Who's smoking meat this weekend?

[Mr. Vern]

How does your buddy use his? Does it make a functional grill as well as a smoker?

It is all indirect heat so while you can still get high temperature for grilling you run through a little more fuel. He uses his flattop on gas for burgers and the wife doesn't eat steak. The temp switch maxes out at 700 degrees F. he does finish ribs on it.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

It is all indirect heat so while you can still get high temperature for grilling you run through a little more fuel. He uses his flattop on gas for burgers and the wife doesn't eat steak. The temp switch maxes out at 700 degrees F. he does finish ribs on it.

Got it. Thanks!

 

[Kent88]

@Kent88 what's the intended budget? That'll have a big impact on a recommendation. Also, what are you asking it to do and what other cookers do you have? I.e. if you're replacing a Masterbuilt, and this is a dedicated smoker and you never ask it to grill, then it changes what I'd recommend.

...

Budget... I haven't figured that out yet. My wife doesn't seem opposed to me buying a traeger, but they aren't cheap and I get nervous spending that kind of money. I'll probably talk myself into getting something that pricey, though, but I'm not there yet.

I make a little bit of everything. Beef and pork roasts, whole chicken, the occasional half turkey, and cold smoked cheddar. I have also cold smoked steaks and chops before throwing them on my gas grill. Briskets, ham, belly and back bacon, that's when it's handy to have a set-and-forget kind of system because I don't want to babysit a smoker for hours and hours. I wouldn't mind trying out smoked sides, but the electric units just don't seem to get hot enough. I almost wish I could get a 240v, bigger version of the smoker I'm replacing that could get up to 500° and still make use of the cold smoker attachment.

I suppose I don't make fish, lamb, mutton, or chevon.

I'm not interested in charcoal. Pellets, chips, or chunk seem best to me. I think Bradley makes a smoker that uses sawdust pucks, which doesn't interest me because I didn't see anyone else making them the last time I checked and I don't want to be vendor locked into fuel.

 

[Broothru]

Budget... I haven't figured that out yet. My wife doesn't seem opposed to me buying a traeger, but they aren't cheap and I get nervous spending that kind of money. I'll probably talk myself into getting something that pricey, though, but I'm not there yet.

I make a little bit of everything. Beef and pork roasts, whole chicken, the occasional half turkey, and cold smoked cheddar. I have also cold smoked steaks and chops before throwing them on my gas grill. Briskets, ham, belly and back bacon, that's when it's handy to have a set-and-forget kind of system because I don't want to babysit a smoker for hours and hours. I wouldn't mind trying out smoked sides, but the electric units just don't seem to get hot enough. I almost wish I could get a 240v, bigger version of the smoker I'm replacing that could get up to 500° and still make use of the cold smoker attachment.

I suppose I don't make fish, lamb, mutton, or chevon.

I'm not interested in charcoal. Pellets, chips, or chunk seem best to me. I think Bradley makes a smoker that uses sawdust pucks, which doesn't interest me because I didn't see anyone else making them the last time I checked and I don't want to be vendor locked into fuel.

I was a reluctant adopter of pellets. I got shamed into it because I'd finally grown weary of fooling with charcoal and having to tend to every whim of the smoker. After years of smoking meat, I realized that I had basically given it up, and instead simply grilling (with gas). The old charcoal setup was getting used maybe just once or twice per year.

Enter the Treager. Messy? No. Fill up the pellets and hit the igniter. Fifteen minutes later you're in business. Tempermental tending? Negative, Good Buddy. Set your temperature and walk away. The machine will "phone" you when it wants more pellets after a few hours. Clean up? If you really want to. Otherwise, just vacuum out what little ash is left behind before the next usage.

The downsides: pellets are more expensive than briquettes or charcoal chunks, but not a deal-breaker. You can store a wide variety of wood types without making a mess. It does require electricity to operate properly, however. And the initial price tag is greater than a Texas side-draw smoker.

But the results are just as good, and overall convenience (without the constant babysitting) is a big plus. I'm also back to spending more time smoking meat, and not just on the weekends. It's easy enough to use on short notice that it's fine for doing some wings for Monday Night Football, or mozzarella sticks for a Friday night movie. I'm glad I finally took the plunge and ignored all the purists who turn their noses up at automated pellet fired smokers. In the end it's a lot like three vessel brewers vs. the All-in-One crowd. At the end of the process you'll have really great barbecue, and beer!

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Budget... I haven't figured that out yet. My wife doesn't seem opposed to me buying a traeger, but they aren't cheap and I get nervous spending that kind of money. I'll probably talk myself into getting something that pricey, though, but I'm not there yet.

I make a little bit of everything. Beef and pork roasts, whole chicken, the occasional half turkey, and cold smoked cheddar. I have also cold smoked steaks and chops before throwing them on my gas grill. Briskets, ham, belly and back bacon, that's when it's handy to have a set-and-forget kind of system because I don't want to babysit a smoker for hours and hours. I wouldn't mind trying out smoked sides, but the electric units just don't seem to get hot enough. I almost wish I could get a 240v, bigger version of the smoker I'm replacing that could get up to 500° and still make use of the cold smoker attachment.

Got it. I'd say that if you don't want to touch charcoal, and you have a gasser, a pellet grill can make a ton of sense in your usage.

The biggest issue with pellets as far as I can tell from my Traeger is the lack of high, direct, heat. There are some tricks (i.e. placing things at the very front and back where the heat comes around the heat spreader), but it's just not built for high heat and searing. However, you've got a gasser for that. So that won't limit you.

The other point I would make is that if you're looking for higher-temp smoked sides is that as the temp goes up in a pellet grill, the smoke flavor goes down. The firebox is hotter and better able to fully combust the pellets. So you may want/need to have an extra smoking tube like from A-MAZE-N to get there. Other pellet owners can probably tell you more about it though. But when I do cooks at higher temp in the Traeger, it gets slight flavor addition from being a wood-burning grill, but very rarely would I describe it as a "smoked" flavor.

Have you looked into a propane-fueled cabinet smoker similar in design to the electric Masterbuilt but purely propane? It's what I started on and with propane as a heat source I think you can get a better ability to get those temps up higher where you want them. The biggest issue I ever had with it was making sure that the wood chunks didn't ignite, because then you would get the nasty white creosote-fueled smoke. So there was a learning curve. But once the temp and smoke were dialed in, and I could get it well over 300, it was pretty solid.

 

[Kent88]

The biggest issue with pellets as far as I can tell from my Traeger is the lack of high, direct, heat. There are some tricks (i.e. placing things at the very front and back where the heat comes around the heat spreader), but it's just not built for high heat and searing. However, you've got a gasser for that. So that won't limit you.

I hadn't thought about that. It makes sense that a gas grill would be faster to come up to temp and then recover. My gas grill will definitely be sticking around for things I want to sear or generally just cook quickly.

The other point I would make is that if you're looking for higher-temp smoked sides is that as the temp goes up in a pellet grill, the smoke flavor goes down. The firebox is hotter and better able to fully combust the pellets. So you may want/need to have an extra smoking tube like from A-MAZE-N to get there. Other pellet owners can probably tell you more about it though. But when I do cooks at higher temp in the Traeger, it gets slight flavor addition from being a wood-burning grill, but very rarely would I describe it as a "smoked" flavor.

I don't usually bother firing up the smoker for anything that takes less than a few hours, unless it's cold smoking. I suppose some smoked sides that I will want to try might take less time. I have my cold smoker attachment with my masterbuilt, I wish there was a way I could rig that up to a regular offset without taking the pellet box / fire box off or some other tedious process.

Have you looked into a propane-fueled cabinet smoker similar in design to the electric Masterbuilt but purely propane? It's what I started on and with propane as a heat source I think you can get a better ability to get those temps up higher where you want them. The biggest issue I ever had with it was making sure that the wood chunks didn't ignite, because then you would get the nasty white creosote-fueled smoke. So there was a learning curve. But once the temp and smoke were dialed in, and I could get it well over 300, it was pretty solid.

I don't want to go with propane. I don't really know why I got it in my head that charcoal and propane were bad options, but they just don't appeal to me.

 

[OleBrewing]

i purchased a pellet outdoor oven after my kenmore 4 burner gasser finally rusted out. I really like the pellet oven for almost everything.
that being said i made way better smoked dishes on my gas grill after modification for a cast iron pot and wood chips. pellets add some flavor but i can tell it is not the same.

last few hams i have done on pellet oven i included liquid smoke in the brine sacrilege but the smokiness pops.

the convenience factor and versatility of pellet ovens and ability to control a wide range of temps is the selling point for me. and i can sear on it as it has a moveable shield which is over the fire box one steak at a time though.

i use a homemade electric cabinet smoker for sausage jerky pepper sticks.

 

[YeastFeast]

Beef Jerky.
2.5 lbs of top round cut 1/4” thick. Marinated 36 hours. Three racks stacked with 1”x1” wood blocks in between to separate. 4-4.5 hours @ held the whole time at 180°F. Fuel of charcoal with chunks of apple wood.
Tasty!

 

[AzOr]

Well I think my masterbuilt smoker is finally done. I already replaced the controller on it and have no desire to mess with it further. I was wondering if anyone had any advice for what new smoker to buy.

I really liked that I could throw a brisket in, set the temperature and mostly just leave it alone, and I have a cold smoker attachment that I used to make a lot of smokey cheese. I'd like to keep those features. I didn't like how the display on it was hard to read, the app is pretty much garbage, and that the high temperature was only about 300°F.

I have zero complaints with my GMG Daniel Boone. It’s the older one w/o Wi-Fi. They are built like tanks compared to similar Tragers. It’s been about ten years since I’ve bought mine so things may have changed. If I ever replace it, it’ll be another GMG.
When I purchased mine it was about 450. A similar Trager was about 600 at the time.

 

[AZ Maverick]

Didn't smoke meat - but I just smoked a rack of ATB's (Atomic Buffalo Turds).

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

Smoked a beef knuckle earlier today, now it will simmer overnight and become a chili stew.

 

[YeastFeast]

Smoked a beef knuckle earlier today, now it will simmer overnight and become a chili stew.

That sure looks good but what the hell is a beef knuckle?

 

[OleBrewing]

Bacon. Will see how it turns out. It was the amazing ribs recipe. Might need more smoke I don't have the cabinet smoker dialed in and is very easy to over smoke. Once cooled and cooked Will get an idea.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

That sure looks good but what the hell is a beef knuckle?

It's a sub piece of the round.
Turned out decent but a little chewy after I pulled the meat, chuck roll is a better detail for stuff like this but you don't know if you don't try...

 

[Broothru]

Roasted schweinhaxe is the best way to have a “knuckle sandwich”. Preferably mit kraut und kartoffel. Also ein Pils.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Didn't smoke meat - but I just smoked a rack of ATB's (Atomic Buffalo Turds).

There's meat in an ABT... At least I'm fairly sure there's meat in a l'il smokie...

Bacon. Will see how it turns out. It was the amazing ribs recipe. Might need more smoke I don't have the cabinet smoker dialed in and is very easy to over smoke. Once cooled and cooked Will get an idea.

Nice! I've done the amazing ribs recipe several times. I personally think they get hung up on the "dry curing" bit saying you need to add liquid, which IMHO is BS so I use one of those other online calculators they denigrate. As long as you have the bacon curing in a sealed bag (whether ziplock or vacuum), the natural moisture in the bacon makes it a wet cure even if you don't add liquid.

Only difficult thing is getting it evenly sliced if you don't have a meat slicer.

But I think you'll be very pleased with it. And it's so much nicer to buy a nice big pork belly from Costco and do this than to pay for storebought bacon that is simultaneously more expensive and not as delicious.

 

[Rodent]

smoked BBQ Bourbon beans accompanied a smoked pork butt and smoked scalloped taters this weekend, and topped off with a pair of homemade BBQ sauces (the AR 'KC style' and a closely guarded 4-generation old North Alabama vinegar style sauce)

I saved most of the bark to be utilized in the next batch of beans I make, using bark in addition to a generous quantity of bacon

 

[OleBrewing]

Nice! I've done the amazing ribs recipe several times. I personally think they get hung up on the "dry curing" bit saying you need to add liquid, which IMHO is BS so I use one of those other online calculators they denigrate. As long as you have the bacon curing in a sealed bag (whether ziplock or vacuum), the natural moisture in the bacon makes it a wet cure even if you don't add liquid.

Only difficult thing is getting it evenly sliced if you don't have a meat slicer.

But I think you'll be very pleased with it. And it's so much nicer to buy a nice big pork belly from Costco and do this than to pay for storebought bacon that is simultaneously more expensive and not as delicious.

better yet. I get whole hog 20 miles down the road where it is raised and gets cut up in front of me while i wait.

I think the amazing ribs recipes are a solid base. the bacon recipe i think could use a little less sugar and a touch more salt (more smoke on my part). I did use a little water for ease of spreading the cure out.

as for slicing i have a long knife and this bacon is not meant for wrapping so up to 1/4" slabs for me.

 

[Kent88]

Been reading good things about these smokers. This model looks appealing, as apparently it can cold smoke, is based on pellets, and can get a little extra from chips or chunks. I don't like that it apparently isn't well insulated, as I live in a place with cold winters. It also tops out at 350°, which only gets me 50° more than my old one. I think that should give me some more options, but I would like it to get even hotter.

XXL Pro Vertical Smoker and More | Camp Chef

I'm not sold on it yet. I'm really not thrilled that the reviews list heat retention as an issue.

 

[Oldskewl]

I really like my RecTec 590. I think they are on sale since they are bringing out a new version. Temps are rock solid and the app works well. I have had a Brinkman charcoal/wood smoker(with weber mods), a Bradley Digital Smoker(similar to your Masterbuilt but used pucks) and now the RecTec pellet. I love it! The app is nice. You can monitor or change the temp for anywhere that has cell service or wifi. That can come in handy sometimes. It goes down to about 180F and as high as 550F if you want to bake a pizza. My only complaint is that the legs are flimsy if you are going to move it around frequently. Many people upgrade to the competition cart but I couldnt justify the price. The new version of the 590 has a more robust lower section. They make smaller and larger versions also.

 

[Kent88]

Well the more I think about what I want from a smoker, and read about that camp chef unit, I think it might align with my goals as well as anything else I'm seeing in that price range.

One thing I am surprised by is all the reviews of pellet smokers that claim they just don't impart a strong smoke character in the food they cook. Is that real, or are people who burn chunks and logs just trying to brag themselves up?

My masterbuilt smoker used wood chips to generate smoke, I'm not familiar with how well pellets flavor the food.

 

[Rodent]

Time for another round of bacon-wrapped meatballs on the BGE. each is right at 1/4lb pre-cooked weight

3 pounds of 85-15 hamburger + 1 pound Italian sausage + seasonings, breadcrumbs, eggs, and a generous slathering of Worcestershire sauce smoked @ 250F to an internal temp of 165F

 

[YeastFeast]

Time for another round of bacon-wrapped meatballs on the BGE. each is right at 1/4lb pre-cooked weight

View attachment 833956

3 pounds of 85-15 hamburger + 1 pound Italian sausage + seasonings, breadcrumbs, eggs, and a generous slathering of Worcestershire sauce smoked @ 250F to an internal temp of 165F

Love this idea. Make meatballs on the egg all the time but never tried bacon wrapped. I like it.

 

[Noob_Brewer]

ok heres a real basic question regarding turkey.....was going to wet brine a turkey for 12hrs prior to smoking it spatchcocked on my BGE for thanksgiving. However its a frozen turkey thats been pre-brined in 8% solution. So will this really be too salty if I wet brine it? Most everything I read says don't do it but if anyone here has experiences with this, I'd be glad to hear them. Seems that EVERY turkey you find is pre-brined but just wanted to throw this question out there if anyone has actually wet brined a standard turkey that has been pre-brined (most all are).

 

[Rodent]

I've successfully wet brined turkeys that were 'pre-brined when frozen' The key for me was to reduce the amount of salt in my wet brine solution. I need to check notes, but my memory is hinting I reduced salt by about half. I'll add that I didn't reduce salt my first year smoking a turkey and had no complaints that it was too salty, so YMMV depending on preferences of the gobblers at your table

 

[JenMac]

@Kent88
I haven’t tried other methods but love my Camp Chef pellet grill. Get great smoke flavor and bark when I want it. Here’s todays turkey. I got the sidekick as I like to reverse sear. Have had my smoker a few years now and super happy with how it’s holding up too.

 

[Kent88]

I appreciate you sharing your experience.

I might wait a little longer to buy this new smoker, as it seems to be CC's only smoker that isn't on sale. No sale, no rush to buy. Unless I can talk myself into the Woodwind pellet grill.

Edit: the particular Woodwind I was eyeing if it ended up on a ridiculous sale is... also not on sale. So, no rush.

 

[kaffeenjunkie]

Fresh venison bottom round seasoned with salt and pepper then smoked at 250° to 140° internal temperature. Rested and then seared before slicing. Fried cabbage and fresh wild oyster mushrooms underneath.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Well, turkey of course, smoked one, deep fried one, I liked the smoke one better in a side by side but both bring there own flavors to the table and both got devoured.

 

[RevA]

smoking some venison today - fillet and a small roast. Also smoking some of the off cuts for the dogs.