smoker machine, foods, and recipes

[trliniar]

Thought i would start a thread regarding smoking, and what machines people use, wood chips, recipes, tips etc.

I want to buy a smoker machine this summer but not sure what to look for & make sure it has.

for starters, there is a Jim Beam smoker on sale at costco till march 4:

Jim Beam
Digital Stainless-steel Smoker
Includes 48-pack of Jim Beam Bisquettes
Item # 298991

Online price before and after promotion $449.99
Price Reduction from February 20, 2012 to March 4, 2012 - $75.00
YOUR COST $374.99


Jim Beam Smoker (http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?whse=BCCA&topnav=&prodid=10360769&ec=BCCA-EC780-CatHome&pos=10&lang=en-CA)

[Unknown303]

I was eye balling the same smoker... :drool:

[zipdoa]

Paging spikers...

[ffmf]

I have the non-digital version of this smoker. I like it since it is simple to use and I don't need to deal with wood chips since the pucks are convenient but a bit more expensive.

Since it's basically a low powered oven, I often just smoke the meat for however long and then finish it using the oven since the oven is quicker to get up to temperature as the smoker loses a lot of heat when opening and closing it.

This is a good price as Canadian Tire sells the non Jim Beam digital smoker for $500 and I've only seen $100 discounts at the most.

[trliniar]

i am unclear on these "pucks" if I buy this smoker, do I have to stick with pucks or can I use wood chips if I want to? Dont want to be stuck with a specific brand of smoke chips for the life of the smoker.

[ffmf]

Yes, that is the downfall of these machines. While they are easier than tending to wood chips, you will be required to buy the pucks to smoke. They are cheaper online but definitely add to the cost. One puck provides approximately 20 minutes of smoke. So you're looking at about 3 pucks per hour. Depending on what is being smoked I smoke between 3 - 6 hours. It can definitely add up.

[spikerS]

Originally posted by trliniar
Thought i would start a thread regarding smoking, and what machines people use, wood chips, recipes, tips etc.

I want to buy a smoker machine this summer but not sure what to look for & make sure it has.

for starters, there is a Jim Beam smoker on sale at costco till march 4:

Jim Beam
Digital Stainless-steel Smoker
Includes 48-pack of Jim Beam Bisquettes
Item # 298991

Online price before and after promotion $449.99
Price Reduction from February 20, 2012 to March 4, 2012 - $75.00
YOUR COST $374.99


Jim Beam Smoker (http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?whse=BCCA&topnav=&prodid=10360769&ec=BCCA-EC780-CatHome&pos=10&lang=en-CA)

These types of smokers bother me. The biggest reason is the pucks. I like the convienience of the pucks, but you have to remember, they have to use a binding agent to keep the pucks together, and when they burn, the binding agent burns too, affecting the flavor of the meat you are smoking.

Then, because it is an electric smoker, you lose the flavor of cooking it over charcoal. There are reasons everyone likes to BBQ a steak versus pan frying them.

Then, you have the costs associated with the pucks. That machine will burn through a puck every 15 mins, I know it says 20, but after 15, they don't really produce any more smoke. so figgure for a quick 8 hour smoke session, you will use 25+ pucks.

having said all that, they are ok for what they are, but the results from one of those compared to even an ECB with a little more effort on your behalf, will be night and day.

I am a big advocate for using lump charcoal, and water soaked hardwood chips/chunks.


Originally posted by zipdoa
Paging spikers...



:thumbsup:

[theken]

i have 3 smokers, by far my bradley is the most convenient, I use my bullet every now and then when i feel like a good brisket, but the bradley has taken over most of my smoking needs, set it and forget it.

1 more thing, you will never run out of flavours with the pucks, there is like 20 different kinds, http://www.bradleysmoker.com/products/bisquettes/

[r3ccOs]

its all things relative...

My buddy & I have now participated in about 21 comps, and have placed in top 10 lots, placed top 5 about 3 times and won 2...

Managing heat with a good charcoal smoker such as a: WSM, Big Green Egg and the Broil King Keg is not hard... a good minion method lighting and easy vent control and you're kept constant under 280

that being said, Smoke isn't over-rated, but it is over-used

probably people don't know the secrets, but at the end of the day... braising meat is what makes it tender and that's the "low & slow" part of it, but that in itself doesn't make a consistant product.
Your mom can make a melt in your mouth roast out of chuck, or brisket and she doesn't cook at 225, the way people think you do when you bbq.
No she puts it in a cast iron pot, with a bit of liquid right and closes the lid.

well anyways in short... the only product expose to smoke more than 2-3 hours, is brisket and even that is no more than 5 for comps.

after that, its in tinfoil with some braising liquid until its tender... then pull it out and finish on whatever heat is left

anyways... spiker has a point, charcoal has a flavor especially
when you cook low and slow, as you are only using partially "lit" charcoal. So as it progressively lights, its by-product is its distinct charcoal taste.
BUT, lump is the only way to go, not bound sawdust briquettes

that being said... I only use my weber performer these days for everything... grilling, smoking, cold smoking

but even cold smoking cheeses or fish, I barely need to do that for any more than 4 hours max, as again you don't want to over-power your product and smoke does nothing but add its flavor, it doesn't tenderize nor does it cook

your decision comes down to your requirement
if you want to do everything, but grill on it, including cold smokeing and money isn't a problem? want to smoke/cook ribs, to roasts, to cold fish, cheeses etc..? I'd suggest you get a Bradley smoker
Its an oven with a smoker that uses its own hopper... easy to maintain, set temp (if you or not if you don't use heat)
(its much like the one you have in the picture)

If you want to only do tradition bbq, or can be flexable using various techniques to do things like cold smoking or Jerky - I'd say a Weber Smokey Mountain - hands down

If you want to do as good smoking as you would grilling - I'd go for a big green egg - the best but most expensive charcoal smoker/grill out there.

If you want to smoke & grill, but do more grilling, get yourself a weber one touch
to smoke on this isn't hard, but you gotta learn heat control

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by trliniar
i am unclear on these "pucks" if I buy this smoker, do I have to stick with pucks or can I use wood chips if I want to? Dont want to be stuck with a specific brand of smoke chips for the life of the smoker.

only those specific pucks... so that's the cost associated

[cancer man]

This is where you want to go.
These guys are pros..this is all we talk about.

http://www.phpbbserver.com/smokinjim/index.php?mforum=smokinjim

[r3ccOs]

most of us are also on the virtual weber bullet

[spikerS]

Originally posted by r3ccOs
most of us are also on the virtual weber bullet

i still have to try one of those. I keep hearing good things about it.

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by spikers


i still have to try one of those. I keep hearing good things about it.

lol the forum I mean:

http://virtualweberbullet.com/

[trliniar]

apparently the big green egg as mentioned above is being sold at costco. stirring up some controversy.

based on all the comments i wonder if it's worth the money, or over rated

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/big-green-egg-899-99-costco-markham-east-location-1148593/

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by trliniar
apparently the big green egg as mentioned above is being sold at costco. stirring up some controversy.

based on all the comments i wonder if it's worth the money, or over rated

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/big-green-egg-899-99-costco-markham-east-location-1148593/

its awesome but expensive and doesn't do anthing more than what a one touch kettle or WSM can... but it can do both jobs and is easier to learn to manage heat on, as its all ceramic

I don't need one, but I wouldn't kick one off my patio for eating crackers

thing is... even with a number of racks, it is still relatively limited how much food you can cook, as its diameter is small (go have a look @ costco south)

[lilmira]

And it looks awesome as a piece of deck furniture lol.

Eventually I may get one or one similar like the BKK. For now, it's too much money to spend.

How do you add charcoal with those midway? Or does it last through the entire cooking process?

[spikerS]

Originally posted by lilmira
And it looks awesome as a piece of deck furniture lol.

Eventually I may get one or one similar like the BKK. For now, it's too much money to spend.

How do you add charcoal with those midway? Or does it last through the entire cooking process?

There is a little door at the bottom to slide more in, but these things are incredibly efficient, and the charcoal can last up to 6-8 hours in some cases in these because of the ceramic insulation I have heard. I don't know, I have yet to try cooking on one of these.

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by spikers


There is a little door at the bottom to slide more in, but these things are incredibly efficient, and the charcoal can last up to 6-8 hours in some cases in these because of the ceramic insulation I have heard. I don't know, I have yet to try cooking on one of these.

its true, but if you think about it...

a one touch gold is about, um... $230 on sale? how much charcoal would you have to "save" to make up the difference in the cost?