Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Very good job on those briskets. I am thinking about getting a new bigger smoker but right now I am happy with my brinkmann vertical smoker. I have definitely gotten good at it and I am going to experiment some more.

 

jc..

my buddy in texas has one of those KLOSE pro smokers..the thing is a beast. he drilled a hole in the lid and added a spray nozzle. he as a timer he rigged up to spray water on on the side of the fire box to steam up. it works great. last time i talked to him, we was working on a blower motor to spray air on the coals..the man is crazy.

 

Brisket looks good, JC! I'm surprised you're able to get a 15lb packer cooked in 8 hours though at 220...I've taken them as long as 16 hours. But I'm no expert like you...I've only done 2 or 3 in my Weber, so maybe I'm doing something wrong. Going to do a full packer for Christmas this year though, so we will see how it goes.

I always forget to take pictures of my BBQ and put it on here, even though I always say I will. Just this weekend I did a 9 lb pork butt and 5 lb chicken, both were great, although not the best I've ever done.

 

Couple of quick questions for you guys:

1. Does anyone using an electric smoker have a hard time getting up to temp on cooler days, like around 40 (F)?

2. In a charcoal smoker which is better, briquets or lump? I've heard of using both but would ask which is easier to control and has better stability at maintaining temps?

3. Granted, using wood chunks is most likely preferred, how are the commercially available chip to use? Do they require a couple addition in a roughly 3 hour cook cycle? Or just wrap them in foil, stab the pack and let go for the duration?

Obviously a couple nooby questions but I'm intending to pick up a smoker before the snow starts flying (and prices are down) and am kicking around the possibilities of electric, charcoal and possibly propane....propane honestly is my kinda last resort due to having a tank to monitor and keep an eye on..even though I already have two in the garage for heaters.

 

On my older electrics, I've had some problems on cold windy days I've had heat issues. With newer insulated box versions no problems at any Outdoor temps. I've had all types, gas, charcoal and electric, IMO, a insulated electric wins hands down. I've said it's like cheating, set it and forget, not to mention the price of operation. I'm sure others will poo poo the electric models. Look over on smokingmeatforums.com and do a bit of reading. Look back a page or so to see what I'm using. On long smokes, I set my temps, light my smoke generator and go to bed, not worrying about temps, or how's my fire doing, do I need to add chips/chunks/briquettes. Also, I can cold smoke (cheese or fish) with out even plugging up the unit.

 

Just my opinion, but in my world smokers exits only in the charcoal variety. Electric and propane constitutes an oven.

 

Thank you for the tips and input, I'm leaning towards a charcoal but not ruling the others out altogether. I like the idea of electrics "set and forget" for piece of mind but...I'm on the fence between the 3 (obviously). I would own a Brinkmann charcoal smoker except wally-world was out of stock this evening making room for X-Mas trees and what-not...they're listed at 38 bucks right now .

Back to charcoal, from the info I've picked up on, lump is kind of un-predictable compared to briquets...I wasn't sure about the briquets affecting taste quality though.

 

I am with him on this, he is on point on his replies!!! I like lump charcoal as well.

 

@JCBigler and toughtaco, do either of you use the "Minion Method"??? I read about someone on here using it but can't recall who without going back through the 11 pages...it sounds promising to me but wasn't sure of the use in reality..

 

Here's you a link.

http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html

 

Already stored in my favorites for future reference. On that page they made reference to the lump vs. briquet coals....hence my asking.

 

I load my vertical keg smoker with a heaping chimney of well-started lump hardwood charcoal, and add about 4 softball size chunks of hardwood for smoke (hickory usually), which I buy from the store unfortunately. With the 9" cake pan I use as a water barrier, this gives me stable temps for 4 to 6 hours of between 225 and 250, and plenty of smoke. Hardwood lump charcoal is only about $1 a bag more than pressed briquette coal, but it burns better and with less ash and no chemical smell or taste. Remember that your meat will be over it for hours, and will absorb all the wood flavors. I don't even use lighter fluid to start. A little Veggie oil on a piece of newspaper under the chimney is plenty to get the coals glowing in about 15 minutes.

 

you can use this as a regular grill to right. Also dumb question but what is the diffrence between this smoker and a weber bullet.

edit: this is the one I am talking about

 

I use the Minion Method just about every time I smoke and have never had to add charcoal. Personally, I'm a briquette guy, but I know people who use lump and it makes good BBQ...my experiences have been that it burns too hot and quick for my liking. I've also never had a sawdust or adhesive taste come out in any of my food.

As far as smoke wood...after a while the smoke flavor no longer penetrates the meat, so you're just wasting wood if you keep throwing stuff on all day.

 

right or wrong..i do exactly this.^^ i use natural briquettes as the heat source. i find i get a longer lasting, more predictable heat. wood chunks only go in at the beginning. food scientist tell me that the smoke only penetrates when the moisture from the meat is readily available for it to dissolve the smoke particulates..dunno about the truth or science. i imagine after a certain point, your could finish the cooking in an oven (gasp!)

either way..you guys are badasses!!

lump charcoal i love for actual bbq.

 

Well, today I found a smoker on craigslist...actually I found it a couple days ago and decided after reading several "raving" reviews and a few negatives I picked up an "Orion Smoker" for $20....if nothing else it becomes either scrap stainless steel and I use the grates for something else or convert it; i.e. drill holes in it, into a conventional bullet smoker.

http://theorioncooker.com/

Anyhow, like I said, for $20 it's probably worth that in scrap and although I've heard of plenty of under-smoking issues I intend to try a turkey breast on it within a week or two. Another negative seems to be is that it is charcoal hungry but to cook a turkey in 2.5 hrs., meh, what the heck...it's all trial and error.

 

Everything that I have smoked was trial and error. That is what makes it fun.

 

$20 is a steal!! damn worth a try. but their website blows..no real closeups..no real explanation. how does smoke get in?

and no way, you pour cold unlit coals into the thing and light it like they illustrate..would food taste like starter fluid?

 

Essentially the coals are always outside the cooking chamber heating everything up, you have the outside ring and the upper "cup" for charcoal. Wood chips (dry) go around the outside of the drip/water pan (they recommend no water, just maybe juice, beer, soda for flavoring) as the outide heats up it slowly makes the chips start smoking. The darn thing weighs about 35 pounds or so and with scrap prices up...WTH.

Or I have option 2: make a rack inside for charcoal and wood, price and fabricate an adjustable vent on bottom and use as a conventional bullet smoker...

I'm curious to cook a turkey in it next week, possibly a chicken and some ribs just to give it a go and see what all the hype is about.

 

Be careful if you use juice in your bowl when that heats up it turns almost to a candy. And that makes cleaning it a PITA..... trust me I have scrubbed for hours on my bowl. If you use juice every once in a while add more juice so it stays a liquid.