# Smokers



## jeff1 (Feb 7, 2015)

I guess this is one more for anyone from the southern US? Low n slow is becoming more popular here in Aus and i just want to know what smokers you guys use and any tips/tricks you can give.


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## Admin (Feb 7, 2015)

Meat and wood. What are you doing, what are you doing it with?

I have one of these. 

View attachment 26253


I'm in Texas which has a thing for beef, and I love beef, but a pork butt smoked for a few hours with cherry or apple is my idea of BBQ. I love brisket, I ate some yesterday, it was a amazing, but if you're not from a beef culture as pervasive as Texas can be (and if I'm not mistaken beef is more expensive in other countries) I would go for a pork butt. 

I marinate in Coke (the soda) over night. Rub down with most any type of commercial rub, start it over the coals to get a solid seer on as many sides as you can, move it to the pit, and leave it alone. Typicall cook time is 2-5 hours depending on the size of the butt.


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## Bill13 (Feb 7, 2015)

I use a Cookshack SM025: http://www.cookshack.com/store/Smokers_2/Smokette-Elite-Model-SM025. I posted a pork butt in whats cookin earlier this week. It will smoke 4 shoulders with 6 oz of wood! I would compare it to sour vide for smoking: put in your food and wood, set the temp and walk away. The ease of use means I use it a lot more than I did my old weber smoker (which I liked too!)


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## Vesteroid (Feb 7, 2015)

Having owned almost as many smokers as I have knives, I have a bit of insight. 

I have no idea what may be available there, nor what your budget would be.

As most of them are extremely heavy, I can't imagine you would buy anything that had to be shipped special.

If your still in the I just want to try it out phase, you can smoke on most anything and get ok results. 55 gal drum smokers come to mind and are relatively inexpensive. For that matter it's not at all impossible to smoke on a kettle grill if it's large enough. After all it's simply indirect heat you are looking for. Webber also makes a smokey mountain cooker that's inexpensive and popular.

If your looking for a nice smoker that also grills there are options such as one of the kamado style cookers. These are very popular here. I have no idea if pellet fuel grills and smokers are available there, but in my opinion for the home cook who wants great taste in grilling and smoking, with minimal involvement required, these are the best option.

As someone else posted there are electric oven type smokers that you add wood chunks to a box over the element that are temp controlled. 

As to cooking methods, low and slow is typically cooking between 225-275 degrees. At those temps it takes a lot longer to do a butt, or brisket, but in my opinion the result is worth it. We are talking 10-14 hours long. You can experiment with prep methods but my suggestion is to simply try some different commercially available rubs at first to see how you like the results.

Tips depending on what cooker you use. If your using one that requires charcoal managing your Fire and your smoke is the key to sucess. Being able to keep a relatively constant temp, with non acrid smoke is what delivers that true southern bbq flavor. Depending on the cooker that's going to require practice.

Then there are the offset cookers that cook with wood. Fun, expensive and difficult to master, but if you have the cash and the dedication to monitor and adjust the beast, as well as cook large quantities, these are great machines as well. Spendy buggers however. Here one worth a darn starts around 1800 and goes to well over 10,000 depending on what you buy.

Let us know what models your considering and maybe we can chime in with specific recommendations or at least things to consider.


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## daveb (Feb 7, 2015)

Smokers in the US can be loosely divided into (1) off-set wood burning (called stick-burners here), (2) Komndo style such as Big Green Egg, (3) pellet smokers, (4) electric smokers and (5) home made variants of the former.

The off-sets are frequently fabricated locally here or are available through the big box stores. You should be able to find these anywhere. They are easy to cook "good" bbq on but as V noted are difficult to cook "great" bbq. They are usually used by men who want a few hours away from the wife while "tending" the smoker and sucking beers.

Komando style are becoming increasingly popular because of their ease of use and versatility. They can be run very hot for steaks or burgers or low and slow for Q. This is a wine drinkers smoker. They are available from Costco, Sams type stores and specialty retailers. Should be able to find most anywhere.

Pellet smokers are higher priced and used in BBQ competition circuits and by homeowers willing to drop some coin. Like the offsets they have a wood box but use an augur to feed a steady stream of wood pellets into the box. These are for beer drinkers who drink craft beer and talk of hops and barely and other related foo foo crap. The smokers are harder to come by, they are wired for 110 VAC though most can use a 12 VDC car battery, the pellets are harder to come by. This is prob not a good option for you unless you find an AU manufacturer.

Electric are quite easy to use and price varies with size. Like Bill I have a Cookshack 025 which is well sized for homeowner use. There are used by discriminating users who want to "set it and forget it" and get back to the Beefeater and Tonic. They are available from specialty retailers and US models are wired for 110 VAC. Again prob not a good option unless you find an AU manufacturer.

Homemade can be offset, kettles, drums or even a non-working refrigerator with a heating element. Use your imagination and pass the joint.


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## Mrmnms (Feb 7, 2015)

Look in to Misty Gully if you haven't yet. They carry a couple lines . Electric is ridiculously easy to control, and excellent for my purposes. Wood , charcoal and pellet smokers can produce awesome products. Many people with skill, time and patience would go this route.


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## Bill13 (Feb 7, 2015)

Maybe you need to set yourself up as the Aussie Cookshack rep./dealer:biggrin:


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## Chifunda (Feb 7, 2015)

Had an offset smoker (stick burner) for years and used it with good results. Required close attention and a good source of well seasoned hickory.

When we moved to the new house I gave it away and bought a Cookshack SM025. I've never looked back. I use it for smoking Boston butts, ribs, chicken, jalapeño poppers, fatties, baked beans, you name it. 

The only think it doesn't do well is cold smoke and for that I use the very well named A-Maze-N smoker in my Pitbarrel. Just smoked five pounds of homemade andouille sausage last night. 





[/URL] Gumbo for dinner tonight! :hungry: 

Good luck in your quest.


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## daveb (Feb 7, 2015)

I've not figured how to get my Amazin Smoker tube to work for me. I originally gave it new to my stepfather as a gift. He promptly re-gifted it to me. Got the pellets, but no joy. I put it in my weber gas grill.

I get marginal results with the smoke baffle in my cookshack. Cold smoking prob works better in places where ambient is occasionally cold.


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## Salty dog (Feb 7, 2015)

Back in the 80's I did my stint in Texas using real big wood fired smokers. We had three, each with a about a 500lb capacity. They were the the gold standard as far as I'm concerned. 
With that being said, I have found Cookshack does a decent job. Considering the lack of hassle etc. I've owned two and still have one I use frequently. It's not the same but acceptable IMO if you're not in a bbq joint.


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## Vesteroid (Feb 7, 2015)

I don't have the tube Dave, but do have the one that looks like a maze. I use a plumbers propane torch to light each end really well. I let it burn maybe 5 minutes till it has a sturdy flame and a good ember base then blow it out. It will smoke 5-6 hours then.

I am using pellets and do try and make sure I sift the pellets to get out the sawdust as that seems to hamper combustion at that low of a temp.


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## Chifunda (Feb 7, 2015)

Dave,

Mine is the "maze" model, never used the tube. Couple of things I do to help insure success are microwaving the pellets for one minute to drive off any moisture they may have absorbed, then load them into the A-Maze-N and blast the hell out of one end with my Iwatani torch to get a good strong flame going. Let it burn a full ten minutes, then blow out the flame and you're in business. If the flame dies before the ten minutes are up, relight.

I get up to sixteen hours of continuous smoke. And yea, I only cold smoke in the winter. Despite the claims of the chamber of commerce, it can and does get bloody cold in South Carolina. Nothing like the winters we spent in Maine, but temps in the low twenties are plenty cold enough for these old bones.


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## mhlee (Feb 7, 2015)

Strictly wood and a little charcoal here. 

I cook primarily on an XL BGE now after cooking on a Weber for years, and don't use any electricity assisted cookers or cooking apparatus. I cook, on average, at least every week. Personally, I've learned a lot more about how to cook BBQ that way, and I think it's critical to learn how work a fire if you're going to do this as more than a hobby, so you can understand how variations in a fire translate to your final product. I'm also getting a big offset cooker this year.


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## jeff1 (Feb 7, 2015)

Thanks for all the input guys. At the moment i have a cheap Char-griller brand offset smoker. Down here we can get in some variation most of the things you have recommended apart from the cookshack. I like using the offset because it gives me a few hours in the yard to sink a few beers and play with fire and I've used it with good results cold smoking bacon but I'm thinking something i can set and forget for long cooks is going to be the way to go. Not looking to spend Yoder money but the offset with electric pellet smoker looks like a good idea. I have read that the pellet smokers don't smoke add much as good old fashioned wood though.


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## Vesteroid (Feb 7, 2015)

Owning three pellet smokers I can say that's a myth. Quantity of smoke vs quality of smoke...


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## jeff1 (Feb 7, 2015)

Bill13 said:


> Maybe you need to set yourself up as the Aussie Cookshack rep./dealer:biggrin:



This is a good idea


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## mhlee (Feb 7, 2015)

Vesteroid said:


> Quantity of smoke vs quality of smoke...



+1. Quality of smoke matters MUCH more than quantity. Quantity, _i.e._, a lot of bad smoke can be extremely detrimental to your final product. 

Besides, gauging your cook based on the perceived "quantity" of smoke is inaccurate.


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## jeff1 (Feb 7, 2015)

Alright so pellet smokers still an option


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## Chifunda (Feb 7, 2015)

Biggest improvement in the quality of my pulled pork came when I started using a Maverick wireless temperature probe. I smoke my butts to 198*, wrap them in heavy foil and a beach towel and put them in a cooler until ready to shread and serve.

My other best piece of advice is, don't EVER try to predict how long it's going to take a butt to be done. :no:


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## Chifunda (Feb 7, 2015)

mhlee said:


> Besides, gauging your cook based on the perceived "quantity" of smoke is inaccurate.



A lot of mighty savvy smokers look for what they call TBS. Thin Blue Smoke.


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## rami_m (Feb 7, 2015)

I completely misinterpreted the title of this thread.


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## mr drinky (Feb 7, 2015)

rami_m said:


> I completely misinterpreted the title of this thread.



The title caught me at first too, but now I am sort of wishing I didn't read the thread. Smoking meats has been on my radar for some time, but I can't handle another hobby that demands cash at this point in time. 

But you guys have piqued my interest. I talked to a guy about a pellet smoker a couple of years ago but never pulled the trigger. I'll be happy to live vicariously through you guys for now. 

k.


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## Vesteroid (Feb 7, 2015)

Hmm. Maybe a trade is in order lol


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## jeff1 (Feb 7, 2015)

Mr Drinky the best way to look at this is that the 2 hobbies compliment each other. The meat won't prepare itself and since you have spent all that money on such fine kitchen tools it only makes sense to find as many reasons as possible to use them


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## mhlee (Feb 8, 2015)

Chifunda said:


> A lot of mighty savvy smokers look for what they call TBS. Thin Blue Smoke.



Yeah. Still, a lot of other successful smokers cook differently.


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## jeff1 (Feb 8, 2015)

Fired up the grill on mine today and if you ask me there is no better way to cook than straight over charcoal. A hanger steak a few spicy Italian sausages and I'm a happy man


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## Chifunda (Feb 8, 2015)

Not trying to preach to you, Jeff, but you did ask for advice.

Clouds of white smoke billowing from your smoker generally result from too much wood and/or poorly seasoned wood. It can impart a bitter, creosote like flavor to whatever you're smoking. Blue smoke comes from a controlled clean burn and gives the sweet smokiness most of us are looking for.

By the way, what wood do you smoke with in Oz? Not eucalyptus I hope? :clown:


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## Chifunda (Feb 8, 2015)

jeff1 said:


> Fired up the grill on mine today and if you ask me there is no better way to cook than straight over charcoal. A hanger steak a few spicy Italian sausages and I'm a happy man



Italian sausage rocks! I've started buying fennel seed in one pound bags. &#128563;


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## jeff1 (Feb 8, 2015)

I use apple wood mossy of the time. Have a couple of mates that are in the aborist trade so they keep me pretty well stocked up


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