[PeteG]

I’ve smoked meats in different grills and semi-smokers (brinkman) but never a true smoker until now.
The best luck I’ve had with charcoal and gas grills was to have one side set at the lowest heat
setting and put the meat on the other side, get a big sheet of aluminum foil put some wet hickory chips
in it and wrap it up in a ball poke some holes in it and put it on the heat side of the grill, 4 or so hours later you got some good smoked meat.

But now since I picked up a Masterbuilt smoker I have great smoked meat with unbelievable taste
and very moist, some of the best ribs I have ever eaten. 


Masterbuilt Link

[Rob Babcock]

Looks real good.  Does it use compressed wood pellets or something else?

[PhilNYC]

Here's mine:




http://www.weber.com/grills/?glid=8&mid=27

  Charcoal smoker

  2 heavy-duty, plated-steel, cooking grates
 
  Two 18.5 inch diameter cooking areas
 
  Premium grade cover 

  Porcelain-enameled bowl, lid, and waterpan
 
  No-rust aluminum vent
 
  No-rust aluminum fuel door
 
  1 Glass-reinforced nylon handle

  Height: 41 inches
 
  Width R-L: 19 inches
 
  Depth: 19 inches
 

[PeteG]

Looks real good.  Does it use compressed wood pellets or something else?

It just uses regular wood chips that you insert from the side without opening the sealed door.
I was going to get a Bradley smoker that uses wood bisquettes. But they run $21 a box, so it comes out to $10 every time you use it. I can get a big bag of hickory, apple and mesquite for $4.35ea and it will last 5 or 6 times.  Plus with the side wood chip loader you control how much smoke you want, I do a 3-2-1 method, 3hrs of smoke -2hrs wrapped -1hr unwrapped with low heat (200* F). 

[Bigfish]

I have an extra tall Grill Dome Smoker.  Check them out here:  http://www.grilldome.com/  I have smoked/grilled numerous types of meat.  It burns lump charcoal and will hold 225 F for 30 hours on one filling of charcoal.  This is the best grill/smoker I have ever owned!

Ken

[some young guy]

Here's what I use:



The side box is great. I can cold smoke by only having a small fire on the side and channeling the smoke into the larger section via the vent, or I can easily control warmer temps by having a coal bed in the large section and using the vents.

The side box is also handy for extra stuff like that chicken you can't quite fit on the grill with a ll the ribs.

[some young guy]

I have a friend with one of these and they are incredible:

http://www.kamado.com/

I have a no name (large) egg shape that is similar, but much more modest in every way.

Wow, I don't know how well they work, but they sure do look nice!

[mgalusha]

Here's what I use:

My wife brought home of these last week and said happy fathers day. A bit early but she wanted to use a discount coupon. It's replacing a Brinkman that looks like capsule.

[PhilNYC]

I am certainly jealous of all you guys with the ceramic vertical smokers...!

Am curious about the horizontal barrel/offset smokers...I've heard that the main difference between models is in the venting options that allow you to control the airflow, and that the cheaper models (eg. brinkman) don't have enough vents...leading to uneven temperature inside the barrel (ie. hotter near the coal-box, cooler near the top vent).  What models do you guys have, and do you find any problems controlling the uniformity of the heat?

[some young guy]

I am certainly jealous of all you guys with the ceramic vertical smokers...!

Am curious about the horizontal barrel/offset smokers...I've heard that the main difference between models is in the venting options that allow you to control the airflow, and that the cheaper models (eg. brinkman) don't have enough vents...leading to uneven temperature inside the barrel (ie. hotter near the coal-box, cooler near the top vent).  What models do you guys have, and do you find any problems controlling the uniformity of the heat?

I have the Char Griller Pro. The heat is very even, unless of coarse you have a fire going on one side of the main compartment.  But even then, it's fine with indirect heating. I haven't had any issues with it aside from the way the rotisserie mounts. It doesn't allow you to oper the door to the side box without removing one of the mounting brackets.

[MarkR7]

Hey, I've got one of these genuine Kamados (have owned it for 12+ years).  It's not as pretty as this one since mine is sans mosiac tiles (I have the plain terre cotta finish).  It is the most versatile grill I've ever used.  No problems with smoking a couple of 6 lb. pork butts or briskets for 16 to 18 hours at 225 degrees on one good load of lump.  And no problem with searing and dwelling some nice thick porterhouse steaks at close to 1000 degrees!   And of course everything in between is fair game.  The thing has been outside in the Chicago elements all this time, and it has held up extremely well.  I just need to get a new firebox before mine falls apart (another year?).

I have a friend with one of these and they are incredible:

http://www.kamado.com/

I have a no name (large) egg shape that is similar, but much more modest in every way.

Wow, I don't know how well they work, but they sure do look nice!

[Bigfish]

I am certainly jealous of all you guys with the ceramic vertical smokers...!

Am curious about the horizontal barrel/offset smokers...I've heard that the main difference between models is in the venting options that allow you to control the airflow, and that the cheaper models (eg. brinkman) don't have enough vents...leading to uneven temperature inside the barrel (ie. hotter near the coal-box, cooler near the top vent).  What models do you guys have, and do you find any problems controlling the uniformity of the heat?

Phil:

Once you ever take the plunge for a ceramic vertical smoker you will wish you had not waited.  With my grill dome extra tall I can hang a grate below the main grate and can install a third grate over the main grate.  On the lower grate I use fire brick when I want to slow cook a butt, turkey or somthing.  On the main grate I can load with fook and do the same on the top grate.  When the food is placed on the grates of the coarse the fire is just smoldering to generate a temperature of 200 to 225 F.  I shut the dome and then adjust the top vent and bottom vent until the temperature stays where I want it.  It usually takes me about an hour to finally get the vents adjusted prefectly and then the temperature will hold for believe it or not for 20 to 24 hours without touching it.  I use a remote therometer to monitor the inside grill tempt and the meat tempt.  You can buy a draft control unit (fan and thermostat controlled) but I don't need one with my grill.  Slow cooked food comes out moist and delicious. 

Both the Big Green Egg and Grill Dome Websites have user forums.  If you visit you will quickly verify that people really love these grills!

Ken

[Christof]

I'm using a Brinkmann Cimarron Deluxe pit these days, it's thicker 1/4" steel than the less expensive Lowes/HD/Menards standard horizontal smokers, which IMO are quite frustrating.  The added mass makes quite a difference in the pit's ability to hold heat.  Here is a good review of a few different smokers, the Cimarron is about half way down the page. 

Could always DIY 

[PhilNYC]

Phil:

Once you ever take the plunge for a ceramic vertical smoker you will wish you had not waited.  With my grill dome extra tall I can hang a grate below the main grate and can install a third grate over the main grate.  On the lower grate I use fire brick when I want to slow cook a butt, turkey or somthing.  On the main grate I can load with fook and do the same on the top grate.  When the food is placed on the grates of the coarse the fire is just smoldering to generate a temperature of 200 to 225 F.  I shut the dome and then adjust the top vent and bottom vent until the temperature stays where I want it.  It usually takes me about an hour to finally get the vents adjusted prefectly and then the temperature will hold for believe it or not for 20 to 24 hours without touching it.  I use a remote therometer to monitor the inside grill tempt and the meat tempt.  You can buy a draft control unit (fan and thermostat controlled) but I don't need one with my grill.  Slow cooked food comes out moist and delicious. 

Both the Big Green Egg and Grill Dome Websites have user forums.  If you visit you will quickly verify that people really love these grills!

Ken

Yeah, I know...I've been eyeing the Big Green Egg and others for quite a while, mostly impressed by their heat efficiency and control.  But I will say that there is something endearing about my low-tech Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker.  It's got two grate levels for cooking more stuff, and the water bowl is a great contributor for both flavor and moisture.  The main problem I have with it is having to adjust things depending on the weather...I use it year-round, and I definitely find significant differences in temperature management and cook-time depending on if it's 32 degree and dry outside versus 96 degrees and humid.  My understanding is that this is less of an issue with the ceramic smokers...

[Anglo]

Here's what I use:



The side box is great. I can cold smoke by only having a small fire on the side and channeling the smoke into the larger section via the vent, or I can easily control warmer temps by having a coal bed in the large section and using the vents.

The side box is also handy for extra stuff like that chicken you can't quite fit on the grill with a ll the ribs.

Hi

I have this very same smoker.  I also want to cold smoke but I am not following you when you say you can cold smoke on this particular smoker.  I thought I had a very good imagination, but looks like I don't LOL!!

Can you explain precisely how you cold smoke with this smoker?

Many thanks in advance!

Steve

[some young guy]

Hi

I have this very same smoker.  I also want to cold smoke but I am not following you when you say you can cold smoke on this particular smoker.  I thought I had a very good imagination, but looks like I don't LOL!!

Can you explain precisely how you cold smoke with this smoker?

Many thanks in advance!

Steve

I get a small coal bed going in the small compartment. I put a large pan of ice on the bottom of the large compartment, then replace the grates. I put the wood chips of choice on the fire, let them burn a bit and close it up. Then just put your protein in the large compartment, close the lid and you're cold smoking. It actually works very well. I had designed a set-up with a smokey jo that used tubing to plumb the smoke into a small refrigerator that had a vent on top. This has proven to be less delicate, but much easier.

[sts9fan]

I too have been eying a XL green egg but I am not sure it is big enough.  I currently use a plain ole 24" webber which I love but would like more space to get the whole meal out at once with larger parties.  The XL is 24" so its a step up in function but no more square inches. 

[some young guy]

I too have been eying a XL green egg but I am not sure it is big enough.  I currently use a plain ole 24" webber which I love but would like more space to get the whole meal out at once with larger parties.  The XL is 24" so its a step up in function but no more square inches. 

Sounds like you need one of these... http://vidaliagrill.com/model1396.shtml#

[sts9fan]

Damn straight I do! $3.5k not bad!  

[Anglo]

Hi

I have this very same smoker.  I also want to cold smoke but I am not following you when you say you can cold smoke on this particular smoker.  I thought I had a very good imagination, but looks like I don't LOL!!

Can you explain precisely how you cold smoke with this smoker?

Many thanks in advance!

Steve

I get a small coal bed going in the small compartment. I put a large pan of ice on the bottom of the large compartment, then replace the grates. I put the wood chips of choice on the fire, let them burn a bit and close it up. Then just put your protein in the large compartment, close the lid and you're cold smoking. It actually works very well. I had designed a set-up with a smokey jo that used tubing to plumb the smoke into a small refrigerator that had a vent on top. This has proven to be less delicate, but much easier.

Thanks!

O.K., but doesn't the fire melt the ice incredibly fast or am I missing the most obvious here?