Soon to be Propane Smoker

[jehoric]

Hello!

Been lurking here for a few months with occasional posts. Absolutely love learning from here, but I'm convinced I've gained 5lbs just from looking at some of the Q photos here!

I've decided that I'm going to risk having a smoker at school with me. My mother bought a Big Green Egg this summer and I had a blast cooking with (and eating from!) it. Of course, I'm a poor college student who constantly changes residences, so a heavy, expensive smoker like the BGE is a problem. I'm also living in an apartment where I might or might not be allowed to smoke.

Anyways, enough of my life's story. I'm looking at getting a GOSM, but a little confused. I see BB (I assume "Big Block") thrown around with it, but I don't quite understand. Is that a different construct or just a different size?

One question I hope someone can answer is the start-up smoke from a GOSM. Billowing clouds of white smoke are probably not something I'd want to tell my landlord about. With the BGE (Charcoal), I generated tons of smoke when I was first starting, then went back to the thin blue smoke once things got underway. Will I get similar results from the propane smoker?

Lastly, I didn't see this mentioned so I'm hoping that's for a reason, but do GOSMs have an "air" thermometer inside or are the knobs accurate enough to where it isn't an issue?

Okay, that wasn't lastly, but this one was... Any accessories that GOSM vets here think I'll need to buy? I know I need a meat thermometer that I can leave in the meat (I'm terrible with the instant-read ones. Terrible), but not sure if there is anything else people would recommend.

Thanks for answering these kind of redundant questions. I've spent a couple hours here researching propane smokers, so I have answers I'm 50% sure about, but I'd really appreciate getting a definitive answer.

 

[beer-b-q]

Okay, here goes...

1: The GOSM BB is just a wider version of the regular GOSM, it is 24 inches wide as opposed to the smaller units 16" width. If you can afford it go with the Big Block, You won't regret it...

Big Block COSM: 36"H x 24"W x 16"D, 8 CU FT COOK SPACEAvailable at Bass Pro: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...006000_750-6-0

Standard GOSM: 34"H x 16"W x 14"D (not including handles) 524 sq. in. cooking areaAvailable at Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...72330009713991

2: You shouldn't have -problems with billowing white smoke once you get the hang of it.

3: Never depend on the thermometers installed at the factory for accuracy, they are most always way off. get a second digital to monitor cabinet temps...

4: A Maverick ET-73 is a good thermometer, it has 2 probes one for monitoring cabinet temps and one for internal meat temps.

I hope this is of some help to you. others will be along to give more good opinions & ideas...

 

[mballi3011]

Beer B Q (paul) has given you some good answers to your questions. I have a Gosm and they are a good smoker and don't require alot of space either. The white smoke will just about fix itself when you get used to smoking. It like everything else you won't start out being great just good for a long whil but the benafits are more then worth the work. The other question you had about the thermo meter thingy. Never trust the thermometer on the door and get a good one but the main thing with he thermometer is to test it first with boiling and ice water. Then you are sat to get another addiction. Go smoking

 

[jehoric]

Thanks Beer B Q and Mballi! That answers my questions nicely.

 

[slareau]

I literally just started my first smoke on my BB GOSM and so far white smoke has not been a problem at all. I'm using a mixture of chips and chunks and as long as I am not too aggressive with the "throttle" I can hit TBS really easily. You'll love this smoker, so easy to use. Let me put in a second vote for the BB over the other models, you'll love the extra space.

-Stephen

 

[jehoric]

Thanks Slareau. I saw (one of?) your other thread(s), and looked like things were going well.

I ended up having to go with the smaller model from Walmart- 150 dollar price difference after the $45 shipping was just too much (no Bass Pros in Washington state), I'm not sure exactly how much room I have for it, and I rarely cook huge amounts (I'm a college student who eats meals off the couch... my max cooking audience is 4-6 people, usually just 3 of us on any given night) anyways. More than enough room on the smaller on for a couple of butts, from what I can tell.

I don't get it until the 25th, though. Which is a shame, because I head down for Thanksgiving that day, so I won't get to play with my new toy until Saturday (retail sucks, I doubt I'll have the energy on black Friday). I'll be getting one of those ET-87s I believe, sounds like a good thermometer! Anything people just can't live without? For a GOSM, is there an area of the grill that is hotter/cooler than another?

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. Love this site as a resource!