Presto indoor electric smoker

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normanaj

Master of the Pit
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Feb 2, 2014
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Rhode Island
So I was in Wallyworld today looking at crock pots and came across a Presto crock pot and upon closer examination noticed that it is also an indoor countertop smoker.Never have I seen or heard of such a thing.Its limited in what it can do but for what does do it gets pretty decent reviews.

I'm intrigued.The idea of being able to do some type of indoor smoke in the dead of Winter is something to think about.It was $84 but if I find it on sale I may just give it a shot and see if it really works and if it doesn't its still a fully functional crock pot.

Here's a link to Presto's site:
 
Would like to hear a report from someone who has used one. My guess is you won't get a lot of smoke flavor but who knows?

JC :emoji_cat:
 
Sounds interesting but I really don't think the wife would want any type of smoker smell in the house.

Chris
 
I bought a indoor smoker that sat on the stove, used wood chips, didn't have it long, it went away while I was away deer hunting, I upgraded my stove exhaust since so another shot at 1 might be in order lol .
 
Hmmm---That would be Great, if it didn't smell up the house for Mrs Bear to Squawk about!!! Might even smell smokier that my clothes do when I come in from doing a long smoke. My Micro-hood is not vented outside, so any smoke would stay inside.

I'd still like to hear a report from anyone who tries this thing.

Bear
 
Hmmm---That would be Great, if it didn't smell up the house for Mrs Bear to Squawk about!!! Might even smell smokier that my clothes do when I come in from doing a long smoke. My Micro-hood is not vented outside, so any smoke would stay inside.

That's would also be an issue for me as well!

And it just occurred to me that my hood is not vented outside either so I guess this gizmo is a no go for me too.
 
That's would also be an issue for me as well!

And it just occurred to me that my hood is not vented outside either so I guess this gizmo is a no go for me too.


Yeah, I installed my Micro-hood when the house was new & I was installing the Kitchen I designed & built. I thought about venting it to the outside, but it would have had to go through the wall to the Garage, then about 12' to the back wall, and through the Log Wall to the outside.
Plus I don't like to suck heat out of my house in the Winter when cooking.
The only thing is, everything above gets a greasy film on it, like her stupid Longaberger Baskets.

Bear
 
thought about venting it to the outside, but it would have had to go through the wall to the Garage, then about 12' to the back wall, and through the Log Wall to the outside.
We were in the same situation when we had our kitchen re-done. Lot of extra work and expense, but would have been nice.
 
Love the smell of smoked food, BUT not in the house. And in the winter when the house is opened up & the windows & doors are open, I have to be careful when I smoke something that the wind is blowing away from the house or we have to shut the whole house up to keep the smoke out.
Al
 
These remind me of the Chinese pressure cookers with inner chip crucibles that pop up now and then. This one is non-pressurized but the most intriguing thing is it's from a very well-known brand, Presto.
I'm no lawyer, but not only is indoor food smoking prohibited in most states, I think it's illegal to even sell these things. Hence, if you want one, better get one now. They seldom last on the market for more than 6 months. I'm assuming that's because mfgrs/distributors get "cease and desist" letters, but maybe it's just a free market saying no smoke inside.
If I'm off-base on my legal understanding of this, please correct me.
It's somewhat ironic this post appears as my state is covered in wildfire smoke. We battened down the hatches and ran our home AC non-stop for a while but with the cool nights have given up, opened up, and just live with a house that's as smoky as the patio when the smokers are going. And no, this is not the smoke flavor I'd have chosen. :-(
 
One Thanksgiving many years ago it was snowy and well below 0°. I had a brisket in my smoker and a few of us met at a bar for a holiday cocktail. A couple at the next table heard us talking about barbecue and told us they had just moved to Wyoming and were smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving in a brand new Little Chief electric smoker. I own one of these, and they are not really a winter smoker, especially on a cold day.

Anyway, these folks were getting pretty shined up on tequila shots and I mentioned that they should be keeping an eye on the turkey since it was so cold out. The wife said "We thought of that, so we set it up in the spare bedroom".
 
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One Thanksgiving many years ago it was snowy and well below 0°. I had a brisket in my smoker and a few of us met at a bar for a holiday cocktail. A couple at the next table heard us talking about barbecue and told us they had just moved to Wyoming and were smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving in a brand new Little Chief electric smoker. I own one of these, and they are not really a winter smoker, especially on a cold day.

Anyway, these folks were getting pretty shined up on tequila shots and I mentioned that they should be keeping an eye on the turkey since it was so cold out. The wife said "We thought of that, so we set it up in the spare bedroom".


LOL---Little Chief in the Bedroom???
Uh-Oh!!

Bear
 
The concept sounds good.
However, I tend to think the unit would be more along the lines of a steam smoker due to it being sealed. Thus producing lots of condensation which would inhibit bark formation.
I suppose if you want bark or crispiness, you would need to finish it under the broiler.
 
The concept sounds good.
However, I tend to think the unit would be more along the lines of a steam smoker due to it being sealed. Thus producing lots of condensation which would inhibit bark formation.
I suppose if you want bark or crispiness, you would need to finish it under the broiler.
The Presto will lift the lid before it reaches even the smallest fraction of a psig. But the Chinese smoker pressure cookers should be pretty good at driving in smoke flavoring, even if you live in Denver, and with minimal wood being consumed. You won't get a bark, but most conventional pressure cooker recipes recommend you sear the meat on the bare bottom of the cooker pot before you add the juicy stuff. If smoking, reverse sear (in a cast iron pan afterwards) would be the way to go.
 
The Presto will lift the lid before it reaches even the smallest fraction of a psig. But the Chinese smoker pressure cookers should be pretty good at driving in smoke flavoring, even if you live in Denver, and with minimal wood being consumed. You won't get a bark, but most conventional pressure cooker recipes recommend you sear the meat on the bare bottom of the cooker pot before you add the juicy stuff. If smoking, reverse sear (in a cast iron pan afterwards) would be the way to go.

I reckon that is why Presto built a relief valve into the lid. The condensation created during the smoking process probably creates a tiny bit of vacuum along the lid seal that would cause the lid to be difficult to remove for some people.

The Presto does seem like a good option for people in the situation where the use of other types of smokers is out of the question.
 
...The Presto does seem like a good option for people in the situation where the use of other types of smokers is out of the question.
For now, I agree. But every couple years, someone markets a true pressure-cooker smoker that lasts on the market maybe ~4 months. This Emson should do a lot better job of smoking meat without completely smoking your house than the Presto. But at $370 (ebay open box price, one available) it's about 6x the price it was on Amazon about a year ago.

Note the pics for the Emson show it's the real deal. Hot finger element extending in from the side with a stainless dish that straddles it for pellets or chips. (One of our Forum Brothers probably bought it and Mrs Forum Brother threatened divorce, so Forum Brother decided I'll save my marriage AND turn a tidy profit!)

I've been tempted to build one myself based on a stovetop model like this. But most hot fingers (e.g. pellet grill starters) I doubt could be configured to hold the ~12psig pressure. Hot water heater elements are sufficiently pressure-rated but they're rather big (and over-powered).
 
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Well heck, that Emson is still available at Wallyworld for $199. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Emson-Sm...0=125210738&wl11=online&wl12=20604793&veh=sem

It pays to shop around.

I've done a little more research on the Presto unit due to thinking it might be a viable cold smoker option for smoking cheese during my long hot summer months when the smoked cheese supply is running low.
NOPE!
The thing runs at 140 on cold smoke which is too hot for my preference.

I remember those stove top pressure cookers.
They made awesome Swiss Steak.
 
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Thx 2ndHandSmoker. Mrs. Forum Brother will just have to endure a bit longer. WallyWorld here I come!

Seriously, I didn't see any temperatures given (just times for various recipes) in the User Manual. 140F thermostat setpoint for cold smoke setting is good to know...did your source list a hot smoke setting as well?

Yes, it's a bit limiting these numbers aren't adjustable.

PS: I love the old pressure cookers. Can't beat 'em for fast and tasty potatoes...unless you like crisp skin.
 
:emoji_laughing: Poor ol' Forum Brother.

From what I've read from the mfgr's replys to questions on a website named after a jungle river, they state that the hot smoke setting alternates from 190 to 240 depending on the "combo" smoke setting...whatever that means?!

Yes, I agree that non adjustability on the temps is an issue.

As for those old stove top pressure cookers, they certainly are versatile.
Though, I never witnessed one redecorating the kitchen despite all the horror stories and urban legends.

You know, alot can be said for these new multi-function programable electric pressure cookers. My wife and I started out with on old Revere Meal in Minutes that eventually got tossed when the non-stick coating on the inner pot started flaking off.
We ended up with an Instant Pot with all stainless inner pots.
Yes, we bought two inner pots. It has performed pretty well over the years.
While you can't pressure can with it, it does make some darn good yogurt among other one pot meals.
Pressure wise, it tops out around 13 PSI on the high setting.
 
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