Looking For A New Smoker

I had to register just to post this. There is no better grill than the BGE that I've ever encountered. And I've tried a few of them mentioned in here. While it's expensive the egg will last your lifetime. If any of the ceramic ever cracks or anything they will replace it for FREE! (Unless you drop it of course)

If you want it cheaper and live remotely close to GA come to Eggtoberfest and you can buy one at ~33% off. Basically they bring out 100+ eggs for people to cook on for the fest and then sell those at a discounted price. For instance I got a large egg - with nest, bag of lump, video, cookbook, couple tools for $500 - this is normally a $750-800 package. Sure it was used once but that's not really a huge deal.. In fact I was the one that used it at the fest to smoke a turkey..

Even if you don't want to purchase an egg - go sample the variety of foods there and I think you might change your mind. No water needed for a smoke! The ceramic retains moisture in the egg really well if you can refrain from opening the lid.. :) (It is kind of hard to do when smoking something for 24+ hours for the first time.) How many grills can you smoke a butt for 26.5 hours for one one load of lump without having to do *anything* but drink beer, sleep, and wait. The ceramic also retains heat really well.

Find out about eggtoberfest - http://www.biggreenegg.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=144&phpshop=8b74eedfbc5cdc5975726766a7e2efcf

Find out about the egg -
http://www.biggreenegg.net
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm

A great accessory for any smoker/grill for long smokes -
http://www.thebbqguru.com/

Ohh and I forgot to mention that when I smoked that butt for 26 hours I still had half a eggfull of lump left! So I could have smoked for 50 hours easily. It really doesn't hold that much lump either!

quote:

Originally posted by laststandchili

I use a standard off set cooker by New Braunfels (Silver Smoker I think) that I'm happy with, but it requires a fair amount of monitoring to maintain a consistent temp over a long cook. Thats fine with me as its a good excuse to spend the day BBQing, ie, sitting in a chair under a tree with a frosty beverage and fiddling with the cooker vents occasionally while maintianing a look of intense focus and concentration. I've also used the Weber Smoky Mountain. Thats a great low maintenance cooker. You can pretty much load it with fuel, fill the water tray, slap the meat on and forget about it for hours. It feels like cheating to me, plus you end up having to do stuff like cut the grass while its working. They retail for around $180. Happy Qing.
I akso have a New Braunfels smoker and I also found that it takes a lot of attention. I'm with you. A cold beer, some hot ribs and a nice shade tree is all I need. (HEAVEN) I don't smoke meat inside the house as I don't have a professional grade exaust vent. My smoke alarms are hard wired into my electric system so any smoke it detects sends it off. Can't bypass it. I've seen indoor smokers but usually they are very large and intended for restaurant use. Happy "q"ing all
David O.

Vayo con Queso

I used to own a Brinkman smoker and liked its versatility. My needs are small and it worked well for apartment living along with its ability to work as a hibachi. I now own a Braunfels which has always reminded me of a steam locomotive as the smoke wafts out the chimney. For my needs, it is too large, but I'll never give it up. Still, I am always curious about what is out in the market and what are the alternatives to my large smoker,

I saw something yesterday that tripped my trigger. It is the Orion Cooker. It is a vertical cooker that looks like the Brinkman models, but seems to work in an entirely different manner with the charcoal placed outside and on top of thing. The box shows flames coming out of the top flue. It creates a convection air current and claims that it can make smoked ribs in 1.5 hours and a turkey in 2.5!!!

http://www.orioncooker.com/

Has anyone seen this or have one? It seems that some of the process involves steaming using added liquid though it is not required as the juices that drip from the meat will provide enough moisture. It is the convectional heat method that makes it unusual. I think that its method of cooking will add fodder to what is considered tru- Q. Is it real if it doesn't take all day?

I will say that in my most guilty moments and worst weather I have used my pressure cooker to cook beef ribs in less than an hour. I will use liquid smoke and a good sauce. I won't argue about using the pressure cooker as I do know better about that.

mark

quote:

Originally posted by doggydaddy

I will say that in my most guilty moments and worst weather I have used my pressure cooker to cook beef ribs in less than an hour. I will use liquid smoke and a good sauce.

I saw that cooker about a month ago as I was researching a unit to cook bbq when I'm busy (or lazy). I don't always want to tend to my smoker. I opted for a small cookshack (just purchased it yesterday). It could be a nice unit but I couldn't find enough info from actual users to help me make a buying decision on the orion.

Three to consider.
http://www.mikesell.net/smoker/
http://www.randyq.addr.com/friends/mikey/magnum_force.htm
http://bbq.netrelief.com/pits/metalpit/bigbaby/build_big_baby_metal_bbq_pit.shtml

quote:

Originally posted by doggydaddy




I used to own a Brinkman smoker and liked its versatility. My needs are small and it worked well for apartment living along with its ability to work as a hibachi.
I will say that in my most guilty moments and worst weather I have used my pressure cooker to cook beef ribs in less than an hour. I will use liquid smoke and a good sauce. I won't argue about using the pressure cooker as I do know better about that.

mark

Mark, I am with you on the "quick and easy approach" when necessary. I have a Brinkmann electric water smoker that I use when I don't have time to stand over a smoker all day but want some bbq. It may not win a "Memphis in May" competition but it makes delicious ribs, chicken, brisket etc. Actually I have always been surprised at the variety of smokers I see at bbq competitions, from freight train sized units to Weber "Lil Smokey Joes" that all seem to get the job done when used by folks who know their smoke. Having said that, I lie in bed at night, dreaming about a BGE. It really annoys my wife when I murmur things like "ceramic smoking, you're for me" in my sleep. Fred

i know nothing and i can prove it.
all i know is that my husband, the Old Fart swears by his propane water smoker
"the great outdoors smokey mountain series" he paid $150 online..

Wal-Mart .........$124.00

the wal mart one is smaller and the walls are thinner and it doesn't hold the heat as well..
a buddy of Old Fart bought one and the guys compared them.

there is a forum called the smoke ring and they go over every grill and smoker made .also ones that people have built them selfs .lots of good info

quote:

Originally posted by xannie_01

the wal mart one is smaller and the walls are thinner and it doesn't hold the heat as well..
a buddy of Old Fart bought one and the guys compared them.

I just Googled for the Smoky Mountain Smoker and it came back with one from Walmart now for $98. Looks a little different than the one in fpczyz's picture. My Brinkman electric water smoker just had the bottom fall out - I guess leaving it out for several winters without a cover wasn't such a good idea. Fred

Update on my cookshack purchase. This is a well made smoker. Very solid.


So far I've smoked a picnic (good but not enough smoke. need to add more wood next time). and a "london broil" using mesquite and cooked to medium. Came out excellent. Perfectly medium and great smoky flavor.


Both items were very trouble free using this smoker. Put on your rub, throw it in the smoker, put your thermostat in, close the door and come back when the thermo says it's done.

18 hours for the picnic...2 for the london broil.

My Brinkmans electric smoker is obviously not the best but it works just fine. You have to watch it which I do. I wish I had not bought it but since I did, I use it.

I did a six pound pork butte with some apple wood chips soaked and I did it for eight hours and it came out very good. I used some BBQ sauce and a rub. The water added a nice value to the taste.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul,


what rub did you use? i have a housefull (probably 35 different rubs here right now) and I'm always trying new types but I think my favorite for ribs and beef both come from texasbbqrub.


i'm always testing for the perfect butt rub and havent landed on one yet. the texas I mentioned is good for butts but I'm still looking.


larry

I have to confess that I made my own rub. I used cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic, cinnamon, onion that were dried, sugar and some other crap that I just tossed in. It was not original but it worked just fine.

The cinnamon was a bit different but it added a nice taste.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Ah. I've heard of people doing that ;-)

I try to find a rub I like and then add some spices. As much as I use I should make my own but I never seem to get done testing.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

My Brinkmans electric smoker is obviously not the best but it works just fine. You have to watch it which I do. I wish I had not bought it but since I did, I use it.

I did a six pound pork butte with some apple wood chips soaked and I did it for eight hours and it came out very good. I used some BBQ sauce and a rub. The water added a nice value to the taste.

Paul, I felt the same way about the Brinkman. It worked okay but I never felt like it was what I was looking for but I used it because I had it. Now, with the incredible misfortune that has befallen me, having the bottom fall out and all, I'll just have to buy something else. Looks like the Cookshack or Smoky Mountain may be the answer. Fred

Did some ribs (spare) in the cookshack today. First, let me say that I make a pretty mean rib on my smoker. I don't enter any rib cook-offs but it isn't because I'm afraid of my ribs not standing up to any rib out there.

Now that I'm done blowing my own horn...


This cookshack is the best investment I've made in some time. I threw 2 racks of spares on today..both rubbed. They cooked for about 4 hours at 250.. then I glazed one with a 60/40 mix of honey/bbq sauce and glazed the other with pineapple habanero pepper jelly. Put them back in for another 45 minutes. While a large storm rumbled around the area.

The end product wasn't the best rib I ever turned out but they were top 10 material and would beat the pants off 95% of the ribs I've eaten in restaurants. Simply amazing for a set it and forget it smoker to turn out a really good rib with such ease.

If you're looking to produce some good bbq with almost no effort, grab a cookshack.

I'll post some pics tomorrow if they come out ok.

I need a sharper knife.

I was just going to say the same thing.

John

I think my wife has been using my set to trim tile again.

I have found that my electric knife works wonders, I have several "Good" knives (Henckels) but for ease the 14 dollar electric knife from wally world works wonders.