Newbie. HELP ME PICK MY SMOKER!

[dukesbb37]

Ok so after reading dozens and dozens of articles on charcoal vs propane.... I decided to go with propane. I  WILL eventually have both... but i dont want to have to tend to the smoker as much. 

Anyways I have narrowed it down to two smokers. I wanted to stay in the $150 range...

The walmart Great Outdoor Smoky Mountain looks pretty good and seems to have a good following. However, I have heard bad things about it not having a drip pan, and you have to open the door to add wood or water. Could i just put a cookie sheet on the 4th rack that isn't used as a drip man?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Outdoors-Smoky-Mountain-20-x-34-Gas-Smoker/12429510

The other one is a Brinkman, also at walmart. Looks pretty decent and has a separate door for the water/wood. However, it has had mixed reviews regarding placement of the water pan and temp control.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Char-Broil-Gas-Smoker/13056700#Product+Reviews

Please give me some advice on which one i should get!!! It will be used mostly for ribs and the occasional pork butt.

Thanks

 

[s2k9k]

 to SMF!!! We're happy you join us! Would you do us a favor and add your location to your profile, it helps others when they offer advice to know where you are, Thanks!

I have a GOSM 3405BGW Widebody and I love it! I've had to do some mods to get it to work the way I want but they were simple and easy. As far as your concern for the drip pan, I am assuming you mean something to catch the drippings of the meat. It does come with a water pan, you are supposed to fill it up with water to: 1. catch drippings 2. add steam to add moister 3. add a mass to help heat control. The one problem is as the water evaporates your heat control changes and if you add water you change the temp. One way to fix this, which most people do is to put sand in the water pan, now you have a mass that won't change and it really helps to maintain consistent temps. Now to add the moisture and to catch drippings I place a disposable foil pan filled with just a little water on top of the sand pan to catch drippings. Easy fix! If I am smoking beef I will probably have a foil pan under the meat filled with an Au Jus to catch the drippings and for enjoying later.

I hope this helps, don't get hung up on the drip pan. it's too easy to fix!

 

[dukesbb37]

Thanks for the help. Is it not that big of a deal that i have to open the door to add wood chips? I feel like all the smoke will come pouring out...

Also what were the mods that you mentioned you did to yours?

 

[jackd]

I have a verticle propane master forge.  My biggest complaint is the size.  I wish it was wider so I could fit full racks of ribs without trimming them down.  I would go with the wider body.  With the propane smoker you don't need to stoke the fire and rarely should need to add wood so opening it up shouldn't be a big deal.  Just remember everytime you open it you are adding at least 10 minutes to the smoke. 

 

[s2k9k]

Thanks for the help. Is it not that big of a deal that i have to open the door to add wood chips? I feel like all the smoke will come pouring out...

Also what were the mods that you mentioned you did to yours?

Opening the door isn't that big of a deal as long as you don't do it much. I would use chunks instead of chips. I could get about an hour of good TBS with 2 or 3 chunks, I have read of people getting 3 - 4 hours but I don't know how they did it, I tried but never did. I really wanted to use an AMNPS so i could get very long smoke without having to babysit the smoker but everything I read they don't work with propane very well. With a lot of help and ideas of a few members on here I built an external fire box so I could burn the AMNPS in it: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...e-smoker-no-more-opening-the-door-amnps-ready  

Not long after I built this Todd came out with his Tube Smoker and not long after that I saw a few people using them inside propane smokers with great success: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...r-in-my-masterbuilt-smokehouse-propane-smoker

If you want long smoke times and don't want to open the door and add wood all the time I would really be looking at the Amazen-Tube Smoker 

http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNTS

Other mods I did were minor, sand in the water pan as I already said.  When I first got it I couldn't keep it below 250* so I installed a needle valve to control the gas. It helped a lot and I could get it down to 185* and could adjust it in 10* increments. I wanted to start using it to make jerky so I needed it to get below 170* so I took the side burner from my gas grill and replaced the larger burner in my smoker with it. I can now hold 135* consistent and still get over 300* if I should happen to need to. The only other thing I did was to seal the bottom. The way the sides attach to the bottom there is a seam that grease can leak through and run down the legs and onto my patio. Easy fix, I cleaned the seam real good then wiped a bead of black high temp RTV silicon across the seam all the way around and now no more leaky! I also wipe out the bottom with paper towels every couple of smokes.

I hope this helps, I know it sounds like a lot but other than the fire box (which really isn't necessary) it was just small inexpensive things that really improved it's performance.

I can get long winded talking about propane smokers! It's the only one I've ever used so it's all I know.

 

[humdinger]

Dukes,

As a newbie, you made the right choice by going with propane. While there are respectable differences when cooking with wood/charcoal, propane allows you to learn the art of smoking one step at a time. Once you master how the different meats cook, timing the meals, and what rubs/glazes you like to use, then step it up with the wood smokers.

I also have the two door Brinkmann you are looking at (I purchased mine from Home depot). I agree with some of the cons in that it can run a little hot and the narrow size limits large briskets and racks of ribs. Just be sure to get a digital thermometer to maintain your cooking temp. As for the size, you'll have to cook the ribs as half slabs, but that's a good sized portion for people to eat as an entree so I never had any complaints.

As for the different negative reviews you'll read, I was fairly intimidated when I first got my smoker, but I soon learned that just like a Harley motorcycle, each smoker can be tweaked or optimized to it's users liking by utilizing after market solutions as well as "jerry rigging" solutions. This customizing is what gives the smoker and the food character that is singular to you. In other words, after a while your friends and family will think that only you can make it this good!!!!

Good luck!

 

[scarbelly]

Hello and 

to SMF - glad you joined us 

Please do us a favor and update your profile with your location 

 

[dukesbb37]

So i havn't tried the smoker yet, but I am already worried about being able to keep the temp down to 225ish. Is the pin valve installation just a matter of unscrewing a connector in line between the tank and the smoker, and putting the valve on with some teflon tape?

Also, couldn't i just get a regular pin valve from home depot? I might just install the valve anyways and then if i dont need it, i could always leave it open.

Lastly, couldn't you just open the tank itself only about 1/4 of the way and get the same effect?

Thanks again!!!

 

[s2k9k]

So i havn't tried the smoker yet, but I am already worried about being able to keep the temp down to 225ish. Is the pin valve installation just a matter of unscrewing a connector in line between the tank and the smoker, and putting the valve on with some teflon tape? It's supposed to be but on mine the threads were different so I just put a hose barb on each side of the needle valve and then cut the hose and installed it with hose clamps.

Also, couldn't i just get a regular pin valve from home depot? I might just install the valve anyways and then if i dont need it, i could always leave it open. I don't think HD sells a needle valve.

Lastly, couldn't you just open the tank itself only about 1/4 of the way and get the same effect? The valve on the tank is either on or off, no in between.

Thanks again!!!

Here's some good info on the needle valve and shows installed inline in the hose:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/needle-valves-for-gassers

 

[dukesbb37]

Thanks for the help, i saw a pin valve on homedepot.com but i just realized its a store-exclusive so i dont know if my home depot even has one.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&langId=-1&keyword=needle+valve&storeId=10051

 

[s2k9k]

Thanks for the help, i saw a pin valve on homedepot.com but i just realized its a store-exclusive so i dont know if my home depot even has one.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&langId=-1&keyword=needle+valve&storeId=10051

And that one has compression fittings that might be hard to adapt.