Thinking about a new smoker.. Suggestions?

[nyles]

I have had a char-broil Silver smoker now for about a year, its been modded with all the regular stuff including a custom built shroud between the fire box and cooking area, tuning plates and lowering the output stack and new grate for fire box. I typically burn Cherry wood in it whole or use lump and primarily smoke Ribs, brisket and ABT's, sometimes turkey, ham, and a few other things in it. I am planning on smoking 18 racks next weekend for an event, so sometimes I do a lot and sometimes just 2-3 racks (will smoke in here a few hours then put in a commercial alto-shaam cook and hold)

I have been eyeballing something to REDUCE my time near the smoker. I really enjoy the one I have but sometimes it would be nice to throw in a brisket and only tend to it once an hour, or throw in some ribs and set it and not worry for 4 hours at a time. I would be wiling to spend about $400 and am thinking a MES may be the way to go and add wood chips to it???

Any sound advice would be appreciated.

 

[chisoxjim]

wsm, imho.

test drove one for a month and a half this past summer, and am getting my own for x-mas in December. Not huge capacity, but pretty much set it and forget it. Plus they turn out great bbq.

 

[rickw]

You could build a UDS for a fraction of that price. It is as much a set and forget as charcoal can be. I've done 14 hour briskets with no more than a shake of the drum.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

I don't really have an answer for you,but if you are thinking of going from wood smoke to some Hybrid heat source, I feel you will be sorely dissapointed!!!
Talk to some of the members that have the smaller woodburners and then the Elec./Gas group in relation to "FLAVOR". ie-do they add artificial smoke,chips or pellets(which you know have fillers in them-yuk!) or Lump(which is certainly better than the others and for God's sake you don't use charcoal------eeeeeuuuuuuuu

).
My point is...IMHO...if you've used wood before,you won't get the results you want!
Again, that's just MY BIASED OPINION!!! Because................................



STICK BURNERS RULE!

 

[nyles]

Understandable, but I plan to keep the Silver for most my cooking, may even smoke in the silver to start the meat and get the bark for first 3 hours then put in the MES after for the last 8 hours of a large brisket. That's the idea anyhow.

 

[bbq engineer]

Or you could save your money and just use your oven...same principle!

 

[beerthirty]

If you want to look at something that uses lump or charcoal you might look at Weber Smokey Mountain. All the reviews are really good and they seem to hold temp well even in the colder weather. And the 22" one sells for right around $400 or a little less on ebay.

 

[chainsaw]

After much tribulation, my MES has been doing well.
One of the critical items I have noticed in the last 6 months here is temperature. On an electric smoker. it is easy to maintain a constant temp. While charcoal is stronger and more smokey, electric temp is more consistent.

I wish I could have afforded a Cookshack instead of an MES-but my MES has been doing well. Bear in mind Cookshack is x3 an MES-$$$. But very robust.

If you go charcoal you will be a slave to the grill, always adding charcoal and wood, and monitoring temps.

So set your day aside to smoke, if you choose charcoal. It's all good friend!

 

[fishawn]

I went for the ease of use in the MES. Other than fixing a wiring problem, it has been perfect and going on 2 years now.I would buy another one for the ease, but like the flavor of charcoal a lot!

 

[ronp]

The ease of the MES is what I like about it. Very cheap to operate, i can use chips, chunks, and even lump. Get rave rewiews on the finished products. What else do you need?


Example of a pulled butt. Prep meat. Get foil pan, add 3 cups beef broth, sliced onion. Start smoker, add meat, water pan. Add your wood, you can only fill with so much.

Sit back, relax, do some work, etc.

Every hour or when you can't smell any smoke add more wood. After 6 hours or 165' put in drip pan and cover with foil. Set smoker to 185' or 190' and go to bed.

Next AM open door and unwrap, it will fall apart on it's own with the help of a fork. Put aujus in freezer until the fat rises skim and add back to meat.

Pretty easy? Yes it is.

MES is my vote.

 

[cman95]

Order you a propane Big Block GOSM from Bass Pro Shop. I rarely use my offset anymore.

 

[formerlyfatguy]

I've owned MES. Bradley, Komodo and Cookshack smokers.
If you can afford the extra money, I'd go for a Cookshack.
Head and tails over any other electric I've seen.

 

[mballi3011]

I now have 2 gassers and a charcoal smokers for now. I like the gasser because it is just about set it and forget it but I cann't leave them alone much more then a hour or so. I like to stay on top of mine with it sitting on a wood deck and don't want to burn it down. As far as he bandera charcoal smoker I haven't used it to much but I will because I have heard that a flavor that it gets from the charcoal is suppose to be great so I'm looking forward to it.

 

[beer-b-q]

If you go electric I would go for the MES 40".

I would not recommend the Bradley Line of Smokers...