meat smoker

[Kritafo]

okay, who has a smoker?

Which kind do you recommend? Digital or charcoal?

We are wanting to purchase one, love smoke meats.

We are planning a trip to BBQ's Galore in the next week to take a peek.

[anothers10]

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/271552/whos-into-bbq-proper-bbq-smokey-low-slow/

[Amysicle]

How big is your current grill and what size/kind of meat were you thinking of smoking?

I think if it's smaller amounts of meat you could get away with doing it in your grill with an alumnium pack filled with wet and dry wood chips over the heat on one side and your meat on the other side (cooking it indirectly) or MacGyver it the way Alton Brown does http://www.twothirds.org/2005/09/26/smoking-pot-a-cheap-terracotta-flower-pot-smoker-ala-alton-brown/.

But it also sounds like you're interested in an actual smoker and not some rigged up thing. The Shopping Bags also did a test on three smokers for one of their episodes and they have a bit of information about what's out there and what to look for here: http://www.wnetwork.com/tv_shows/shows/The_Shopping_Bags/ViewProduct.asp?ID=590&View=INTRO

[Denslayer]

get the green egg.... works great

[Kritafo]

Originally posted by Amysicle
How big is your current grill and what size/kind of meat were you thinking of smoking?

I think if it's smaller amounts of meat you could get away with doing it in your grill with an alumnium pack filled with wet and dry wood chips over the heat on one side and your meat on the other side (cooking it indirectly) or MacGyver it the way Alton Brown does http://www.twothirds.org/2005/09/26/smoking-pot-a-cheap-terracotta-flower-pot-smoker-ala-alton-brown/.

But it also sounds like you're interested in an actual smoker and not some rigged up thing. The Shopping Bags also did a test on three smokers for one of their episodes and they have a bit of information about what's out there and what to look for here: http://www.wnetwork.com/tv_shows/shows/The_Shopping_Bags/ViewProduct.asp?ID=590&View=INTRO

Yes I was thinking about the Alton Brown method. lol! I will check out the shopping bags review. Thanks..I didn't think of them.

[r3ccOs]

I created a thread in the food & dining area already lol

It depends on what you want...
Green Egg is ridiculiously exceptional and respectively expensive. The beauty is the abilty to smoke at low temperatures and its ability to provide consistant heat. It also weighs like 300lbs

Do you actuality need a smoker? Will you be making Jerky or preserved types of foods?

If you have a multi burner (more than a h-burner) gas grill, you should be able to make a smoke pouches out of aluminium foil and your choice of hardwood (can be purchased at BBQ Galore, Wholesale Sports, and even Sobeys) to make all sorts of traditional slow & low bbq smoked meats.

Its all about indirect heat, and if you can have your bbq run low enough off a single burner on one side of your gas grill, you're set.

Charcoal grills... same principle as gas grill, but easier to get smoke going quicker as you literially throw chunks on top of the embers. Harder to control heat, but once you got it, you can get it much lower or hotter than a gas grill.

Charcoal smoker... basically a kettle type bbq only taller and with a metal drip pan to keep the heat indirect. You likely will never get it hotter than 250f, and it is easy to stoke especially with the Smokey Mountain series from Weber.

Me?
Gas Grill (Broil Mate) for grilling
Charcoal Grill for grilling and indirect cooking (Webber 22.5 gold)

So far its been fantastic, I've made fantastic briskets, tri-tips, and ribs.
But being the fanatic that I am, I will buy a smokey mountain for pulled pork shoulders, trout/salmon, lamb shanks, and briskets :D