Hello All,
New to Smoking Meat Forum! Greetings from Louisiana and Cajun Country!
I am an avid cook in general and I like to grill as well as smoke. Have not smoked in a smoker in a long time. Have smoked meats on my BBQ pit/grill as well as on my Cameron Stove top Smoker. I love the Cameron Stove top Smoker. Can only hot smoke things no cold smoking but I love it.
Anyway just purchased a Master-built 30" Electric Smoker Model 20070910. Did not want a charcoal smoker cause have done that enough on my pit i have down pretty good, but wanted something easier and more convenient since I am busy most of the year coaching and running my kids everywhere. Also wanted a unit that smoked at a low enough temperature to smoke sausage, bacon, make jerky etc. Also need something bigger then my Cameron Stove top smoker to due more volume. Ive done a whole brisket on stove top smoker just have to add a foil tent and works great, but like idea of being able to due 25 pounds of meat like description said for MES smoker.
Anyway, have read several threads on here and my main questions and concerns are:
1. What style/cut of wood to use? Pellets? Chips? Chunks? Seems chips or pellets would work best.
2. Soak or not soak chips, chunks? I assume you don't soak pellets but don't know as I have never used them. Used pecan 1" to 3" diameter chunks from limbs that fell in yard and I cut up when smoking on my BBQ pit. Hardly ever soaked them and if i did briefly like 20 minutes. They never flared up on the coals either way. Chips did I guess cause thinner and high heat of coals. So just assuming with electric smoker especially on lower heat setting no need to soak.
3. Air Damper Setting? Instructions say to keep completely closed for hot smoking and open for cold smoking like sausage or jerky. Read on forum different points of view on this. Some say closed, some say partially open or all the way. So I'm confused. Mainly it was on threads dealing with how this electric smoker does not produce good smoke or Length of time it takes etc.
4. Use water pan? Friend of my mine who uses a REAL Smoker! Lol! It is a pit with a side firebox real nice rig. He says no need for water pan. Your cooking at such low temps and most meats fatty enough and with recipe methods no threat of drying out? So opinions anyone for an electric smoker?
5. Fact or Fiction? No Smoke Ring? Have read on some threads that electric smokers don't produce a good bark or smoke ring. Others say they do. So? Good Bark I care about as far as smoke ring could care less. More concerned about texture and taste. I know on stove top smoker get good bark but never really noticed if ring or not. Of course on BBQ pit I get both. Meat from both taste the same. Good!
Glad to be on this forum and website. Thanks to my buddy for letting me know about the website and forum. Look forward to hearing from y'all
Allon! Geaux Ragin Cajuns!
New to Smoking Meat Forum! Greetings from Louisiana and Cajun Country!
I am an avid cook in general and I like to grill as well as smoke. Have not smoked in a smoker in a long time. Have smoked meats on my BBQ pit/grill as well as on my Cameron Stove top Smoker. I love the Cameron Stove top Smoker. Can only hot smoke things no cold smoking but I love it.
Anyway just purchased a Master-built 30" Electric Smoker Model 20070910. Did not want a charcoal smoker cause have done that enough on my pit i have down pretty good, but wanted something easier and more convenient since I am busy most of the year coaching and running my kids everywhere. Also wanted a unit that smoked at a low enough temperature to smoke sausage, bacon, make jerky etc. Also need something bigger then my Cameron Stove top smoker to due more volume. Ive done a whole brisket on stove top smoker just have to add a foil tent and works great, but like idea of being able to due 25 pounds of meat like description said for MES smoker.
Anyway, have read several threads on here and my main questions and concerns are:
1. What style/cut of wood to use? Pellets? Chips? Chunks? Seems chips or pellets would work best.
2. Soak or not soak chips, chunks? I assume you don't soak pellets but don't know as I have never used them. Used pecan 1" to 3" diameter chunks from limbs that fell in yard and I cut up when smoking on my BBQ pit. Hardly ever soaked them and if i did briefly like 20 minutes. They never flared up on the coals either way. Chips did I guess cause thinner and high heat of coals. So just assuming with electric smoker especially on lower heat setting no need to soak.
3. Air Damper Setting? Instructions say to keep completely closed for hot smoking and open for cold smoking like sausage or jerky. Read on forum different points of view on this. Some say closed, some say partially open or all the way. So I'm confused. Mainly it was on threads dealing with how this electric smoker does not produce good smoke or Length of time it takes etc.
4. Use water pan? Friend of my mine who uses a REAL Smoker! Lol! It is a pit with a side firebox real nice rig. He says no need for water pan. Your cooking at such low temps and most meats fatty enough and with recipe methods no threat of drying out? So opinions anyone for an electric smoker?
5. Fact or Fiction? No Smoke Ring? Have read on some threads that electric smokers don't produce a good bark or smoke ring. Others say they do. So? Good Bark I care about as far as smoke ring could care less. More concerned about texture and taste. I know on stove top smoker get good bark but never really noticed if ring or not. Of course on BBQ pit I get both. Meat from both taste the same. Good!
Glad to be on this forum and website. Thanks to my buddy for letting me know about the website and forum. Look forward to hearing from y'all
Allon! Geaux Ragin Cajuns!