Gas is easiest with true set it and forget it. The Egg would be next and, once set, is also set and forget.
IMO, the Egg is an investment. Think about how many grills you've been through so far. How much money have you spent on each. How much longer do you anticipate having a grill for cooking? How many grills do you think you'll purchase during that time. Do the math and the $700 grill doesn't seem too bad. ;)
Hey Cap'n,Originally Posted by Capt'n. Chumbucket
That's pretty funny actually. I inherited a cookie sheet that my wife had worn out. It had a non stick finish on it. I removed the finish with a wire wheel flattened it out and cut it to fit the cooking side on an angle. It goes from just above the opening from the fire box out about a foot or so into the cooking chamber. It doesn't but right up against the fire box though. I leave a gap for some heat to enter right at the fire box. I got the idea here: http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_...t_smokers.html there are a lot of good ideas on that site. I like the tuning plates idea. They are steel plates that sit in the cooking chamber even with the bottom of the baffel. You can use different sized plates and adjust the gaps between them to adjust how much heat comes up where. I was thinking about making some out of spare floor tiles. My thinking being that the ceramic would help regulate the heat better.
I also made a basket out of expanded metal for the fire box to hold more coal. I had to make it 12 inches square and 3 inches deep so it would still fit through the opening in the fire box. The problem was this allowed too much air to enter the fire box and go around the coal box rather than feed the coal from the bottom. I added a baffle from the top of the vent side of the fire box to the bottom of the coal basket. I also extended the flue down to the level of the grates to trap heat in the lid. This was a great help. I found an aerosol can that was just the right size to fit in the flue and cut the ends off it.
I'll take some pics tomorrow. I just cleaned the grill so this is a good time for pics.
The nice thing about a propane smoker is that the temperature is more controllable than a charcoal one.
I dont have a problem producing one with my stick burner
so if I am looking to make it pretty I will go with the stick burner.
As for a wednesday night smoked chicken wings or a fattie the electric for ease of
use still cant be beat.
Wood burning causes nitrogen dioxide - meat +NO2 - interact producing - nitrous acid which diffuses creating pink ring (oxymyoglobin).
My guess is the small amount of wood chips that my electric smoker uses isn't enough to cause the NO2 reaction with the meat. If I were to increase the amount of wood then creosote could result. Electric smokers that have a larger vent systems and can effectively burn enough wood without resulting in creosote should be able to generate the "smoke ring".
I would love to know how you guys are getting a smoke ring especially that deep with a electric smoker. Are you using any charcoal mixed in with the wood? If I load some chipped up charcoal along with the wood I get a minimal smoke ring but that defeats the ease of use the electric provides....
As far as getting or not getting a smoke ring with the electric , I have to disagree, as it has nothing to do with it imparting any flavor. The smoke ring is just a chemical reaction between nitrogen dioxide and the amino acids in the meat which produce a pink color. The meat that comes out of my electric still has that great smoke Flavor that a Oven would not produce.
Stack extension:
Firebox baffle:
Another of the firebox baffle:
Cooking Chamber Baffle:
Coal Basket and firebox baffle:
Right now I'm using a Bradley electric smoker, and they are known to have a pretty high concentration of smoke. They use wood pucks (basically just compacted sawdust, for those that haven't seen them), and it pushes them onto a heating plate that let's them smolder (they don't burn....sort of turn into charcoal). But I used to get a decent smoke ring even back when I started smoking and used a Little Chief electric smoker.
You can see the smoke ring left on the bone from one of the butts I did on Memorial day....
I do a little smoking and catering too. Here is my big smoker....its a reverse flow design with a 84" x 30" cooking chamber. It also has a warming box above the fire box, and a 48" x 24" charcoal grill on the front.
I cook with all seasoned split wood in my big cooker....no charcoal, gas, or electric. In my opinion, there is a huge difference between different species of wood, plain charcoal, etc.
Oaks have a stronger smoke flavor, and the Red oaks tend to be a little bitter. Fruit wood has a mild sweet smoke flavor and is my favorite. I use all black cherry in my cooking.
Charcoal will give a smoke flavor on its own, but is best when mixed with wood chunks.
I started with a Brinkman electric smoker which I have had for years. I still use it frequently to smoke smaller portions, and when I dont want to be up all night. I just throw chunks of green wood in the bottom every hour or so.
It will produce a nice smoke flavor and smoke ring this way!
Here is a butt I just did on the Brinkman electric:
The Brinkman electric is a great way to start smoking meat on the cheap. It is very simple, and almost fool proof. I would recommend it for sure, just be warned, its addictive and you will soon need to go bigger as the crowds at your house get larger.
Last edited by Beck; 06-15-2011 at 04:23 PM.
Nice Stick burner Beck is that a lang from the boys in North Ga?
I agree with the fruit woods being sweeter, I like to use it on fish.
Thanks JoeFish! It is a Lang. Its my second one. I bought a 60" first and kept it about a year. I decided it wasnt big enough and sold it to buy the 84". They are good cookers.
I have been accumulating all the materials to build my own. Lang is a good solid cooker but he doesnt pay attention to the details the way I would like.
All this BBQ talk makes me want some ribs!!
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