Bought a New Smoker Yesterday

[Iraqvet05]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

How did you attach the hi-heat seal around the doors Iraqvet05? I like the floor tile windbreak idea.

I smoked a poblano pepper meatloaf today...

The seal came with some adhesive but I took the advice of someone on a smoking forum and used hi heat RTV instead. I don't recall how much seal came in the package but it was enough to do the main door but not enough to do my water pan/burner door.

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by Larry G.

You guys use these 'smokers' on the road or just at your S & B's?

Looks like they take up alot of room for travel.

I take my WSM with me on some trips. Depends on where we are going, with who and how long... It transports pretty easily.

[txpete]

Nice smoker, my buddy had a masterbuilt. I think its about worn out. similar in design.
I was always impressed with it. Load up all of the (5)shelves with meats, fill up the water bowl, fill up the wood chip/chunks bowl turn it on and walk away. Maybe rotate the shelves, 5-6 hours later, everything is done.
Of course get the smoker, smoking then turn down the heat to, just above low mark and then 5-6hrs.

[DesertJayco]

Big Green Egg! This is an amazing smoker/griller/oven combo. I have had mine for 7 years and still use it twice a week or more. My first cook was a Pizza. Freakin delicious. I have baked bread and pies. You can grill or smoke your meat/pork/fish. Incredibly easy after a very short learning curve on how to control the temp. I cannot eat steaks in restaurants anymore. They are never cooked right. I sear my ribeyes at 700degress and in 9 minutes have a perfect 3/4 inch steak. I have had this Egg up to 1100+ degrees.
Problem...the are heavy and pricey. Komodo Joes starting making a similar product that cost a little bit less with some small improvements. I have the large model (they sell a holder that goes into your truck hitch for tailgating) which I think is too big to be moving around. I was going to get a smaller one (they have 6 or 7 sizes). But many campgrounds don't allow charcoal type grills (fire hazard). Last year I smoked a pork butt for 22 hours and 11minutes. The temp stayed the same throughout the cook and I never had to add charcoal! It was fantastic. Made two racks of baby backs last night! I am getting hungry just thinking about it.

[SmokerBill]

Yesterday I smoked a beef tri-tip roast for about 2.5 hours. It was delicious!

[bansai]

That looks awesome Bill. I'm thinking about smoking our Turkey this year for the first time. Have you done that before?

[txpete]

My Klose Smoker, custom built in Houston, TX.
Smoking Pork Ribs, Beef Brisket and Pork Butt all at the same time.
Now I have to figure out how to attach, fabricate a hitch to my 28DSBH strong enough to tow this too.
FYI, not me in the pic, I'm taking the photo.

[SmokerBill]

Originally Posted by bansai

That looks awesome Bill. I'm thinking about smoking our Turkey this year for the first time. Have you done that before?

Yes, I sure have. Lots of them. I've found that it's best to separate the turkey into leg quarters, the breast, and wings (use the back for turkey stock) before you put the turkey in the smoker. That way you can remove the breast from the smoker when it's done and let the legs and wings cook longer.

The problem of smoking a whole turkey is that the breast usually reaches done temperature before the legs, thighs and wings. Then you leave it in the smoker long enough for those parts to reach done temp, and the breast meat is overdone and dry.

Brining the turkey before smoking will help alleviate that problem, and improve flavor and texture, but I think it's best to smoke the parts separately and remove each when done perfectly.

Are you smoking one? I think I will, or at least a breast. Since I'm flying solo this winter down in AZ a whole turkey might be too much.

Smoked some bacon wrapped chicken thighs the other day. Turned out pretty good!

[bansai]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

Yes, I sure have. Lots of them. I've found that it's best to separate the turkey into leg quarters, the breast, and wings (use the back for turkey stock) before you put the turkey in the smoker. That way you can remove the breast from the smoker when it's done and let the legs and wings cook longer.

The problem of smoking a whole turkey is that the breast usually reaches done temperature before the legs, thighs and wings. Then you leave it in the smoker long enough for those parts to reach done temp, and the breast meat is overdone and dry.

Brining the turkey before smoking will help alleviate that problem, and improve flavor and texture, but I think it's best to smoke the parts separately and remove each when done perfectly.

Are you smoking one? I think I will, or at least a breast. Since I'm flying solo this winter down in AZ a whole turkey might be too much.

Smoked some bacon wrapped chicken thighs the other day. Turned out pretty good!

Yep, my wife is onboard with the idea now. We generally don't experiment that much with Thanksgiving dinner.. learned that from my dad when he tried to barbecue a turkey once when I was a kid and it came out looking like a 10 pound sack of coal.

One of my facebook buddies suggested this recipe - https://masterbuilt.com/recipe/dadgum-good-turkey-3/

He also suggested to brine the whole bird the night before with the recipe here - https://www.cooksillustrated.com/rec...-brined-turkey.

I like your idea of smoking the parts individually, that makes perfect sense. I took the whole week off this week, so I have time to figure it out still.

My experience is I never end up flying solo when I'm smoking something... it may be that way at 6am when I'm getting started, but by noon my parasitic neighbors (using that term as lovingly as possible) start encroaching rather quickly.

In any event, happy Thanksgiving in advance Bill, and everyone!

[SmokerBill]

Happy belated Thanksgiving Bansai,

How did your smoked turkey turn out? I ended up going down to Yuma and having Thanksgiving with my niece and her family, so I didn't smoke one. Yet.

[bansai]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

Happy belated Thanksgiving Bansai,



How did your smoked turkey turn out? I ended up going down to Yuma and having Thanksgiving with my niece and her family, so I didn't smoke one. Yet.

We chickened out, wife was concerned I'd make it too salty with the brine recipe and the turkey already had salt added. I'll try and get a better (smoker worthy) bird for Xmas.. had a great holiday on this end.


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[norty1]

Last time I brined my bird , before frying not smoking, it was very tender and moist and definitely not salty. My only disappointment was that I usually simmer the bones left over for broth and make a big pot of Turkey soup.

The brine made it inedible.

[Mdiwade]

We have smoked salame, jerky and turkeys since I was about 9yrs old. To begin with we had a little chief. That one got retired after one year. An old freezer worked well for several years until we converted a double door freezer and have been using that since the early 80's. We have done 36 full size tubes of salame or up to 9 turkeys. I think I did 20 lbs of salami and ran out od the wire shelves that were used in the freezer days. When we are in Arkansas I have a small smoker to keep us happy.

The new ones are nice, but in the end the aste is what counts.


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[bansai]

Originally Posted by Mdiwade

We have smoked salame, jerky and turkeys since I was about 9yrs old. To begin with we had a little chief. That one got retired after one year. An old freezer worked well for several years until we converted a double door freezer and have been using that since the early 80's. We have done 36 full size tubes of salame or up to 9 turkeys. I think I did 20 lbs of salami and ran out od the wire shelves that were used in the freezer days. When we are in Arkansas I have a small smoker to keep us happy.

The new ones are nice, but in the end the aste is what counts.


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9 Turkeys!?!?

I'm seriously out of my league, but I'd love to see some pics of your smoker.

[Mdiwade]

I will shoot some tomorrow. A cousin now does turkeys commercially, you walk in to his.

I really want to set up for cold smoking someday.


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[Mdiwade]

Ok, it is a bit late, but life as usual gets interesting. Here are a couple views of our large smoker.

Front view


This is half just to show the hooks and inside.


The right side with the double doors are adjusted to control smoke and heat as needed along with the propane burner below.


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