Good starter smoker?

Been on this forum  for a few years and have been grilling for a long while (not bbq).
Just throwing this out there. I want a small smoker....just big enough to do a pork butt or a few racks of ribs or a briskit. Nothing fancy and I know how to use lump charcoal and wood as I have used it in my grill before when doing some country style pork ribs and some tenderloins.

Chargriller with the optional side firebox.  can do several butts or slabs easily

http://bbq.about.com/od/smokerreviews/gr/aapr112008b.htm

seatown76


I want a small smoker....just big enough to do a pork butt or a few racks of ribs or a briskit. Nothing fancy and I know how to use lump charcoal and wood as I have used it in my grill before when doing some country style pork ribs and some tenderloins.

I also cook fairly small quantities and I switched from an offset (Char-Broil Silver Smoker) to a Weber Smokey Mountain because the offset simply had more capacity than I needed, and I've been happy with that decision.  The WSM also turned out to be more fuel-efficient and its smaller size made storage a lot easier.
 
Brad

I sold smokers for many years.
 
The WSM is a great place to start.  You'll never have to upgrade when you find out that you love the taste of smoked meats.

I agree with the WSM recommendation.  it is a great place to start.  Once it is broken in it is almost set it and forget it. And break in doesn't take long.
I have made some of the most amazing Q in it.   Granted its more expensive now than when I got mine about 12 years ago.  But I also still have it, so it has stood up pretty well.

Starting my 3rd summer with my WSM, and I just LOVE it!
The only thing I don't like is lifting the ring, and cleaning the water pan after a cook. (and I do foil it)
It cooks like a dream, and runs for maybe 5 hours on one load of lump.

Another vote for the WSM. I love mine.

I'm goin' Electric!
http://www.electricsmokerpro.com/Brinkman-Gourmet-Electric-Smoker-Grill-p/810-7080-k.htm

I would go Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM)...I know people that win on them in competition, and I know people that have them in their backyard...great smoker
 
 

If I had more than me to cook for I'd get a new smoker. Years ago I had a Coleman smoker (they don't make them any longer) and it was terrific. It could handle a huge turkey, several butts -- I mean, it was huge. Fact is, it was almost the spitting image of that Weber smoker whose virtues you all are extolling.

There is a board devoted to smoking and specifically the WSM.
 
It's filled with lots of good advise.
 
http://tvwbb.com/eve?s=98110183&a=cfrm&cdra=Y

Do I remember correctly you posting something a  while ago about having one of those egg things? Green egg things? Isn't that a smoker?

Correct.  It's a smoker, grill and oven.
 
I gave away a gas grill, a Weber kettle and my WSM when I got it.  My patio was a bit crowded.  Now it's only semi crowded.
 
It's a bit expensive but I got it at a special dealer's "buy to own" price.  The manufacturers like when you use what you sell.

Wow! So, there are two things I wasn't aware of -- a grill and an oven, too.

Or........
Maybe  THIS?http://www.homedepot.com/...51&catalogId=10053

Rght.  I can grill a steak or burger, bake a pizza and smoke a butt.  I make chicken on it that rivals any from the local restaurants.
 
That offset smoker from Home Depot is a great place to start.  You can grill and smoke with it.

mar52


Rght.  I can grill a steak or burger, bake a pizza and smoke a butt.  I make chicken on it that rivals any from the local restaurants.

Can I come over for dinner?

mar52

Correct.  It's a smoker, grill and oven.

Do you need to Bribe the L.A. Smog Police with BBQ Ribs in order to use it??

Just the fireplace.  Well not to use, just to sell.  Can't.

I use a Brinkmann Smoke n Pit offset model.  Easy to use, and good results.  Plus, it holds much more than a WSM.

Michael Hoffman


Wow! So, there are two things I wasn't aware of -- a grill and an oven, too.

I have similar and would suggest this. A little more room than a WSM and slightly easier to use. I had a similar to WSM and upgraded to this model. Very happy with the results.
 
DT

I'd suggest both an electric smoker and an offset smoker.
 
I have an offset smoker and while it works well, you have to tend to it for too long. When I was doing pork butts/briskets, I'd be up at 4am, and would be ready by 8pm. I was so sick of looking at the meat for that long, I'd have to wait a few days to eat it.
 
This way, you can let the electric smoker do more of the work (even overnight), and finish them on the grill.
 
A good website is amazingribs.com

gostillerz

A good website is amazingribs.com

THANX! for the web site. It's  good one!

irisarbor


Starting my 3rd summer with my WSM, and I just LOVE it!
The only thing I don't like is lifting the ring, and cleaning the water pan after a cook. (and I do foil it)
It cooks like a dream, and runs for maybe 5 hours on one load of lump.

I double foil the pan , with 2 sheets of double wide foil, and so far no mess on the pan since I started doing that. I used to use sand in it for awhile but ran through sand too quickly. Granted I still have to dump the gunk. 
 

Some of the guys on that virtual Weber site (TVWBB board) I posted above use a clay flower pot saucer inside of the water pan.  I never tried it.

Yesterday I had to work in the yard, got some big stuff to do and now is the time to get started.  So I didn't really have time to mess with my WSM to do the spares I picked up, but my wife definitely wanted Ribs for mother's day.
 
So, I used a weber charcoal basket I had  used in my little Smokey Joe (RIP), put some soaked hickory and apple chunks in it in my gas grill on the fire side while I kept the ribs on the side with the burner turned off, and did myself a lazy q.  I put the baket under the grate, I should have moved some of the fire bricks in my gas grill but live and learn.

Came out pretty good  and had a smoke ring; not really the same but I was able to get two things accomplished yesterday afternoon instead of just making world class ribs ;)  My gas grill made tasty ribs with a good pink smoke ring and my wife was happy with both the yard work and the ribs - I call that winning!  As a bonus my oldest boy (who is 8) ate a half rack by himself and had a touch sauce all over his face including on his forehead over his eyebrow - that's hard to do since I don't use a lot of sauce.
 
So that is something to consider too for those who want to try it themselves before buying a pit - doing some lazy q on your gas grill. 
 
 
 
 

I smoke meat on my gas grill all the time but I must admit I have a Unique Grill that I purchased Used back in 1973 for $50 Bucks!!! (I've re-built the guts several times.) It's a Kenmore made by Arkla with a Cast Aluminum housing and a grill in front and an oven in the back that can handle a rotisserie. Double doors on it. Can hold a 20# Turkey or Rib Roast. Put the Meat in the back and some smoke packets on the front grate and Walla! A Smoker!
I've cooked thousands of delicious meals on it and it's going with me in the box to BBQ Heaven!

I bought an electric last year, looks like a wsm but red. Can't control heat, too cool most of the time, weather matters. I was only doing 200 degrees. 1500 watts is a lot of heat, but escapes out the thin metal.

The one I look at that really looks liken the one I need is the Bradley, insulated and only uses 400 watts. Uses wood pellets, around $300. Door type looks easy to use.

Greg

gregys


I bought an electric last year, looks like a wsm but red. Can't control heat, too cool most of the time, weather matters. I was only doing 200 degrees. 1500 watts is a lot of heat, but escapes out the thin metal.

The one I look at that really looks liken the one I need is the Bradley, insulated and only uses 400 watts. Uses wood pellets, around $300. Door type looks easy to use.

Greg

 
Bradley's typically use pucks which are not cheap,I don't think they use pellets
 
 

I used to sell The Bradley Smoker.  I ran one at work and it worked like a charm.
 
However...  Rather than pellets, it uses proprietary compressed biscuits.  You are married to Bradley when you buy them.  The biscuits are not cheap.

I know. Several years ago Bradley sent me a smoker and some of their flat things. I used it a few times and had to get some more of those flat things. The price was horrendous. I sent the thing back.

Foodbme


I'm goin' Electric!
http://www.electricsmokerpro.com/Brinkman-Gourmet-Electric-Smoker-Grill-p/810-7080-k.htm

I have what is essentially the same electric model. I love it. It's perfect because I don't use it that often. It works beautifully. I like to fill the "water pan" with Dr. Pepper, hickory flavor liquid smoke, and some Worcestershire sauce. I also soak my hickory chunks for 24 hours so they'll smolder instead of burn.