brand new to smoking -- need quipment advice

[saigonjj]

I'm brand new to smoking and would like to get into it.  I looked at http://www.smoking-meat.com/ and see the Brinkmann recommended.  Would this Brinkmann be a good place to start?  And forgive my utter newb-ness, but is the idea that you normally use regular charcoal briquettes with (soaked) wood chips like this on top?  Last but not least, since I also want the ability to cold smoke, would one of the amazen products work in this smoker for cold smoking?

Many thanks in advance.

JJ

 

[chef jimmyj]

That Brinkmann is a cheap way to find out if Smoking Meat is something you like, many of us started with that or a similar unit....BUT...What we do takes a great deal of Temperature control and that unit is a PITA to get and maintain the proper temps. If money is an issue, with a few tools and about $150, you can build an Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) that burns Charcoal and there are hundreds of designs on our forum. They are much easier to control. In the $150 to $400 range there are a variety of great smokers that burn Propane, which are easier to control, and for the ultimate in Set it and Forget it, is the Masterbuilt Electric Smokehouses (MES 30 and 40) that are stupid simple to use. In any event the AMNPS is a must for Cold smoking and the Smoke Master General, Todd at http://www.amazenproducts.com/Default.asp  can fix you up with the right product of his to be used for Hot smoking, Chips are also pretty worthless, with whatever Smoker you decide on. Good luck...JJ

 

[DanMcG]

:yeahthat:
Jimmy pretty much covered it.

 

[saigonjj]

Thanks for the additional info, but when you say that chips are worthless, what do you use to produce your smoke then?
 

 

[hambone1950]

Thanks for the additional info, but when you say that chips are worthless, what do you use to produce your smoke then?
 

chunks of wood.like oak or apple or pecan....any type really. you just throw a chunk or two on with the charcoal (study up on the minion method) and you get nice smoke for a couple hours. chips just fizz up and burn away too quick. and FWIW....i had one of those brinkmann gourmet smokers and it was a torment to my soul. BUT !    like the man sez....its a good cheap way to find out if you have the patience for smoking meat. and i guess you can cook pretty ok chicken and pulled pork on it......

i have a weber smoky mountain cooker now and im in heaven....but it was 300 bux.

 

[saigonjj]

If I go with one of the Masterbuilt electric smokers do I then no longer use charcoal briquettes but go straight to wood chunks?  (Please forgive my complete ignorance on this).
 

 

[whistlepig]

I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker. I don't know about chunks working better than chips in it. This is the first I have read of that.  

 

[saigonjj]

OK, that's good to know.  But just to be perfectly sure, with one of these smokers I would only need wood chips or chunks, and wouldn't use charcoal briquettes, is that correct?
 

 

[hambone1950]

OK, that's good to know.  But just to be perfectly sure, with one of these smokers I would only need wood chips or chunks, and wouldn't use charcoal briquettes, is that correct?
 

right , no charcoal....your heat source is an electric coil. then you can use a pan of wood chips or any one of a dizzying array of gadgets available to throw smoke into the heated air in the smoker.  i think in an electric smoker , big chunks of wood for smoke would not be optimal. probably better off with chips or pellets....but i dont know that from experience. you should read up on that,

 

[ronrude]

Most of us with the Masterbuilt Electric Use the Amazen Pellet Smoker in it to produce our smoke as you don't have to add chips every 1 to 1/2 hours.  You can get 8 to 10 hours out of the Amazen in the Masterbuilt Electric.

 

[jarjarchef]

We use a MES at work for small amounts of food, kind of a toy to shut me up when I asked for a smoker. At first we used some chunks and cut them down a bit. We noticed if they were too big they actually caught on fire. We have had no issues with smaller chips. I am trying to get one of Todd's mazes or tubes, but that is another challenge. Red tape.........

No charcole they actually warn against it in the handbook.

Great little smoker, even better with the advantages of the maze or tube...... Plan on getting a thermometer like the maverick, Todd has those too. The one that comes with the MES leaves a lot to be desired on accuracy.

 

[pit 4 brains]

I like to recommend a vertical, single-door propane unit for starters.

1. Prices are very reasonable

2. Temp control is easy, but still needs some learning.

3. Temps can vary from outside air temp to well over 400 if you need it.

4. No circuitry.

5. Chips, chunks, charcoal, amzn products can be used for smoke. I included charcoal because I have used a few coals to keep a low temp and still burn some chunks for smoke.

6. Easy to clean.

7. Light weight and easy to transport.

8. When it's off, it's off. Same holds true for electrics though.

Whatever you choose, start off slow with easy to cook items. Don't run out to the store and buy a 16 pound brisket and invite all your friends over for dinner. This is a learned hobby that takes some trial and alot of errors. Good luck to you.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

welcome to the forum,please take time to add your location to your profile.

Keep watching for new toys , that's part of my fun...begging the Wife

Have fun and...

 

[tennsmoker]

Hello SaigonJJ & welcome to SMF

best forum on the planet for smoking meat, I'm a newbie also but learning quick from these folks,

I would suggest getting a MES30 which is the perfect piece of equipment for starting, 

#2 on Todd"s website http://www.amazenproducts.com/   he offers the a-maze-n pellet smoker (NEW" A-MAZE-N-PELLET-SMOKER 5X8 $39.99.

#3 You will need at least 10 lbs of pellets that he has,  I would start with the "pitmaster" pellets. 

#4 You will need a meat thermometer I would recommend the "ET732".

If you order the ET732 you will get free shipping on everthing you order!!.

That's my $.02

Hope this helps,

Al

 

[eman]

Chips work fine in the MES. You don't need  or want chunks. The chips need to be refilled every 45 min - 1 hour.. W/ the AMNPS you fill it once ,light it and  just monitor temps. That is the reason that most of us use the AMNS /AMNPS products

 

[jp61]

Chips work fine in the MES. You don't need  or want chunks. The chips need to be refilled every 45 min - 1 hour.. W/ the AMNPS you fill it once ,light it and  just monitor temps. That is the reason that most of us use the AMNS /AMNPS products

X2

 

[tennsmoker]

X3

 

[whistlepig]

The dry chips work very well in my Masterbuilt electric. The dry chips will give me the smoke flavor that I want. The only thing bad about dry chips in a Masterbuilt electric is that the chip hopper has to be refilled every 45 minutes or so. On long smokes like pulled pork or brisket this requires tending the chip hopper every 45 minutes or so for several hours. With an AMPNS pellet smoker smokes like brisket and pulled pork would be plug and play. Light the AMNPS, put the meat in the smoker, and take a very long nap. The long smokes like brisket and pulled pork makes the AMNPS a pretty desirable option. For the short smokes like ribs, beef roasts, turkey, and double smoked ham, etc. the dry chip hopper on the Masterbuilt works finer than frog hair.