Question about propane and using a regulator

[jester805]

Hi Guys,
I am new so please don't flame me for asking. :)
I have a 30 inch propane Masterbuilt smoker that is several years old. I don't use it very often, but it performs Ok for me when I do use it.

I started thinking about getting a new/bigger smoker. I've been reading a lot about the differences between electric & propane. I also see where several people (including myself) have the problem of turning down the dial on the smoker low enough to achieve the ~250 degree range; almost to the point of being blown out by a slight wind. I thought about buying a regulator with the needle valve. Do I also need to put screws in roughly half of the holes in my burner? If I regulate/slow the flow of the fuel, and I am then able to turn the dial up a little higher on my smoker, won't my flame still be really low?

Without actually seeing it in action, I am trying to grasp the idea of using the regulator to achieve the ~225 degree range (with propane) without worrying about the fire being blown out.

Is an electric smoker the better route for a novice like myself? Other than cooking a turkey, I don't know when I would actually want the temp higher than ~250.

To me it seems odd that (generally speaking) electric smokers peak around ~250 or so while propane smokers run ~250 at the minimum. Is there a smoker (or better fuel source) that would run consistently in the ~200 to ~400 degree range)?

Hope that all makes sense. Thanks in advance.

 

[Winterrider]

Needle valve may help. My King Kooker propane i could turn down to about 180 for jerky, it just wouldn't smoke the chips at that temp. That was before I had tubes and tray. Haven't used it since the MES 40. Kooker had no insulation at all either, tough in cold weather to regulate.

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

I started with a propane smoker and I found that the needle valve was a decent improvement. Over time I found that I really had no use for smoking anything under 250. I usually cook at 275 or hotter.

 

[mosparky]

If you plan on getting another propane unit, pay attention to the burner design. Some do not lend themselves well to easily blocking holes. If you block holes (you decide how many) you will be able to run a taller flame for the same or lower temp. That in turn will make it less susceptible to blow outs. A needle valve will help as well, but the part that makes it shine is it will give you finer control on flame size.

 

[indaswamp]

I started with a propane smoker and I found that the needle valve was a decent improvement. Over time I found that I really had no use for smoking anything under 250. I usually cook at 275 or hotter.

If you start down the road of making sausage or bacon it is desirable to be able to control the smokehouse temperature down to 90*F up to 180*F with very fine precision. I can hold my smokehouse +-3 degrees at any temperature and still get great smoke unless the wind is blowing, then the temp swing runs +- 5 or 6 degrees.

 

[jester805]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I really appreciate all of the advice!