BBQ Smoker Grill, Build or Buy ??

[Zeke 225]

 

[284winner]

Your son is correct. Though an electric smoker is convenient, it too has it's faults.

Yes I will agree with you that. Both have their goods in their bads. I'll on both and take advantage of eaches best features.

 

[284winner]

I add smoke. I tried cooking one in my wood fire pit last year. It got a little over cooked though, because I used a new meat thermometer that I hadn’t tested. Big mistake, it’s just like shooting. Things need to be tested! Edit: I prefer the Masterbuilt electric for prime rib. I don’t use a lot of smoke though. Just a small amount of pecan chips every half hour for 3 hours, then I don’t add anymore. Cooking for 5 hours at 250*.

Thank you I will use your recommendation. One thing I will say about my electric smoker is recipes that call for 250 for 6 to 8 hours my electric smoker generally needs 275 to 280. Or as I heard earlier those numbers aren't correct. Either way I know what number I have to be on to make it the way I want it.

 

[JRS]

Yes I will agree with you that. Both have their goods in their bads. I'll on both and take advantage of eaches best features.

Always rely on the target pull temp, not time. Unless you are steaming eggs, timing is always unpredictable.

 

[284winner]

Always rely on the target pull temp, not time. Unless you are steaming eggs, timing is always unpredictable.

My son's a pretty good teacher and taught me well but I also figured out those numbers aren't always true you are correct. He gave me a couple of meat thermometers so I use them in addition to the probe that is in the smoker already. Both of those are pretty accurate

 

[JRS]

My son's a pretty good teacher and taught me well but I also figured out those numbers aren't always true you are correct. He gave me a couple of meat thermometers so I use them in addition to the probe that is in the smoker already. Both of those are pretty accurate

The two I posted are accurate to +/- 0.7 of one degree

 

[urbanrifleman]

Do yourself a favor and get a Weber. I have two 22s and a 14. I will never go back to big welded smokers, EVER!!! I even had the fellas at my shop make me another level for mine so now I have three full racks (see the extender tube at the top?). I use ONLY Weber charcoal for long burns and it is set it and forget it for 10-12 hours at 250-260. If I ever want to BBQ at a party I can load my Webers in the truck because they break down into three pieces and each piece weighs about 10 lbs. Try that with a welded behemoth!!!

 

[Zeke 225]

Wanted to build this, wife said NO!!

 

[JRS]

Do yourself a favor and get a Weber. I have two 22s and a 14. I will never go back to big welded smokers, EVER!!! I even had the fellas at my shop make me another level for mine so now I have three full racks (see the extender tube at the top?). I use ONLY Weber charcoal for long burns and it is set it and forget it for 10-12 hours at 250-260. If I ever want to BBQ at a party I can load my Webers in the truck because they break down into three pieces and each piece weighs about 10 lbs. Try that with a welded behemoth!!!

View attachment 1070234

Just curious. What are you smoking for 10-12 hours at that temp?

 

[Jdne5b]

Used to have a big offset. Used a lot of wood/charcoal, required a lot of babysitting even with a fan controller, and the beer consumption was high too.


I made an Ugly Drum with an offset pellet box to be able to cold smoke cheese, and Salmon. It uses much less fuel, and is nearly set and forget with regards to watching temps.






I have been eyeing an electric pellet smoker though.

Now Im hungry.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Just curious. What are you smoking for 10-12 hours at that temp?

Nothing really. I usually take about 9 hours to do a brisket or shoulders, but I still have enough coals to smoke bologna for 3 hours. Just saying it will do 12 hours.

 

[Mozella]

Used to have a big offset. Used a lot of wood/charcoal, required a lot of babysitting even with a fan controller, and the beer consumption was high too.......... snip.............

The key to making a fan style thermostat work well is to very tightly control the intake air leaks and have reasonable control over the exhaust. ALL sources of intake air should be completely sealed so that the only combustion air enters (or is completely blocked off) via the fan duct. That way, the PID controller can function properly since it's controlling the only source of combustion air.

The exhaust is less important, but you should have a way to restrict it as appropriate to approximately match the desired temperature.

This is most easily done with the egg style cookers and often quite a bit more difficult with offset style smokers.

 

[Jdne5b]

The key to making a fan style thermostat work well is to very tightly control the intake air leaks and have reasonable control over the exhaust. ALL sources of intake air should be completely sealed so that the only combustion air enters (or is completely blocked off) via the fan duct. That way, the PID controller can function properly since it's controlling the only source of combustion air.

The exhaust is less important, but you should have a way to restrict it as appropriate to approximately match the desired temperature.

This is most easily done with the egg style cookers and often quite a bit more difficult with offset style smokers.

I added BGE gasket around the door edges, added diffuser plates, clamps, etc. About all of the popular mods to the OK Joes smoker. It helped, but still nothing like running a drum.

 

[JRS]

Nothing really. I usually take about 9 hours to do a brisket or shoulders, but I still have enough coals to smoke bologna for 3 hours. Just saying it will do 12 hours.

Yeah. It takes a while to smoke that tough puppy

 

[urbanrifleman]

Yeah. It takes a while to smoke that tough puppy

A 18 lbs brisket usually hits 200 internal temp in about 9 hours at 250-260.

I use throw away pans with my own suspension racks for the pans to get a perfect smoke with the vertical heat.

The real trick is to wrap that guy in foil when you pull and put it in a cooler for another 12 hours and let it rest.

 

[JRS]

A 18 lbs brisket usually hits 200 internal temp in about 9 hours at 250-260.

I use throw away pans with my own suspension racks for the pans to get a perfect smoke with the vertical heat.

The real trick is to wrap that guy in foil when you pull and put it in a cooler for another 12 hours and let it rest.

I wrap mine in Peach Paper. I wrap it at 150 degrees, put the probe back in and pull it at 200 degrees.

Edit: I also slice it with a bread knife Whip-up some catfish sausage and put it in your smoker. Yummy.

 

[pirate ammo]

The real trick is to wrap that guy in foil when you pull and put it in a cooler for another 12 hours and let it rest.

I pull mine out it's like gone in 60 seconds, people I'm feeding are starving ALL the time.My 50 pound of meat smoker is not big enough, getting one made on a trailer, do 150 LB.
most of the time we doing BBQ for 20 to 40 people,,darn school teachers, I'm surrounded by them,,

 

[dickn52]

Pellet wood like a Green Mountain Grill or a Traeger.

 

[JRS]

Pellet wood like a Green Mountain Grill or a Traeger.

Not enough heat.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I pull mine out it's like gone in 60 seconds, people I'm feeding are starving ALL the time.My 50 pound of meat smoker is not big enough, getting one made on a trailer, do 150 LB.
most of the time we doing BBQ for 20 to 40 people,,darn school teachers, I'm surrounded by them,,

Between my two Webers I can do about 100 lbs