Green smoker here

emu311

Newbie

Original poster

Mar 6, 2012

3

10

Aldie, Virginia

• Mar 7, 2012

• #1

Hello my name is Eric and I live in Chicago. I am a trained Chef and worked in the business for about 13 yrs. In 2008 i decided to stay at home with the kids(3). I have been wanting to get into smoking ever since I visited a buddy in KC about 8 years ago. Every house we stopped at someone would pull their most recent smoked item out of the fridge. It was so cool. Anyway I'm finally pulling the trigger and let me tell you I've been barely able to sleep due to my eagerness to learn about this art. My wife thinks I'm crazy telling her we're going to be BBQ champions traveling all over the country!

Of course I've been searching equipment, books, techniques and pretty much everything BBQ. That's how I stumbled upon this great place. My first problem is the paralysis I get from analyzing cookers:) (this happens a lot with me when deciding on something). I just want it to be perfect. One question for the veterans out there... Is using gas or electric a shortcut or frowned upon?

Look forward to learning from all of you and sharing with you as well


Eric

 

adiochiro3

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Apr 19, 2010

2,088

42

Bay Area, CA

• Mar 7, 2012

• #2

 to the SMF!

 

SmokinAl

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Staff member

Moderator

OTBS Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Jun 22, 2009

51,390

12,228

Central Florida (Sebring)

• Mar 8, 2012

• #3

   Glad to have you with us!

Do us a favor & update your profile to include your location. Thanks!

 

jrod62

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Group Lead

Jun 13, 2011

5,010

41

New Athens IL

• Mar 8, 2012

• #4

:welcome1: to SMF

 

mballi3011

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Mar 12, 2009

14,477

58

• Mar 8, 2012

• #5

First off welcome Eric to SMF. Now you'll love this place cause there are alot of really good folks here that are more then will to help you with just about anything to do with smoking meat. You will find alot of new recipes and techquics to go along with it. With that said:

Welcome To Your New Addiction

 

smokinhusker

Legendary Pitmaster

Oct 20, 2010

8,179

77

Mountains west of Colorado Springs, CO

• Mar 8, 2012

• #6

Hello Eric and welcome to SMF! I can't answer your question about what kind of smoker because I'm pretty new at this too. Anyway I have a MES 40 (masterbuilt electric 40") and there are lots of people here that own electric smokers. Hopefully someone with more experience will drop by.

Alesia

 

smokin relaxin steve

Smoking Fanatic

Mar 16, 2010

887

13

South Jersey

• Mar 8, 2012

• #7

Welcome to SMF... I will tell you this... I started on a gas, a month or 2 later I bought a duplicate gas one (LOL) and used them for about a year or more.... than i upgraded to a charcoal... I haven't touched either of the gas ones since... IMHO the charcoal flavor far outweighs what you get on a gas smoker... I have not used electric...

I will say this... learning on a gas one made it a lot easier to get rolling on the charcoal one... also, the friends here will lend you a hand with whatever you decide... SmokinAl basically gave me a free class on my WSM lol

 

smokin relaxin steve

Smoking Fanatic

Mar 16, 2010

887

13

South Jersey

• Mar 8, 2012

• #8

Oh and one more thing... I noticed you mentioned Competitions... I am not sure how serious you were about that, but if you do decide to enter some, keep in mind most do not allow Gas or Electric smokers... Just a heads up

 

scarbelly

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

Jul 26, 2009

14,315

73

• Mar 8, 2012

• #9

Hello Eric and Welcome to SMF.  There are several chefs on board and we all learn from them regularly 

 

emu311

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Mar 6, 2012

3

10

Aldie, Virginia

• Mar 8, 2012

• #10

The competition remark might be a little out there, but it's good to chase a dream. Right:). Thanks for your testimony on gas to charcoal smoker.

 

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

May 12, 2011

22,172

7,150

• Mar 8, 2012

• #11

Welcome to the SMF Family...We are having a run on Chef's this week, you are the second or third. I started with Charcoal and after 20 years went over to Electric. It really depends on how much time and patience you have to play around with your Smoker. Wood and Charcoal take some tending and a longer learning curve, they give great flavor and good Q. Electric is Set it and Forget it. There is a much easier range of control with Electric allowing for no fuss Hot Smoking from about 180*F to 300*F, and with the addition of a Cold smoke generator like the A-Maze-N Products AMNPS, Cold Smoking at a range of temps from Ambient to 180*F, for 11 hours, is as simple as lighting the Pellets or Dust and close the door...JJ

 

Last edited: Mar 8, 2012

sprky

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Jun 26, 2007

2,932

41

Hutchinson Kansas

• Mar 8, 2012

• #12

 to SMF Eric. You have come to the right place for smoking info. This site is loaded with great info just use the search bar at top of page to find what you are looking for. If you can't locate the answer just ask folks here are willing to share there knowledge. I suggest you take  the 5 day e-course on smoking its chuck full of great info.Smoking  5-Day e-Course