New from Kansas

[packrat]

Hello. I'm getting a smoker for my 30th birthday, and I get to pick it out. Looking at something propane or electric probably. Good to see such a good resource available. Looking forward to getting to know some people on here.

 

[t-bone tim]

Welcome aboard SMF ....plenty of solid info here and the peeps are awesome..welcome

 

[teacup13]

welcome to SMF...

your choice of smokers is only limited to what you want to smoke... each has it benefits and downfalls... IMHO if you can smoke in it, there is no bad smoker..lol

 

[packrat]

I posted my question about what type of smoker to get in the propane smokers forum. Help is much appreciated. A very friendly start so far.

 

[deejaydebi]

As Teacup said there all good. Think about what you want to do with it. Where you will be using it, where will it be kept and of course a budget!

There pros and cons to all smokers!

 

[packrat]

Long story short, I'm thinking I want to maybe modify a GOSM with an electric heating element so that I can leave it overnight. I don't even know if that would work or not (or if it would be fine to leave propane on overnight without watching it).

 

[mikeintn]

I've got a Brinkmann vertical smoker modified to use propane, and leave it burning all night when doing butts without watching it religiously. a GOSM is on my wishlist, in fact.

 

[gypsyseagod]

sorry but i'm a wood burner- the part of smoking or smoking all night is tending the fire- theres a "zen" about staring @ coals all day or night and there's something primal about it... ok hank hill on the cartoon - yer male.. ya grew hair for a reason .. .go start your fire... tend your fire.. watch & study your fire.. la ti da.... throw some wood on it throw some charcoal on it - it's not just about cooking food- it's the way we interact w/ the flame & the pit - sorry to get so metaphysical.. but would ya nuke a steak or just let outback steakhouse gas grill a steak for you .. the great thing when i lived in alaska during the winter was.. don'y wuzz out - get the wood,dry the wood, kill the wild game.... don't disrespect a great kill w/ a bottle of gas - where's the great white hunter in that .... but that's just my opinion....if i ever saw ted nugent cooking a fresh cleaned kill over a gas grill... well poor ted..

 

[deejaydebi]

Not everyone wants to get primal some folks just want nice smoked food and we don't discourage any form of smoking here.

 

[packrat]

As I work during the days, I can't afford to be up all night tending something. I've made pulled pork in the oven with a great rub, and it's been great. It can only be better, though, on a smoker. Being able to leave it as unsupervised as possible is a great advantage for me. When I retire I'll get a proper offset model and give it a rip.

 

[msmith]

Welcome aboard Packrat glad you joined us. Theres a lot of diffrent smokers here from little bitty to giants. Im a wood burner myself but thats my preference I have seen tons of food cooked on electric. propane. charcoil. wood mix. Cant say I have seen anything that I would turn down. theres a great bunch of people from all over the world right here at SMF so fire it up and enjoy and do post some pictures look forward to your posts.

 

[packrat]

Now leaning heavily towards a GOSM. Now have to decide between the wide body and the big block. I just can't imagine ever using all of the space of the wide body, let alone a big block. the most i've ever cooked was 2 butts at once anyway, so not sure I'd ever need all the space of the big block (or if the wife would let me push the budget out quite that much).

 

[buzzard]

Welcome Pac

you have found a great place for more information then you will ever need. i perfer wood as i like more natural stuff but i will probably add an electric to the arsonal soon as it would be nice to smoke while working and not worry about it. a great friend of mine uses ele and loves it. i am must old school. i figure eveyone should have two or all three sources over time and adjust what they like from time to time. how nice would it be to start a butt or brisket in a wood burner then finish it in an ele with some ABTs or ribs? while you get a little sleep!!!!

the GOSM is a great smoker and i would never turn one down.

the only advice i can give is smoked tofu is not good.

 

[domn8_ion]

Welcome to SMF. Just remember, sleep is overrated. J/K. Wood is very time consuming, but worth the effort. Propane is good, but prices very with the oil prices. Electric is good set it and go, but I've heard that they don't get past 225* very easy. Good for slow n' low but not much else. I presonally have a vertical and offset woodburner. And I want to buy a propane GOSM. It is all personal preference. Just remember that as soon as you think you have enough room, it won't be. I'd go as big as possible on the first shot within space and price considerations. But that's my opinion.

 

[ultramag]

Welcome to SMF packrat!!! If it doesn't strain the budget or the wife too much I'd go with the Big Block even if you don't want high capacity. You can't have too much room and rolling or cutting up racks of ribs before smoking just ain't right.

 

[bbqpitstop]

hmmm.....if were my 30th birthday, (yes I still remember it!) I'd want to spend the big bucks for the ultimate in curing smoking meat sleep disorders and get the brand new CT60 that we're debuting next week at the nRA in Chicago!

Where in Kansas are you Packrat? I hope you're far away from the tornado area that hit this last couple of days and are safe.

Welcome to the board and if you have questions about smokers I have a wealth of comparative info so ask away and happy smoking

 

[hillbillysmoker]

Welcome aboard packrat. Nice to see you on the forum. Keep us posted on your adventures and decision. Don't hesitate to use some of the great information provided by the friendly folks on the forum.

 

[hhersh]

......Hey packrat, welcome....let me get my two cents in...I have both a wood burner (see my avatar) and a Brinkmann Electric Gourmet. I prefer the electric 10 to 1. Reasons ? no fire to watch over for 10 to 15 hours, you will not run out of electric in the middle of the nite like you may with gas, no open flame to worry about over nite, etc, etc. That said any smoker that turns you on is the right one....and no offense to those of you who prefer the other type smokers.....