Posted: 5/31/2015 10:05:45 AM EDT
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I've been reading the pulled pork/rib/brisket threads here for some time now, I've watched a bunch of videos and done a lot of reading on the topic and I'm still a little confused but this is something I would like to try.
At this point my confusion is primarily equipment related. It seems that someone somewhere has a problem with every method or piece of gear out there and I just don't have the experience to be able to tell the BS from the legitimate gripes. That leads me to my first dilemma - I have no suitable cooking equipment to start off with. I've read about and seen a lot of people that use weber kettle grills to smoke and frankly it's one of the few methods I haven't seen everyone else shitting on. I wouldn't mind buying a Weber grill because I could use it for its originally intended purpose if the smoking thing doesn't work out - is this a good way to start out? Any other recommendations? I'd like to keep the cost of entry down because I have no idea if this is something I'll even want to mess with after my first few tries, especially if they don't turn out well. Expensive patio ornaments don't really do it for me. |
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I made my first batch of ribs on a medium size weber, smoking them with charcoal and pieces of maple and oak from the wood shed. They were fantastic.
If you plan to grille in the future get one. We use our weber a lot still after buying an offset smoker. I know the green egg is all the rage now but it is pricey. If I was just getting into it again I would think long and hard about just getting it over with and starting with one. |
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Quoted:
I've been reading the pulled pork/rib/brisket threads here for some time now, I've watched a bunch of videos and done a lot of reading on the topic and I'm still a little confused but this is something I would like to try. At this point my confusion is primarily equipment related. It seems that someone somewhere has a problem with every method or piece of gear out there and I just don't have the experience to be able to tell the BS from the legitimate gripes. That leads me to my first dilemma - I have no suitable cooking equipment to start off with. I've read about and seen a lot of people that use weber kettle grills to smoke and frankly it's one of the few methods I haven't seen everyone else shitting on. I wouldn't mind buying a Weber grill because I could use it for its originally intended purpose if the smoking thing doesn't work out - is this a good way to start out? Any other recommendations? I'd like to keep the cost of entry down because I have no idea if this is something I'll even want to mess with after my first few tries, especially if they don't turn out well. Expensive patio ornaments don't really do it for me. I've owned several smokers....electric, and stick/coal. I still have a weber kettle out back that handles grilling and shorter smokes. It's a good option to get started on charcoal cooking due to the small footprint, versatility, and low cost, but I don't think it's ready to go as-is. I would add a smokenator, flip up grill grate (so you don't have to lift the grate to add coal), and you absolutely MUST have some method to monitor temps (maverick 732 or thermoworks are good options) in the cooker. With that setup, I can produce q that's as good as what I pull out of a $2300 smoker if I do my part. The only real downside to the weber is going to be tending it on longer cooks. 10-12 hour cooks for butts and briskets are going to require regular (not constant) attention throughout the day. I find shorter cooks for chicken pork loins, and ribs are easily manageable on the kettle. The other (Cheap) option is the electric, which won't produce the flavor or presentation (color, smoke ring) of coal, but are much easier to manage. You may want to try a cheaper electric option like a masterbuilt to get yourself started if you don't want to spend the time learning to regulate the coal cooker. Either way you can produce good q. It really comes down to the time you want to invest into running it vs quality of the finished product. |
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A smoker with an offset firebox is the real answer. They can be more expensive for a great one but for what a big green egg costs you can get an offset that kicks ass and you NEVER burn your meat.
Pluses are they are the best for smoking Minuses are they are less efficient that egg type smokers. |
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Quoted:
I've been reading the pulled pork/rib/brisket threads here for some time now, I've watched a bunch of videos and done a lot of reading on the topic and I'm still a little confused but this is something I would like to try. At this point my confusion is primarily equipment related. It seems that someone somewhere has a problem with every method or piece of gear out there and I just don't have the experience to be able to tell the BS from the legitimate gripes. That leads me to my first dilemma - I have no suitable cooking equipment to start off with. I've read about and seen a lot of people that use weber kettle grills to smoke and frankly it's one of the few methods I haven't seen everyone else shitting on. I wouldn't mind buying a Weber grill because I could use it for its originally intended purpose if the smoking thing doesn't work out - is this a good way to start out? Any other recommendations? I'd like to keep the cost of entry down because I have no idea if this is something I'll even want to mess with after my first few tries, especially if they don't turn out well. Expensive patio ornaments don't really do it for me. If your handy, you could build a UDS, theres a couple hundred page thread on BBQ BRETHREN about building them, and numerous guides on the internet. But yes you certainly can use a kettle, it's just not ideal. |
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Quoted:
Weber smokey mountain. Definitely. Totally idiot-proof and turns out excellent results. Bite the bullet and get the big one -- trust me, it's totally worth it for the extra capacity. ETA --post 87!!! Here's to another great 87 posts over the next 10 years!!!! UDS's are cheaper, and can run longer on one load of fuel. 
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The bitch about the Weber is that there's no way to add fuel to the fire without field stripping the thing. You're going to need to hold the temperature for 6 to 18 hours and that's a whole lot of effort with a grill designed to cook burgers and dogs.
I went with a charcoal model for a year and shitcanned it for an electric one. While entertaining I have way more things to worry about than adding fuel to the fire. I can manage tossing chips in when required. ETA: If you don't spend at least $2500 and better, $3500 on a smoker you're a hipster or whatever the current insult of the GD crowd is this week. |
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Buddy at work has one of these and loves it. When he brings in the results, you can smell it across the room. Electric but takes chunks:
http://www.smokin-it.com/default.asp |
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Quoted:
A smoker with an offset firebox is the real answer. They can be more expensive for a great one but for what a big green egg costs you can get an offset that kicks ass and you NEVER burn your meat. Pluses are they are the best for smoking Minuses are they are less efficient that egg type smokers. This has been my experience. Electric smokers are very easy and the results are great, but they are frowned upon as "not real" bbq. I started electric and moved to an offset box. It's great taste wise, but it is not efficient and is a pain in the ass to keep the right temp and stoke, especially if its windy |
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Quoted: <snip> I know the green egg is all the rage now but it is pricey. If I was just getting into it again I would think long and hard about just getting it over with and starting with one. I've cooked on just about every type of grill/smoker you can find (with the exception of a pellet smoker - I just don't like the idea of using pellets). I started out when I was a teenager using a 55 gallon drum to smoke mullet on. You can cook good food on any of them - it comes down to how much time and effort you want to put into it. Over time, all the metal ones rust and will need to be replaced - I've lost track of how many smokers I've owned over the years. Temperature and smoke control also can be an issue with smokers that aren't well insulated which can lead to bitter tasting food. I resisted buying a BGE for years due to the initial cost but it has turned out to be the BEST and LAST smoker I'll buy. Holds temperature better than any smoker I've used and it's more versatile - smoking, grilling, cooking pizza, etc. If you are wanting to get into this for the long haul, then get "buy one cry once" and get the Green Egg. I use my BGE several times a week every week. |
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http://www.lowes.com/pd_131712-49769-6719_0__?productId=3609214
One of these is the best bang for your buck in smokers. It's better insulated than any smoker but a ceramic like a BGE, and it's not going to break the bank. One load of charcoal wille easily cook for 12-18 hours, so no need to fuss with it all the time adding anything. After you get tired of messing with it period, get an electronic controller (like DigIQ) and you'll never have to leave your armchair until the meat is done. You can also cook pizza at 700*, and all the other wonderful things you can do with a kamado. |
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I started with an offset. Hard to keep the heat in and keep consistent temp. Maybe a more expensive one would have been better.
I got a Pitmaker vault smoker. It is nothing to get 18-20 hours from 6lb charcoal and a pound of wood. It holds the heat. I've cooked in sub zero weather with it. Excellent smoker and I use for larger projects since buying the BGE. li love my BGE. I've never burnt anything while smoking as someone mentioned. I have done up to 16 hours with it. If your serious get the best you can afford. So much easier to use and get quality food from good equipment |
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Quoted:
I started with an offset. Hard to keep the heat in and keep consistent temp. Maybe a more expensive one would have been better. I got a Pitmaker vault smoker. It is nothing to get 18-20 hours from 6lb charcoal and a pound of wood. It holds the heat. I've cooked in sub zero weather with it. Excellent smoker and I use for larger projects since buying the BGE. li love my BGE. I've never burnt anything while smoking as someone mentioned. I have done up to 16 hours with it. If your serious get the best you can afford. So much easier to use and get quality food from good equipment Yeah that's the part I'm not sure about. I'll admit I have little patience for shitty food, if my first couple of tries suck I can see myself saying "fuck it" and leaving any smoked dishes to the professionals. |
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OP,
If your intention is to casually and occasionally smoke something that will please your family and friends, get the ubiquitous Weber grill. It can be used to grill steaks, chicken etc and it can be used as a smoker too. For smoking, neatly stack your charcoal to one side of the grid so as to maximize the amount in that space. I use [name brand] briquettes for the sake of stacking it densely. I stack mine as high as the grill will let be stacked, not touching it, and about 3/5 of the way across the grid. This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going. I can't taste it in the meat when it's allowed to burn off. I pity the people who claim they can still taste it--I'm not saying they can't but I can say I certainly cannot. I've never smoked beef. I smoke pork or chicken. One should be able to place one large butt (or chicken) or two smaller ones on the side of the grill opposite the stacked charcoal. I buy the little bags of hickory chips. I cull the dark chips and keep only the 'blonde' ones. The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid and I don't like its flavoring--others do. I'll start soaking about 1/4 cup of the chips right before starting to stack the charcoal. I put 2-3 chips on the grill above the coals; it's ok if they fall through to the coals. I add 2-3 chips to the coals at very roughly 20 minute interval. Be careful to not bump the grill and cause the stack to scatter. Place a butt on the grill FAT SIDE UP. After one hour, rotate it 180 degrees; don't flip it. I'll let it smoke another hour or so. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Prepare enough foil to be able to completely encapsulate the butt. Remove the butt and put about 1/4 cup vinegar based sauce on it before wrapping it. I make my own sauce. At this stage a meat thermometer might indicate an 'it's done' temperature but DO NOT SKIP THE WRAPPING PART. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. If the thermometer read not cooked before wrapping, leave it on the grill at least until it shows done. Don't worry about overcooking it, but don't forget about it being on the grill either. The foil is a critical step to ensure the meat will be tender. If the bone can't be nearly effortlessly pulled from the butt, it's either a poor chunk of meat or it wasn't done right. The foil is "the secret" Don't tear into anything right off the smoker; let it sit about 20 minutes. If one goes big and smokes a whole shoulder with the skin on it (too big for a Weber), the skin acts as the foil. Chicken with skin needn't be wrapped but it's temp must be carefully monitored. (Rotate a bird too.) Pork with skin has to be smoked very slowly so that the smoke's flavor has time to penetrate the skin. I prefer butts simply 'cause ain't nobody got time fo dat. I salute the slow smoker of pork as he's doing it 'right' and it tastes better, but I don't have the patients for it. One must use a green egg a lot to recover its cost in money saved on charcoal. That's its thing: it's insulated and so doesn't take much charcoal to do the job. There's no cooking magic to it otherwise. It's wise choice for fad followers or people who smoke more meats then the average guy. What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique. |
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Quoted: Yeah that's the part I'm not sure about. I'll admit I have little patience for shitty food, if my first couple of tries suck I can see myself saying "fuck it" and leaving any smoked dishes to the professionals. Quoted: Quoted: I started with an offset. Hard to keep the heat in and keep consistent temp. Maybe a more expensive one would have been better. I got a Pitmaker vault smoker. It is nothing to get 18-20 hours from 6lb charcoal and a pound of wood. It holds the heat. I've cooked in sub zero weather with it. Excellent smoker and I use for larger projects since buying the BGE. li love my BGE. I've never burnt anything while smoking as someone mentioned. I have done up to 16 hours with it. If your serious get the best you can afford. So much easier to use and get quality food from good equipment Yeah that's the part I'm not sure about. I'll admit I have little patience for shitty food, if my first couple of tries suck I can see myself saying "fuck it" and leaving any smoked dishes to the professionals.  ETA: I have an 18" WSM, buy the larger size if feasible, you'll thank me later. |
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Quoted:
The bitch about the Weber is that there's no way to add fuel to the fire without field stripping the thing. You're going to need to hold the temperature for 6 to 18 hours and that's a whole lot of effort with a grill designed to cook burgers and dogs. I went with a charcoal model for a year and shitcanned it for an electric one. While entertaining I have way more things to worry about than adding fuel to the fire. I can manage tossing chips in when required. ETA: If you don't spend at least $2500 and better, $3500 on a smoker you're a hipster or whatever the current insult of the GD crowd is this week. Weber actually makes a smoker, you don't need to add fuel and its made for smoking.... And its awesome. Get a 18" weber smoker mountain. |
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i was in your same position about a year ago. Didn't know what to buy, what was crap, and what wasn't. 7/10 guys here told me to go with the Weber smokey mountain. I did, got the big one and it has been one of the best purchases i have ever made. Electric is for girls. Electric seems to be for those who just want to put the meat on and forget about it. in my opinion thats not what smoking is about. its an art, something you have to put time in to. never messed with gas.. the idea of gas and food just doesn't sound good to me.
learn to burn them sticks. i can fire up mine and with very little manipulation, get it up to smoking temps, and depending on the charcoal, it will stay in range from 6 AM until 9AM the following day. it has taken me a year to get the hang off Butts. I nailed ribs from the get go. brisket I'm still working on. A PROBE THERMOMETER IS A MUST! |
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Quoted: OP, If your intention is to casually and occasionally smoke something that will please your family and friends, get the ubiquitous Weber grill. It can be used to grill steaks, chicken etc and it can be used as a smoker too. For smoking, neatly stack your charcoal to one side of the grid so as to maximize the amount in that space. I use [name brand] briquettes for the sake of stacking it densely. I stack mine as high as the grill will let be stacked, not touching it, and about 3/5 of the way across the grid. This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going. I can't taste it in the meat when it's allowed to burn off. I pity the people who claim they can still taste it--I'm not saying they can't but I can say I certainly cannot. I've never smoked beef. I smoke pork or chicken. One should be able to place one large butt (or chicken) or two smaller ones on the side of the grill opposite the stacked charcoal. I buy the little bags of hickory chips. I cull the dark chips and keep only the 'blonde' ones. The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid and I don't like its flavoring--others do. I'll start soaking about 1/4 cup of the chips right before starting to stack the charcoal. I put 2-3 chips on the grill above the coals; it's ok if they fall through to the coals. I add 2-3 chips to the coals at very roughly 20 minute interval. Be careful to not bump the grill and cause the stack to scatter. Place a butt on the grill FAT SIDE UP. After one hour, rotate it 180 degrees; don't flip it. I'll let it smoke another hour or so. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Prepare enough foil to be able to completely encapsulate the butt. Remove the butt and put about 1/4 cup vinegar based sauce on it before wrapping it. I make my own sauce. At this stage a meat thermometer might indicate an 'it's done' temperature but DO NOT SKIP THE WRAPPING PART. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. If the thermometer read not cooked before wrapping, leave it on the grill at least until it shows done. Don't worry about overcooking it, but don't forget about it being on the grill either. The foil is a critical step to ensure the meat will be tender. If the bone can't be nearly effortlessly pulled from the butt, it's either a poor chunk of meat or it wasn't done right. The foil is "the secret" Don't tear into anything right off the smoker; let it sit about 20 minutes. If one goes big and smokes a whole shoulder with the skin on it (too big for a Weber), the skin acts as the foil. Chicken with skin needn't be wrapped but it's temp must be carefully monitored. (Rotate a bird too.) Pork with skin has to be smoked very slowly so that the smoke's flavor has time to penetrate the skin. I prefer butts simply 'cause ain't nobody got time fo dat. I salute the slow smoker of pork as he's doing it 'right' and it tastes better, but I don't have the patients for it. One must use a green egg a lot to recover its cost in money saved on charcoal. That's its thing: it's insulated and so doesn't take much charcoal to do the job. There's no cooking magic to it otherwise. It's wise choice for fad followers or people who smoke more meats then the average guy. What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique. There is so much fail in this post I don't even know where to begin - This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid Tanic acid is derived from the bark of fruitwood trees such as hickory - that's why in some competition cooking you will see some cooks remove the BARK before burning the wood. It has nothing to do with the color of the wood. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Cook to temperature and NOT time - each piece of meat is different and requires a different amount of time to reach the desired temperature. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. Great way to completely ruin the bark - hell if you want "stewed" meat just boil it. The foil is "the secret" Bullshit - the foil is for people who don't understand the stall and know nothing about low and slow cooking. You even said yourself you don't have the patients for it What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique This is about the only thing in your post I agree with. Proper technique is critical for properly cooked low and slow food so I would advise OP to learn how to manage temperature and ignore the crap you just posted  OP - no matter what cooker you decide on make sure you can accurately monitor the temperature of both the smoker and meat -  |
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Quoted: Weber actually makes a smoker, you don't need to add fuel and its made for smoking.... And its awesome. Get a 18" weber smoker mountain. Quoted: Quoted: The bitch about the Weber is that there's no way to add fuel to the fire without field stripping the thing. You're going to need to hold the temperature for 6 to 18 hours and that's a whole lot of effort with a grill designed to cook burgers and dogs. I went with a charcoal model for a year and shitcanned it for an electric one. While entertaining I have way more things to worry about than adding fuel to the fire. I can manage tossing chips in when required. ETA: If you don't spend at least $2500 and better, $3500 on a smoker you're a hipster or whatever the current insult of the GD crowd is this week. Weber actually makes a smoker, you don't need to add fuel and its made for smoking.... And its awesome. Get a 18" weber smoker mountain.  |
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Quoted: There is so much fail in this post I don't even know where to begin - This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going First off, anyone who cooks food over a fire started with a flammable liquid is crazy - at least use a simple charcoal fire starter to get it going. Want to know the quickest way to wreck a ceramic cooker - use lighter fluid in it. Most lighter fluid is an aliphatic petroleum distillate of some kind, similar if not identical to naphtha. The lower temperatures used in smoking will cause this to vapor and will effect the taste of the meat. The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid Tanic acid is derived from the bark of fruitwood trees such as hickory - that's why in some competition cooking you will see some cooks remove the BARK before burning the wood. It has nothing to do with the color of the wood. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Cook to temperature and NOT time - each piece of meat is different and requires a different amount of time to reach the desired temperature. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. Great way to completely ruin the bark - hell if you want "stewed" meat just boil it. The foil is "the secret" Bullshit - the foil is for people who don't understand the stall and know nothing about low and slow cooking. You even said yourself you don't have the patients for it What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique This is about the only thing in your post I agree with. Proper technique is critical for properly cooked low and slow food so I would advise OP to learn the how to manage temperature and ignore the crap you just posted Quoted: Quoted: OP, If your intention is to casually and occasionally smoke something that will please your family and friends, get the ubiquitous Weber grill. It can be used to grill steaks, chicken etc and it can be used as a smoker too. For smoking, neatly stack your charcoal to one side of the grid so as to maximize the amount in that space. I use [name brand] briquettes for the sake of stacking it densely. I stack mine as high as the grill will let be stacked, not touching it, and about 3/5 of the way across the grid. This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going. I can't taste it in the meat when it's allowed to burn off. I pity the people who claim they can still taste it--I'm not saying they can't but I can say I certainly cannot. I've never smoked beef. I smoke pork or chicken. One should be able to place one large butt (or chicken) or two smaller ones on the side of the grill opposite the stacked charcoal. I buy the little bags of hickory chips. I cull the dark chips and keep only the 'blonde' ones. The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid and I don't like its flavoring--others do. I'll start soaking about 1/4 cup of the chips right before starting to stack the charcoal. I put 2-3 chips on the grill above the coals; it's ok if they fall through to the coals. I add 2-3 chips to the coals at very roughly 20 minute interval. Be careful to not bump the grill and cause the stack to scatter. Place a butt on the grill FAT SIDE UP. After one hour, rotate it 180 degrees; don't flip it. I'll let it smoke another hour or so. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Prepare enough foil to be able to completely encapsulate the butt. Remove the butt and put about 1/4 cup vinegar based sauce on it before wrapping it. I make my own sauce. At this stage a meat thermometer might indicate an 'it's done' temperature but DO NOT SKIP THE WRAPPING PART. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. If the thermometer read not cooked before wrapping, leave it on the grill at least until it shows done. Don't worry about overcooking it, but don't forget about it being on the grill either. The foil is a critical step to ensure the meat will be tender. If the bone can't be nearly effortlessly pulled from the butt, it's either a poor chunk of meat or it wasn't done right. The foil is "the secret" Don't tear into anything right off the smoker; let it sit about 20 minutes. If one goes big and smokes a whole shoulder with the skin on it (too big for a Weber), the skin acts as the foil. Chicken with skin needn't be wrapped but it's temp must be carefully monitored. (Rotate a bird too.) Pork with skin has to be smoked very slowly so that the smoke's flavor has time to penetrate the skin. I prefer butts simply 'cause ain't nobody got time fo dat. I salute the slow smoker of pork as he's doing it 'right' and it tastes better, but I don't have the patients for it. One must use a green egg a lot to recover its cost in money saved on charcoal. That's its thing: it's insulated and so doesn't take much charcoal to do the job. There's no cooking magic to it otherwise. It's wise choice for fad followers or people who smoke more meats then the average guy. What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique. There is so much fail in this post I don't even know where to begin - This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going First off, anyone who cooks food over a fire started with a flammable liquid is crazy - at least use a simple charcoal fire starter to get it going. Want to know the quickest way to wreck a ceramic cooker - use lighter fluid in it. Most lighter fluid is an aliphatic petroleum distillate of some kind, similar if not identical to naphtha. The lower temperatures used in smoking will cause this to vapor and will effect the taste of the meat. The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid Tanic acid is derived from the bark of fruitwood trees such as hickory - that's why in some competition cooking you will see some cooks remove the BARK before burning the wood. It has nothing to do with the color of the wood. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Cook to temperature and NOT time - each piece of meat is different and requires a different amount of time to reach the desired temperature. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. Great way to completely ruin the bark - hell if you want "stewed" meat just boil it. The foil is "the secret" Bullshit - the foil is for people who don't understand the stall and know nothing about low and slow cooking. You even said yourself you don't have the patients for it What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique This is about the only thing in your post I agree with. Proper technique is critical for properly cooked low and slow food so I would advise OP to learn the how to manage temperature and ignore the crap you just posted  .. |
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Quoted: Offset smoker OP. Why? This is why: http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs3_zps6wwhcqwf.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs4_zpsu5lvy6sv.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/101_1067_zpsdboovkyy.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/smokey_zps2skxzwj6.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs1_zpsb3fnn0vr.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/pit_zpsqgjcjqwp.jpg |
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I have had several different smokers over the years. I currently run a GMG pellet smoker. I love the convenince of it. They are a set it and forget it type thing. You won't get as heavy of a smoke flavor as other types of stick burners but it does give you a great mild smoke flavor.
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Quoted: I've been reading the pulled pork/rib/brisket threads here for some time now, I've watched a bunch of videos and done a lot of reading on the topic and I'm still a little confused but this is something I would like to try. At this point my confusion is primarily equipment related. It seems that someone somewhere has a problem with every method or piece of gear out there and I just don't have the experience to be able to tell the BS from the legitimate gripes. That leads me to my first dilemma - I have no suitable cooking equipment to start off with. I've read about and seen a lot of people that use weber kettle grills to smoke and frankly it's one of the few methods I haven't seen everyone else shitting on. I wouldn't mind buying a Weber grill because I could use it for its originally intended purpose if the smoking thing doesn't work out - is this a good way to start out? Any other recommendations? I'd like to keep the cost of entry down because I have no idea if this is something I'll even want to mess with after my first few tries, especially if they don't turn out well. Expensive patio ornaments don't really do it for me. I'd say get a Weber one touch Gold kettle, they're about $150 at Home Depot or Lowes. Then hop on to Amazon and get a thermometer, I'd recommend the Maverick ET732 or 733. The little kettle is everything you need in a grill, and it'll do as a functional smoker, although you'll have to tinker with it a little more often than you would a dedicated water smoker or offset. There's lots of great info on this site on what to do and how to produce some excellent food - http://amazingribs.com/ |
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Quoted:
hot damnnnnnnn i want an offset so bad!! what kind is that? i was looking at an OKLAHOMA JOE offset but it didn't have two racks. i must have two racks. Quoted:
Quoted:
Offset smoker OP. Why? This is why: http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs3_zps6wwhcqwf.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs4_zpsu5lvy6sv.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/101_1067_zpsdboovkyy.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/smokey_zps2skxzwj6.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs1_zpsb3fnn0vr.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/pit_zpsqgjcjqwp.jpg $499.00 Old Country BBQ Pits Wrangler Smoker Academy has them |
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Offset smoker OP. Why? This is why: http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs3_zps6wwhcqwf.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs4_zpsu5lvy6sv.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/101_1067_zpsdboovkyy.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/smokey_zps2skxzwj6.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/ribs1_zpsb3fnn0vr.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/pit_zpsqgjcjqwp.jpg This. Get a decent offset smoker, a decent wireless, two temp thermometer and get cooking. It will take some practice but if you're careful you'll have good results from the beginning. Total cost of equipment can be less than $300 if you find a used smoker. |
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Had one myself...This will do everything a BGE will do. May not last 20 years but it is a good way to get started. Sold mine after 2 years once I decided to get a Kamado Joe.
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http://www.lowes.com/pd_131712-49769-6719_0__?productId=3609214 One of these is the best bang for your buck in smokers. It's better insulated than any smoker but a ceramic like a BGE, and it's not going to break the bank. One load of charcoal wille easily cook for 12-18 hours, so no need to fuss with it all the time adding anything. After you get tired of messing with it period, get an electronic controller (like DigIQ) and you'll never have to leave your armchair until the meat is done. You can also cook pizza at 700*, and all the other wonderful things you can do with a kamado. |
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I started with the 18.5 Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) several years ago, and would highly recommend it for someone just starting out. Always wished I'd bought the 22.5 though as ribs wouldn't fit the 18.5 without cutting the slabs in half and/or using a rib rack and bending them. If you'll only be cooking relatively small amounts then it may be all that you'll ever need. Temperature control is fairly easy to master on a WSM, and they're very fuel efficient.
As time goes by and you get better at mastering temperature control, working with different cuts of meat etc then your needs may change. In my case, the extended family enjoys (good) smoked food so much that I just couldn't fit the required amounts onto the WSM when we have cookouts. I recently moved up to a Meadow Creek SQ36 offset which will take somewhere around 4 butts and 6 slabs of ribs. It's a fantastic smoker but the temperature control is undoubtedly more difficult for an offset than a bullet. I'm glad to have learned the basics on something more forgiving like the WSM. Whatever you decide on, get a good digital thermometer with two probes (one for the meat, one to measure the temperature at the grate). The bi-metal lid thermometers are notoriously crap, in fact the dome unit on my WSM read approximately 50 degrees low. Others have mentioned the Maverick ET732 or 733 and they're really nice units. Most of all have fun and don't be afraid of making mistakes! Low and slow is a very forgiving cooking method, and it's hard to produce truly inedible food without doing something really dumb. |
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If you're starting off with nothing I would start with a Weber Kettle. You can grill and smoke on it. Most smokers suck at grilling, the kettle will do both and do both well.
I am grilling or smoking on my kettle 4-5 days a week. Using the snake method I can smoke for 9-10 hours without refueling and maintain a grill temp of 230 for hours without having to make any vent adjustments. |
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want to get going on the cheap get one of these
It will do double duty too http://www.oldsmokey.com/ |
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hmmmmmm you are so right. what the shit did i just read .. Quoted:
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OP, If your intention is to casually and occasionally smoke something that will please your family and friends, get the ubiquitous Weber grill. It can be used to grill steaks, chicken etc and it can be used as a smoker too. For smoking, neatly stack your charcoal to one side of the grid so as to maximize the amount in that space. I use [name brand] briquettes for the sake of stacking it densely. I stack mine as high as the grill will let be stacked, not touching it, and about 3/5 of the way across the grid. This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going. I can't taste it in the meat when it's allowed to burn off. I pity the people who claim they can still taste it--I'm not saying they can't but I can say I certainly cannot. I've never smoked beef. I smoke pork or chicken. One should be able to place one large butt (or chicken) or two smaller ones on the side of the grill opposite the stacked charcoal. I buy the little bags of hickory chips. I cull the dark chips and keep only the 'blonde' ones. The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid and I don't like its flavoring--others do. I'll start soaking about 1/4 cup of the chips right before starting to stack the charcoal. I put 2-3 chips on the grill above the coals; it's ok if they fall through to the coals. I add 2-3 chips to the coals at very roughly 20 minute interval. Be careful to not bump the grill and cause the stack to scatter. Place a butt on the grill FAT SIDE UP. After one hour, rotate it 180 degrees; don't flip it. I'll let it smoke another hour or so. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Prepare enough foil to be able to completely encapsulate the butt. Remove the butt and put about 1/4 cup vinegar based sauce on it before wrapping it. I make my own sauce. At this stage a meat thermometer might indicate an 'it's done' temperature but DO NOT SKIP THE WRAPPING PART. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. If the thermometer read not cooked before wrapping, leave it on the grill at least until it shows done. Don't worry about overcooking it, but don't forget about it being on the grill either. The foil is a critical step to ensure the meat will be tender. If the bone can't be nearly effortlessly pulled from the butt, it's either a poor chunk of meat or it wasn't done right. The foil is "the secret" Don't tear into anything right off the smoker; let it sit about 20 minutes. If one goes big and smokes a whole shoulder with the skin on it (too big for a Weber), the skin acts as the foil. Chicken with skin needn't be wrapped but it's temp must be carefully monitored. (Rotate a bird too.) Pork with skin has to be smoked very slowly so that the smoke's flavor has time to penetrate the skin. I prefer butts simply 'cause ain't nobody got time fo dat. I salute the slow smoker of pork as he's doing it 'right' and it tastes better, but I don't have the patients for it. One must use a green egg a lot to recover its cost in money saved on charcoal. That's its thing: it's insulated and so doesn't take much charcoal to do the job. There's no cooking magic to it otherwise. It's wise choice for fad followers or people who smoke more meats then the average guy. What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique. There is so much fail in this post I don't even know where to begin - This stacking requires the use of a flammable liquid to get it going First off, anyone who cooks food over a fire started with a flammable liquid is crazy - at least use a simple charcoal fire starter to get it going. Want to know the quickest way to wreck a ceramic cooker - use lighter fluid in it. Most lighter fluid is an aliphatic petroleum distillate of some kind, similar if not identical to naphtha. The lower temperatures used in smoking will cause this to vapor and will effect the taste of the meat. The dark chips contain a higher concentration of tannic acid Tanic acid is derived from the bark of fruitwood trees such as hickory - that's why in some competition cooking you will see some cooks remove the BARK before burning the wood. It has nothing to do with the color of the wood. The timing of how long it smokes is the art that one must learn alone, but don't fret: there's a critical technique that comes after about two hours of smoking. Cook to temperature and NOT time - each piece of meat is different and requires a different amount of time to reach the desired temperature. Put the wrapped butt on the grill and let it 'stew' in the foil for about an hour. Great way to completely ruin the bark - hell if you want "stewed" meat just boil it. The foil is "the secret" Bullshit - the foil is for people who don't understand the stall and know nothing about low and slow cooking. You even said yourself you don't have the patients for it What I'm saying OP is that the equipment doesn't matter so much as the technique This is about the only thing in your post I agree with. Proper technique is critical for properly cooked low and slow food so I would advise OP to learn the how to manage temperature and ignore the crap you just posted
hmmmmmm you are so right. what the shit did i just read .. OMG! Somebody's w-r-o-n-g on the Internets! Two people asked me between the time I posted that and writing this, "When are you going to smoke another butt?" Suggested rebuttals: 'Cause my dog needs something to gnaw. I need an new doorstop etc.. I'll leave the 99th percentile of finery of smoking--who're similar in their behavior to those wine taster--to their pride. |
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Every back yard needs a webber kettle. For 150 you can get a 22 inch performer. Learn the snake method and the minion method, the snake for long low temp smokes 225-250 and the minion for hotter smokes 325-375. Plus you can grill on it. Win Win.  No, not really. |
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Bought the weber kettle and have a wireless two temp thermometer on the way. Already lit some coals up in the weber to burn all the shit off, may need to do it one more time since it -no shit- still smelled like burned smokeless powder even after an hour burn. Oh well, I won't be able to really fuck anything up on it until next weekend anyway...
If nothing else I'm curious to see if the charcoal does better at general grilling vs our shitty gas grill. I personally don't have much experience with charcoal so there's another learning curve but I can burn shit with the best of them, so there's that
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Use lump charcoal. Briquettes burn longer more even and steady. You don't have nearly as much loss with briq's as you do with lump (a good 10% of the bag at least will just fall through the grates, and half the time with lump you don't even really know what kind of wood you're getting or where it came from. |
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Quoted: Use lump charcoal. Lump charcoal can be very inconsistent from bag to bag and brand to brand. Part of turning out good barbecue is consistency. A lot of snobs talk shit about Kingsford blue bag briquettes, but fact of the matter is every bag of blue is gonna burn the same no matter what. It's good stuff and what I use exclusively for 90% of my grilling and smoking adventures. |
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Quoted: http://www.lowes.com/pd_131712-49769-6719_0__?productId=3609214 One of these is the best bang for your buck in smokers. It's better insulated than any smoker but a ceramic like a BGE, and it's not going to break the bank. One load of charcoal wille easily cook for 12-18 hours, so no need to fuss with it all the time adding anything. After you get tired of messing with it period, get an electronic controller (like DigIQ) and you'll never have to leave your armchair until the meat is done. You can also cook pizza at 700*, and all the other wonderful things you can do with a kamado. |
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i was in your same position about a year ago. Didn't know what to buy, what was crap, and what wasn't. 7/10 guys here told me to go with the Weber smokey mountain. I did, got the big one and it has been one of the best purchases i have ever made. Electric is for girls. Electric seems to be for those who just want to put the meat on and forget about it. in my opinion thats not what smoking is about. its an art, something you have to put time in to. never messed with gas.. the idea of gas and food just doesn't sound good to me. learn to burn them sticks. i can fire up mine and with very little manipulation, get it up to smoking temps, and depending on the charcoal, it will stay in range from 6 AM until 9AM the following day. it has taken me a year to get the hang off Butts. I nailed ribs from the get go. brisket I'm still working on. A PROBE THERMOMETER IS A MUST! The WSM isn't a stick burner tho 
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Quoted: Briquettes burn longer more even and steady. You don't have nearly as much loss with briq's as you do with lump (a good 10% of the bag at least will just fall through the grates, and half the time with lump you don't even really know what kind of wood you're getting or where it came from. Quoted: Quoted: Use lump charcoal. Briquettes burn longer more even and steady. You don't have nearly as much loss with briq's as you do with lump (a good 10% of the bag at least will just fall through the grates, and half the time with lump you don't even really know what kind of wood you're getting or where it came from. You think you know where your briquettes come from? |
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Quoted: Untrue on all accounts. You think you know where your briquettes come from? Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Use lump charcoal. Briquettes burn longer more even and steady. You don't have nearly as much loss with briq's as you do with lump (a good 10% of the bag at least will just fall through the grates, and half the time with lump you don't even really know what kind of wood you're getting or where it came from. You think you know where your briquettes come from? You get more ash from briquettes from the binders and such that hold them together, but they are more consistent than lump from bag to bag. Only thing I use lump for is super high temps when searing steaks. |
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I like LUMP I have never had a problem getting a consistent temperature. The egg will go for 14-16 hours with lump and there is far less residue. I sometimes use briquets in the larger smoker but lump is the way to go.
Lump is far superior to those stupid clay bricks. It leaves a whole lot less ash and residue too. |