First smoker questions

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Sounds like a good plan. Let us know the condition it arrives in, the assembly process, and your first smoke.
 
No problem Debi, it is just the way it is here. It is hard to make folks understand ... might as well be in Siberia .... Walmart Canada and Home Depot do not communicate with each other either... nuts eh?

Your Mom won't be able to help me unless she speaks English
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...
 
I'm a beginner as well. This is my second year doing what I call "real" smoking.

I first did it just in my BBQ. I have one of hose side by side bbq/firebox deals. When I first started all I had was the BBQ part of it. I used a chimney starter, and got a small pile of coals going and put it on one side of the BBQ with a cast iron box for wood chips that I'd just set on top of the coals. I smoked turkey legs like that. That BBQ cost $119.00 then I decided to spend the money on a side firebox and put that on. It cost like $59.00.

Now I use it for grilling burgers and dogs for the fam and I also use it for smoking. Just yesterday I smoked a brisket and a pork shoulder together and fed my extended family of 16 people for Mothers day.

I have no problems with wind. I love charcoal, and using the Minion Method gets me 5 - 6 hours at a time pretty much maintance free. Every grill is different, so you'll have to figure out how to tweak it to maintain certain temperature, but that's part of the fun.

I've done brisketts, pork roasts, turkey legs, chicken thighs, and a thanksgiving turkey breast in my smoker/grill. It's the only one I've ever had and I've never reuined anything.

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My Grand Mother - she spoke French and English fluently GRHS ...

My mother spoke English/Italian a bit mixed someimes. I still find words I grewup with I didn't know weren't english.
 
Well, I went ahead and ordered my first smoker, a CCSV. I tried to get the GOSM from HD with in-store delivery. However, even though it has a store sku, they won't let you order it. Because of shipping, the $189 GOSM from HD turned out to be only $20 less then the CCSV from Amazon.

There were 2 major factors in my decision. First was the great review Deb gave on the CCSV, Thanks Deb!!

The second was that I could not be sure that the $189 24" GOSM was the heavier model. Like wallyworld, HD has a habit of building and selling cheaper versions of stuff under the same label. With all the different versions of the GOSM, I didn't want to take the chance.


As a benefit, I signed up for the Amazon special shipping club and will have it here next day (Wed) for only $3.99. Plenty of time for me to season it and smoke something this weekend.

I realize that patience is a trait of a good smoker, but I couldn't wait,
I am very excited. Now to resist opening the door to watch it cook.
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I have never smoked before. Not sure what I should try first. Definitely corn and garlic. But I am also thinking a brined chicken or some easy beef.

Wish me luck. I will post pictures when I get it all.

Thanks again for all the great advice.
 
Good luck! ...why not throw some ribs on too? You won't be sorry!

I like the way you think things out ( I do it too ) ...now you got me thinking as to which one do I really want?
Of course, here I need to consider besides cost, how to get it here.
Decisions .... decisions !!!!
 
I think you made a good decision Patook. I bought the 24 inch CCSV also, on the advice from Debi, and could not be happier with it. Some purists might call a gas smoker "cheating", but I prefer to call it "convenient." Remember to season it before you do your first smoke in it. And the thermometer is pretty right on. I love the fact that I don't have to cut my ribs in half anymore. Gonna use my 16 in ch GOSM exclusively for pork butts from now on.
 
I've been reading this thread with interest and I am thinking how nice of a Father's Day gift the CCSV would make ( I need to have my wife read this). Right now I am using the smoking attachment on my Weber Summit but it might be a good time to get a dedicated smoker. Thanks for the great review Debi.

Ron
 
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