What's in your smoker?

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

That is good info Brent. In comps we use two smokers... my Spicewine and my partners FEC 100 which is a pellet cooker. On either one we set them up to provide the flavoring smoke for just about the times you indicate. For brisket we go about 4 hours because too much mesquite can be a turn off.

I had no idea the pucks were that cheap. That is about what a cook with pellets costs as well.

What I forgot to mention is that the Bradley burns a puck every 20 minutes. Thats how I came up with the #'s

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by T.G

Good info Brent, thanks. I didn't realize your new smoker was a Bradley, kind of convenient for this thread right now.

Looks like they have most of the major ones except peach: Apple, Alder, Cherry, Maple, Mesquite, Oak, Hickory, Pecan, Special Blend.

I like working with plum, peach, almond and other uncommon/unconventional woods. Being locked into their woods would be the hang up for me, but probably not for too many other people. Let's face it, a very large percentage of the woods used in all smokers are offered on that list already.

I have had it for a year now and I smoke just about every other weekend or at least ever 3rd weekend.
I am doing (2) Bone in Pork Shoulders friday night

There is a way to burn other types of "fine chipped" wood chips, like the Lure Jensen Big Cheif chips. You can use a small round cookie cutter, cover 1 side w/ foil. So now you have pretty much a small, puck shaped bowl. Fill it with your favorite, finely chipped wood. You can substitute 2 of these for your first 2 pucks, inside on the convayer slide. After those 2 you will be using the regular Bradley Bisquetes.

[T.G]

Cool. Neat idea.

[GolfNut]

Of course, I never remember to take pics, but I did some nice beef brisket pastrami last week, and a turkey yesterday.

Really liking the big shed the smoker is in during these cold winter months!

[Chainsaw13]

I've got a Bradley smoker as well. I like it for the fact that I don't have to tend to it as much as I did my old side firebox pit. I built a temp controller for it so I can set the desired temp and it'll maintain it with little fluctuation. I"m going to "fire" it up this weekend to do a couple pork butts for some pulled pork. Like Mr. B said, the pucks aren't expensive if you buy the larger count boxes. Plus Amazon will usually run a 4 for 3 special so you can save more there.

One idea I wanted to try was making some foil packs filled with the wood saw dust and put them on the heating element. This would allow me to try other types of woods.

Tupacboy, check out http://forum.bradleysmoker.co.uk/ for a good forum on the Bradley. Lots of recipes and advice on how to use them.

Here's a pic of some bacon I made in the Bradley. That was a small batch. I'll usually do 25lbs at a time now.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

Here's a pic of some bacon I made in the Bradley. That was a small batch. I'll usually do 25lbs at a time now.

You. Are. A. God.

[Chainsaw13]

Thanks Adam. I try. All my friends like it, especially since I give it away. Their kids always ask for "Bob's Bacon". Got my cure recipe down nicely. Nothing fancy, just some salt, sugar and dextrose, then smoke for 2.5 hours. Next time I'm going to try a double smoked bacon.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

Thanks Adam. I try. All my friends like it, especially since I give it away. Their kids always ask for "Bob's Bacon". Got my cure recipe down nicely. Nothing fancy, just some salt, sugar and dextrose, then smoke for 2.5 hours. Next time I'm going to try a double smoked bacon.

Good homemade bacon is one of those things that I want to do, intend to do, but simply haven't done. I don't know why, but I haven't.

[Mr B]

Another great thing about the Bradley smoker is the ability to truly Cold Smoke. The Smoke Generator can be run without the Heating element in the cabinet.
I actually connect my Smoke Generator to a 24x24x24 box. The box is connected to the Main cabinet by 4 feet of Dryer Duct tubing. I can run smoke for hours and never increase the temp in the cabinet.
Every month I smoke a couple of pounds of cheese. It turns out great. I love making my own smoked paprika also.
I will try to post pics of my Cold Smoke adaptor later.

[Mr B]

I put a rub down on (2) 7.5 lb Pork Shoulders last night. They on going on the smoker after work tonight for an all-nighter.
Pics to come later.

[Chainsaw13]

I'm picking up a pork butt or two tomorrow at the market to make for Sunday. Been a while since I fired up the Bradley. Mr. B, do you do any injection or just simply a rub?

I've seen the pics of the cold smoker box. I need to make one. Tried cold smoking some cured salmon with the smoke generator still attached. Couldn't get the temp to stay below 80F even with adding ice to the water bowl.

[BigAsh]

Too bleeping cold round here to smoke....cigars or meat!

[LostAbbott]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

Thanks Adam. I try. All my friends like it, especially since I give it away. Their kids always ask for "Bob's Bacon". Got my cure recipe down nicely. Nothing fancy, just some salt, sugar and dextrose, then smoke for 2.5 hours. Next time I'm going to try a double smoked bacon.

Wow only 2.5 hrs? I smoke my bacon for at least 6. I however cold smoke it, In a side box BBQ. How much do you pay for your pork belly? I can only find it around here for about $4/lb. Last time I did a 7day molasses brine and it turned out candied meat, the sugar content is so high you can only cook it in the oven lest you burn it.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

I'm picking up a pork butt or two tomorrow at the market to make for Sunday. Been a while since I fired up the Bradley. Mr. B, do you do any injection or just simply a rub?

I've seen the pics of the cold smoker box. I need to make one. Tried cold smoking some cured salmon with the smoke generator still attached. Couldn't get the temp to stay below 80F even with adding ice to the water bowl.

No injections, just the rub. However I let the rub sit on the meat for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 24 hours. I try to use very little salt in my rubs as to not extract so much moisture, since I leave the rubs on so long.

[OLS]

On that duration of smoke thought, I am with the pro cookers, being a hard-core amateur meself. But when I do ribs,
I only create actual smoke for the first run of coals, unless it burns up too fast, then I will go two rounds. But I only
like to have smoke on the meat for about two hours. After that it is just regular low and slow. It does not really
inhibit the smoke ring, IME, because there is a point in time where smoke just stops creating the ring. It's just
gunking up the outside of the meat. For me that's about two hours. But if you cook on a good low temp, you
can still get near complete penetration with 2 hours of smoke. But again, I am absolutely no expert, just an avid
learner. I am jonesin for some smoke time this weekend.

[mosesbotbol]

Have to dig the WSM out of 12" snow for tomorrow.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by OLS

On that duration of smoke thought, I am with the pro cookers, being a hard-core amateur meself. But when I do ribs,
I only create actual smoke for the first run of coals, unless it burns up too fast, then I will go two rounds. But I only
like to have smoke on the meat for about two hours. After that it is just regular low and slow. It does not really
inhibit the smoke ring, IME, because there is a point in time where smoke just stops creating the ring. It's just
gunking up the outside of the meat. For me that's about two hours. But if you cook on a good low temp, you
can still get near complete penetration with 2 hours of smoke. But again, I am absolutely no expert, just an avid
learner. I am jonesin for some smoke time this weekend.

Pretty much ditto everything you said for myself.

I made a few tarry meteorites in my early days...

[Smokin Gator]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Have to dig the WSM out of 12" snow for tomorrow.

That's the spirit brother... let that baby ROCK!!!

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by T.G

I made a few tarry meteorites in my early days...

I know that feeling.

[tupacboy]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I did alot of shopping around when I was looking at those two smokers. Please read the reviews on the Masterbuit Electric before buying. Look on Cabelas and Bass Pro and Amazon. The Electronic module on the top of the smoker does not last. MANY people had it go out numerous times during warranty and after warranty. The Sales rep at Bass Pro even told me that in person.
I went with the Bradley. They have great customer service and a great site with and awesome smoking forum.
Yes the pucks are proprietary, but they are not expensive. Because they are putting out so much pure smoke you do not run smoke the entire cooking time.
I ran the smoke for the 5 hours I smoked my ribs and holy cow, way too much smoke.
I run 2.5 hours of smoke on my ribs and 5 hours on my Pork Butts. This is plenty of time, trust me.
The pucks cost around .30c each. So you're talking $2.25-$4.50 per smoke. Not expensive at all. Plus some electricity of course.

Thanks for the great feedback! I guess bradley here i come!