Which Smoker?

[bigmadjohn]

Hi Everyone

This is my first post in the food section, so go easy on me.

Me and the missus are moving house just before christmas, and were gonna buy each other a 'fun' housewarming gift for christmas. Ive decided that I wouldnt mind a getting a smoker, after a mate a work brought in some of the best ribs Ive ever had which he done on his Brinkmann (which is sadly discontinued in the UK). Im quite an ambitious cook, but these put any of my efforts to shame. Reading on the internet the 2 main smokers around the £200 level are the Weber Smokey Mountain (47cm one) http://www.garden4less.co.uk/weber-smokey-mountain... or the Proq Excel 20 http://www.thebbq.co.uk/item/excel_20_-_the_ultima...

Does anyone have any experience/thoughts on either, so which should I go for?

Thanks Alot,
John

Edited by bigmadjohn on Wednesday 4th November 19:34

[Cotty]

I have not used either but heard good things about the Webber Smokey Mountain

[dhf]

never used one but heard good reports about these Bradley smokers, www.bradleysmoker.com it's not hard to make a smoker.....

Edited by dhf on Wednesday 4th November 21:54

[Papoo]

WSM, best you can get this side of three times the price. I personally know people who use them in competitions. They are great, easy to operate, decent cooking area, easy temperature control, simple to top up with coal and water, and decent insulation for a sheet metal smoker.

Let me know if you have any questions..

[juice]

Yep - echo what Pappoo says. I have one - and although it takes a wee bit of practice, the results are phenominal. Plus you can get a LOAD of meat on them.

[bigmadjohn]

Juice,

Do you have the 47cm or 57cm one?? If its the 47 cm about how much can you fit on it in one session (ie-rib racks/chickens etc.), is it big enough for the average cookout for about 10-15 people??

Many Thanks for your replies

John

[Papoo]

Bigmadjohn, both are of a decent size, but I always tell people that you can never have too much space. If you can get the biggie, I'd do so, just in case.

Only downside is that they use a little more fuel, but it's not a great difference in you case. It's a good thing to have excess space, though, as convective currents form between foods/walls when you're running tight on space, which can slightly affect airflow. Wouldn't be an issue, but you'll be cooking ribs for 5-6 hours, and a brisket for upwards of 20! over that timeframe, it can mean one area is oversmoked.

You'll love the WSM. Being a Weber, it's easy to use, well made and well thought out.

[shirt]

bigmadjohn said:

Hi Everyone

This is my first post in the food section, so go easy on me.

then take it from me that papoo is our resident bbq/smoker king.

[Papoo]

shirt said:

bigmadjohn said:

Hi Everyone

This is my first post in the food section, so go easy on me.

then take it from me that papoo is our resident bbq/smoker king.

Don't listen to Shirt, he's too kind.

However, it is something that I've somewhat immersed myself in. Mostly because I'm a fat bd with the pallette of a T-rex. If you have a look back, Juice got involved with his WSM and posted up pictures - some beer can chickens, and a beef rib-roast. You'll agree that they look scrumptious.

I have a few pics up of my last batch of ribs a page or so back, too. Not on a WSM, but on something using the same principle.

What you'll need is this:

1 x Weber Smokey Mountain
1 x 20lb bag of charcoal briquettes I only use lump for their efficiency and purity, but briquettes all have very uniform properties of heat/duration, making temperature play easier.
1 x bag of hickory chunks. Cherry is better for ribs in my opinion, but it burns at irratic temperatures, and hickory is better for most any meat.
2 x rack of pork baby back/loin back ribs.
1 x rib-rack, though you may be able to lay them flat on a WSM.
1 x favorite rib rub (make your own, ask me for a recipe if you like)
1 x bottle of hot-dog mustard (to make the rub stick).
1 x spray bottle containing a cup or 2 of apple juice, a few good dashes of Worcester sauce, a tbsp of white vinegar, and some of your rub)
5 x hours.
1 x camera to post pictures.

In short - slather ribs in hot dog mustard (this won't impart any flavour, just adhere the rub to the meat).
Add generous amounts of rub - just on the meat side.
Get WSM to 260f-ish.
Add 2 decent size chunks of hickory to the fire.
Add ribs, meat side up, if laying them flat. Temp will drop to 225-240f. Perfect.
Maintain 225-240f, adding coal + wood as required.
After 1 hour, open lid, and quickly spritz with spray bottle mixture, lid back on.
After 2 hours, double wrap individually in HD foil, with a couple of ounces of spritz, and throw them back on. At this point, don't bother adding more wood.
After 2 more hours, unwrap. Quickly season with a sprinkling of your rub, and back on heat.
After 30 more minutes, baste with your favorite BBQ sauce. Do it again 15 minutes later.
15 minutes after that, and they are done. You may wish to baste them once more, or put more sauce on the side.

Remember not to chase the temperature around. If it is a little low, open the bottom vents a little, and wait 15 minutes. Don't slam the vents open and closed in a vain attempt, just have patience. Top vents; leave open 1/3 at all times. Don't open them fully unless you have thick white smoke, as this can impart an acrid taste. You want thin blue smoke. Don't soak wood chunks, only tiny chips.

Hope this helps..

[zakelwe]

Papoo's guides and recommendations are going to be followed by me next summer when I get one of these beasts. I can imagine not knowing what you are doing can lead to disappointment, but I feel confident with the advice from Papoo I can have a good stab at it and after a few attempts crack it. Having said that my chicken will probably come out like a black budgie

Andy

[dhf]

Don't wait for the summer !

Edited by dhf on Friday 6th November 19:49

[Papoo]

zakelwe said:

Papoo's guides and recommendations are going to be followed by me next summer when I get one of these beasts. I can imagine not knowing what you are doing can lead to disappointment, but I feel confident with the advice from Papoo I can have a good stab at it and after a few attempts crack it. Having said that my chicken will probably come out like a black budgie

Andy

Mate, you can be fairly confident that the process works a charm. All you need to be able to do, is maintain temperature control and use indirect heat. The main difference between a WSM and a typical Weber Kettle, is that the WSM has indirect heat built in to it's design, in the form of a water bowl suspended between the fire and food. On the Kettle, you have to put fire on one side, and food on the other.

If you're bored one day when the weather is agreeable, I would venture over to your charcoal burner and fire it up, and see how best to achieve 250f. How many briquettes, and the vent settings. I'd want to slightly overload it, by having enough coals to maintain 250 with the bottom vents just cracked open. As the temperature drops, you just need to open them slightly to raise the temp. Once you need to have the vents almost fully open, it's time to light up another half-chimney of coals. A WSM does have a great capacity, so you'll only be needing to refill on long, long cooks. Instead, you'll just be chucking another chunk of hickory on when the last one burns out. If you're reasonably systematic about it, you won't go wrong.


225-250f will slow cook tough, stringy meat to perfection. A beer can chicken can be cooked from 300f all the way to 425, and it'll be delicious. I do a bit of both, bumping the temp up at the end to help the skin along.

<runs off to see what meaty treats are in the freezer for this weekends hickory-fuelled drunkfest>