[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.

Thanks!

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

No, it doesn't get that hot in the larger compartment. Besides, you shouldn't need to smoke all that long for things that get cold smoked. Somewhere around here, I have some pix of an Enviropac smoker that I used to work with. Now that was a real smoker. You could walk in to it. It had an external burner that pumped smoke into the main unit. It had a wet-bulb... the thing was completely controllable, but it also cost about $42k. This set-up with the grill works well enough for me now.

[some young guy]

Damn straight I do! $3.5k not bad!  

Oh sorry, were you saving that dough for a new power cable? 

[Philistine]

I checked out Kamado and stumbled across this:

http://www.kamadofraudforum.org/

Googling Kamado generates more than enough negative stuff to make me nervous.

[Jibara]

this is one i use.http://store.cookshack.com/p-126-fast-eddys-by-cookshack-fec100.aspx

[nrenter]

For those who want to dabble without dropping a lot of coin:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=63366&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Sure it takes a bit of attention and is difficult to maintain an even / consistant temperature, but for less than $40, you can't beat it with a stick.

Well...actually you can beat it with a stick. Try that with your mega-buck smokers. 

[samplesj]

I checked out Kamado and stumbled across this:

http://www.kamadofraudforum.org/

Googling Kamado generates more than enough negative stuff to make me nervous.

Its been like that forever.  I "tried" to order a kamado a couple of years back in their "last big sale before dealers".  After six months of no contact (even when I tried to contact them) I finally said forget it and canceled the order.  Luckily for me I never even got charged for the first half (just didn't put in my order vs their normal slowness).

I've got a GrillDome now and love it.  The Kamados look so much nicer in pictures, but at the end of the day its just a grill (not a work of art).  Both my wife and my nearby sister (and they are two of the penny pinchingest people I know) say this was easily the best oddball purchase I've ever made.

[BobM]

Home Depot sells these on the less expensive side - are they any good?

Orion Stainless Steel Cooker ($139)
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100402905

Brinkman Square Smoker ($59)
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100606045

Lowes carries these - same question

another Brinkman, but different style ($49)
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=95542-000000447-852-7080-E&lpage=none

Bob

[nullspace]

Home Depot sells these on the less expensive side - are they any good?

Lowes carries these - same question

another Brinkman, but different style ($49)
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=95542-000000447-852-7080-E&lpage=none

Bob

Hi Bob --

I have that smoker. It's a nice introduction to smoking, but grew out of it quite quickly. I managed to do several pretty nice boston butts, but it's definitely high maintenance. It's not particularly well-made, but it's not a piece of junk either -- mine has turned out to be the perfect tool for grill-roasting chicken thighs, so for that reason I'll probably hang onto it until it turns to rust.

Regards,
John

[PhilNYC]

Home Depot sells these on the less expensive side - are they any good?

Orion Stainless Steel Cooker ($139)
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100402905

I recently saw another product on Food Network that seems to be of similar concept:

http://www.lacajachina.com/category_s/1.htm

Have been very curious about it...it seems like you could achieve the same thing with an electric unit of some kind without the hassle of lighting and cleaning charcoal, since the heat is all indirect...

[ecramer]

Home Depot sells these on the less expensive side - are they any good?

Orion Stainless Steel Cooker ($139)
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100402905

Brinkman Square Smoker ($59)
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100606045

Lowes carries these - same question

another Brinkman, but different style ($49)
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=95542-000000447-852-7080-E&lpage=none

Bob

I built something similar to the orion using  a cut off 55 gallon barrel and a 35gal barrel welded in the center picture a top hat it works very well

this also works very well

[Eric]

I have an Oklahoma Joe's Longohorn with some modifications. I am looking to add a BGE

[Papajin]

It's a shame about the problems with the Kamado's because after enjoying my knockoff egg for a few years I'd like to step up to what he has, but after reading the fraud forum I don't think I can pull the trigger.

Looks like I'll have to live with mine for a few more years until somebody else makes a Kamado as nice as the Johnsons, but is trustworthy.

Seemed like a few people on that fraud forum were recommending Komodo Kamado instead...  There's quite a few cermic grill manufacturers out there now as well.  Just do a few quick searches.

[Eric]

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. 

Get the Kamado, it has 3 shelves if you need them and a #7 or #9 is Realy Really large...

The BGE does not come with three shelves, but there is a kit available that gives it that capability

[Andrikos]

Here's what I use:

That's what I have too.
Love it!
Cheap too!

[PeteG]

Had a very nice get together with some smoked ribs, brisket and chicken.
Next week I will try a big boston pork butt for some smoked pulled pork sandwiches.

[Eric]

Looks wonderful. What did you use for Rubs and wood?

[PeteG]

Looks wonderful. What did you use for Rubs and wood?

I mix all ingredients together and rub into meat, put it in a big ziplock and refrigerate overnight. Smoked with hickory wood.
Hopefully my boston butt will turn out just as good.


2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoons kosher salt 
half cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

[Brown]

looking good sir. That boston butt will be great. Give it a good rubadub. work it in real well and let in stand in the Frig. for at least 24 hours. Enjoy.

[PhilNYC]

PeteG...how long did you smoke for, and what kind of wood?

[PeteG]

PeteG...how long did you smoke for, and what kind of wood?

Most of the time I use hickory chips but for beef brisket I use mesquite.
First thing is I always marinade the meat (dry rub) over night.

Large brisket 200-220 degrees / 12-14 hrs

Ribs (pork or beef) 190-220 degrees / 5-6 hrs

Boston butt 210-225 degrees / 14 hrs

The cooking time just depends on how much the meat weights.