pan.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Q/i-2wstK8Z/0/d0b809cd/M/IMG_9661-M.jpg
Smoked for two hours, let it sit in the fridge overnight, wiped the excess oil off and wrapped it up. Stuck it in the fridge for a week to temper the taste. Turned out great.
I think I want to try some crab legs next. It that works well, it sounds great!
I had my Traeger on Smoke for 2 hours and an insulating blanket and temp was running at 130. Still not 'cold smoking', but figured I'd drop that in for a reference.
A stick burner with an offset fire box is usually the 'go to' for cold smoking.
colorider
01-02-2020, 15:59
Correct.
Cold smoking is usually considered anything under 100F. Most guys that do this use an external smoke generator or a pellet tube and the smoker is just a chamber. My GMG will run at 150F which isn't technically cold but I did a salmon this week and did cheese this summer with good results.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Q/i-5sDStXM/0/438399aa/M/Adjustments-M.jpg
The cheese was a bit tricky. I put a pan of ice on the grate, insulated by a couple wooden shims. The the cheese was on a grate on the ice pan.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Q/i-2wstK8Z/0/d0b809cd/M/IMG_9661-M.jpg
Smoked for two hours, let it sit in the fridge overnight, wiped the excess oil off and wrapped it up. Stuck it in the fridge for a week to temper the taste. Turned out great.
I think I want to try some crab legs next. It that works well, it sounds great!
I did 15# of king crab legs on my RecTec a few weeks ago. Results were amazing. I did not smoke them though. Thawed them till still cold and rubbed them with olive oil and garlic. and put them on the RecTec at a temp of about 400. Turned them after about 10 min and let them go for another 10 or so. They were unreal. Slight smoke taste, perfect wood grilled taste, and juicy as can be. Won't ever steam them again.
The Sidekick burner is fantastic for steaks. And the pizza oven. I love that thing.
Yeah, that setup looks like it's really ideal for being able to get a good sear, or something you can fire up on a Tuesday night after work to grill a handful of burgers for dinner.
Correct.
Cold smoking is usually considered anything under 100F. Most guys that do this use an external smoke generator or a pellet tube and the smoker is just a chamber. My GMG will run at 150F which isn't technically cold but I did a salmon this week and did cheese this summer with good results.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Q/i-5sDStXM/0/438399aa/M/Adjustments-M.jpg
The cheese was a bit tricky. I put a pan of ice on the grate, insulated by a couple wooden shims. The the cheese was on a grate on the ice pan.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Q/i-2wstK8Z/0/d0b809cd/M/IMG_9661-M.jpg
Smoked for two hours, let it sit in the fridge overnight, wiped the excess oil off and wrapped it up. Stuck it in the fridge for a week to temper the taste. Turned out great.
I think I want to try some crab legs next. It that works well, it sounds great!
Yeah, I've seen the various different setups; the pellet tubes seem to be very reasonably priced; any idea how well they work?
When you smoked the salmon, did you do the whole process where you pack it in sugar and leave it in the fridge for a day or so beforehand?
Traeger has a video on Youtube that shows the cheese smoking method you describe, and I'm glad to hear that it works well.
Also, what about smoking vegetables? Last time I went over to a buddy's house, after we were done smoking turkey, I threw some olive oil-covered garlic cloves on the smoker just to see what would happen, and they turned out incredible. Did I get lucky, or is smoking vegetables a fairly straightforward thing?
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