Tips on Buying a Smoker for a novice?

[kirk89gt]

Up until last year I had a 11-year old Brinkmann charcoal grill, I used it for smoking ribs, shoulder, chicken, and it worked amazing. I just rigged it up for indirect heat and the results were great. I literally used it until the bottom fell out. Last year I got a Chargriller with an offset smoker box. I'd been wanting to try the offset box to see if I could get even better results, and also triple my capacity. I got it last spring and to date I'm still not happy with it. The first few times I used the offset box for the wood it wasn't great. It took gobs of wood to get the main chamber up to 225 F and keep it there for 5-6 hours. And the ribs just were off. So I've stopped using the offset box and put the wood/heat source under the main chamber off to the right side with the ribs on the racks over to the left under the pipe. I still gain some capacity. I just did some back ribs yesterday and, again, the result was good, but not great.

We like our ribs fall off the bone. I know that's not what the competition pitmasters go for, that technically 'fall off the bone' is overcooked, blah blah blah. But that's the way we like it, and that's the way I could get it with my previous grill. I can't get there with this one.

The Chargriller is probably 20% bigger in terms of space in the main chamber. With my previous grill I'd get it to 225 F and keep it there and it was perfect. I found that with the new one I needed to get it to 240-250 F to get the job done in the same 5 hour window (2-2-1). But I'm still not getting it to the fall off the bone place. So I still must be undercooking (or not properly overcooking ).



I would recommend cranking up the heat once you wrap them in foil (~300 if you can get it there) - basically the same as cooking them in the oven for about an hour. Put a little liquid with the foil (apple juice, whatever your fancy) and you should get to fall off the bone tender.

For those of you who foil the ribs after letting them take on as much smoke as they can, do you wrap the foil tightly or loosely? I spray with apple juice and wrap tightly, which is how I did it before, but am thinking maybe I should wrap loosely to let the ribs steam better. I think maybe I need to switch it up to a 2-3-1, and let them go with the foil longer. I'm not seeing the ribs pull down at the ends exposing more of the rib bone as I would before.

 

[cstrunk]

My Traeger really never strays more than +/- 5, once in a while 10. Maybe you need a new controller.
Also I dont trust any dome thermometer on any grill or smoker I own.

Maybe. I guess I could spend four hours on the phone with their support team and trying all kinds of different things. And then they ship me a new controller that I have to swap. But it was a new smoker this winter and tons of people have had the same issue. It works pretty well at most other temperatures but for the sweet spot temps of 225F and 250F, it just can't do it.

My model isn't a high end one, so maybe that's part of it.

 

[tm3308]

Just picked this up today. 4 years old, never used
View attachment 63585

Jesus. That grill is stupid expensive for a charcoal grill ($1425, I nearly wept when I saw the price because I'd love to have one), and this person bought it, never used it, and is selling it for less than a third of the retail price? What a moron.

 

[Acylum]

Maybe. I guess I could spend four hours on the phone with their support team and trying all kinds of different things. And then they ship me a new controller that I have to swap. But it was a new smoker this winter and tons of people have had the same issue. It works pretty well at most other temperatures but for the sweet spot temps of 225F and 250F, it just can't do it.

My model isn't a high end one, so maybe that's part of it.

You can try this if you have this type controller: https://www.google.com/search?q=how....14374j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1

 

[cstrunk]

You can try this if you have this type controller: https://www.google.com/search?q=how....14374j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1

Yeah I've tried Googling the issue and I've tried messing with the P setting. The problem is that sometimes the fire doesn't get rolling quick enough as it drops under 224F and it keeps feeding pellets until it has relit itself and the temperature gets back to above 225F. During that whole time period it dumps enough pellets that a small inferno eventually gets going and raises the temperature by 50-100 degrees before leveling off and reverting to the "smoke p setting" as it drops back to 225F. If the timing is bad then the temp sometimes drops below 200F and then it takes it so long to get back to 225F that there's just too much fuel and the temperature rockets past 300F.

Messing with the P setting can help, but it has not really helped solve the issue. I just don't see how the programming of this controller would ever allow the temperature to always stay within 5-10 degrees. But, I have heard people say that theirs works that way (online). The other people I know with Traeger's have the exact same issue.

There is an aftermarket controller that you can install that is supposed to be very precise (+/- 5 degrees constantly), but it's $175 or so. I'd rather have a new smoker that doesn't have 100+F temperature swings from the get-go.

 

[Acylum]

Yeah I've tried Googling the issue and I've tried messing with the P setting. The problem is that sometimes the fire doesn't get rolling quick enough as it drops under 224F and it keeps feeding pellets until it has relit itself and the temperature gets back to above 225F. During that whole time period it dumps enough pellets that a small inferno eventually gets going and raises the temperature by 50-100 degrees before leveling off and reverting to the "smoke p setting" as it drops back to 225F. If the timing is bad then the temp sometimes drops below 200F and then it takes it so long to get back to 225F that there's just too much fuel and the temperature rockets past 300F.

Messing with the P setting can help, but it has not really helped solve the issue. I just don't see how the programming of this controller would ever allow the temperature to always stay within 5-10 degrees. But, I have heard people say that theirs works that way (online). The other people I know with Traeger's have the exact same issue.

There is an aftermarket controller that you can install that is supposed to be very precise (+/- 5 degrees constantly), but it's $175 or so. I'd rather have a new smoker that doesn't have 100+F temperature swings from the get-go.

Yeah I'm not crazy about mine either. But my issue is getting it to produce smoke. I've already decided if I get another pellet smoker it will be a Yoder.

 

[JP4CY]

Jesus. That grill is stupid expensive for a charcoal grill ($1425, I nearly wept when I saw the price because I'd love to have one), and this person bought it, never used it, and is selling it for less than a third of the retail price? What a moron.

Weber's unlike a majority of grills and smokers out there are still made in USA.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Jesus. That grill is stupid expensive for a charcoal grill ($1425, I nearly wept when I saw the price because I'd love to have one), and this person bought it, never used it, and is selling it for less than a third of the retail price? What a moron.

The person that bought it had moved to a lake house and thought they would be using it at get togethers. They then found it easier to pull out a couple of smaller grills and just left it in the shed. They said they needed to clean out the shed so they decided to sell it. It never even had an initial burn in to burn off the oils from manufacture.

 

[tm3308]

Weber's unlike a majority of grills and smokers out there are still made in USA.

I know Weber grills are generally more expensive because of that, but I've got a 22" Master-Touch and a 22" Smokey Mountain, and the cost of those two combined is less than half the cost of the Ranch. That's absurd.

 

[JP4CY]

I know Weber grills are generally more expensive because of that, but I've got a 22" Master-Touch and a 22" Smokey Mountain, and the cost of those two combined is less than half the cost of the Ranch. That's absurd.

22 WSM! Nice.

 

[tm3308]

22 WSM! Nice.

I love it, even if I don't actually use it all that much. Seems silly to light it up now that I'm cooking for one, when I can smoke smaller meals on my kettle. But I can easily fit 5-7 racks of ribs, a chicken or two, and a pan of my smoked mac and cheese in there.

But if I host or get invited to a big Super Bowl party, I'm loading that ***** up with wings on both grates.

 

[fatkid1974]

Walmart cheap drum - I have 4 drum smokers and love all of them.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Barrel-House-Cooker-18C/333914739

Walmart Cheap Oklahoma Joe Offset - have had 2 buddies buy these and both love them for the price:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Oklahoma-Joe-Highland-879-sq-in-Smoker/33605961

Either one of these would be better than anything electric IMO.

I know dozens of guys with traegers and not a one of them has 100 degree temp swings.I'd take the grates out and give it a good vacuuming and make sure the deflector is in the proper place. After traveling sometimes mine moves and will make the temps get out of control. 15-25 degree is quite common. Mine holds +/- 5-10, but I have the insulated blanket on mine at all times cooking to help hold temps.

 

[intrepid27]

Hmm but you'll still get the smokey flavor? It's not just a glorified outdoor electric over?

One guy above mentioned buying a pellet smoking tube in an electric for more smoke

I have a cheap ($200) Cajun Injector electric smoker. About the size of a dorm fridge and very easy to use. Plenty of smoke flavor and very easy to use. Can do a big pork shoulder or 3 racks of ribs. When l do brisket I have to seperate the flat and the point but that works as the flat is usually done first.

 

[cycloner29]

Daniel Boone WiFi. No temp swings (ability to slide fire box from left to right). Can be calibrated (add a couple of oven therms). Set for ambient temp (allows grill to be more aggressive temp wise in very cold conditions and less aggressive in hot conditions). I've got 4 10 lb bone in pork shoulders and three boneless shoulders to do this week end. It also turns out brisket like this.

 

[Farnsworth]

This thread makes me sad as my smoker is broke and not quite sure what all is wrong with it. New controller for sure and I think a heating rod.

 

[CloneGuy8]

Got some spare ribs on the new smoker. Perfect day out for this

 

[kirk89gt]

Did about 40 lbs of butts on the old offset this weekend.

Still trying to convince the wife on upgrading to a pellet grill. Got my eyes on a RecTec. Would love to do a butt or brisket from start to finish to see how it turns out. The fire on the offset ashes out around 8 hours.

 

[IceCyIce]

Did about 40 lbs of butts on the old offset this weekend.

Still trying to convince the wife on upgrading to a pellet grill. Got my eyes on a RecTec. Would love to do a butt or brisket from start to finish to see how it turns out. The fire on the offset ashes out around 8 hours.

By the time it ashes out it's not taking smoke any longer. Throw it in the oven covered until it's done. Perfection.

 

[Chad]

Started with a WSM, tasted great but hated the cleanup esp living in town and getting rid of ash and greasy water, went to a GMG and hated the temp variances across the grate from left to right, now have a cookshack amerique and it’s so easy. Temp always within 3 degrees, great smoke flavor, easy to clean, start it up and can go play 18 and when I come home the ribs are almost done.

 

[JP4CY]

Started with a WSM, tasted great but hated the cleanup esp living in town and getting rid of ash and greasy water, went to a GMG and hated the temp variances across the grate from left to right, now have a cookshack amerique and it’s so easy. Temp always within 3 degrees, great smoke flavor, easy to clean, start it up and can go play 18 and when I come home the ribs are almost done.

I don’t use water too often in my WSM. If I do it’s enough to evaporate.
I foil line the bowl and that helps too.
I’ll wait till next day to cleanup and allow cooling and will just flop the whole bottom in a trash bag, let the dust settle, throw the foil from the bowl in, and tie it all up.

Glad you found something that works well for you though. That’s the point of it all.