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What type of smoker do you prefer?
Posted on 1/7/19 at 1:27 pm
Posted on 1/7/19 at 1:27 pm
The burner in my vertical propane smoker finally bit the dust. I plan to replace it with another vertical from one of the box stores.
Was looking around and found one that looked good (wider than most) but then stumbled on a site that was dog-cussing electric smokers. Was thinking about buying electric for convenience.
Any of you able to chime in on the electric vs gas debate?
Was looking around and found one that looked good (wider than most) but then stumbled on a site that was dog-cussing electric smokers. Was thinking about buying electric for convenience.
Any of you able to chime in on the electric vs gas debate?
25
Posted on 1/7/19 at 1:31 pm to Bill Parker?
Electric smoker will make perfectly serviceable bbq. The temps will be perfect and the meat will be perfect.
I still use my weber smoker a few times a year because a wood smoker makes a better product.
The variations in temperature help make differing levels of carmelization which I feel makes a better product.
Electric smoked meats will never be pretty. I will say that.
I still use my weber smoker a few times a year because a wood smoker makes a better product.
The variations in temperature help make differing levels of carmelization which I feel makes a better product.
Electric smoked meats will never be pretty. I will say that.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 1:36 pm to Bill Parker?
I also used to dog cuss electric smokers until my friend showed me the light with his Masterbuilt.
I'm now in the market for one myself.
I'm now in the market for one myself.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 1:43 pm to X123F45
quote:
Electric smoked meats will never be pretty. I will say that.
I can get just as good of a bark on a brisket smoked on a MES as I can on a WSM.
I prefer the taste of the WSM, but to say you can't get good looking BBQ on an electric is patently false.
OP, if you get an electric, go with the Masterbuilt and make sure you get the Amazen pellet tray off Amazon. Takes the tediousness of having to feed chips to the MES every 30-45 minutes.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 1:52 pm to Centinel
quote:
make sure you get the Amazen pellet tray off Amazon. Takes the tediousness of having to feed chips to the MES every 30-45 minutes.
How do you typically light your pellet tray and where do you put it in the smoker? Been thinking about getting one because it's so annoying having to load the chip tray.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 2:16 pm to Bill Parker?
I use a vertical Outdoor Gourmet (Academy) with a burner in place of the charcoal tray. Runs on natural gas. I use a cast iron dutch oven to hold the wood. Chunks of wood never fully catch fire but smoke beautifully. Super cheap to run off the natural gas. Delivers great BBQ
Posted on 1/7/19 at 2:46 pm to GoAwayImBaitn
You can't beat a slab of meat smoked by a pro on a stick, but for my use I would pick a pellet smoker. It has both ease of use and good quality smoking ability.
Torch, depending on model next to the chip tray at the bottom or you could do it in a mailbox mod outside of the smoker. Check out smoking meat forums, they have a lot of good threads there on it.
quote:
How do you typically light your pellet tray and where do you put it in the smoker? Been thinking about getting one because it's so annoying having to load the chip tray.
Torch, depending on model next to the chip tray at the bottom or you could do it in a mailbox mod outside of the smoker. Check out smoking meat forums, they have a lot of good threads there on it.
This post was edited on 1/7/19 at 2:50 pm
Posted on 1/7/19 at 2:51 pm to Bill Parker?
I bought a cajun injector propane smoker a couple years ago. Like other posters have said, using wood will get you a better product. I use my offset smoker for brisket. Something about the smoke is different.
I've found that propane is difficult to maintain a constant temp especially when talking sub 200 degrees. Have since converted that smoker into an electric smoker using two hot plates and use it solely for cold smokes. i.e. bacon, sausage.
I'll hopefully be upgrading the burners for a more wide range of smokes as the current hotplates barely hold 205.
tl;dr: Buy electric for precision and hands off smoking, offset for hands on beer drinking all day smoking and a marginally better product and propane for the in between.
I've found that propane is difficult to maintain a constant temp especially when talking sub 200 degrees. Have since converted that smoker into an electric smoker using two hot plates and use it solely for cold smokes. i.e. bacon, sausage.
I'll hopefully be upgrading the burners for a more wide range of smokes as the current hotplates barely hold 205.
tl;dr: Buy electric for precision and hands off smoking, offset for hands on beer drinking all day smoking and a marginally better product and propane for the in between.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 2:54 pm to dtett
Hard to beat a WSM for ease of use, price and quality of BBQ it can produce.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 2:59 pm to AA7
quote:
How do you typically light your pellet tray
One of those small butane torches used for copper pipe and such. Works great.
Key thing to remember is you have to keep the pellets dry. Some people have suggested microwaving them a couple times for 30 seconds or so if you're having trouble keeping them lit.
quote:
where do you put it in the smoker
Bottom left on the last rack. Just make sure you don't have any meat directly over the tray. Trust me on this one.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 3:48 pm to Bill Parker?
(no message)
This post was edited on 1/7/19 at 11:19 pm
Posted on 1/7/19 at 4:05 pm to Stexas
I use the snake method on the Weber kettle. Have held 240-250 degrees for 8+ hours without refueling. Perfect for ribs and butts.
I’d love to get a Weber Smokey Mountain or a Pit Barrell Cooker.
I’d love to get a Weber Smokey Mountain or a Pit Barrell Cooker.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 4:46 pm to Centinel
quote:
to say you can't get good looking BBQ on an electric is patently false
My issue is the ring. I do not get the pink transition on electric. No matter what.
Obviously that doesn't matter for taste
But half this board crucified my pictures of my brisket a while back because it wasn't "pretty".
Ignoring it was perfectly cooked prime brisket. Half cooked to slice. Half cooked 10 degrees higher to chip into baked beans.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 5:00 pm to X123F45
quote:
My issue is the ring. I do not get the pink transition on electric. No matter what.
Obviously that doesn't matter for taste
But half this board crucified my pictures of my brisket a while back because it wasn't "pretty".
Ah gotcha. I will admit I can't get the same ring on my MES that I can with my WSM. But ya...you don't need a smoke ring for damn good brisket. Damn heathens around here.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 5:29 pm to Bill Parker?
Vertical water smoker like WSM
Masterbuilt electric is great for small things like fish, sausage and pork loin. I can use it quickly to add smoke to anything.
Masterbuilt electric is great for small things like fish, sausage and pork loin. I can use it quickly to add smoke to anything.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 5:30 pm to X123F45
I read that if you add a briquet or two routinely to the chips tray during smoking you can get a ring. Don't know how true that is.
Posted on 1/7/19 at 6:28 pm to Centinel
My pellet tray always went out. Small butane torch to light. Microwaved the pellets. Do you keep the chip tray in or out for more air circulation?
This post was edited on 1/7/19 at 6:51 pm
Posted on 1/8/19 at 6:03 am to Bill Parker?
I personally don’t see the point of an electric. If you’d rather “set it and forget it” and enjoy “convenience”, just go get some takeout.
Smoking is an art to be enjoyed in its own right. You can get serviceable Mac and cheese from the freezer isle and pop it in the oven and have tasty food.
But it’ll never be as good as grandma’s Mac and cheese made from scratch.
Same for smoking. You can set and forget an oudoor electric oven and get serviceable smoked meat, but it’ll never be like grandpa’s stick smoked meat.
Learn to do it right
Smoking is an art to be enjoyed in its own right. You can get serviceable Mac and cheese from the freezer isle and pop it in the oven and have tasty food.
But it’ll never be as good as grandma’s Mac and cheese made from scratch.
Same for smoking. You can set and forget an oudoor electric oven and get serviceable smoked meat, but it’ll never be like grandpa’s stick smoked meat.
Learn to do it right
This post was edited on 1/8/19 at 6:04 am
Posted on 1/8/19 at 6:35 am to sml71
If anyone in cenla is in the market for a large MES that has only been used a few times, post your email and I will send you some pics. It is the Bluetooth model with the rollers on the bottom.
I just never use it anymore.
I just never use it anymore.
Posted on 1/8/19 at 9:24 am to Jibbajabba
I feel there’s a reason why all the best bbq restaurants use off-set smokers. So that’s what I use. Always get a great smoke ring and flavor. It takes more work than the vertical ones, but i enjoy keeping that fire going.
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