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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,108
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,108 |
Have a Green Egg and like it but am looking for a smoker that is a little less labor intensive and might not require quite the tending the Egg does.
What do you think?
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,757
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,757 |
Cookshack makes a good unit. I still have an SM-5 (which they no longer make) that I haven't used since I started cooking on BGE's. You can produce some decent bbq with an electric but the taste and moisture level are no where near as good as what you can get with your BGE. If you don't mind me asking what do you find labor intensive about your egg? Maybe I can offer some suggestions.
Mike
Know fat, know flavor. No fat, no flavor.
I tried going vegan, but then realized it was a big missed steak.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,108
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,108 |
Don't mind at all Mike. We love ribs on the BGE but by labor intensive, I mean just the right amount of charcoal, fiddling with air flow for correct temperature, etc. That's what I mean. 'Course it could also show I'm sort of impatient and occasionally I resort to "microwave thinking."
I don't expect electric to do a better job or taste better necessarily but to maybe be easier with some items. Especially with a remote.
But maybe there is no squirrel up this tree. 😄
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 44,284
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 44,284 |
George, I caught a sale at BassPro last Sept on a MasterBuilt Sportsman Elite for $99. Have been happy with it so far. Bought a Maverick ET-733 wireless dual probe setup that makes things easy. The smoker makes a perfect thin blue smoke plume, but runs a little hotter than its thermometer says. Maverick setup shines there. Only complaint is where the chip box is located. Doesn't make sense, even if you follow instructions. I just moved things around where I thought they needed to be. Check out my original inquiry on the Fire. It may help in your decision. https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...ss_Pro_has_MasterBuilt_Sport#Post9117879Best Wishes, LD
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want. Rehabilitation is way overrated. Orwell wasn't wrong. GOA member disappointed NRA member 24HCF SEARCH
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,757
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,757 |
Do you have a temp controller, or are you doing it "old school" by the vents?
Know fat, know flavor. No fat, no flavor.
I tried going vegan, but then realized it was a big missed steak.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,108
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,108 |
Apparently, so Old School I didn't know there was New School or a temp controller.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,757
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,757 |
Take a look at the BBQ Guru temp control systems. There are a couple of models I would recommend for you based on how often you do low and slow cooks. If you're only smoking a couple of times a month then the Party-Q might be a good option. It will control your pit temp and the unit is powered by AA batteries. I have the older model that I use for tailgating and camping and it works great. Battery life is around 24 hours of use. Their most popular unit is the Digi-Q DX. It is an AC powered unit that monitors both pit and meat temp. Like the Party-Q they are set it and forget it. The Digi-Q is used by most all competition teams today. I just used mine last night cooking two pork butts. Put them on at midnight, set the temp at 225 and haven't touched it since. Hope this helps and please ask if you have any more questions. Mike
Know fat, know flavor. No fat, no flavor.
I tried going vegan, but then realized it was a big missed steak.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 16,912
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 16,912 |
am looking for a smoker that is a little less labor intensive and might not require quite the tending . Mr. De_Vries, I have an inexpensive electric smoker designed primarily for curing/smoking sausages that only goes to maybe 230* degrees at the most and with the addition of hardwood sawdust in the tray provided will produce very,very tasty moist tender ribs, pulled pork and brisket albeit without the classic smokering and bark that many folks desire. TENDER is its strong point. I'm just using it as an example as an old refrigerator with a hot plate in it will do the same thing.Its a heat source. You stated you were looking into electric smokers so for me a pellet smoker would fall most definitely under that heading with several good ones on the market ATM. With quality digital controllers available on some models they are truly set it and forget it. I did a FREE simple mod to my pellet hopper and it can run literally indefinitely without tending and that's a very strong point in my opinion.
Last edited by 284LUVR; 06/28/15.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,722
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,722 |
Just as Mike said get a temp control. I use a bbq digi Q deal and it's not very labor intensive. I can promise you I wouldn't screw with smoking pork and brisket for 12-20 hours without. Ever so often I'll clean all the ash I can out of it but it's not a big deal.
If my temp controller broke today I'd go buy another. Maybe I'm lazy.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,702
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,702 |
I'd look hard at a pellet grill. I can control the temp on my pellet grill from 150-500. Like said above, set it and forget it.
The pellet grill has worked great for smoking turkeys, jerky, sausages, etc and can be used for cooking many other items at higher temps as well and for lengthy times.
I did buy some extra racks for making jerky in the pellet grill simply to process more meat at once.
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