User Panel
Posted: 3/12/2023 9:26:37 AM EDT
[Last Edit: ServusVeritatis]
Something like a pellet style smoker but with wood chips that is a load and forget type.
Have had smaller, simpler smokers and, correct me if I’m wrong, seem to get more smoke from the chips. Yes, I realize that real wood gives most smoke….don’t think o can give it the attention it needs though. |
|
|
[#1]
Traeger???
|
|
|
[#2]
RecTeq
|
|
Freedom is a mindset
|
[#3]
Traeger gets a lot of hate here on Arfcom, but we love our Pro 34.
|
|
|
[#4]
https://www.chargriller.com/products/char-griller-gravity-fed-9800-charcoal-grill
I just got one of these. All the convenience of a pellet grill with the flavor of charcoal, and it actually gets hot enough to sear. Big fan so far. |
|
Overkill is underrated.
|
[#5]
If by 'more smoke' you mean more white smoke billowing out of the smoker....do some more research because that's not what you want for proper tasting Q.
If by 'more smoke' you mean more smoke flavor with chips vs pellets...I can't really speak to that because I don't use either. I'm not aware of any 'set and forget' chip fed smokers. If you want set and forget, just get a pellet. |
|
|
[#6]
A Bradley smoker is what you seek.
https://www.bradleysmoker.com/collections/food-smokers Although, I do see a newer brand, Masterbuilt, that may warrant a look... |
|
|
[#7]
I highly recommend the Masterbuilt 1050, it’s a gravity fed charcoal and wood smoker. I usually just add a few chunks of hickory in the ash been as directed and that’s plenty of smoke at the beginning and finish off with just charcoal. You should check them out.
|
|
|
[#8]
I really recommend looking into a Kamado style. Vision, big green egg, Kamado Joe, primo, etc. There are a bunch in your price range.
These are set it and forget cookers, that use lump charcoal/lump hardwood, and will run as long as you need for any cook without having to babysit or load more wood. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
|
Gun control is like trying to eliminate drunk driving by making it illegal for sober people to own cars
|
[#9]
I have an Egg, a giant Weber bullet shaped smoker and a pellet smoker. Of the three, the egg is the hardest to control temps simply because of it's high thermal efficiency. Get it too hot to start out and good luck getting it back down to a steady 220-240F.
Pellet is easiest, but my preference is the giant Weber shaped like R2D2. I think they are $500 or so but load a 20 pound bag of hardwood charcoal in it and it will hold 220F steady for 6-8 hours. That's enough time to go to work, do chores, go to a movie, etc. It's designed to be a wet smoker and has a large water pan that holds 2-3 gallons but you can use it as a dry smoker too. Mine is 22" diameter with two levels so it will hold a crazy amount of meat. I once fed 50 people for a big party with six huge pork butts smoked on that thing. Took almost 40 pounds of charcoal for a 12 hour smoke. |
|
|
[#10]
Smokin Tex is my favorite. Uses wood chunks or chips. Nothing proprietary, and several sizes. More of a stainless steel commercial smoker, but great for residential use.
|
|
|
[#11]
Originally Posted By keith13b: Smokin Tex is my favorite. Uses wood chunks or chips. Nothing proprietary, and several sizes. More of a stainless steel commercial smoker, but great for residential use. View Quote Plus one in the Smokin Tex. Love the fact that I can just get some alder, apple, cherry etc. limbs to smoke. I peel the bark and cut them into chunks and am good to go, no pellets or pucks to deal with buying. If I wanted wood types not available for free growing in my yard, the hardware stores have bags of wood like hickory or mesquite for smoking. Another benefit of the Smokin Tex is no flame ups and the unit is insulated so temps stay really consistent. |
|
|
[#12]
@kncook did you get anything yet?
Seemed like the residential electric smokers were the best fit for what you were looking for based on your OP. |
|
|
[#13]
Originally Posted By DV8EDD: @kncook did you get anything yet? Seemed like the residential electric smokers were the best fit for what you were looking for based on your OP. View Quote Went with a Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800. I’ve used it a lot and did my first ever brisket on one. I’m enjoying it but can’t see it last more than 2 years with the use I’m giving it. Attached File Attached File |
|
|
[#14]
Originally Posted By kncook: Went with a Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800. I’ve used it a lot and did my first ever brisket on one. I’m enjoying it but can’t see it last more than 2 years with the use I’m giving it. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/97971/IMG_9657_jpeg-2815133.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/97971/IMG_9658_jpeg-2815134.JPG View Quote nice! I just saw one of those fir the first time yesterday at Academy, interesting concept. Enjoy and keep the pics coming! |
|
|
[#15]
Originally Posted By R3L04D: I really recommend looking into a Kamado style. Vision, big green egg, Kamado Joe, primo, etc. There are a bunch in your price range. These are set it and forget cookers, that use lump charcoal/lump hardwood, and will run as long as you need for any cook without having to babysit or load more wood. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/263586/92A9362A-2CC1-47D2-9E48-67C832AA2D64_jpe-2787962.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/263586/505E2698-35D6-471B-9900-3287BF44941F_jpe-2787963.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/263586/33576E55-87FD-4167-A774-51640E5B298F_jpe-2787964.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/263586/720B8C89-1FA8-44EE-BF07-FABE415069DA_jpe-2787968.JPG View Quote R3L04D Do you cook everything in the pic with a Kamado? I have a Green Egg but haven’t smoked much with it. I’ve been lazy and using an electric smoker,but I’m over it. I do have a 150gal propane tank that I was going to do a build but that’s later on. Also tell me about your brisket rub. As a South Carolina man it pains me to admit but Texas BBQ is my favorite. I’ve played around with rubs but I think I’m too lite on the corse pepper. Help me out that brisket looks damn good |
|
"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience."
|
[Last Edit: R3L04D]
[#16]
Originally Posted By mc556: R3L04D Do you cook everything in the pic with a Kamado? I have a Green Egg but haven't smoked much with it. I've been lazy and using an electric smoker,but I'm over it. I do have a 150gal propane tank that I was going to do a build but that's later on. Also tell me about your brisket rub. As a South Carolina man it pains me to admit but Texas BBQ is my favorite. I've played around with rubs but I think I'm too lite on the corse pepper. Help me out that brisket looks damn good View Quote Brisket is just salt and pepper. Wish I had some super secret story but it's about 60% coarse salt/40% black pepper. By volume I've toyed with adding some garlic powder, maybe onion powder. Just haven't ever tried. Also Lowry's; Franklin supposedly includes that in his rub. Honestly I don't just feel like messing with it sometimes. I make a big shaker of S&P and go. Hickory on the brisket with lump charcoal Attached File |
|
Gun control is like trying to eliminate drunk driving by making it illegal for sober people to own cars
|
[#17]
I've got this one from Pit Boss. It holds 55 pounds of pellets.
|
|
|
[Last Edit: aeroworksxp]
[#18]
|
|
|
[#19]
I would look for a 20" offset smoker made of heavy steel. It will be heavy, but still movable.
Mine is a 16". - Big enough for a full size brisket. - Big enough for 2 pig butts. - Big enough for 4 baby back racks. Just not all at the same time. |
|
z - Deplorable Neanderthal
|
[#20]
Originally Posted By R3L04D: Yes everything gets cooked on it. Brisket is just salt and pepper. Wish I had some super secret story but it's about 60% coarse salt/40% black pepper. By volume I've toyed with adding some garlic powder, maybe onion powder. Just haven't ever tried. Also Lowry's; Franklin supposedly includes that in his rub. Honestly I don't just feel like messing with it sometimes. I make a big shaker of S&P and go. Hickory on the brisket with lump charcoal https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/263586/IMG_2729_jpeg-2823657.JPG View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By R3L04D: Originally Posted By mc556: R3L04D Do you cook everything in the pic with a Kamado? I have a Green Egg but haven't smoked much with it. I've been lazy and using an electric smoker,but I'm over it. I do have a 150gal propane tank that I was going to do a build but that's later on. Also tell me about your brisket rub. As a South Carolina man it pains me to admit but Texas BBQ is my favorite. I've played around with rubs but I think I'm too lite on the corse pepper. Help me out that brisket looks damn good Brisket is just salt and pepper. Wish I had some super secret story but it's about 60% coarse salt/40% black pepper. By volume I've toyed with adding some garlic powder, maybe onion powder. Just haven't ever tried. Also Lowry's; Franklin supposedly includes that in his rub. Honestly I don't just feel like messing with it sometimes. I make a big shaker of S&P and go. Hickory on the brisket with lump charcoal https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/263586/IMG_2729_jpeg-2823657.JPG Nothing beats fresh ground pepper and corse salt. I’ve been overthinking it I guess. I’m smoking about 10 slabs of spareribs tomorrow. I throw most of them in the electric so I don’t screw up $125 of meat but I will throw a couple in the green egg to see how it compares. Are you throwing any hardwood chips in? If so in a basket or straight to the coals |
|
"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience."
|
[#21]
Originally Posted By mc556: Are you throwing any hardwood chips in? If so in a basket or straight to the coals View Quote |
|
Gun control is like trying to eliminate drunk driving by making it illegal for sober people to own cars
|
[#22]
I did some spareribs and BB’s in both a Masterbuilt Electric and my Green egg on Sunday for a pool party.
Same ribs seasoning time and 225 temp. Hands down the Green Egg was the winner. I wish I would have taken pics but the flavor was a richer smoke flavor is the best I can describe. Both were tender, but the egg cooked ribs were juicier and had that perfect meat not falling off the bone but pulls clean each bite. The masterbuilt did a great job and is definitely the lazy man’s choice, but the egg held its temp dead on for 6 hours. About an inch open at the bottom and the top lid close with the vents full open. Capacity isn’t perfect. I cooked 12 slabs and no way I could have fit them all in just the large egg. Well maybe if I did a pinwheel or something. |
|
"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience."
|
[#23]
Originally Posted By R3L04D: I sprinkle chunks of hardwood on top of the full basket of charcoal. More for bigger cuts like brisket and pork butt. Usually hickory for beef, apple or cherry for pork and poultry View Quote That’s what I did yesterday I started them at 630am at 225deg and cooked 6 hours no foil. I did a 2 light mist spray downs with some water and cider vinegar. It’s funny but I had forgot I bought the heat deflector . My wife had moved it to the second pantry and it was buried. I have a pizza stone and with my adhd I just sort of forgot thinking it was the pizza stone only I bought. As you can ln see from my post I used both the egg and the Masterbuilt electric. Egg is definitely a legit smoker |
|
"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience."
|
[Last Edit: R3L04D]
[#24]
Beer can chicken went on. Figured I would show the typical charcoal load. This is apple wood. For brisker I would use a bit more wood, but I err on the side of less rather than more. Especially with poultry.
Pull the skin away from the meat and pack seasoning in. This is Big Poppa Smokers "Money" rub. Delicious. These will be done in 90 minutes at 250-300 degrees. Sittin' chickens on Amazon work great. Filled with Shiner Bock today Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
|
Gun control is like trying to eliminate drunk driving by making it illegal for sober people to own cars
|
[#25]
Set and forget? What is this you speak of? Half of the enjoyment comes from standing around, drinking beer and actually cooking. Might just be me, but id get no satisfaction from having my meat cooked by some outomated machine. I know people who do it, but it's not my thing.
|
|
|
[#26]
Originally Posted By Stowe: Set and forget? What is this you speak of? Half of the enjoyment comes from standing around, drinking beer and actually cooking. Might just be me, but id get no satisfaction from having my meat cooked by some outomated machine. I know people who do it, but it's not my thing. View Quote Ever want Q for lunch? How often do you have to check or futz with the smoker overnight? Set & forget doesn't mean you can't do the things you mentioned, it just means that you have the OPTION to do other things. I'm going to build a temp controlled stick/chunk burner because there aren't any good options on the market. And for once I can stop getting up to check the smoker in the middle of the night. |
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.