Colonel Panic wrote:Hey Tim,
For some time now, I've been considering getting a barbecue smoker and I've heard through "certain channels" that you're a good person to ask for advice on this.
Basically, I want to be able to do small to medium pieces of meat: spare ribs, brisket, maybe chicken or fish. I'd also like to be able to make jerky and even smoke grains for use in making beer (have you ever tried a rauchbier? it's a German smoked beer. It's delicious with ham or grilled meats).
What kind of device should I get? I'm looking to go as inexpensive as possible, yet be able to get good results. Is that 55-gallon drum -type of smoker a good option, or are there better or less expensive options?
I'd like to find one that can serve double-duty as a regular grill, if possible.
Hi, Colonel.
Ribs, I have made on a Weber many times, and they were real good. It's not hard, just more labor-intensive than if you have a dedicated smoker. Webers are leaky and have poor heat retention compared to a real smoker.
I wouldn't try to make brisket or lox or jerky on a Weber. Too hard to control the heat for that long. Ribs are bad enough (6-7hrs--brisket is, like, overnight).
I've never used the 'bullet' shaped smokers or drum ones.
I have a Big Green Egg. It was not cheap, but it's awesome. It'll cook anything over coals between 150 and 800 degrees. Once you get used to setting them, they will retain a given heat level for a very long time, and they are very efficient. No restoking the coals etc.
Because it is efficient and stable, you don't need to fiddle with it so much, and it's a much more useful year-round device. I cook with mine through the winter with no frozen-off balls or anything.
I doubt you want to spend that much.
My gut reaction is that you'll need at least a bullet smoker to be happy. Maybe a drum. You'd be thrilled with a Big Green Egg, but you have to be able to afford meat as well. Search the Web--there are one or two mentions of barbecuing out there.