Smokin'

[Placebo]

So, for the last couple of years I've been very much wanting a firebox smoker. You knowm the sort that has the heat and smoke source in a box mounted on the side of the grill so that the heat is indirect and allows for a long slow smoking. I'm aiming to try and keep the cost down to the neighborhood of $100. I've seen the Amierican Gourmet Deluxe Smoker at Home Despot and it seems like a fiarly reasonable choice. Any other recommendations on places to look in town to acquire such a device?

Edited February 26, 2005 by Placebo (log)

[ScorchedPalate]

When we took the charcuterie class at Culinary Communion, Gabriel had a number of ideas, which have all promptly left my brain. I'd recommend dropping him an email (if you're patient) or calling... he's a sweet guy and he's always happy to share info.

~A

[winesonoma]

Check here. http://www.chargriller.com/shop/grills/smokin-pro.html

[Abra]

That's a cool-looking item! I have a Brinkman electric, which used to work well when I lived with ambient temperatures above 90 in the summertime, but here it never gets hot enough to get near the "ideal" temp zone on its little temp guage.

[Cold Water Bound]

Hey Abra, well I don't like to publicly advertise any one product as everyone has thier opinion on what works the best or is the greatest. Thus my comment to placebo. Yet you asked so here it goes

I have owned a New Braunfels Smoker and enjoyed it thuroughly but kept fighting tempature control and the amount of smoke used. I tried an electrick by little chief then one by Brinkman. Still was not happy as there was not enough control for me. I then purchased a Bradley Smoker Man what a diffrence this made. I am now able to control not only the amount of smoke I use by simply using fewer or more "wood pucks" as they only burn for 20 minutes each, but I cn control the tempature up to 350 or do a cold smoke if I choose. I have smoked cheeses, almonds, pork, turkeys, chickens, garlic (sounds odd but was great in mashed potatoes) home made sausages and jerky, you name it I have smoked or tried to smoke it. Theycome complete and ready to go out of the box and there are at least 6 different smoking flavors/woods to choose from. On thier home page there is a link t there forums which are filed with helpful advice and recipes and such. " I highly recomend the smoked French onion soup"! There is a draw back, there about 250 to 300 dollars. Yet in my opinion they are worth every cent.

CWB

[winesonoma]

If ya want to plug it in. I sometimes smoke where there is no electric. Unless you want noisy generators.

[Abra]

I love it that the Smokin' Pro is a grill as well as a smoker. Winesonoma, do you use it as a grill often? Any performance comments? Can you have a fire in the side box and use that as indirect heat, as for a turkey, or will it only produce enough heat for smoking? How about the rotisserie? I'm really thinking of getting this one if it has all those features and they all work well.

[winesonoma]

Side box for smoking. Fire at either end for indirect heat.

[=Mark]

There is a lot of BBQ info that has been compiled into the Smoke Ring BBQ FAQ including comprehensive info on various types of smokers.

[mklynch]

I have 3 outdoor smokers at home. A Little Chief, a New Braunfels (offset firebox) and a Smokey Mountain Great Outdoors (gas fired). I use them all for different things. I like the gas fired for it's ease of use and for smaller things that cook quick like chicken, the Little Chief for lower temp smoking, like for tomatoes and fish. And the New Braunfels for brisket, geese, turkey, etc. I don't have a problem regulating the temperature in it, but I cooked on a wood cookstove for several years. By just using the side box, I can get and hold anywhere between 200' - 375' in the main compartment, both smoking and roasting at the same time. It does take practice.

I had a commercial Traeger at my last work kitchen that held 8 sheetpans of product and we used it daily. The smoke and temperature control was so nice, I swear I could have made brownies in it. They sell smaller home models, but I haven't used one.

I went to buy smoker chips for the Little Chief yesterday and was warned going out the door not to bring home another smoker, as GI Joes had the Bradley in their ad. Sounds like a nice smoker. Wonder where I could hide it? Ha ha. I could justify it since I have 4 grills and only 3 smokers, does that work?