Can you help me choose a smoker?

been smoking on my traeger for a few weeks now a love it

jezter6 said:

I know this thread is past it's prime and settled, but I tell you what - I absolutely LOVE my cheapo Lowe's electric Brinkman.

Separate bottom with a heater element. Can pull the top off to add chips and muck with things, that's a great feature. Only thing I don't love about it is no thermostat. Only an "on" setting, and that's when it's plugged in - it's ON.

I've smoked a number of pork butts and beer can chicken. I may be a noob, but for my needs, this things ROCKs for the $70 or so I spent on it.

I've made meals for 6 on it with NO problems and don't see any need for anything larger unless you're catering parties of 10+ on the regular. Last time I had it, I made pastrami (smoked brisket), 2 full chickens, and a 5# pork butt with no problems. Just had to plan around moving things because each item took just a little different time.

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can you add a johnson controller to it to control the temp?

SmokinTex is the best thing I have used and I've tried quite a few. I have a 1400 series and the thing is absolutely amazing! You really have to work hard to mess things up in it and everything I have cooked in it comes out perfect!

I went with the 1400 after months and months of research. Glad I did.

buffalobrewer said:

can you add a johnson controller to it to control the temp?

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Dunno, do johnson controller's go that high???

In any case, I think it does the perfect job at self regulating temps. I don't monitor them, so I don't know for sure, but my cooking times are right on for planned at or around the ~200-225F mark and it never seems to burn anything as long as there's water in the resevoir.

Old thread by to the PO, can we get pics of the UDSs? I'm building mine now.

IrregularPulse said:

Old thread by to the PO, can we get pics of the UDSs? I'm building mine now.

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I have all the parts ready to go but havent yet found the time to put it all together.

I was basically planning to follow this build:

http://www.thepickledpig.com/forums...-our-uds-cooker-how-build-one-part-1-a-3.html

My buddy was able to fab up some of the charcoal baskets. I plan to use two cooking grates with a webber top for extra capacity. I will post some pics someday

GilaMinumBeer said:

And then spend the equivalent of a UDS to modify it to work better.

The hardest part of building a UDS is sourcing the barrel. And the irony is, that after you have found it and fit it, you'll find barrels EVERYWHERE.

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Where did you find your barrels? Im in OKC and wanting to build a double drum smoker... I dont know anyone in town in the food manufacturing biz to source a empty food grade 55 gal drum or 2.

Thanks!

strat_thru_marshall said:

Where did you find your barrels? Im in OKC and wanting to build a double drum smoker... I dont know anyone in town in the food manufacturing biz to source a empty food grade 55 gal drum or 2.

Thanks!

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I sourced mine from a seed and feed just outside city limits.

Later, I found another at a construction site. Perfect condition, Open head barrell. Held mineral oil. I think they were using it as a form oil or something. Offered to buy it but they just gave it to me.

You just have to look around. Try some chemical supply co's too. So long as it didn;t hold something terribly toxic, I am not convinced "Food Grade" is all that important since your gonna burn the hell out of it anyway.

Most larger cities and especially areas that have a lot of industry around them have companies that deal with just drums. Its sometimes take a lot of searching and calling to find them but they should be around. I found one about 15 minutes from me. I got a completely refurbished unlined drum for $22.

jezter6 said:

I know this thread is past it's prime and settled, but I tell you what - I absolutely LOVE my cheapo Lowe's electric Brinkman.

Separate bottom with a heater element. Can pull the top off to add chips and muck with things, that's a great feature. Only thing I don't love about it is no thermostat. Only an "on" setting, and that's when it's plugged in - it's ON.

I've smoked a number of pork butts and beer can chicken. I may be a noob, but for my needs, this things ROCKs for the $70 or so I spent on it.

I've made meals for 6 on it with NO problems and don't see any need for anything larger unless you're catering parties of 10+ on the regular. Last time I had it, I made pastrami (smoked brisket), 2 full chickens, and a 5# pork butt with no problems. Just had to plan around moving things because each item took just a little different time.

Click to expand...

I picked up a Brinkman a few years ago. It was the price that got me. I just smoked a 15lbs turkey on it. It took 16 hours! It was worth it. Pretty damn good!

Get a cheap food thermometer, drill a small hole in the top of the lid, and you now know the temp. As long as the hole is the same size as the thermometer. If you notice that some smoke is escaping, just put a little tin foil around the hole, and you should be set.

The only problem that I've noticed with the Brinkman is that it's a bit underpowered. Temp rarely gets to the ideal 225 and you can't really control it if the food requires different temps.

The nice thing is that you can always convert it for charcoal if you want:

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=333445&sid=68d70c80b7317c9e18a184587dd35c22

My main complaint with my Brinkman is that it is hard to get the Thin Blue Smoke. I've been thinking of making something like the Smoke Daddy to put on the side of mine (and also to use for cold smoking);

http://www.smokedaddyinc.com/

IrregularPulse said:

Old thread by to the PO, can we get pics of the UDSs? I'm building mine now.

Click to expand...

humann_brewing said:

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Thanks humann :Rolleyes:. I know what they can look like. I was curious to how his turned out.

I am loving my UDS, very easy to cook on, steady temps. Here is mine in action, pork ribs.

At 3 hours, added foil nothing else:


At 5 hours, taking the foil off


Added some corn


Done, a couple left

Pat_13 said:

I am loving my UDS, very easy to cook on, steady temps. Here is mine in action, pork ribs.

At 3 hours, added foil nothing else:

At 5 hours, taking the foil off

Added some corn

Done, a couple left

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Wow those look amazing. I need to get mine done. My buddy had to have his appendix removed of all things so that set us back on this project.

BGE. No question.

Had a few beers around the barrel fires last night. One for me, my brother and two buddies. These will be done for deer season at the latest!

Being in an apartment, electric was my only option. I picked up one of the Masterbuilt digital smokers from Sam's and it's been great. Good capacity and it keeps temps real stable. You don't need to open the door to add chips which is nice. It smokes better with the vent all the way open, but you need to add chips a bit often when you do. A cold smoke addition can take care of that though. I wish I could do charcoal, but if you're looking at electric, the Masterbuilt is a pretty good choice.

Finally, they are ready to test. When everything is working good, I plan to clean up and paint. The charcoal baskets are a little overkill...I think they will outlast the barrels easily. Now I just need to find a weber lid and I'll be cookin'.



I was thinking of getting one of these covers eventually. I cant find dimensions for this one. Anyone know a specific cover that fits good? Looks like this one might be a little short.

So ugly, it's pretty:rockin:

Well done!

Aubie Stout said:

BGE. No question.

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The question is which internal organ you need to sell to afford one.

lschiavo said:

Finally, they are ready to test. When everything is working good, I plan to clean up and paint. The charcoal baskets are a little overkill...I think they will outlast the barrels easily. Now I just need to find a weber lid and I'll be cookin'.

I was thinking of getting one of these covers eventually. I cant find dimensions for this one. Anyone know a specific cover that fits good? Looks like this one might be a little short.

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Yes, the webber cover fits fine. That is what I use. It isn't quite long enough, but it really just needs to cover the top to make it so water doesn't get inside.

TheManes said:

Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. The best. I have the 18" but there is a 22" available.
It's well made and holds temp beautifully. My first smoker was a cheap POS and it worked but controlling temp was very difficult.

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this. +1,000,000,000.