new to smoking, electric and small vertical charcoal

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billclarkson

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
95
10
Refugio, Texas
Trying to get some good lessons on how to smoke some fine meats in my electric smoker. Would like all the suggestions for proved and true modifications to the smoker.( char-brol electic water smoker). I have read about using sand instead of water, if some have gotten this kindly share with the stores you pick the sand up from. Hopefully some of these stores will be down deep in south texas. I have put foil on the bottom underneath the heating element hoping it will help in driving hotter air upwards. Even thou the lid on my grill is not really tight, thought i would add a few more holes in the lid and build a cover for them out of a ole pie pan. So any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Oh and one more question, i have a good thermometer which i place about half inch above the higher cooking grill, after smoking a few times if i do not clean up that thermometer will i start to give off incorrect temps.
Thanks all ya gals and pals for any info
Bill
 
Bill, Welcome to SMF. Check out the Electric Smoker forum in the Smoking Supplies and Equipment Section. Lots of good info there. We have a number of members that use a vaiation of the Electric Smoker, hopefully one of them will give you some great tips.

Check out tulsajeff's 5-day eCourse-more great info to be had there as well.

Visit the different forums and see what fantastic food these folks can put out.

Looking forward to your paticapation in the forums.

Enjoy!
 
yo billclarkson dude,
i have the same electric unit as you.

i run mine stock.

my apartments stove [oven] is only turned on
for pizza and warming store bought hams.

my smoker and my george foreman grill
get all other meat duties.

if you're not used to it---
hot grilling takes minutes--
hot smoking [185 to 245 f] takes hours.

its so easy-
its so good,
 
Bill
Welcome to the forum you will find good advice here as have I.
To answer your thermometer question
If it is a bi-metal and dial type that is open to the atmosphere I woulld think that residue on the bimetal would influence the reading after time.
If it is an enclosed probe like mine which is an integral part of the temperature controller then it is not necessary.
In all cases if you insert it into the meat you are smokeing it must be cleaned and sterilized before each use.

Again welcome!
Illini
 
howdy bill

glad you made it. im not really sure about either grill you have but i would love to see some pics of them if you have any stored in a folder. i am thinking of getting an electric myself so you could be some good advice for me (if you would). once you get used to using yours i would relly like to know the pros and cons so i can see if i would be happy with that one or need to look at another style
 
Thanks all for looking at my question and the warm welcomes that y'all gave to me. Dutch i have been reading on here for almost two weeks and done did the 5 day course, and thanks for all the help. Illini thanks for your help too. And to you buzzard i have not used this smoker much, but i did buy me a good thermometer and drilled a hole just about 1/2 inch above the top rack so i can see what the temp is at that level. But when i smoke at times it is hard to get the temp inside high enough, even when using foil on the bottom under heating element. Am thinking about drilling some holes in the lid to let more smoke out but for now the smoke does pour out of from around the lid. Not really a tight lid. Oh and after smoking 3 or 4 times the insides paint started peeling, so i attached a wire brush to my drill and cleaned out the inisde and then sprayed with high temp grill paint. Smoke some pork ribs after that and painted stayed okay. But as i have said before my smoker is a Char-Broil electric and any and all help with it will be muchly appreciated. good smokin to all.
 
yo bill dude,

the "leaky" top lets the smoke out.
it should be fine as stock.

with a smoker ......
you are looking for a THIN BLUE SMOKE.

i have the same model as you.

yo
 
To Larry Maddock, maybe you can lend a little help, first off i am trying to use the sand that so many people talk about it has allowed the temp to go up just a little but it is still running with it cranked up all the way just between 210 and 215 and i have tried 3 different plugs which i think comes from different circuit breakers. Any suggestions my friend???????
 
yo bill dude,
this happens to me about 1/2 the time.

i think it may have to do with the contact points of
thermostat to body....

on summer day--
i can get it to 140/145 f----sometimes

on winter day im glad to see 210.

i live in mid west.

sorry that i cant pin it down better than that..

someone on this site said he [on 2 different units]
wedges thermo in tighter by pushing from bottom
with screwdriver as wedge..

i will try it this winter..

tell me if you conquer the problem.
 
Welcome Bill, a lot of great info to be had here. I hear that a "stickey" on lots of different mod's may be coming soon. Look for it in the equipment and supplies section perhaps. Glad to have you here!
 
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