Archive Smokers - Ohio Chatter

ZWICK 4 PREZ

Posts: 7,733

Mar 15, 2015 9:32pm

What are the brand of smokers you use. Everyone talks about the big green egg. What else is there?

iclfan2

Posts: 6,360

Mar 15, 2015 9:44pm

I just bought an Akorn. Same "kamado" style cooking as a bge, but not ceramic, and only $300. Can grill, smoke, sear, etc. There is also a Kamado Joe that has reviews as good as the bge and cheaper.

I've been happy with mine so far, but haven't actually smoked anything yet. Have a pork butt in the freezer but not the 8 hours to do it. The downside of the Akorn is that consistent temps are harder to maintain than ceramic for a low and slow cook.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ironman92

Posts: 49,363

Mar 15, 2015 10:46pm

Was thinking cigs and was very confused for 5 seconds of reading

Belly35

Posts: 9,716

Mar 15, 2015 11:26pm

Hollow Pro Smoker Deluxe Barrel Grill/Smoker
old school wood smoker

Q

QuakerOats

Posts: 8,740

Mar 16, 2015 1:21pm

Weber / charcoal & wood ---- one of my favorites past times. Requires beer and a dog

Fab4Runner

Posts: 6,196

Mar 16, 2015 1:24pm

Mantooth got an off brand version of the BGE from Lowe's for like 1/4 the price. He loves it.

Bio-Hazzzzard

Posts: 1,027

Mar 16, 2015 5:04pm

Stumps Smokers by a long shot.

http://www.stumpssmokers.com/Products/Gravity-Feed-Smokers/Vertical-Smokers/The-XL-Baby

J

Jawbreaker

Posts: 520

Mar 16, 2015 8:16pm

I use this on my webber grill: http://altonbrown.com/thermo-control-gear-for-bbq/

S

superman

Posts: 3,582

Mar 16, 2015 9:44pm

Bio-Hazzzzard;1713470 wrote:Stumps Smokers by a long shot.

http://www.stumpssmokers.com/Products/Gravity-Feed-Smokers/Vertical-Smokers/The-XL-Baby

Please tell me you have that model at your house.
You will instantly become my favorite poster

Bio-Hazzzzard

Posts: 1,027

Mar 16, 2015 10:23pm

superman;1713602 wrote:Please tell me you have that model at your house.

I have the Baby model, XL is ordered.

superman;1713602 wrote:You will instantly become my favorite poster

I would take the stumps XL long before selecting me as your favorite poster if I were you:laugh:

Big_Mirg_ZHS

Posts: 2,079

Mar 17, 2015 9:59am

Camel Menthol.

Belly35

Posts: 9,716

Mar 17, 2015 10:33am

Belly35

Posts: 9,716

Mar 17, 2015 10:40am

Bio-Hazzzzard;1713470 wrote:Stumps Smokers by a long shot.

http://www.stumpssmokers.com/Products/Gravity-Feed-Smokers/Vertical-Smokers/The-XL-Baby

What the heat/smoke source?

I use only apple wood...

justincredible

Posts: 32,056

Mar 17, 2015 10:41am

I don't have a dedicated smoked but I have used my Weber kettle to smoke a brisket and it turned out pretty good.

Bio-Hazzzzard

Posts: 1,027

Mar 17, 2015 5:32pm

Belly35;1713782 wrote:What the heat/smoke source?

It's a gravity fed charcoal. You dump a hot chimney starter full of coals down the shaft on the top and then fill it the rest of the way with layers of charcoal and smoke wood. The lower the draft/draw the lower the heat and the slower the coals/smoke wood burn. I primarily use apple as well, however I like to change it up a bit with cherry, pecan, or maple.

Belly35

Posts: 9,716

Mar 18, 2015 7:36am

Bio-Hazzzzard;1713932 wrote:It's a gravity fed charcoal. You dump a hot chimney starter full of coals down the shaft on the top and then fill it the rest of the way with layers of charcoal and smoke wood. The lower the draft/draw the lower the heat and the slower the coals/smoke wood burn. I primarily use apple as well, however I like to change it up a bit with cherry, pecan, or maple.

So you control the temp. with the chimney damper this is the same same as my smoker.
Does Stump also have a fire box air flow ventilation damper?
How consistent does the temp. stay?
My smoker I have to monitor the temp. Via the (chimney damper) almost every 30 to 45 minutes to keep an even for example 180 degrees.
I have a metal pan that I place in front of the fire source that leads to the smoke chamber. Not standard equipment but My grandpa did it so do I. I fill this pan with Apple juice or any fruit juice or fruit sweet wine does it add to the favor or moister to the meat I really can't tell, my grandpa did it this way so I do it.
A friend told me that he put fresh whole apples, peaches and berries in the fire sometimes ... Ever hear of doing that?

T

Tiernan

Posts: 13,021

Mar 18, 2015 2:18pm

...should be shot.

oh I thought you meant the idiots that are trying to poison the rest of us.

Bio-Hazzzzard

Posts: 1,027

Mar 18, 2015 10:17pm

Belly35;1714105 wrote:So you control the temp. with the chimney damper this is the same same as my smoker.
Does Stump also have a fire box air flow ventilation damper?

Yes

Belly35;1714105 wrote:How consistent does the temp. stay?

Adjust the draw/draft and it will maintain a consistent temp throughout the cook.

Belly35;1714105 wrote:My smoker I have to monitor the temp. Via the (chimney damper) almost every 30 to 45 minutes to keep an even for example 180 degrees.

With the gravity feed this cooker utilizes it's basically like turning on your oven although wise to check it every couple of hours to make sure your air flow is correct

Belly35;1714105 wrote:I have a metal pan that I place in front of the fire source that leads to the smoke chamber. Not standard equipment but My grandpa did it so do I.

I fill this pan with Apple juice or any fruit juice or fruit sweet wine does it add to the favor or moister to the meat I really can't tell

No it doesn't add flavor or moisture to the meat, experience carries warrant to those characteristics.

I've never been a fan of adding anything with sugar in it to a water pan or the fire, if the water evaporates with it in the pan it will burn and permeate the meat with offensive flavors. I use only water on low heat to help keep the temps low, however, on high heat I use no water. Water is simply a process utilized to suck up the heat energy in a low heat cook, while high heat needs the heat energy so no need for water.

Belly35

Posts: 9,716

Mar 19, 2015 6:31am

Bio-Hazzzzard;1714368 wrote:Yes

Adjust the draw/draft and it will maintain a consistent temp throughout the cook.

With the gravity feed this cooker utilizes it's basically like turning on your oven although wise to check it every couple of hours to make sure your air flow is correct

No it doesn't add flavor or moisture to the meat, experience carries warrant to those characteristics.

I've never been a fan of adding anything with sugar in it to a water pan or the fire, if the water evaporates with it in the pan it will burn and permeate the meat with offensive flavors. I use only water on low heat to help keep the temps low, however, on high heat I use no water. Water is simply a process utilized to suck up the heat energy in a low heat cook, while high heat needs the heat energy so no need for water.

thank you very good info from a smoker user. I use my smoker three times a year for large parties.
I like the fact that with the Stump I don't have to monitor the temp every 45 minutes.

question. With my smoker the temp drops as the wood burns down, when I add wood durning a 16 hour smoke the inside heat increase a lot I have to do a lot of damper adjusting and I have to monitor more to keep the inside smoker temp steady 180 degrees
How does the Stump handle lower temp from wood burn off or added wood heat increase?

ZWICK 4 PREZ

Posts: 7,733

Mar 19, 2015 6:58am

Belly35;1713778 wrote:

Those look awful charred. Do you put a couple trees in your smoker?

Belly35

Posts: 9,716

Mar 19, 2015 7:58am

Little in some places but overall the bark was perfect for pulled pork
little to much rub thickness in places and more cutting off the fat before adding the rub would of helped
those butt roast was my first experience using the smoker, I would not suggest this large amount of smoking meat the first time... Start off smaller

one thing about a smoker is the more you use it and try different things the more you learn about the smoker and your skills and methods you like. Knowing your smoker and the ability to controlling the heat is half the battle..

that Stump Smoker looks like a great smoker for beginners and season smokers users also.
im not ready to get a new smoker but if I was the Stump looks to be the top of the list.

Bio-Hazzzzard

Posts: 1,027

Mar 19, 2015 4:47pm

Belly35;1714467 wrote:thank you very good info from a smoker user. I use my smoker three times a year for large parties.
I like the fact that with the Stump I don't have to monitor the temp every 45 minutes.

question. With my smoker the temp drops as the wood burns down, when I add wood durning a 16 hour smoke the inside heat increase a lot I have to do a lot of damper adjusting and I have to monitor more to keep the inside smoker temp steady 180 degrees
How does the Stump handle lower temp from wood burn off or added wood heat increase?

When your heat gets too high throw ice cubes in your water pan it helps bring the temp down faster.

It doesn't matter with the Stumps because it is a gravity feed which lights new coals slowly while maintaining a consistent temp throughout the cook. All you do is add more unlit coals to the chute on the top of the cooker when they start getting low.

Ytowngirlinfla

Posts: 2,295

Mar 19, 2015 5:19pm

I was at cabela's today looking at smokers. We want one but so many to choose from.

Belly35

Posts: 9,716

Mar 19, 2015 5:22pm

Ytowngirlinfla;1714743 wrote:I was at cabela's today looking at smokers. We want one but so many to choose from.

Bio-Hazzzard nailed it. I want what he has...

Ytowngirlinfla

Posts: 2,295

Mar 19, 2015 5:58pm

Anyone ever try a Masterbuilt? I was looking at it today. Has good reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-20070910-30-Inch-Electric-Controller/dp/B00104WRCY