Smokers?

[Becka03]

Hubby wants a smoker for Christmas- I am thinking this could be a potential great prep item LOL- anyone have one or any opinions?

[rags57078]

I have 2 cheap brinkman's ,, love them , in fact I made the turkey yesterday on one . I get most of my smoking wood free , apple tree trimmings , pear , mulberry, I buy hickory and mesquite when its clearanced at walmart

[Ohio dreamer]

We made one out of a trash can. Makes a great turkey as well as other things. Our is electric...so no help as a prep if there is no electricity.

[elkhound]

i had the old orginal round brinkman and it worked great and for many years.....the new square model they have doesnt work as good.the forebox on it need mcuh more air.there are modifications for it on youtube that people are doing.the main difference in the two were round one had a open end at ground were the square one is clsoed off.i think i am going to cutt he bottom out of it real soon and pop a few holes in fire pan so it will have a better draft to it.

my best results came from the little chief electric smoker..hope this helps.

link for ya...

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Smoke...h-All+Products

a few different ones

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/searc...h-All+Products

[||Downhome||]

the prep is the knowledge. anything that will hold abit of heat and smoke will work as a smoker!

[Bearfootfarm]

cheap brinkman's ,, love them , in fact I made the turkey yesterday on one

I like mine too, and did a duck on it yesterday using Pecan wood that Hurricane Irene so kindly left in the yard

Mines about 25 years old and all I've had to replace is the water pan due to a leak

[Texasdirtdigger]

I have an OLD Brinkman, smokes great....but, I worry about fire from ash and embers dropping from the ash pan.

I have been looking at the big Green Egg types.....I just haven't justified the costs.......yet!

[tinknal]

Just remember that if you plan on using smoke for preserving meat that it must be cold smoke. Most commercially made smokers are hot smokers.

[LonelyNorthwind]

My smoker is running from the first salmon in spring to the last deer hide in winter. You don't need to spend any money on one if you have a permanent spot to keep one. A little scrap plywood and discarded oven racks to hold or hang the product will do the job.

Here's mine

[Texasdirtdigger]

WOW GC! I love to build one of those! More pictures?? Please.

[Bearfootfarm]

My Grandparents had a "smokehouse" that was just a 5 X 20 enclosed spece between a garage and a workshop.

It had a dirt floor, and hooks in the ceiling joists to hang hams and sausages

They'd build a small fire right on the floor or in a large washtub and control the temps by propping the door open

ANYTHING that will contain smoke can be used as a smoker

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

ANYTHING that will contain smoke can be used as a smoker

I once had one made of my ex wife's van. I hooked an old woodstove up to it. I could cold smoke all the hams and bacons from 3 hogs at once.

[LonelyNorthwind]

Originally Posted by Texasdirtdigger

WOW GC! I love to build one of those! More pictures?? Please.

Somewhere I have a picture with the door open full to the hilt of salmon, Texas, but danged if I can find it now. Here's some of the finished product tho.

I remember seeing an episode of Good Eats where he'd made a smoker/cooker with a cardboard box and a hotplate.

[Allen W]

Have an old upright freezer I am seriously thinking about making into a smoker.

[jwal10]

I have 2, an old refrigerator and a 4'x6' shed with the covered firepit outside and clay tile underground delivers the smoke to the shed. It was my grandpas and I dug up the tile. Moved it 60 miles and then twice since. It is lined with galv sheet metal, sides and floor. I can hang 8 hams, bacon sides and/or shoulders at one time, 15 racoons/ducks or 8 turkeys/geese. Ever dry smoked 200 lbs of smelt at once....James

[Bearfootfarm]

Larger containers are what work best to "cold smoke" for preservation, and the smaller ones work well for "hot smoking" for immediate consumption.

It takes a LOT of fuel to keep the bigger ones hot enough for just a small amount of food

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Larger containers are what work best to "cold smoke" for preservation, and the smaller ones work well for "hot smoking" for immediate consumption.

It takes a LOT of fuel to keep the bigger ones hot enough for just a small amount of food

Yep. That's why the van worked so good for cold smoking. I would just hang the smoked meat in the porch and hack off whatever I needed.

[Bearfootfarm]

I would just hang the smoked meat in the porch and hack off whatever I needed

One of my best childhood memories is going out to the smokehouse with a hacksaw to cut off a big hunk of home cured country ham

[Welshmom]

I have several smokers. My favorite by far is the Weber Smoky Mountain. Got it off Drugstore dot com for about 200 bucks a couple years ago. I use it almost weekly.

[Becka03]

Thank you for all the input everyone- this thread has an amazing amount of info on it- I think we are going to get the Charcoal Brinkman- the cheaper one- till we get used to it- I talked him out of the electric one and and the propane one- I said I like the smoke idea cause of SEP and electric and propane defeat those ideas LOL... He agreed and now he is reading nonstop about recipes and all the stuff on the web he can find- I am glad he is excited about it!