Smokers

[skeets]

OK I have a question for your guys that smoke your meats... I have an electric smoker a masterbuilt and it works well enough with wood chips. I am wondering if any of your guys have/do smoke with the pellets? I dont think I would use regular wood pellets but something made for smokers. So any info before I start the ribs and ham and turkey breasts for Christmas would be helpful
Merry Christmas to all

 

[TheSpoon]

You using the MES 30? I use this for my smoking: http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNPS5X8

I buy my pellets from them too, though you can find some cheaper around.

Take out the water pan, move the the bottom rack so it sits on top of the chip box and put the pellet smoker on the rack. Filled you'll get about 8hrs of smoke.

 

[skeets]

I have seen those before but have never seen one inuse or talked to anyone that has used one,, thanks,, any hints for this thing?

 

[TheSpoon]

I have seen those before but have never seen one inuse or talked to anyone that has used one,, thanks,, any hints for this thing?

Airflow is the big issue with using it. I set a small butane torch on it's side to light the thing for a good 5 minutes, then let it sit outside for 10ish minutes (usually while the smoker is coming up to temp).
Once lit and in the smoker you have to remove the chip filler and open the chip box 1"-1.5" so the smoker gets enough draft to keep it lit. It took a little practice, but once you get going, it saves having to check back on the smoker every 45 minutes to add more chips.
For another way to kill your day check out: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/. Recipes, mods (check out the mailbox mod if you want to cold smoke cheese/salmon/bacon), and anything else.

 

[ShaunRH]

I have an IR BBQ and I actually put wood chunks directly on the grill. It turns it into a lightweight smoker, the meats come out awesome.

It's a challenge because all the 'traditional' BBQ techniques are either changed or don't work at all with a Infrared unit. Some oven techniques work though.

The wood chunks directly on the grill bit is awesome though. Was going to get a smoker, and still might once I retire, but for now, the little grill is great!

 

[Daren Todd]

Dad has an electric pellet smoker, and absolutely loves it. Then only thing he noticed is the hopper tends to leave the pellets around the edges. So you need to knock them down every now and then.

I have an ir grill and use the chips. I soak them for a bit and wrap in tin foil with holes poked in it. I toss them on the grill while it's preheating and once it starts putting out smoke, i throw the meat on

 

[bcbull378]

I have a Treager pellet smoker electric fed I highly recommend them I've smoked chickens, deer, elk, buffalo and beef on it and it's fool proof. I'm headed out tomorrow morning to kill a wild boar here on our place in Santa Paula Ca looking for a small one 150 to 175 lbs to smoke for New Years it's great table fare. We are have 60 or so friends over so 65/80 lbs of meat should do and still have left overs.

 

[Corney]

We just bought a traeger last week, I highly recommend it as well. I have used the old tin smokers, puck smokers etc and this is far superior. The dial control augers the pellets in and temperature is consistent.

Now if I could just get herself to quit back seat grilling and looking at the fricken book I could really make magic!

 

[lugbolt]

No.

I made my own smoker. My brother works at a landfill and scrounged up an old air compressor, about 80 gallon, no pump or motor. I cut the top off of it and weldd it onto an old grill. The top part that I cut off, is the water bowl.

Last spring my brother lost a big hickory tree, it was losing limbs and they were hitting his roof so we felled it. I cut up most of it and left the trunk, which is roughly 46" at it's base.

we started preparing for a christmas turkey about a month ago. I went over and cut a 12" length of the tree off and rolled it into the pond, which is where it's been sitting until Friday. Used an axe to knock some chunks off of it and used them in the smoker. It turned out REALLY good.

My girlfriend asked how we did it and I told her we used hickory wood soaked in pond water, in a smoker that came from the landfill. That went over well.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I have been tossing the idea around of using my pellet stove as the smoke source, clean the chimney and firebox, load with smoking pellets and set a home made smoker out by the chimney.

I recall many years ago old henry hanging his moose sausage in the woodstove chimney. Fire department wasnt impressed.

A few friends have smokers, most home built.

 

[Mike9]

I got a Landmann vertical LP fired smoker for Christmas. Time to break out that pork belly I have in the freezer and dust off the stuffer.

 

[Tallbald]

I've been a smoker since age 19. Tried smoking a turkey once. Couldn't keep it lit. Don.