Greetings from the UK

[mymatejim]

Hi all,

Smoking newbie here looking forward to a new world of BBQ!  I have been a big BBQ for fan for a long time now (I'm a typical UK griller having to be somewhat hardy against the rain, and only really experienced direct grilling as opposed to indirect smoking). 

I came across this forum after ordering my first smoker (Char-Broil Oklahoma Joe Highland Smoker) which arrives tomorrow and when looking on the internet about it I found a load of threads about mods and other tips...then got sucked into this place and getting excited about all the possibilities!  Needless to say I've got some high temp sealant on order and have left a message with my metal work friend to give me a call about a baffle plate...

Being a complete newcomer I am going to have a hunt around for threads on the heat source, i.e. charcoal, wood, wood and charcoal etc etc so if any of you can point me in the right direction then that would be great.

Looking forward to chatting with you experts and learning as much as possible.

James.

 

[smokin monkey]

Hi My Mate Jim, Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"

Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.

Please take time to look at the UK Smokers Forum,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/3161/uk-smokers

And introduce your self on the UK Roll Call
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229926/roll-call

We have just had our 3rd UK Smokes weekend, where members attend and cooked over the weekend, plans are already in place for 2017. Please use the link below to view the website. Need to up date 2016, but images available from 2104-2015.

http://www.uk-smf.co.uk

Smokin Monkey [emoji]133660013031[/emoji]

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  Aussie heat beads for the heat.  Join us in the UK. Group; we will look after you. Ask EVERYTHING you can think of.   No stupid questions.  We all had to start somewhere.  What we all try to do is spread the knowledge and share the love.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[wade]

Hi James. Welcome to the forum. Where in the UK are you from?

You mentioned that you have done a lot of grilling. What BBQs do you use for that? Many kettle BBQs and Gas BBQs are also good for indirect smoking too. A combination of BBQ/smokers is always good to have.

The quality of the charcoal/briquettes is key and, as Danny mentioned, the Heat Beads give a good consistent heat over a long period of time. They seem more expensive when you buy them but in a Kettle BBQ you can get a 6-8 hour smoke from 2 Kg and in something like a WSM you can get 12 hours. Most of the cheaper briquettes will be gone in 1/3 of the time.

With the briquettes you will need your flavouring wood as well. For this you can use chunks, chips or pellets. I mostly use pellets.

The important thing to learn first is your fine temperature control. Each BBQ/Smoker is different and you will have to learn how to control yours. By balancing the air that is allowed to pass over the coals with the heat that is lost through the walls of the smoking chamber and out of the flue you should be able to keep a nice steady 225 -240 F (107 - 116 C) without too much fiddling. Remember patience is important and every time you open that lid you upset the balance that you are trying so hard to achieve. There is a saying - "If you are looking you are not cooking".

Whilst you are learning your smoker it is usually best to begin with some inexpensive meat. Something like a chicken or some sausages are good to experiment with before you hit the pork and brisket;

One other important think to bear in mind is that the temperature gauge in the lid is probably going to be so inaccurate that you will need to ignore it. You are looking to measure the temperature at the cooking grate where the meat is and that thermometer will not do that. If you can stretch a little further I suggest that you also invest in a good dual probe digital thermometer - like a Maverick ET-732 or 733.

Don't forget to post photos. We like photos on here 

 

 

[SmokinAl]

Hi James!

  to SMF!

Glad to have you aboard!

Al