Electric smokers

[Dave at kelton]

At our keepers day we were treated to smoked duck and pheasant; superb! I was told it was cooked using a bradley smoker. Does anyone have experience of Bradley or other electric smokers? I have used the small Snowbee meths smokers but regulating heat and smoking has been very hit and miss. I am told the electric smokers are by far the easiest to use but they are not cheap.

Thanks Guys

[Jonty]

Dave

I have a char broil electric smoker

Smoker

I've wanted an electric smoker for a long time but until recently, only the Bradley seemed to be available in the uk, I was put off the Bradley by the fact you had to use their own disks of smoking wood.  The char broil simply has a metal,box you fill with whatever wood chips or pellets you like so you're not tied to,proprietary expensive disks.  It's incredibly easy to use with a digital temperature controller to set the temp in 1degree c increments, it also has a built in temperature probe so that if you want to smoke, say, a pork shoulder to an internal temp of 98 degrees c, insert the probe, program the temp into the smoker and leave it to cook, once the meat hits the set temp, the smoker cuts off into keep,warm mode and leaves your meat cooked to exactly how you wanted. 

Ive seen Bradley's in use and have liked them, but really wanted to steer away from the disk issue, for me, the Char broil does everything and more than I want.  Mine was less than £300, I am in Austria at the moment and Google isn't letting me find the the link to the supplier I used hence the Amazon link above, but if you shop around I'm sure you'll find a lower price than the one shown.

one point to note is that the smokers are usually geared up,for 'low and slow' cooking so have a relatively low max temperature settin (it's 140 degrees c on the char broil) so there may be cases wher if you really want to crisp up something like chicken wings, they may need a few minutes in a conventional oven, I've never found it a problem, but it's maybe worth considering when you're looking around at different options. 

Hope this helps

[Walker570]

For relatively small stuff I still use the 'pan' type smoker where you put the meths underneath in a tin, lightn it and retire, when the meths has burned away job done. I use my own sawdust as I plane and cut a fair bit of oak, pear, plum, cherry and I agree I don't like the idea of those discs either.  NOW, for larger pieces of meat I built a ...well I suppose the Americans would call it a broiler/smoker. It is a 45 gallon drum. I cut around the top about six inches down. I then crimp the edge of the bottom piece so the cut off piece slides on as a lid. In the top of this lid I cut a round hole about 4 inches and make a sliding door so I can control air flow. I then cut a similar hole right at the bottom for air to enter.  Inside I put a grid about an inch from the bottom for the charcoal, then another grid on the opposite side large enough to hold a piece of meat as big as a full brisket. I then took and old roasting tray...2 inch sides at leat and suspened this below this rack where I could fill it with water.    I place a goodly amount of charcoal on the bottom tray and then I have made a 'pre burner' out of a tin can about 10-12 inches by 6 inches with a handle on the side. Punch holes in the side all round, fill this with charcoal and when set to cook light this charcoal and let it burn until grey, then tip this on top of the charcoal in the smoker/broiler.  Brisket ready prepared onto the top rack and then drop half a dozen 1 inch blocks of your chosen wood which you have soak for 30 mins or so in water, on top of the burning charcoal and put the lid on.    With a brisket, do this at 8-9am, at 10 30 --11 have a quick check and then wrap the brisket in silver foil if it looks nicely brown and glazed. Put the lid back on and check again in 2 hrs. You might have to add a bit more charcoal. You learn how much will run it for 8 to 9 hrs.  I often do this if we have friends in for a meal and aim to take the foil off and let the meat crisp and dry about 5pm ...eat it at 6 -6.30pm. It is also a good idea to put a temp gauge on the drum and keep temps relatively low so the meat cooks nice and slowly.

Never ever had any left over by the time dessert is served.

I have recently done pigeon, partridge and pheasant breast meats in the small smoker and took them for 'elevensies' sliced thin cold.  Very succesful.

I marinate for 12 hrs / overnight  rub the meat with maple syrup, brown sugar and a creole mix I had shipped in from the States .  The brisket I let lay in Old Peculiar as well overnight with the aforementioned rub applied.

 

I'll take some photos of the drum smoker and put on later.  Cost next to nothing and believe me it works.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Walker570

[Dave at kelton]

Thanks guys. I looked at the charboil on line and it is  lot cheaper. I have also considered making my own so now have two options.

[Rob525]

This is something ive been thinking of for along time now and walker your post has inspired me! When you get a minute please could you take a few pics of your drum smoker and lighter tin. Thanks!

[oldypigeonpopper]

  On 09/02/2018 at 09:27, Dave at kelton said:

Thanks guys. I looked at the charboil on line and it is  lot cheaper. I have also considered making my own so now have two options.

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hello, can you put a link up reference the charboil Dave, cheers