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Wanting to buy a smoker

Discussion in 'Share Your Fish Cooking Recipes.' started by PeteK, Mar 9, 2019.

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  1. PeteK

    PeteK Well-Known Member

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    Thinking about buying one, gas or electric, which is best,any recommendations?
     
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2019
    PeteK, Mar 9, 2019
    #1
  2. Tinman

    Tinman Well-Known Member

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    Wife bought me a propane one a few years ago and I really like it. Takes a bit to figure out how to dial in the proper heat especially a very low. If I had to buy another I wood go electric. So much easier to control your heat and just walk away.
     
    Tinman, Mar 9, 2019
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  3. Hassett

    Hassett Well-Known Member

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    I have an electric, it works well. Downside is you need to monitor the temp throughout the smoke. When I upgrade I’ll be going with digital control. “Set it, and forget it”. I’m pretty sure I could rig up a digital controller (a-419) to cycle the element on and off. Just haven’t had the time to mess around.
     
    Hassett, Mar 9, 2019
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  4. PeteK

    PeteK Well-Known Member

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    Thx for the advice on the digital control, was thinking of the Bradley 4 rack digital control unit, its $50 cheaper on Amazon than Cabela's. Still expensive at $500 but after reading and looking at the reviews it seems like the best way to go, want to take it with me in the motorhome to the lake as well, thx guys!
     
    PeteK, Mar 9, 2019
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  5. Ernie

    Ernie Administrator Staff Member

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    I have an electric as well. Just a cheapy Little Chief. My next one will also be electric with digital control.
     
    Ernie, Mar 9, 2019
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  6. canadian.ice

    canadian.ice Well-Known Member

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    Did the old way of making your own fire and babysitting, but every different weather day creates new challenges.

    Have a digital, electric smoker now. A Masterbuilt. It’s been great, easy to set the perfect temp and just add desired amount of wood chips. Mines a 30” but I wouldn’t mind a 40”. More space for meat would nice.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    canadian.ice, Mar 9, 2019
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  7. Green

    Green Well-Known Member

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    https://www.amazon.ca/Amazen-Pellet-Tube-Smoker-12/dp/B00CS6YFIC

    You will need to get one of these for masterbuilt electric smoker(for low temp smoking 225-275 is not hot enough to light chips in a tray.
    Also works great if you want to just throw it on the bbq and add a bit of smoke.
    Bradly would be ideal for set and forget cooks because the pucks burn off the element not temp of cooker.
     
    Green, Mar 9, 2019
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  8. craigm

    craigm Well-Known Member

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    I had the kind that you build a fire on one side, smoke your stuff on the other. End up drinking a lot with that one as you have to mind the fire constantly. Sold it after a few years.

    Purchased Bradley 4 rack. Huge improvement, but temperature control still leaves a bit to be desired. I sold that one after about 5 years.

    Now running Bradley 6 rack digital. Much better temperature control. Lots of space for large batches.
     
    craigm, Mar 9, 2019
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  9. Jneuf

    Jneuf Well-Known Member

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    That’s what I’ve been using for a few years. It’s oddly satisfying tending the fire, but you really can’t have any other plans that day.

    If and when I do upgrade, I’ll go electric for ease of use. That said, I’ll always have a charcoal grill at home.
     
    Jneuf, Mar 9, 2019
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  10. Ernie

    Ernie Administrator Staff Member

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    I ripped the plastic out of an old fridge and keep the Little Chef inside the fridge. It helps control the temperature a lot.
     
    Ernie, Mar 9, 2019
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  11. PeteK

    PeteK Well-Known Member

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    Was it the digital model @craigm ?
     
    PeteK, Mar 9, 2019
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  12. craigm

    craigm Well-Known Member

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    No, that was just the regular Bradley.
     
    craigm, Mar 9, 2019
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  13. lake-fisher

    lake-fisher Well-Known Member

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    @PeteK

    This one is on sale for $195 at princess auto. I bought one the other day. Online its says $289. In store its $195. I opened up mine and checked it out, looks solid. Really excited to use it this summer.

    FC654F33-40E1-4CEA-9DD0-DA0899D6F1AC.png
     
    lake-fisher, Mar 9, 2019
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  14. Thunderbucket

    Thunderbucket Active Member

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    If I could swing it... I'd get a grilla


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
    Thunderbucket, Mar 9, 2019
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  15. Mike B.

    Mike B. Well-Known Member

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    I've got a Masterbuilt propane/charcoal.

    I like it. I've never played with the charcoal. I can get the temp down to 200F with propane, no lower, but that's good enough for how I smoke meat

    My buddy is a smoked meat whiz. (he's got lots of time and also has a history of running restaurants and cooking for decades). His fave is a digital Bradley (he has 3 smokers...) His high end one, although small, has an app he can adjust smoke and temp anywhere he has wifi....but that takes the fun out of smoked meat day, where you typically tend to the smoker with many drinks in hand and chats with the neighbors.

    I havent opened the door on mine since March of 2018 before I moved out of hell....prob some smoke flavored mouse shit in there right now.....*gack!*
     
    Mike B., Mar 13, 2019
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  16. ribbie

    ribbie Well-Known Member

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    I started with an ECB (aka the extremely cheap brinkmann) $60 home depot charcoal special. I now have a bradley 4 rack, no digital display. I use a Maverick ET732 remote thermometer to monitor the temp of the meat and the grill and I love it. Like others have said the set and forget is really nice. I just have it tuned to 225 and use that for pretty much everything.

    The only knock is that I cant get a nice bark on my briskets.... that could be me though. I haven't had issues with temp on mine unless it was very very cold out. The 4 rack was more than big enough for me also. I think if I did it again I'd go with a pellet grill with digital read outs built in (like a traeger).

    Another great option if you're open to charcoal is making one out of a drum. My buddy has stuck to his old drum and he cranks out some of the best bbq I've ever had.
     
    ribbie, Mar 13, 2019
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  17. Cheebers

    Cheebers Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]

    With this nice weather we’ve been having, I am itching to fire up the Masterbuilt!!

    Mmmmm... smoked meat


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Cheebers, Mar 13, 2019
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  18. FISHNUTS

    FISHNUTS Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone ever used one of those Treager wood pellet smokers? Are they worth the 1000$ ?
     
    FISHNUTS, Mar 13, 2019
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  19. Bryan

    Bryan Well-Known Member

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    I use my Treager to smoke, just did a pile of jerky over the last two days.
     
    Bryan, Mar 13, 2019
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  20. Green

    Green Well-Known Member

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    Any pellet grill , If you like food and cooking are worth it. If all you bbq is well done seared steaks probably not worth it.

    For cold smoking , fish / jerky / pepperoni there are better options I think
     
    Green, Mar 13, 2019
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