Upgrade to electric or purchase a meat smoker?

[techbrewie]

I love to brew. BUT you can already make great beer. a meat smoker will change your life, it changed mine. Then make a Rauchbier to go with your meat

 

[jflongo]

You need to check out the Minion Method. I use it on my WSM and it works wonders. Only thing you gotta do is stir the charcoal and add wood chunks occasionally (and water once). I did a brisket for ~11 hrs and never added charcoal. Stayed at 225 the entire time.

Yes I have used that method. It did work well. But it's so much easier smoking something in my garage now, with the door cracked open a bit.

 

[jflongo]

Do you personally notice a taste difference between the electric and charcoal/wood?

I am an avid cook and know my way around meat and at first starting my research I thought electric was a no brainer due to ease and concistency in maintaining temps. There certainly does seems to be a lot of info stating that its harder(or impossible) to achieve the same taste with electric.

I'm starting to think its the same argument as aluminum vs stainless BK's.
No real difference but plenty of old school hold outs that maintain stainless is better. Disclaimer..I have a stainless BK.

I really don't noticed a difference in taste, since the electric still uses wood chips. The taste I don't like is from propane, personally.

 

[nickmv]

Yes I have used that method. It did work well. But it's so much easier smoking something in my garage now, with the door cracked open a bit.

I can't argue with that. When I get settled down a bit more, I plan to get a pellet model (ie. Traeger, etc).