Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Chunks not chips, unless you are using electric. For that price point I would think a WSM is a good choice, or scour CL for a ceramic, or build a UDS.

 

Also for the $300 range watch for Costco or others to start discounting stuff like the PitBoss K24 ceramic as we get into summer.

 

i see wsm on craiglist every so often, good place to check, others want to grab one.

 

this a good deal?

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/hsh/d/weber-original-22-inch/6576856444.html

 

20% off WiFi gateway for Smoke...

http://campaign.thermoworks.com/201...&utm_campaign=May2018-Gateway-Weekend-Sale-cm

 

Id say get it...

 

never used a weber kettle, but thinking it would be good for wings at tailgates, and easier to regulate than the old barrel smoker i have been toting up there. Maybe with a vortex

 

Or this...

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/hsh/d/weber-smokey-mountain-grill/6576733600.html

but $45 for the bigger surface kettle is tempting to just do wings and the occasional tenderloin (our main tailgate cooks)

Edit: How many wings can you get on an 18" kettle as opposed to 22"? can you get two grates for two levels in there? There is an 18 near me for $35 as well.

 

you can also get the weber pizza attatchment

 

Also check Letgo and Facebook marketplace. Lots of stuff on both. Need to search for "smoker" more so than "grill" sometimes.

I'd hold out for something like a weber smokey mountain if you're more inclined to smoke than grill.

 

backyard bar? nice!!

 

Harry Soo is the man!!

and yes his review is what made me buy my first WSM 3yrs ago.

Very true, WSM will beat a lot of these thousand dollar custom smokers out there

 

It's really only for tailgates, I have a large BGE at home. Smoked wings are a favorite, but those are "smoked" indirect at 325 or so, so probably don't need a smoker. The other cooks we do there are usually higher heat, 350-400.

Definitely don't need anything, but thought temp control would be easier than my old barrel smoker i've been transporting.

 

Preliminary plans... High tech drawings (ignore trampoline... it's gone finally...)





Hopefully the HOA doesn't require better drawings But I still have to add dimensions.

 

which subdivision are you in?

TW Austin meet at your place LOL

 

That looks awesome. Roof is a good idea, wish part of my area was covered. Using a regular TV or an outdoor? I wanted to hang an outdoor TV under our pergola, but those suckers are expensive!! With a cover and some protection on the back side I think regular tv's work though.

 

Nice setup, when we build again in a couple of years my wife wants me to do a larger fire pit than we currently have (our pit is all granite) and she wants 4 double seat porch type swings around it. Was going to do it at our current house but the area I wanted to do it in was going to be too cramped. Now we have decided to head back to FL so I'm glad we didn't do the deck, pool and the swings.

 

First email I saw this morning. I had a strong hankering for Jelly Belly beans On its way

Actually the 18" WSM you linked to has more surface are than the 22" kettle because there is an upper and lower grate in the WSM. And you can stack grates. You can stack grates in both however. With the kettle and vortex I would be a little concerned about even air flow and heating but it just might work...

Your question did get me thinking and I just went out and laid a second grate on top of the first grate on the limited edition. The bolts for the lid holder and handles create a perfect platform for the second grate with enough room for wings between them. I will be trying this soon.



I'm pretty picky about my wings having eaten them since the 70's. Even the Anchor Bar in Buffalo no longer makes the best wings and have gone downhill in the last few years. The skin must be crispy which is why delivery doesn't work. If they sit more than 20 minutes they get soggy. Eat those bitches up while they are still hot and cripsy

To me smoking them in a smoker just doesn't get there. They need to be cooked hotter than that. But not too hot or they will burn. I have done them on a 18" kettle (Jumbo Joe) but not with the vortex I used the GrillGrates instead because the surface area is small. This is an 18" sitting inside of a 22" with wings on the 18.



With the 22" kettle and Vortex you can get 4 pounds of wings on there max.



It takes about an hour, rotate the lid opening 45° every 15 minutes both top and bottom vents wide open. I twice bake after 50 minutes pull them and toss in Buffalo sauce then back on the grill. Have a dedicated mixing bowl just for wings. Pull the wood chunk off the Vortex and put on the bowl with butter, Franks, and other ingredients stirring constantly. Doesn't take more than a couple of minutes your sauce is ready. Throw the wings in toss and back on for 5-8 minutes. Any longer than that the butter will burn. Back in the sauce and toss again. No carrots or Ranch who ever started that should be keel hauled.



Perfect every time.

 

those wings look good!!

 

Sold me on the 22"