clams

[Dr Rick Daris]

if i want to start smoking a little bit can i just start w/ something like this and then work my way up in a couple of years? thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-20070106-20070910-Electric-Smokehouse/dp/B00104WRCY

[jtksu]

if i want to start smoking a little bit can i just start w/ something like this and then work my way up in a couple of years? thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-20070106-20070910-Electric-Smokehouse/dp/B00104WRCY

That's definitely something a Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) would do.

[Cire]

get a webber smokey mountain.

[pissclams]

get a webber smokey mountain.

if i want to start smoking a little bit can i just start w/ something like this and then work my way up in a couple of years? thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-20070106-20070910-Electric-Smokehouse/dp/B00104WRCY

yes you could do that.  cire has better advice though.  the weber smokey mountain is $100 more then the one you're looking at but it's excellent for a n00b or a vet and has a higher resale value if you decide that smoking sucks ass.  that's my recommendo whenever anyone of my friends asks about getting into it.

[pissclams]

just noticed the one you're looking at is all electric.  super simple design and maybe you're not looking to get into cooking with coal, if that's the case then maybe it would be better for you.  i'd go with the weber though.

[Dr Rick Daris]

weber it is then. could see it being fun or boring and either upgrading or not doing it enough to bother.

[CNS]

For me, smoking is kind of like speaking Spanish.  I want to be able to do both, but don't want to put in the time/effort.  Just wish I could immediately be great at both.

[pissclams]

It does take time but it's time I usually spend about 15 feet away from the smoker sitting on the coach drinking and watching games.

The only stuff that takes a long long time is brisket and pulled pork/pork shoulder.  Those both take overnight.  I did a brisket on Friday night that I started around 11:30pm.  I stayed up drinking as long as I could and fell asleep around 2am.  It's not really a big deal.

Whole chickens, ribs, sausages, fish, etc can all be done in during an afternoon of yard work, football game watching, yada yada.

It's fun though, I think you'll like it.  Each time I light my smoker up, I learn something new and get better at it.

[CNS]

It does take time but it's time I usually spend about 15 feet away from the smoker sitting on the coach drinking and watching games.

The only stuff that takes a long long time is brisket and pulled pork/pork shoulder.  Those both take overnight.  I did a brisket on Friday night that I started around 11:30pm.  I stayed up drinking as long as I could and fell asleep around 2am.  It's not really a big deal.

Whole chickens, ribs, sausages, fish, etc can all be done in during an afternoon of yard work, football game watching, yada yada.

It's fun though, I think you'll like it.  Each time I light my smoker up, I learn something new and get better at it.

How much attention does temp stability take?  This has been one of the concerns I have in getting started, in that I would be paranoid constantly that the heat would be getting too low/high. 

[pissclams]

temp stability isn't  an issue with the egg.  it is a minor issue with the weber smokey mountain only because it's not as insulated and goes through fuel a little faster.  overall though, it's a non-issue.  you can cook a  brisket anywhere between 200 and 300 degrees and have it turn out ok, same with just about all meat.

minor fluctuations b/w 225 and 275 aren't going to effect the cook.

[MeatSauce]

It does take time but it's time I usually spend about 15 feet away from the smoker sitting on the coach drinking and watching games.

The only stuff that takes a long long time is brisket and pulled pork/pork shoulder.  Those both take overnight.  I did a brisket on Friday night that I started around 11:30pm.  I stayed up drinking as long as I could and fell asleep around 2am.  It's not really a big deal.

Whole chickens, ribs, sausages, fish, etc can all be done in during an afternoon of yard work, football game watching, yada yada.

It's fun though, I think you'll like it.  Each time I light my smoker up, I learn something new and get better at it.

Not to mention that if you're even average at smoking, you've basically guaranteed an invite to every event your friends, friends friends, and the fringiest of acquaintances are having and to be the recipient of endless compliments and free booze.  Ever had some ask you to come smoke some meat(s) for them and not been asked what your drink of choice is? In the end, knowing how to smoke leads to a lot of people thinking your're awesome, and that's always nice.

[Dr Rick Daris]

It does take time but it's time I usually spend about 15 feet away from the smoker sitting on the coach drinking and watching games.

The only stuff that takes a long long time is brisket and pulled pork/pork shoulder.  Those both take overnight.  I did a brisket on Friday night that I started around 11:30pm.  I stayed up drinking as long as I could and fell asleep around 2am.  It's not really a big deal.

Whole chickens, ribs, sausages, fish, etc can all be done in during an afternoon of yard work, football game watching, yada yada.

It's fun though, I think you'll like it.  Each time I light my smoker up, I learn something new and get better at it.

Not to mention that if you're even average at smoking, you've basically guaranteed an invite to every event your friends, friends friends, and the fringiest of acquaintances are having and to be the recipient of endless compliments and free booze.  Ever had some ask you to come smoke some meat(s) for them and not been asked what your drink of choice is? In the end, knowing how to smoke leads to a lot of people thinking your're awesome, and that's always nice.

my plate is already pretty full though and as a general rule i don't really like people all that much. maybe this smoking thing is not for me after all. i'm going to have to give this some serious thought.

[Pete]

weber it is then. could see it being fun or boring and either upgrading or not doing it enough to bother.

You cannot go wrong with the Webber.  I'll send you a "manual" that was made for the Webber that has step-by-step instructions....made by former state champ.

[CNS]

weber it is then. could see it being fun or boring and either upgrading or not doing it enough to bother.

You cannot go wrong with the Webber.  I'll send you a "manual" that was made for the Webber that has step-by-step instructions....made by former state champ.

PETE!!!!  Would love this too.  TIA.

[Pete]

weber it is then. could see it being fun or boring and either upgrading or not doing it enough to bother.

You cannot go wrong with the Webber.  I'll send you a "manual" that was made for the Webber that has step-by-step instructions....made by former state champ.

PETE!!!!  Would love this too.  TIA.

OK, I'll track it down (on an old PC, I've using a paper copy).  It's literally the "manual" that has won Lenexa, among others.

[Cire]

Great hobby and gives you a great excuse to hang around the ponderosa and drink beer all day and night 

[pike]

Smoking meat is fun as hell. I've done the last 2 thanksgiving turkeys and some easter things too for the family (along with dozens of other things) , on the Egg. Always get raped with compliments

Whenever I go home to KC (where my BGE now resides) I always smoke some ribs or something and bring them back to school and share them with people. Very easy way to look cool, as 'clams said

I've only heard good things about the WSM. Probably the best smoker for the price and next to that the quality is garbage.

Btw, thinking about getting a Traeger someday...but I can't decide exactly how I feel about pelletized wood.

[asava]

how do you people feel about sous-vide cooking? thinking about converting a crock pot. any experience with this?

[pissclams]

i've never done it.  it can be dangerous, you really have to know what you're doing.

[CNS]

how do you people feel about sous-vide cooking? thinking about converting a crock pot. any experience with this?

Have not had anything prepared in this manner before.

What are the benefits other than culturing some nasty stuff?

[asava]

you can cook whatever it is you are cooking to perfection without sacrificing any flavor. don't know much about it other than it is supposedly incredible. i've never had anything made this way either fwiw. rumor has it you can cook a perfect egg.

[CNS]

you will die from botulism

[pissclams]

the food really doesn't taste any different imo.  it's something cooks like to do but most people eating the food would never know the difference.

[Saulbadguy]

I just bought this. http://www.brinkmann.net/products/details.aspx?item=810-7080-K

$10 used.

No idea what i'm doing.  What's the easiest kind of meat to start with? Lava rock? Wood chunks? tia

[pissclams]

nice saul.  easiest meat to start with would be a whole chicken, + they're cheap.  assemble it as directed with the lava rock.  wal-mart should sell wood to smoke with and it's cheap.  start with apple or cherry, or hickory.  hickory has the most smoke flavor so i wouldn't start with that if you can find the other two. 

three or four chunks of wood (after soaked in water) on top of the lava rock.  that thing cooks around 220 degrees so a chicken will take roughly 3.5 to 4 hrs to get to 180 (done).  you could do a couple baby back slabs of ribs on it that would take about 5 hrs.

in terms of the chicken, just rub it with olive oil then sprinkle your favorite bbq rub all over it.  that's it.  pick up a cheap digital meat thermometer from wal-mart to measure doneness of meat, they're less than $10 at walmart too.