After being a die-hard charcoal aficionado most of my life, a few years ago I broke down and bought a gas grill (convenience factor... I still swear by charcoal as the better option).
Well, because of various time constraints, my charcoal offset firebox smoker hasn't been used more than two or three times in the last three YEARS (and so far this year, is still a mile away in my storage unit). So last week I broke down and ordered a Bradley. UPS was Johnny-on-the-spot, and even though I had ordered it late Monday afternoon (and Cabelas didn't get around to shipping it until Tuesday PM), they had it on my driveway shortly after 5:00 on Wednesday - just in time to enjoy for the 4th. Went "easy" for the first cook on it, just smoked a couple polish kielbasas and a brick of pepperjack cheese (placed in a foil pan and smoked along with the sausage) over apple wood for about four hours.
VERY happy with the purchase, kind of wish I had done it earlier. And it just happened that the local grocery store is having a sale on frozen boneless pork loin - $1.79/lb for a whole loin.
Went 'cheap' on the smoker purchase, got the original 4-rack instead of the digital model, but I have full intent on ordering an aftermarket PID controller in the next couple weeks -- definitely before I try something like a brisket - something I had never had the time (or guts) to try on my old smoker.
My neighbors are going to hate me
Well, because of various time constraints, my charcoal offset firebox smoker hasn't been used more than two or three times in the last three YEARS (and so far this year, is still a mile away in my storage unit). So last week I broke down and ordered a Bradley. UPS was Johnny-on-the-spot, and even though I had ordered it late Monday afternoon (and Cabelas didn't get around to shipping it until Tuesday PM), they had it on my driveway shortly after 5:00 on Wednesday - just in time to enjoy for the 4th. Went "easy" for the first cook on it, just smoked a couple polish kielbasas and a brick of pepperjack cheese (placed in a foil pan and smoked along with the sausage) over apple wood for about four hours.
VERY happy with the purchase, kind of wish I had done it earlier. And it just happened that the local grocery store is having a sale on frozen boneless pork loin - $1.79/lb for a whole loin.
Went 'cheap' on the smoker purchase, got the original 4-rack instead of the digital model, but I have full intent on ordering an aftermarket PID controller in the next couple weeks -- definitely before I try something like a brisket - something I had never had the time (or guts) to try on my old smoker.
My neighbors are going to hate me
